HOW ELEVATORS WORK
HOW ESCALATORS WORK
ELEVATOR SAFETY TIPS
ESCALATOR SAFETY TIPS
MACHINE-ROOM-LESS EVACUATION PROCEDURE
ELECTRIC ELEVATOR EVACUATION PROCEDURE
HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR EVACUATION PROCEDURE

The Landing
The floor plates are level with the finished floor and are either hinged or removable to permit access to the machine spaces under them.

The comb plate is the piece between the stationary landing and the moving step. It slants down slightly so that the comb teeth fit between the cleats on the steps. The front edges of the comb teeth are below the surface of the cleats.

The Truss
The truss is the mechanical structure that bridges the space between the lower and upper landings. The truss is basically a hollow box made up of two side sections joined together with transverse braces across the bottom and just below the top. The ends of the truss rest on concrete or steel supports.

The Tracks
The track system is built into the truss to guide the step chain, which pulls the steps through an endless loop. There are two tracks: one for the front of the step (called the step-wheel track) and one for the trailer wheel of the step (called the trailer-wheel track). The relative position of these tracks causes the steps to appear from under the comb plate to form a staircase, and disappear back into the truss.

The reversal track at the upper landing rolls the steps around the top and starts them back in the opposite direction. An overhead track ensures that the trailer wheels remain in place as the step chain is turned back on itself.