Escalators are often considered as one of the main machines in many buildings. When you go to most buildings such as shopping malls, airport and railway stations these are first thing that you would see. Its major job is to convey people up or down the building. This has ever since been very reliable and helpful in transporting people. Do you know how this is made? Well, this article tackles more about this amazing machine. Read through and find out more.
You are probably wondering how the escalator steps move up and down. Well, the secret is what has been hidden under the steps, ¬which is called the truss. This is a set of steel which acts as support. Inside this truss is an electric motor that basically controls the two gears found on either side at the top part of the escalator and two on the bottom part of the escalator. Connected to these gears are chain loops that when the motor has been switched on, the gears rotate. This causes the escalator steps to move up or down.
As you observe when you ride the escalator, the steps are flattened out on the top and bottom of the escalator. This is because every step contains four wheels which have been positioned on either side of the step. The two wheels that are moved closest to the topmost part of the step link the steps to the chains that have been looped around the gears of the escalator. The chains' horizontal point at the uppermost and base parts of the escalator is what causes the steps to even out. For stability purposes, the wheels that are moved closest to the base part of the step revolve along the rail inside the truss. Inside each step, grooves are installed. Its main purpose is to help with the alignment of the steps.
The electric motor's function is not only to move the chain loops of the escalators but this moves the escalator handrails as well. All escalators are installed with handrails which help in the safety and balance of the people riding onto it. These are mainly rubber loops that are linked to the two gears located at the top part of the escalator. The handrails are usually placed on the wall at the side of the steps so that the riders can comfortably hold on to it.
An escalator is not as fast as an elevator at moving people from one floor to another. However, this machine is better at carrying people up and down at a short distance. Moreover, an elevator only carries certain number of people but an escalator can carry more than an elevator can handle. While it is true that the elevator transports you faster but you still need to wait before you can get in. In addition, because an escalator has an adjustable speed, it has the ability to decrease and manage overcrowding. Aside from that, escalators can be turned off basically turning out to be a staircase thus saving energy.
