PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW
1) Introduction.
Just like elevator, escalator is a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a
building. This also very important for us to know its components and mechanism.
B .MAIN LESSON
1) Activity 1:
Escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a
building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on
tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal. Escalators are used around the world to move
pedestrian traffic in places where elevators would be impractical. Principal areas of usage include
department stores, shopping malls, airports, transit systems, convention centers, hotels, arenas,
stadiums and public buildings.
The verb "escalates" originated in 1922, and has two uses, the primary: "to climb or reach by means of
an escalator" or "to travel on an escalator", and the secondary: "to increase or develop by successive
stages; spec. to develop from 'conventional' warfare into nuclear warfare."[40] The latter definition was
first printed in the Manchester Guardian in 1959, but grew to prominent use during the late 1960s and
early 1970s.
Escalators have three typical configuration options: parallel (up and down escalators "side by side or
separated by a distance", seen often in metro stations and multilevel motion picture theaters), crisscross
(minimizes structural space requirements by "stacking" escalators that go in one direction, frequently
used in department stores or shopping centers), and multiple parallel (two or more escalators together
that travel in one direction next to one or two escalators in the same bank that travel in the other direction).
The benefits of escalators are many:
• They can be placed in the same physical space as one might install a staircase.
• They may be weatherproofed for outdoor use.
• They have the capacity to move large numbers of people.
• They can be used to guide people toward main exits or special exhibits.
• They have no waiting interval (except during very heavy traffic).
• They can help in controlling the traffic flow of people for example, an escalator to an exit
effectively discourages most people from using it as an entrance, and may reduce
security concerns.
Main Escalator Parts
1. Truss it is the foundation structure of the escalator, all escalator parts are assembled in this
metal structure truss.
2. Driving machine
3. When the escalator step chain is broken or elongated, the roller on the tensioning trolley will be
precisely guided to produce displacement, so that its safety device (escalator chain fracture
protection device) will work and the escalator will stop running immediately.
4. Guide rail
5. The selection of the escalator step chain should correspond to the height of the escalator. The
bearing pressure of the chain pin is an important factor to prolong the service life of the
escalator step chain.
6. Escalator step: we can provide not only the step without safety mark line, but also the step with
special requirements with safety mark line. Yellow safety marking line can be sprayed with
yellow paint around the step pedal or yellow engineering plastic.
7. Escalator handrail drive
8. Escalator handrail is composed of various materials, mainly natural (or synthetic) rubber, cotton
fabric and steel wire or steel belt. The standard color of the escalator handrail is black.
According to the customer's requirement, the escalator handrail can be provided in various
colors according to the color card of the escalator handrail (mostly synthetic rubber).
9. Escalator comb plate, escalator skirt panel and escalator floor plate.
10. Escalator balustrades are set on both sides of the escalator step for protection and decoration.
11. Lubrication system
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
Handrails provide convenient handles for passengers while riding the escalator. In an escalator,
the armrest is pulled along its track by a series of pulleys connected to a chain of main drive gears.
Escalator Exterior (Balustrade):
The Balustrade consists of the external support structures of the handrails and escalators. The
escalator exterior part extends above the step and supports the handrail. It is designed as an interior low
deck or interior high deck.
Railings can also refer to the individual interior panels, skirts and deck covers of escalators. Each
internal railing panel section can be individually disassembled to facilitate access to the inside of the
escalator for cleaning, maintenance and parts replacement.
Interior Panel - commonly called “side panel" by mechanics. The central point of the balustrade
that supports the handrail base and sets the proper elevation for handrails on a glass balustrade. It
provides access to the handrail; driver, idlers, sheaves, skirt switches in interior high-deck balustrades,
and various components.
Skirt Panel - commonly called a “Skirt." It is the interior covering of the balustrade located
alongside the steps. It houses the actuator for the skirt safety switch. Side Safety Brushes are installed
slightly above the step level on the skirt panel to provide passenger safety between the side of the steps
and the skirt.
High-deck Interior - the top most, inner part of the balustrade that supports the handrail track or
guide.
High-deck Exterior - top most outer covering of the balustrade outside and above the side panels.
Supports the outer side of the handrail guide. If the outer edge of the deck is greater than 12 inches from
centerline of the handrail, an anti-slide device or sometimes called baggage stops (like a hockey puck)
must be installed.
Handrail Stand - the handrail tracks or guides located above the side panels or maybe the upper
deck.
Low-deck Interior or Inner Decks - the inner covering of the balustrade located between the glass
panels and the skirts. Provide access to the handrail drivers and skirt switches in interior low-deck
balustrades.
Low-deck Exterior or Outer Decks - the outer covering of the balustrade located outside the glass
panels.
Exterior Panel is an outer covering below the high-deck exterior.
Newel Base or Front Plates - supports the newel stand and it may house the Handrail Inlet (Guard)
Safety Device.
Newel - is the balustrade termination at the upper and the lower landing of the escalator in a semi-
circle shape. It normally houses the following switches; emergency stop, on/off, up/down or directional
indicator lighting, Entry to and exit from the escalator normally occurs at one of the newels and several
important features are conveniently located at each.
Emergency Stop Button is the most important feature at each Newel. The Emergency Buttons
are located so that anyone can stop the escalator if there is a need. These switches have a lift cover that
will sound an audible alarm when lifted. When either button is pushed, power to the electrical drive motor
is shut off and the escalator brake is applied.
Key Operated Switches are located on each Newel and they are used to control the “ON” and
“OFF” operation and the direction of escalator travel. These switches are intended for the use of
authorized personnel only.
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
Primary uses and application
1. Department stores/shopping
Few escalator types were installed in major department stores (including Harrods) before the
Expo. Escalators proved instrumental in the layout and design of shopping venues in the twentieth
century.
2. Public transportation
The first "standard" escalator installed on the London Underground was a See Berger model at
Earls Court. Noted above, London's Underground installed a rare spiral escalator designed by
Reno, William Henry Aston and Scott Kietzman for the Holloway Road Underground station in
1906; it was run for a short time but was taken out of service the same day it debuted.[45] The
older lines of the London Underground had many escalators with wooden treads (ca. 1930s) until
they were rapidly replaced following the King's Cross fire, noted above.
3. Factories and other industrial production environments
In 1905, the American Woolen Company’s Wood Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts (then "the
largest single worsted mill in the world") utilized Otis' See Berger-type "reversible" escalators to
carry its workers between floors four times a day.[46] The machines did not run all day: rather,
escalators ran solely to transport employees to/from midday meals and in/out of the mill. In its
advertising, Otis Elevator Company hailed this unconventional use for its unique benefits to both
workers and owners: "The profitable and practicable feature of the Escalator, from the viewpoint
of the owner, is the increased efficiency of each operator due to the elimination of stair climbing
4. Military use
In San Francisco, an escalator at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard was used to convey personnel
between the first and third floors. At the time of its construction in 1948, it was touted thus: "[it has
the] highest lift of any industrial building in the world. It rises 42 feet."[48]
Escalators were also utilized on aircraft carriers such as the USS Hornet (CV-12), to transport
pilots from "ready rooms" to the flight deck
Key safety features developed over time
To enhance passenger safety, newer models of escalators are equipped with one or more of the following
safety implementations, as per ASME A17.1 code:
1. Anti-slide devices: Raised circular objects that often stud the escalator balustrade. Sometimes
informally called "hockey pucks" due to their appearance, their purpose is to prevent objects (and
people) from precipitously sliding down the otherwise smooth metallic surface.
2. Comb plate impact switches: Stop the escalator if a foreign object gets caught between the steps
and the comb plate on either end.
3. Deflector brush: A long continuous brush made of stiff bristles running up the sides of the escalator
just above the step level. This helps deflect garments, shoes, and other items away from the gap
between the moving steps and the skirt board.
4. Emergency stop button: At each end of the escalator (in some models, also on the balustrade), a
large red button can be pressed to stop the device in the event of an emergency. Typically, an
alarmed transparent plastic guard plate covers the button; restarting requires turning a key.
5. Extended balustrades: Allows riders to grasp the handrail before setting foot on an escalator, to
ease customer comfort and stability/equilibrium. (The effect is similar to the flat steps described
below.)
6. Flat steps: Like a moving walkway, the first two or three steps at either end of the escalator are
flat. This gives the passenger extra time to orient him/herself when boarding, and more time to
maintain balance when exiting. Longer escalators often have four or more flat steps.
7. Handrail inlet switches: Sensors located at the bottom and top of the unit that guard the handrail
termini. If something gets caught in these locations, a hard fault is generated in the controller, and
the escalator shuts down automatically.
8. Handrail speed sensors: These sensors are usually optical, and monitor how fast the handrail
moves. If the sensor notices a speed difference between the handrail and the steps, it sounds an
alarm, pauses, and then automatically stops the escalator. In these situations, the escalator must
be serviced by authorized personnel before returning to an operable state.
9. Missing step detectors: Depending on the manufacturer and model, this sensor is either optical
or physical. When a missing step is detected, the escalator automatically shuts down.
10. Raised step edges: In some models, a difference in tread height is utilized to keep passengers'
feet from the skirt board.
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
11. Safety instructions: A sign, typically posted on both escalator newels at the entrance landing
platform. In some situations, safety precautions are posted on walls near the escalator, included
on freestanding signs, or—as in some models—printed on the riser surface itself.
12. Sensor switch: In automatic-start/stop escalators, this sensor automatically engages the escalator
motion when a rider is detected on the first step of the entrance landing platform, and stops the
escalator when there are no riders on the unit.
13. Step demarcation lights: Either fluorescent or LED lights (traditionally green in color) located
Inside the truss. The illumination between the steps improves the passengers' awareness of the
step divisions.
14. Step demarcation lines: In order to clearly delineate the edges of each individual step,
manufacturers offer steps trimmed in yellow, either painted or with plastic inserts.
Escalator step widths and energy usage
Energy
Size Width (between Single-step capacity Applications
consumption
balustrade
panels)
Very One passenger, with feet A rare historic design found
400 mm (16 in) 3.7 kW (5.0 hp)
small together mostly in older department stores
Low-volume sites, uppermost
Small 600 mm (24 in) One passenger levels of department stores, when 3.7 kW (5.0 hp)
space is limited
One passenger + one
Shopping malls, department 7.5 kW
Medium 800 mm (31 in) package or one piece of
stores, smaller airports (10.1 hp)
luggage
Mainstay of metro systems, larger
Two passengers – one 7.5 kW
Large 1,000 mm (39 in) airports, train stations, some retail
may walk past another (10.1 hp)
usage
2) Activity 2: Skill-building Activities (with answer key) (18 mins + 2 mins checking)
Activity A. Enumerate the four (4) primary uses and application of escalator:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Activity B. Identify the following.
1. It is a censor that usually optical, and monitor how fast the handrail moves. If
the sensor notices a speed difference between the handrail and the steps, it sounds an alarm, pauses,
and then automatically stops the escalator. In these situations, the escalator must be serviced by
authorized personnel before returning to an operable state.
2. It is located at each end of the escalator (in some models, also on the
balustrade), a large red button can be pressed to stop the device in the event of an emergency.
Typically, an alarmed transparent plastic guard plate covers the button; restarting requires turning a
key.
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
3. It is a raised circular object that often stud the escalator balustrade. Sometimes
informally called "hockey pucks" due to their appearance, their purpose is to prevent objects (and
people) from precipitously sliding down the otherwise smooth metallic surface.
4. It is the balustrade termination at the upper and the lower landing of the escalator
in a semi-circle shape. It normally houses the following switches; emergency stop, on/off, up/down or
directional indicator lighting, Entry to and exit from the escalator normally occurs at one of the newels
and several important features are conveniently located at each.
5. It is the foundation structure of the escalator; all escalator parts are assembled
in this metal structure truss.
6. A sign, typically posted on both escalator newels at the entrance landing
platform. In some situations, safety precautions are posted on walls near the escalator, included on
freestanding signs, or—as in some models—printed on the riser surface itself.
7. The inner covering of the balustrade located between the glass panels and the
skirts. Provide access to the handrail drivers and skirt switches in interior low-deck balustrades.
8. It is a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building.
9. A long continuous brush made of stiff bristles running up the sides of the
escalator just above the step level. This helps deflect garments, shoes, and other items away from
the gap between the moving steps and the skirt board.
10. The inner covering of the balustrade located between the glass panels and the
skirts. Provide access to the handrail drivers and skirt switches in interior low-deck balustrades.
11. It is a sensor located at the bottom and top of the unit that guard the handrail
termini. If something gets caught in these locations, a hard fault is generated in the controller, and
the escalator shuts down automatically.
12. It is a sensor is either optical or physical. When a missing step is detected, the
escalator automatically shuts down.
13. It will stop the escalator if a foreign object gets caught between the steps and
the comb plate on either end.
14. It is provided in order to clearly delineate the edges of each individual step,
manufacturers offer steps trimmed in yellow, either painted or with plastic inserts.
15. It refer to the individual interior panels, skirts and deck covers of escalators.
Each internal railing panel section can be individually disassembled to facilitate access to the inside
of the escalator for cleaning, maintenance and parts replacement.
2) Activity 5: Check for Understanding (5 mins)
Exercise. In the figure shown, identify the parts of escalator system
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY
URDANETA CAMPUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
1ST SEMESTER SY2022-2023
