π Inventions and machines ποΈ Buildings and structures
Lifts
π In short
A lift, or elevator, is a small room that moves up and down inside a building, carrying people and things from floor to floor. Thanks to lifts, people have been able to build very tall skyscrapers.
π€© Did you know?
- The world's first electric lift came into service in 1889.
- Some freight lifts carry more than 45 thousand kilograms.
- Escalators are another kind of machine for moving people between floors.
- The Burj Khalifa has some of the fastest lifts in the world.
π Find out more
π How does it work?
The lift car hangs from strong steel cables that pass over a pulley at the top of the building, with a weight on the other end to balance it. An electric motor turns the pulley, and the car goes up or down.
π A safe lift
More than 150 years ago Elisha Otis invented a safety device that stops a lift falling if the cable breaks, so people felt safe using it. He showed off his invention by cutting the cable while standing inside the lift!
π‘ Very fast lifts
Tall towers have very fast lifts that climb dozens of floors in a few seconds, and you may feel pressure in your ears inside.
π― Lift manners
Wait for people to get out before you get in, don't jump inside, and don't play with the buttons. If there's a fire, use the stairs, not the lift.
πΈ More pictures
𧩠Test yourself
1 What do you use if there's a fire in the building?
2 Who invented the lift's safety device?
3 Some freight lifts carry more than ?? thousand kilograms.
4 Which picture shows βLiftsβ?
π Discover more
π· Picture sources: Wikimedia Commons
- Jcornelius (talk) Β· CC BY-SA 3.0
- Baron Maddock Β· CC BY 4.0
- Baron Maddock Β· CC BY 4.0
- Edward Orde Β· CC BY-SA 4.0
