• Simple man-powered elevators have been used by ancient civilizations
• In 1853, Elisha Graves Otis demonstrates his elevator safety device
• In the 1870s, elevators were run using hydraulic power
• In 1880, Werner von Siemens adapted the elevator to use electricity
• Allowed for multi-storied building

The typical elevator is a platform that is lowered and raised. The modern elevator uses motor driven ropes and a counterweight, which helps the elevator ascend. Many safety measures have been added over the years to keep elevators safe for general public use. Some of these safety mechanisms include the guide rail that keeps the car from swaying side to side, the use of DC current to provide smooth deceleration and acceleration, and the installation of shaftway limit switches which help the elevator stop at a floor. The most revolutionary innovation to the elevator was the safety brake invented by Elisha Otis.

Otis’s brake consisted of a ratchet and a spring that were triggered when the rope holding the elevator broke. He unveiled his innovation to a stunned crowed at the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York. With the safety of the elevator greatly improved, elevators could become commonplace and they allowed for taller and taller buildings. The use of electricity to power elevators developed by Werner von Siemens allowed for elevators to be more efficient and cheaper. Elevators are now a necessity in our lives, as we are not inclined to climb 20 flights of stairs on our way to our jobs or homes.