Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 12, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
How It Works • Invention

Elevator

An elevator is a vertical transportation system that moves people or freight between floors in a building.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

An elevator is a vertical transportation system that moves people or freight between floors in a building. Modern elevators typically use electric traction systems with cables and counterweights, or hydraulic systems that push the car upward with pressurized fluid.

What it is

Elevators move a cab up and down inside a shaft between floors. Traction elevators use cables, pulleys, a motor, and usually a counterweight. Hydraulic elevators use pressurized fluid to raise a piston that lifts the car. Modern systems are often controlled by computers that manage car movement and floor selection.

Why it matters

Elevators made high-rise buildings practical and safe. Elisha Otis developed a safety brake that prevented falls, which helped popularize passenger elevators. Today, they are essential for accessibility and efficient vertical transport in buildings of all sizes.

Key details

Hydraulic elevators are generally used in shorter buildings, while traction elevators are common in taller buildings. Safety features include braking systems, governors, guide rails, and sensors. In Canada, "elevator" is the common term in technical and building usage.

In short

  • Elevators use traction (cables) or hydraulic (fluid) systems to move a cab vertically.
  • Elisha Otis's safety brake made passenger elevators practical and safe.
  • Multiple safety systems—brakes, governors, sensors—make elevators very reliable.
  • Traction elevators suit tall buildings; hydraulic ones are for shorter structures.
Canadian angle

In Canada, the common term is "lift" in some contexts, but "elevator" is widely used in Canadian English, especially in building, construction, and technical usage.

Quick questions

How do elevators work?
Most elevators use a motorized system that moves a car in a shaft. Traction elevators use cables and counterweights, while hydraulic elevators use pressurized fluid to push the car upward.
Who invented the elevator?
There is no single inventor of the earliest lifting devices, but Elisha Otis is most closely associated with the modern elevator because of his safety brake, which made passenger elevators practical.
How safe are elevators?
Elevators are generally considered very safe because they include multiple redundant safety systems such as brakes, governors, guide rails, and sensors.

Sources

  1. HowStuffWorks — https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/elevator7.htm
    Supports: Modern elevators are controlled by computers that process information and position the car.
  2. Explain That Stuff — https://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-elevators-work.html
    Supports: Key elevator parts, counterweights, motor, cables, pulleys, control systems, and safety systems.
  3. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAb0TpUe_SU
    Supports: Traction elevators use cables and counterweights; hydraulic elevators use a piston and pressurized fluid; governor and brake safety explanation.
  4. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKp4pe92ljg
    Supports: Hydraulic elevators push the cab from underneath; traction elevators lift from above using cables.
  5. Wikipedia — https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator
    Supports: General overview of elevator types, common terminology, and typical speed ranges.
  6. Scientific American — https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-elevators-work/
    Supports: Sheave, cables, counterweight system, and a fast elevator example in Taipei 101.