Elevators Components

An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. 

Escalators are powered by constant-speed alternating current motors and move at approximately 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 m) per second. The maximum angle of inclination of an escalator to the horizontal floor level is 30 degrees with a standard rise up to about 60 feet (18 m). Modern escalators have single piece aluminum or steel steps that move on a system of tracks in a continuous loop. 

Direction of movement (up or down) can be permanently the same, or be controlled by personnel according to the time of day, or automatically be controlled by whoever arrives first, whether at the bottom or at the top (the system is programmed so that the direction is not reversed while a passenger is on the escalator). 

The benefits of escalators are many: 

• They have the capacity to move large numbers of people.
• They can be placed in the same physical space as one might install a staircase. 
• They have no waiting interval (except during very heavy traffic).
• They can be used to guide people toward main exits or special exhibitsز
• They may be weatherproofed for outdoor use. 
• They can help in controlling the traffic flow of people For example, an escalator to an exit effectively discourages most people from using it as an entrance, and may reduce security concerns.