Historical Development of Elevators
Elevators are systems which are used in order to carry people and load, especially in high buildings, moving in vertical direction and working with electricity. Roman Vitruv, one of the architects of antiquity, was the first to make an opinion on the realization and implementation of such systems. In his writings, designs of the first drum and manually operated lifting system were found.
In the nineteenth century, freight elevators were used in some factories and mines to transport cargoes. In this way, the power and time lost while manpower is being used are saved. The first elevators were designed in the middle of the nineteenth century, working without compromising the safety of people. The operating system of these safe elevators was based on steam power. In these first elevators, the steam engine rotates a drum and the rope which moves the elevator car upwards is wound on a drum. Otis invented the first elevator for a business center in the USA. This elevator was housed in a five-story building on Broadway in New York City in 1857. Two years later, a lift was installed at the six-storey Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York. This hotel is the first hotel used lift. Later, high-speed elevators were invented and architectural understanding began to change in America. Multi-storey buildings have begun to rise in many cities in America, especially in New York.
Nowadays, very fast, high quality and highly reliable elevators are produced in various countries of the world which are considered as a wonder of technology. Today, there are many companies that are known worldwide, which design and develop elevator systems only, perform assembly works and provide maintenance services. Otis in the USA, Mitsubishi and Hitachi in Japan, Siemens in Germany, Schindler in Switzerland.
Today, two types of elevators are produced as freight elevators and human elevators depending on their usage. Elevators carrying people are generally produced according to mechanical system and work with electricity. Hoists are generally produced electromechanically and fully hydraulic system is used in those with high carrying capacity.
With the construction of very high buildings, the design and production works of the elevators started to develop to serve human traffic in these high buildings. Otis, a US-based company, plays a leading role in this. Today Otis technology is spread all over the world. However, in recent years, especially Japanese elevator technology has reached an extremely advanced level. Today, in Japan, electric motor driven motors have been abandoned and replaced by electromagnetic system and fully computer controlled elevator systems.
elevators What are the Inspection Principles?
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security issued the Regulation on Health and Safety in the Use of Work Equipment in 2013. Pursuant to this regulation, elevators belong to the group of vehicles that are risky in terms of life and property safety of the people who use them. In the annex of the Regulation on Maintenance, Repair and Periodic Inspections (Annex 3) elevators are accepted among lifting and conveying equipment. Accordingly, if no other period is stipulated in the relevant legal regulations, regular inspections and inspections of the elevators are required at least once a year. These inspections must be carried out by mechanical engineers and machine technicians or high technicians according to the regulation. If the control procedures are to be carried out by non-destructive testing methods, the persons concerned must be trained in accordance with the TS EN ISO 9712 standard (TS EN ISO 9712 Nondestructive testing - NDT personnel qualification and certification - General specifications). In addition, in the periodic control of elevators equipped with electronic control system, authorized persons in the fields of machinery and electricity should work together.
In the meantime, according to the Elevator Maintenance and Operation Regulation which entered into force in 2015, annual inspections of elevators should be carried out by type A inspection organizations accredited in accordance with TS EN ISO7EC 17020 standard (TS EN ISO / IEC 17020 Conformity assessment - For the operation of various types of inspection organizations conditions).
Elevators must be able to lift and suspend at least the 1,25 floor of the declared load in an effective and safe manner, unless otherwise specified in the relevant standards.
Pursuant to the aforementioned regulation, in the inspection and control procedures of the lifts, firstly the Elevator Regulations issued in 2007 and the Elevator Maintenance and Operation Regulations issued in 2008 must be complied with. Apart from the principles contained in these regulations, the standards to be considered are:
- TS EN 81-3 Elevators - Safety regulations for construction and installation - Part 3: Electrical and hydraulic service lifts
- TS EN 13015 Maintenance of elevators and escalators - Guidelines for maintenance instructions
- TS ISO 9386-1 Power-driven lifting platforms for the disabled - Requirements for safety, dimensions and functional operation - Part 1: Vertical lifting platforms
- TS ISO 9386-2 Power-driven lifting platforms for mobility-impaired people - Safety, dimensions and functional requirements - Part 2: Power-driven stair lift for moving users, standing users and wheelchair users in a tilted plane
In addition, the following standards are taken into consideration in the sector:
- TS EN 81-20 Elevators - Safety regulations for building and installation - Elevators for man and freight - Part 20: Man and load elevators
- TS EN 81-50 Safety rules for the construction and installation of elevators - Inspection and tests - Part 50: Design rules, calculations, inspections and tests of elevator components
- TS 1812 Calculation, design and construction rules of elevators (for electrically operated people and freight elevators)
- TS ISO 7465 Lifts for people and goods - Guide rails for lift cars and counterweights - Type T
