CHAPTER 7:

MECHANICAL
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
 LESSON OUTCOMES

Introduce the basic principles and operation of

mechanical transportation systems available in
residential and commercial buildings
 CONTENTS OF LECTURE

0 Types of mechanical transporters

0 Vertical movements between floors
0 Principles, functions and components of lift, escalator
and travellator.
 INTRODUCTION
0 There are many types of mechanical transportation system, each design for
special purpose: move materials and equipment, others move people.

0 Range from a simple dumbwaiter used to carry material between floors in a

building to large, complex elevator system carrying people or heavy
materials and equipment.

0 Lift (elevator), escalator, travellator or moving walks

 TYPES OF MECHANICAL
TRANSPORTATION

Mechanical
transportation

Lift Paternoster Escalator Travellator

Lift Transportation
 Definition of Lifts
➢ A vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people between floors
(levels, deck) of a building or other structure.

➢ Generally powered by electric motor that drive by traction cable and

counterweight systems like a hoist or hydraulic pump.

Importance of Lifts
❑ Rapid development : buildings design nowadays built vertically /higher
because of high land cost.

❑ Basic needs : to bring building user from one level to higher level in building

❑ Comfort needs : working efficiency for office building or large organization.

❑ UBBL : building with more than 6 storey must provide lifts system.

❑ Fire requirements : provide fire lift to be used during fire.

 Lift Categories According to the
Function
Trade Lift Crucial to the good performance to clients of the building.
▪ Between 6 – 23 people.
▪ Speed of elevator 200 – 2000 ft/ min.
▪ Examples : offices, shopping mall and hotels
Hospital Lift • Used in hospital & treatment center
• Designed for transporting large carts or furniture.
• Speed of elevator 100 – 350 ft/ min.
• Two sides of front and back doors for loading and unloading
facilities.
• Door width between 900 – 1100mm
High ✓ For high rise residential buildings such as flat, apartment or
Residential condominium.
Lift ✓ Needs regular maintenance because high frequency of its use
everyday or possibility of vandalism
Institution Lift ➢ Used in library, office, classroom or lecture hall located at high
altitudes.
Store Lift • Used to transport heavy goods but depends on types of good
transported.
• Elevator speed 50 – 150ft/min.
• 5000 lbs normal, load haul 20000 lbs.
• Usually used in shoppping complex, airports, hotels, warehouse
Lift of Cars ➢ Used specifically to lift a car in multi storey car park or
showroom.

NOTES :
• These six types of elevators had to be in the form of pull pull ??
(traction) and hydraulics.
• Form of traction is more commonly used for high
velocity.
• Hydraulic type only used to transport goods where Hydraulics ??
waiting time is not concerned.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFT
1. Lift needed for the building more than 6 storey.

2. Installation must be in accordance with the regulation in UBBL.

3. Suitable speed 100 – 150ft/min. Too fast will result in a nervous breakdown to
the user. If too slow will cause lack of function.

USER REQUIREMENTS:

0 Good System – quiet equipment, smooth journey, good condition and safe at every
moment.

0 Waiting time – minimum waiting time at any level.

0 Aesthetics – Button panel clear and easily reached at appropriate level. Complete
instruction. Decorative lighting and comfortable.

0 Movement of door – door movement is quiet and fast.

COMPONENTS & INSTALLATION OF LIFTS
1) Lift Sub-system

0 Control Motion – includes motor, gear, engines, brakes and power supply.
0 Control System - to get control the movements of the lift.
0 Door Control – contained motor connecting lift car doors, platforms gates and
door safety devices.
0 Safety Control – contain the safety gear, speed controller for the first balance,
heat and lack of power.
2) Lift Car

0 Platform where passengers or goods is transported.

0 Constructed with steel or iron attached with steel frame.
0 Fire resistance

Elevator / lift hoist ropes on top of a lift car

0 Equipment to be provided – door, floor panel indicators,
button of request, phone, emergency button, lighting,
ventilation and enough emergency supplies.

A modern internal control panel. Notice the

buttons labeled 1 above G. An external control panel
• Divided into 2 types :
1. Closed Lift (typical type)
2. Open Lift (bubble type)

Closed Lift (typical type)

Open Lift (bubble type)
 3) LIFT SHAFT

0 Constructed with reinforced concrete.

0 To accommodate the loading and fire resistance.
0 Size of lift shaft space is determined by the number of user.

Looking down the lift shaft of a hydraulic elevator.

- The hydraulic ram is to the left
Gearless motor mounted on the wall in the lift shaft
4) OVERSPEED GOVERNOR
0 Usually placed at the top of lift shaft.
0 Placed in room equipped with a lifting beam for maintenance
purposes.
0 To prevent overspeed due to ropes breaking or electrical fault.
0 Governor ropes drives the pulley when lift car travels.

5) LIFT DOOR

• Lift car is equipped with its own door (sliding type).

• Security measure – resist the movement as long as the door is
still open.
• Self closing within a certain time frame.
6) GUIDE
0 Work to keep the car and the counterweight.
0 Mounted on both sides of the lift shaft which is attached to the wheel of the car.
0 A safety device to hold the lift from crashing down if the rope break.

7) BUFFER
0 To absorb the impact of the lift car when it fell.
0 Placed in a room called the lift pit.

8) COUNTERWEIGHT

0 Load borne by the generator is balanced by the counterweight.

0 Connected with a wire rope of the elevator car.
0 Function of counterweight :
- To grip the lift car
- Reduce the power of generator
- Reduce the brake to stop the car lifts.
 SELECTION FACTOR OF LIFT
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
0 Utility – The function must be identified whether for commercial, office of
hospital.
0 Capacity & number of lifts – depends on the access building pattern and
building size.
0 Speed – depends on the number of stops, numbers of user and transport cost.
0 Type & size of lift gate – depends on the use or function.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
0 Size of lift shaft – depends on lift cargo capacity
0 Depth of lift shaft – depends on the speed of elevator
0 Area of space in lift – depends on speed of elevators.
0 Mechanical room size – depends on type and size of the lift equipment.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
• Electrical panels and power outlets.
• Ventilation fan and lighting in engine room.
• Steps down and power sockets in the wells lift (lift pit).
• The structure for lifting the machinery room.
• Maintenance works.
Building type Waiting time (second)

Office building
- Central town 25 – 30
- Commercial 30 – 45

Residential building
- Luxury 50 – 70
- Medium type 60 – 80
- Low cost 80 – 120
- Hostel 60 – 80

Hotel
- Class A 40 – 60
- Class B 50 – 70
Function Lif capacity (lbs) Min. Speed ft/min.) Building height (ft)
Office Building
Small size 2500 350 – 400 0 – 125
500 – 600 126 – 225
Medium size 3000 700 226 – 275
800 276 – 375
High scale 3500 1000 > 375
Hotel 2500 Same as above
3000
Hospital 3000 150 0 – 60
200 61 – 100
3500 250 – 300 101 – 125
350 – 400 126 – 175
4000 500 – 600 176 – 250
700 > 250
Residential 2000 100 0 – 75
200 76 – 125
2500 250 – 300 126 – 200
350 - 400 > 200
Commercial 3500 200 0 – 100
4000 250 – 300 101 – 150
350 – 400 151 – 200
5000 500 > 200
 LOCATION & LIFT ARRANGEMENT

LIFT ARRANGEMENT
0 To ensure there is no interference between passengers who wish to get into the
lift.
0 Should be carefully planned so can easily get into lobby and travel distance
is reasonable.
0 Maximum travel distance 150 – 200ft/min
0 System layout depends on the number of elevator cars that use the elevator
0 Normally the elevator is set in the layout or zoned.

BENEFIT
0 If there is high traffic , the usage is at optimum level
0 Waiting time will be shorten.
 LIFT ARRANGEMENT FOR 2 CAR LIFT

Side by side Opposite arrangement of Not good

arrangement – width corridor = width of car lift arrangement
of corridor = width arrangement – width of
of car lift corridor = width of car lift
 PLANNING FOR LIFTS
• In order to function efficiently, multi storey buildings must be provided with a
correctly designed lift installation.

• The planning of lift installations should commence early in the design project.

• Lift should be sited in the central area of the building and must take into
consideration of the positions of entrances and staircases. When a building has a
number of passenger lift they should be grouped together. In some large
buildings it may be necessary to have a main group of lifts near the main
entrance and a single lift at the other end of the building.

• The lift lobby must be wide enough to allow traffic to move past the lift without
causing congestion.

• For tall buildings express lift maybe required.

PLANNING FOR LIFTS
FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN
AN EFFICIENT SERVICE OF ELEVATORS (LIFTS)

Building types
and population
of the building
Lift No. of lifts,
groupings types and
sizes
LIFT
Location of Flow rate
lifts in a and total lift
building capacity
Provision
of lift lobby
 Factors Explanation
Building types and population - Depends on the function of buildings
of the building
No of lifts, types and sizes - Depends on the access building pattern and building
size.
- Depends on the use or function.
- Size: depends on lift cargo capacity
- Depth: depends on the speed of elevator
- Area of space: depends on speed of elevators
- Room size: depends on type and size of the lift
equipment

Flow rate and total lift capacity - Capacity: Depends on the access building pattern,
building height and building size (example capacity)
- Flow rate: Depends on the number of stops, numbers
of user and transport cost
- Tall buildings: express lift maybe required

Provision of lift lobby - Wide enough to allow traffic to move past the lift
without causing congestion.
-
Location of lifts in a building - Sited in the central area of the building
- Consider the positions of entrances and staircases
- Set in the layout or zoned (example arrangement of
lift)
-
Lift groupings - Number of passenger lift they should be grouped
together
- Large buildings: to have a main group of lifts near
the main entrance and a single lift at the other end of
the building.
Electric lift
 LIFT MACHINE ROOM & EQUIPMENT
• The machine room should be sited above the lift
shaft to reduces the lengths of the ropes and
increases the efficiency.

• The room should be ventilated and insulated to

reduce the risk of condensation. Temperature
between 40-10 degree Celsius.

• The machinery should be well secured to a

concrete slab and to reduce the transmission of
sound.

• Enough floor space should be provided for the

inspection and repair of the equipment.

• The walls, ceiling and floor should be smooth and

painted to reduce the formation of dust.
DETAILS OF AN ELECTRIC LIFT INSTALLATION
▪ The size of the shaft will depend upon the size of the car, space will be
required for the counterweight, guides and landing door.

▪ The shaft must extend below the lowest level served in the form of a pit.

▪ The pit permits over travel of the car and buffers are required at the base of
the pit for the both car and counterweight.

▪ The pit must be made watertight and drainage provided.

▪ The shaft and pit must be plumb/tegak and the internal surfaces finished
smooth and painted to minimize collection of dust.

▪ No pipes , ventilating ducts or cables must be fixed inside the shaft.

▪ A clearance at the top of the shaft is required for over travel of the car.

▪ The counterweight may be at the back or at the side of the car.

Electric lift
HYDRAULIC LIFT
 HYDRAULIC LIFT ARRANGEMENTS
• An oil hydraulic lift is the modern version of the older type hydraulic lift
which was supplied with water from a water main.
• The water main was pressurized from a central pumping station and
several buildings were supplied for the lift installation.
• In the oil-hydraulic system, oil is forced under pressure into a cylinder
thus raising a ram and lift the car.
• Each lift has its pumping units and controller. These units are usually
sited at the lowest level served but they may also be sited at some
distance from the lift.
• The lift is ideal where moderate speeds are required and the travel
distance is not great. The car speed ranges from 0.12m/s and 1m/s and
maximum travel is usually 21m.
• The lift suitable for goods lift, hospitals and library.
DIRECT ACTING SIDE ACTING
Hydraulic lift
PATERNOSTER LIFT
 PATERNOSTER LIFT
• A paternoster consists of a series of open fronted two person cars suspended
from hoisting chain.

• The chain runs over sprocket wheels at the top and bottom of the lift shaft.

• The lift is continuously moving and provides for both up and downs movement of
passengers in one shaft.

• It is not suitable for the infirm or elderly (children or older people)

• The speed of the lift car must not exceed 0.4 m/s

• Suitable for 6 – 7 storey buildings

Paternoster lift
ESCALATORS
 ESCALATORS
• Escalators are used for moving people from one level to another.

• The maximum carrying capacity depends upon the width of the steps and
their speed.

• The step widths vary between 600mm and 1.2m and the step speed varies
between 0.45m/s and 0.85m/s.

• Sophisticated control gear such as is required for a lift is unnecessary since the
motor runs continuously and the load varies gradually-helps to reduce the cost of
maintenance and possibility of breakdown.

• To prevent the spread of fire through the floor opening a water sprinkler maybe
installed to automatically provide a curtain of water over the well.
Alternatively a fire proof shutter operated by a smoke detector or fusible links
maybe used.
How many escalators or moving walks?
Type of building (offices, shopping center, movie theater, subway station, airport;
one-way traffic, two-way traffic; single- or multi-purpose building)
- Peak traffic times (office opening and closing hours)
- Population factor based on net usable area
- Customer turnover rate per floor in department stores
- Level of traveling comfort required
CONNECTIONS TO OTHER INSTALLATIONS

▪ Electrical connections
The electrical connection is made in principle at the upper escalator/moving
walk station as shown in the figure. The number and minimum cross-section of
the connecting cables are specified in our layout drawing.

▪ Sprinklers
If required by the customer, a sprinkler tubing can be fitted to the
escalator/moving walk as an option.

▪ Fire control system

The applicable national regulations for commissioning fire control systems must
be observed.
Single unit
The single unit is used to connect two
levels. It is suitable for buildings with
passenger traffic flowing mainly in one
direction.
Flexible adjustment to traffic flow.

Continuous arrangement (one-way

traffic)
This arrangement is used mainly in
smaller department stores to link three
sales levels. It requires more space than
the interrupted arrangement.
Interrupted arrangement (one-way traffic)

Relatively inconvenient for the user, for the owner

of the department store it provides the advantage
that due to the spatial separation of the upward and
downward directions, customers have to walk past
specially placed merchandise displays.

Parallel, interrupted arrangement (two-way

traffic)

This arrangement is used mainly in department

stores and public transportation buildings with
heavy traffic volumes.
When there are three or more escalators or
moving walks, it should be possible to reverse the
direction of travel depending on the traffic flow.
Crisscross, continuous arrangement
(two-way traffic)

This type of installation is the one used

most frequently as it allows customers to
travel quickly to the upper floors without
any waiting time.

Depending on how the escalators are

positioned, the store fitter can open up the
view onto the shop floor to stimulate
customer interest in the goods on display.
TRAVELLATOR
 TRAVELLATOR

• Known as conveyor mechanism, transport people with slow moving

across a horizontal or inclined plane over a short to medium distance.

• Moving walkways can be used by standing or walking on them.

• Installed in pairs, one for each direction.

Thank You