ESCALATORS

INTRODUCTION
 An escalator is a power-driven, continuous moving
stairway designed to transport passengers up and
down short vertical distances.

 Escalators are used around the world to move

pedestrian traffic in places where elevators would be
impractical.
The manufacturing process
There are two types of companies that supply
escalators:

 Primary manufacturers who actually build the

equipment

 Secondary suppliers that design and install the

equipment.

 In most cases, the secondary suppliers obtain the necessary

equipment from the primary manufacturers and make
necessary modifications for installation.

 Therefore, most escalators are actually assembled at the

primary manufacturer. The tracks, step chains, stair
assembly, and motorized gears and pulleys are all bolted into
place on the truss before shipping.
 The first stage of escalator construction is to establish the
design and accordingly the manufacturer constructs the
appropriately customized equipment.
 Prior to installation,
the landing areas
must be prepared
to connect to the
escalator.
For example,
concrete fittings must
be poured, and the
steel framework that
will hold the truss in
place must be attached.

 After the escalator is

delivered, the entire assembly is uncrated and jockeyed
into position between the top and bottom landing holes.
components
Landing platforms
 An escalator consists of top and bottom landing
platforms connected by a metal truss.

TOP PLATFORM BOTTOM PLATFORM

 The top platform
contains the
motor assembly and the
main drive gear.

The bottom platform

holds the step
return idler
sprockets
The platforms contain a floor and comb plate.

COMB PLATE

FLOOR PLATE
FLOOR PLATE

The floor plate provides

a place for the passengers
to stand before they step
onto the moving stairs.

This plate is flush with the finished floor and is either

hinged or removable to allow easy access to the
machinery below.
 COMB PLATE
 The comb plate is the
piece between the
stationary floor plate
and the moving step.

 It is so named because its edge

has a series of cleats that
resemble the teeth of a comb.

 These teeth mesh with matching cleats on the edges of the

steps.

 This design is necessary to minimize the gap between the

stair and the landing, which helps prevent objects from
getting caught in the gap.
 THE TRUSS
 The truss is a hollow metal structure that bridges the
lower and upper landings.

 It is composed of two side

sections joined together with
cross braces across the bottom
and just below the top.

 The ends of the truss are attached to the top and bottom
landing platforms via steel or concrete supports.

The truss carries all the straight track sections

connecting the upper and lower sections.
 THE TRACKS
The track system is built into the truss to guide the step
chain, which continuously pulls the steps from the
bottom platform and back to the top in an endless loop.
 There are actually two tracks: one for the front wheels of
the steps (called the step-wheel track) and one for the
back wheels of the steps (called the trailer-wheel track).

 The relative positions of these tracks cause the steps to

form a staircase as they move out from under the comb
plate.
 THE STEPS
 The steps themselves are solid, one-piece, die-cast
aluminum.
Rubber mats may be affixed to their surface to
reduce slippage, and yellow demarcation lines may
be added to clearly indicate their edges.
The steps are linked by a continuous metal chain so they form a
closed loop with each step able to bend in relation to its
neighbors.
The front and back edges of the steps are each connected to two
wheels.
The rear wheels are
set further apart to
fit into the back
track and the front
wheels have shorter
axles to fit into the
narrower front
track.

As described
above, the position
of the tracks controls
the orientation of
the steps.
Escalator design
PHYSICAL FACTORS:
Physical factors like the vertical and horizontal distance to be
spanned must be considered.

These factors will determine the pitch of the escalator and its
actual length.

LOCATION:
Escalators should be situated where they can be easily seen by the
general public.

In department stores, customers should be able to view the

merchandise easily.

Furthermore, up and down escalator traffic should be physically

separated and should not lead into confined spaces.
 TRAFFIC PATTERNS

 Traffic patterns must also be anticipated in escalator design.

 In some buildings the objective is simply to move people from one

floor to another, but in others there may be a more specific
requirement, such as funneling visitors towards a main exit or
exhibit.

 The number of passengers is important because escalators are

designed to carry a certain maximum number of people.
For example, a single width escalator traveling at about 1.5 feet
(0.45 m) per second can move an estimated 170 persons per five-
minute period.
 SAFETY
 Safety is also major concern in escalator design.
 Fire protection of an escalator floor-opening may be provided
by adding automatic sprinklers or fireproof shutters to the
opening, or by installing the escalator in an enclosed fire-
protected hall.
 To limit the danger of overheating, adequate ventilation for the
spaces that contain the motors and gears must be provided.
 It is preferred that a traditional staircase be located adjacent to
the escalator if the escalator is the primary means of transport
between floors.
 WORKING
An escalator is a continuously moving staircase. Each stair has a pair of
wheels on each side, one at the front of the step and one at the rear. The
wheels run on two rails. At the top and bottom of the escalator, the
inner rail dips beneath the outer rail, so that the bottom of the stair
flattens, making it easier for riders to get on and off.
TYPES:

Escalator typical configurations:

PARALLEL CRISS CROSS LAYOUT

WIDTH OF ESCALATOR CROSS-SECTION OF AN ESCALATOR
 ESCALATOR WIDTH

In accordance with a worldwide standard,the width of the

step to be used is 60 cm
(for one person), 80cm (for one-to-two people) and 100cm
(for two people width)
 ESCALATOR ANGLE
Escalator angle can be between 30-35
degrees.
The 35 degree escalator is more
economical, as it takes up less surface area if
viewed in plan, but for large ascents, the 30
degree escalator is preferred both on
psychological as well as safety grounds.
The transportation capacity is same for
both.
 BENEFITS
 Capacity to move large
numbers of people.

 Can be placed in
the same physical
space as stairs.

 Have no waiting
interval,
except during
very heavy traffic.

 Used to guide
people towards
main exits
or special exhibits.
Thankyou