Showerthought: I just found out the first elevator safety brake was made in 1853

I was reading an old trade book from the library and saw that Elisha Otis showed it off at a fair in New York. He stood on a platform and had the rope cut to prove it worked. It's wild to think the basic idea we still use is that old. Has anyone else run into a piece of elevator history that stuck with you?

3 comments

3 Comments

jakemason1mo ago

Yeah that Otis demo is crazy. Read about it in a city museum once. They had a drawing of the whole crowd watching. The real mind blower for me was learning about elevator operators. Like, before buttons, a person had to drive it floor by floor. Can't imagine having that job all day. Makes you appreciate just pushing a number.

faith_chen721mo ago

Honestly saw a documentary where they interviewed an old elevator operator. Tbh his stories about getting the timing right were wild.

hart.parker17d ago

Yeah "before buttons" really puts it in a new light. I never thought about the human skill that job took.