Vertical Urbanism - Elisha Graves Otis & his patented ‘Life and Labor Saving Hoisting Machinery’.

The skyline of the metropolitan cities across the world are populated with Manhattan like skyscraper buildings. There has been an exponential growth in the high-rise structures -  vertical urbanism - which is necessary in the ever increasing population and the vertical urbanism has the potential to decongest urban sprawl. Indian cities are witnessing immense demographic expansion due to migration from surrounding places, leading to urban sprawl, housing demand, rise in cost of land and therefore vertical urbanism is a best way forward. It is helped by an ever improving technology that makes vertical urbanism a safe reality. The first major technological marvel that helped in the growth of vertical urbanism can best be attributed to the Otis invention of Patented “Life and Labor Saving Hoisting Machinery", which would make it possible to lift men and materials safely to their tops.

It was not until Otis’s invention of this device and its adaptation and commissioning in high raise buildings in the 1880s, that the silhouettes of most cities consisted of buildings which were rarely taller than four or five stories. However, all this changed with a dramatic public demonstration of a patented ‘Life and Labor Saving Hoisting Machinery’ by Elisha Graves Otis. The Great Exhibition - Crystal Palace Exhibition, London - of 1851 and its success had paved a way for another exhibition of its avatar in 1853 in New York,  USA. This exhibition too was named the Crystal Palace Exhibition and it was aimed at displaying an unprecedented progress in technology, industry,  arts and crafts to the public in New York. It was here - in this exhibition - that a bearded man in a frock coat and top hat - Elisha Graves Otis - attracted a large crowd when he made an announcement that he is prepared to risk his life to demonstrate his technological invention. 

In a melodramatic setting, which he had created in an open ambience in the precincts of the Crystal Palace exhibition in New York, Otis stood on an open platform that began to rise towards the ceiling of the hall, where he had assembled his machine. The platform was steadily lifted up on the vertical guide rails by the power of a steam engine until it reached a height of about 50 feet. The visitors could notice a conspicuous counterweight, which was gradually coming down as the platform, on which Otis was standing, was raising upwards. It is now evident that this was an underpinning of a principle mechanism that Otis had used, which essentially functioned like a seesaw -  when one side goes up the other side comes down. In Otis contraption as the platform, on which he stood, went up the counterweight came down. As soon as the platform rose to the highest vertical point, Otis ordered his assistant to cut the rope on which the platform was resting. There was an eerie silence in the crowded audience and when the rope was cut the crowd was stunned to notice the platform fall freely. Before they could think of the worst eventuality that it was the end of Otis, suddenly the platform jerked and halted and remained stationary, high above the onlookers's heads. ‘All safe, gentlemen, all safe’, Elisha Graves Otis yelled to his stunned but relaxed audience. He assured his audience that he was here for a live demonstration of his technological invention, which he described as an "improvement in hoisting apparatus”. This was an improvement in an automatic device, which Otis had designed to prevent the platform from falling. This mechanism was destined to become one of the most successful 19th-century technological development, which helped make possible the urban skylines, which we witness across the world.

Today, the elevators - with the safety mechanism designed by Otis - are found everywhere and there is an inextricable linkage of a lift / elevator and high rise buildings that blend into each other and share a symbiotic relationship in their mutual existence. From the legendary Tower of Babel to the iconic Burj Khalifa, tall buildings are seen all over the world. In Mumbai we have several skyscrapers, which appear to touch the Mumbai skyline. It is estimated that Mumbai has over 4000 skyscrapers, which has earned it a ‘high rise  urban city’ epithet. 

From historic times there is an evidence that humans have always aspired to build to ever greater heights. Over the centuries, different cultures have constructed towering edifices to celebrate their culture and promote their cities -- or simply to show off to the external world. In the early times majestically tall structures were the preserve of great rulers, religions and empires. For instance, the Great Pyramids of Gaza, built to house the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu, or the magnificent Brihadeeshwar temple, which represents the temple building traditions of the great Hindu Kings, were built by the great rulers. Such examples of tall structures are seen across the world. Most of these tall structures were not meant for human dwelling.

However, the 19th century changed all that. It witnessed two revolutionary developments, which  paved the way for rapid rise in skyscrapers. The first and most important development was the safe elevator that was demonstrated by Otis at the Crystal Palace exhibition in New York in 1854. Primitive elevators were used prior to the commencement of safe elevators. These elevators were mostly used to carry materials in factories and warehouses. They were not considered safe for carrying people, because if the cable broke, the elevator car would fall to the bottom of the elevator shaft. This problem of safety was solved by Elisha Graves Otis, an American inventor, who  created a safety device that was meant to keep elevators from falling, even if the cable broke loose. This safety mechanism embedded into the new elevators helped safely carry and transport people. Subsequently, with the introduction of motors the elevators became even more practical and found a place in almost all vertical buildings. 

The second important development that helped in the vertical urbanism came about in the revolutionary changes that were introduced in the building technology. The city of Chicago had witnessed a huge fire accident in 1871. Following a devastating fire, the city experienced an explosive demand for growth. However, there was scarcity of land for meeting the increasing demand for new buildings. The only option was to  go vertical. And for this the technology used in the construction had to change. This led to the changed construction design, which started using high strength bearing grid of steel columns and beams that would support any forces that the building may experience at taller heights. With the passage of time engineers were able to combat all foreseen forces in the skyscraper buildings, which included the dead weight of the building, contents and floor, wind, seismic conditions etc. This new construction method coupled with the safe elevators for vertical transport gave birth to the skyscrapers, leading to a race to construct the ever increasing taller buildings. The results are there for every one to see. Today, the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, stands at a staggering height of 828 metres and movements in this building is helped by the safe elevators supplied by the Otis company. 

Until the successful demonstration of the safety mechanism in the elevator, riding in an elevator used to be dangerous business. It changed with the May 1854, public demonstration by Elisha Graves Otis. The 42-year-old engineer was a carpenter who was making bed-frames.  He was also a tinkerer with a passion for fixing faults and frailties. He had engaged himself in trying to find solution to the frailties associated with the safety of the elevators and had developed a mechanism for solving the problem of cable failure in platform elevators. There were some faults in his design, which he had improved. He had tested and tried his newly designed device that could prevent a passenger elevator from falling if its rope broke. His design made use of a hoist with a passive automatic braking system. 

Although he was very confident of the safety of his new device, unfortunately none of his devices were sold fearing for the safety of people. Therefore, Otis had chosen the occasion of the Crystal Palace exhibition to demonstrate publicly the safety of his device to win the confidence of the people and builders. Until his safety mechanism got embedded into the new elevators, earlier elevators would often catastrophically brake down in granaries and warehouses, killing and maiming their passengers. Otis realized that his design, though superior and straightforward, needed showmanship. The World’s Fair was his moment to flaunt his vertical flight of fancy and function. His sustained public demonstrations of the safety of his device at the Crystal Palace world fair in New York ( now Bryant Park) during the period from May to November 1854 ensured that his new device became commercially successful. It debuted at the E.V. Haughwout and Company store in Manhattan on March 23, 1857.

From May to October 1854, Elisha Graves Otis gave repeated performances at the Exhibition in New York City. In the previous year Otis had founded the E. G. Otis Elevator Company in Yonkers, New York, in September 1853. But having received only one order in his first seven months of business, he was happy to accept an invitation to introduce his apparatus to the public. In the Crystal Palace on Forty-Second Street.  

Otis device  was model of engineering simplicity, the safety device consisted of a used wagon spring that was attached to both the top of the hoist platform and the overhead lifting cable. “Under ordinary circumstances, the spring was kept in place by the pull of the platform’s weight on the lifting cable. If the cable broke, however, this pressure was suddenly released, causing the big spring to snap open in a jaw-like motion. When this occurred, both ends of the spring would engage the saw-toothed ratchet-bar beams that Otis had installed on either side of the elevator shaft, thereby bringing the falling hoist platform to a complete stop.” It was no wonder that the invention of this type of safe elevator also played its part in the industrial revolution. This device “transformed real estate in America”.  Prior to the safe elevator coming along, the cheapest rent one could get was the top floor of the building. However all that changed and the top floors became one of the most expensive real estates in New York and this trend continued across the world.  

The US Patent Office granted Otis a patent for his invention of the ‘Improved Hoisting Apparatus” on Jan. 15, 1861. Just three months after he received his patent, he died on April 8, 1861.  His legacy had lived on and today Otis Elevator Company is one of the worlds leading elevator manufacturers, whose elevators are found in most high rise buildings in the world including in the Burj Khalifa building. There was time when Otis became synonymous with elevators and had a monopoly in this business. However the increased demand has brought in many more players in this market. 

Next time when you ride any elevator spare a thought for this show man Elisha Graves Otis, who helped revolutionize vertical urbanism to decongest the cities. 

Images - Courtesy Wiki Commons