Any elevator engineers here?

[NeoPTLD]

How do they set "maximum occupancy" in number of people for elevators? Do they use different numbers in the states compared to elsewhere accounting higher average weight due to wide spread disease of obesity?

 

[jagec]

They load more and more people in there, until it breaks. Then they wash out the blood, send their condolences to the families, rebuild the elevator, and figure out the weight before the last person got in.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: jagec
They load more and more people in there, until it breaks. Then they wash out the blood, send their condolences to the families, rebuild the elevator, and figure out the weight before the last person got in.

They take the elevator to a local frat house, load up the college kids with booze and yell out, "I bet you couldn't cram, 20 people in there!" They just up the ante at each frat house.

 

[chiwawa626]

Ever knoticed how the elevators in the US are 10x the size of the elevators of Europe...:Q

 

[Powermoloch]

Originally posted by: chiwawa626
Ever knoticed how the elevators in the US are 10x the size of the elevators of Europe...:Q

wtf :Q .... I guess to help accommodate overweight u.s civilians 😀

 

[Injury]

If it's a cable elevator the weight is measured by how much the cable can carry, minus the weight of the car, then take a bit more off just incase someone insists on pushing the limit.

If it's a pneumatic elevator with a bar that pushes up and down below it, the weight capacity+the weight of the car must be below the amount of resistance the bar can take before not functioning or blowing a gasket.

 

[Bootprint]

I would think it would be a measure of the motor that operates the elevator car.

My understanding is each of the CN elevators have 4 cables but only 1 is required to still hold the maximum weight.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: Injury
If it's a cable elevator the weight is measured by how much the cable can carry, minus the weight of the car, then take a bit more off just incase someone insists on pushing the limit.

If it's a pneumatic elevator with a bar that pushes up and down below it, the weight capacity+the weight of the car must be below the amount of resistance the bar can take before not functioning or blowing a gasket.

For rating in weight, you're right, but how do they rate in maximum occupancy? What figures do they use per person?

 

[Thegonagle]

While the elevator engineers are here, why do Schindler elevators suck?

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
While the elevator engineers are here, why do Schindler elevators suck?

If an elevator goes up and down, stopping at the floors where someone pushed the button, and the doors open and close at the right times - and I'm assuming Schindler elevators do that - what could make an elevator suck?

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: jagec
They load more and more people in there, until it breaks. Then they wash out the blood, send their condolences to the families, rebuild the elevator, and figure out the weight before the last person got in.

they load em with illegals. u see? another job americans won't do. goddamned lazy americans.

 

[PAB]

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
While the elevator engineers are here, why do Schindler elevators suck?

If an elevator goes up and down, stopping at the floors where someone pushed the button, and the doors open and close at the right times - and I'm assuming Schindler elevators do that - what could make an elevator suck?

IMO - a sucky elevator is the one with the doors that take forever to close and forever to go 10 feet. Its like being stuck in the time warp from the 7th circle of hell, where even despair dies waiting to get back to the lobby.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: Injury
If it's a cable elevator the weight is measured by how much the cable can carry, minus the weight of the car, then take a bit more off just incase someone insists on pushing the limit.

If it's a pneumatic elevator with a bar that pushes up and down below it, the weight capacity+the weight of the car must be below the amount of resistance the bar can take before not functioning or blowing a gasket.

The guy who installed our elevator here at work told me that they set the limit at 75% of these values.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: chiwawa626
Ever knoticed how the elevators in the US are 10x the size of the elevators of Europe...:Q

The the buildings you are referring to all built hundreds of years ago? If so, that explains it.

 

[amicold]

Originally posted by: PAB

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
While the elevator engineers are here, why do Schindler elevators suck?

If an elevator goes up and down, stopping at the floors where someone pushed the button, and the doors open and close at the right times - and I'm assuming Schindler elevators do that - what could make an elevator suck?

IMO - a sucky elevator is the one with the doors that take forever to close and forever to go 10 feet. Its like being stuck in the time warp from the 7th circle of hell, where even despair dies waiting to get back to the lobby.

Funny man you are. Made me chuckle.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: Injury
If it's a cable elevator the weight is measured by how much the cable can carry, minus the weight of the car, then take a bit more off just incase someone insists on pushing the limit.

If it's a pneumatic elevator with a bar that pushes up and down below it, the weight capacity+the weight of the car must be below the amount of resistance the bar can take before not functioning or blowing a gasket.

The guy who installed our elevator here at work told me that they set the limit at 75% of these values.

Makes sense.

 

[Dedpuhl]

AFAIK, they generally do not consider the number of occupants. They consider:

1. Tensile strength of cables.
2. Weight of the elevator.
3. Desired speed of the elevator and the height of the building.
4. Lots of other factors I've failed to mention.

I'm sure there is some kind of average used if they are concerned about the number of occupants that can be squeezed into a single unit.

Also, keep in mind that the "maximum capacity" is not the maximum amount of weight the elevator can carry. In the U.S., a safety factor of 3 is generally used in design.

This means that based on science, a 1500 lb. car can theoretically lift/sustain 4500 lbs. before failing.

So, don't cry out in fear if 5 fatties crowd into an elevator w/ you.

 

[Scarpozzi]

It's all about the materials and the weight of the actual elevator. Elevators are designed not to fail, so there are safety factors built-in. The cables are superstrong because of their construction, but the actual quality of the steel is rated in their end test weight.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: chiwawa626
Ever knoticed how the elevators in the US are 10x the size of the elevators of Europe...:Q

Not in my cousin's apartment building. I got stuck in the elevator with a 32" TV because I couldn't get enough leverage to push the TV out. I had to wait until he came up through another elevator to pull on it.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: PAB

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: Thegonagle
While the elevator engineers are here, why do Schindler elevators suck?

If an elevator goes up and down, stopping at the floors where someone pushed the button, and the doors open and close at the right times - and I'm assuming Schindler elevators do that - what could make an elevator suck?

IMO - a sucky elevator is the one with the doors that take forever to close and forever to go 10 feet. Its like being stuck in the time warp from the 7th circle of hell, where even despair dies waiting to get back to the lobby.

Or one that frequently decides not to release its occupants because the software that links the elevator to the security system can't seem to understand that if someone steps into an elevator at 4:59 and it turns 5:00 before they reach their destination, which is now forbidden, that they must be released. Ours will just hold the person there indefinitley until someone (usually me) hits a button on the restricted floor to trick the elevator into releasing them.

That is what makes a sh!tty elevator.

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: Injury
If it's a cable elevator the weight is measured by how much the cable can carry, minus the weight of the car, then take a bit more off just incase someone insists on pushing the limit.

If it's a pneumatic elevator with a bar that pushes up and down below it, the weight capacity+the weight of the car must be below the amount of resistance the bar can take before not functioning or blowing a gasket.

The guy who installed our elevator here at work told me that they set the limit at 75% of these values.

Hell no. Factor of safety of at least 3.