MCI wants to celebrate the invention of the lift (elevator to our friends across the Atlantic). Elisha Graves Otis, born on the 3rd August 1811, was an American industrialist and inventor. His names still graces many lifts today. Not only did Otis invent the first lift, but Elisha Otis also invented a safety device that prevents the lift from falling if the cables fail. The year after his invention, Otis started up the Otis Elevator Company.
In 1854, Otis decided to give a demonstration of his safety elevator in the most dramatic of ways. He set up a 50 foot open platform elevator in New York at the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. He even got P. T. Barnum (of circus fame) to rouse the crowd into an excited frenzy. The scene was set. Otis made a show of riding the lift to the top of the shafts, then dramatically cut the cable that tethered the lift platform to the frame. The crowd below gasped, and the platform only dropped a few inches as the safety mechanism kicked in and the platform halted. The lift was a success. The demonstration was repeated for months, proving that the safety lift was completely reliable. The lift as we know it was born.
Sadly, Otis’ life was cut short at 49 years of age but, in his short life, he never stopped working on his inventions. He changed the way we live our lives forever – after all, very few people have never been in a lift!
MCI has repaired the electrical and electronic components of many hard working lifts in its time. If you are having problems with your lifts (or elevators), don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01324 611371 to see how we can help keep your machinery going. Have a great week everyone!