New-York tribune., 1899-07-30
STOPPING THE ELEV ATOR.
THE LATEST NOVELTY IN SIGNALLING
AN INNOVATION THAT sIMfLIFIEs THE
IN BIG OFFICE BUILDINGS.

In many Of these structures there are from
six to eight cars going up and down IN the same
shaft Indeed, in few instances. as many as
ten can be found in operation side py sioe'
Some are going up and some are gong Gown,
and it is intended that they shall all be so wen
distributed that no two at exactly the sarne
height at the same moment
Unless automatic signals given by the cam
to indicate where they are. It is almost I'M
nossble for a man 10 tell which OF the six or
eight or ten will reach his floor next IL ID
practically impossible to keep ones eye on all
of them at once, to see car more thah
single story above below where he stands
While one is looking off TO the right car may
come down away to the left Even should
person catch a glimpse OF available car
dropping from the level Of the floor above thal
on which he is standing, there is chance that
his outcry, Down. 'Leventeen" will prove USE
less The car may be moving at such a speed
that the conductor cannot check it in time, and
the latter therefore proceeds regardless or the
hail From this and other causes man may
easily miss three or four cars In succession h
he is visiting a building with whose geography
and elevator system he is unfamiliar, and the
consequent delay will often give rise 10 I'M
patience and unparliamentary language.
VARIOUS AUTOMATIC DEVICES.
ro meet this embarrassment II has been GUS
| tornary to introduce into Office buildings some
sort Of automatic signal each floor TO indi-
cate to the observer the position OF each ele-
vator car Sometimes tube filed with co!ored
| fluid and suggesting a big water gauge on
| stcarn boiler is placed beside each subdivision
Of the elevator shaft. Numbers are inscribed
on the tube corresponding to the different Hoors'
| and the fluid rises and falls accordingly. An
| other familiar mechanism consists OF pointer .
| that moves to and fro along a graduated arc, On
which are displayed suitable figures Emerging
Y into the corridor from Office at considerabie
; elevation from the street, and approaching the
elevators, a man takes a hasty glance at the
full set Of indicators, and thus discovers WHICH
car affords him the earliest opportunity oi d.
descent These conveniences are sometimes ac-
con11anied by push button, which enables the
,assenger to signal in advance TO the conductor
OF the elevator that he wishes to get on board
The latest advance in signalling practice for
elevators simplifes the work OF catching the
next car, although you must understand tne
( system 10 take advantage Of it. Above each OF
the doorways on the same floor, and on ever
floor arc placed two porcelain or ground glass
globes containing electric lamps, which are ex-
tinguished most OF the time. Each pair Is 50
arranged that one gIODe is apoNe t'e oehei'
The upper one is white and the lower one is red
II a light appears in the lower globe II means
that the car in that shaft is going down where
as light in the upper globe signifies that the
car is going up. When man steps out II some =
adjacent Office and approaches the elevator
shaft he sees no lights burning at a." bat X
he steps TO a push button. of 10 one side OF the
whole system OF elevators, and pushes the
down button, the next down car, whichever
it may be. will be signalled by its red light.
simultaneously a red light will be flashed up In
the car itself, for the information of the con-
ductor AS the passenger enters, and
the car starts downward. the red light on that
floor at this particular elevator goes out
Unless the means here described are en-
ployed, however the car will not stop. no
amount Of shouting vii! avail The victim OK
disappointment may hear not altogether IN
telligible remark from the disappearing con-
ductor about pushing the button. And when
he acts that suggestion. he captures car
with astonishing promptness. Still, II Is possl-
bic that a may be so full that the man IN
charge deems it unwise TO stop. In this case
the conductor pushes button Of his own that
signals the next car, whichever il may be, and
at the same instant another light flashes out
for the information of the person who has been
obliged to wait
If wishes to go up from any but the
street floor he pushes the up" button and
then he looks for a white light. which will flash
out Immediately Thus he finds the proper
doorway for his ascent After he has embarked
This system does not require push button for
~, nI.Tf ID