CONVEYING SYSTEMS

A conveying system of is used to transport a material from one particular place to

another. Building conveying systems mechanically move occupants and goods. In most
buildings, these systems include passenger and freight elevators, escalators, moving
ramps and walkways, and lifts for people and wheel chairs. Business and industrial
operations may require specially designed material handling equipment, hoists, cranes,
and scaffolding.

An elevator is a conveying device used to move people or freight vertically, usually

between floors of a building. It consists of a hoisting mechanism that is connected to
platform. This platform then moves vertically, in most cases, on guides that are attached
to the fire-resistant sides of a hoistway.

TYPES OF ELEVATORS

1. Hydraulic Elevators use a fluid-driven hydraulic jack to lift the elevator car. It
consists of a Hydraulic Jack, Pump, and Fluid Reservoir. It operates when the
pump draws oil from the reservoir, pressurizes it, pushing the oil through the oil
line to the jack, and driving the elevator car upward. A release of fluid through the
control valve and back to the reservoir decreases oil pressure, which allows the
plunger and connected elevator car to move downward. A hydraulic elevator is
used in buildings with 6 floors or less for residential and 3-6 floors or less for
commercial. The speed of this type of elevator is low. There are three types of
hydraulic elevators:
a) Conventional (Holed) Hydraulic Elevator
On a conventional (holed) hydraulic elevator, an inground hydraulic
jack lifts the elevator car. A long plunger requires a deep hole below the
bottom landing. The hole is usually drilled into the ground and cased with a
plastic or metal casing before the building is erected.
b) Holeless Hydraulic Elevator
Holeless hydraulic elevators have one or two jacks situated beside the
rails that lift the platform. Because they do not require holes to be dug for the
 hydraulic jack(s), they are referred to as “holeless.” The dual or twin jack
configuration can have two (front and rear) entrances, while the single jack
configuration can only have one (front) entrance.
c) Roped Hydraulic Elevator
Roped hydraulic elevators use a combination of both ropes and
hydraulic power to raise and lower cars. They typically consist of a
cantilevered car that is lifted by ropes that pass over a sheave (pulley)
fastened to the top of a hydraulic plunger. As the plunger rises, so does
the elevator car. Single rope configuration cannot have rear entrances.

2. Traction Elevators have a drive machine with an electric motor and pulley-like
drive sheave that holds cables that move the elevator car up or down. Steel
cables, called hoisting ropes, support the elevator and counter weight during
normal operation. The counterweight is a set of steel or iron plates fastened to
one end of the hoisting rope that counterbalances the car. It is weighted to be
equal to the car’s dead weight plus 40 to 50% of car load capacity. The weight of
the car and counterweight presses ropes into grooves on a drive sheave. The
friction between the hoisting ropes and the drive sheave is used to move the
elevator car with the cable.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF ELEVATORS

1. Passenger Elevators – are designed to carry people and small packages.

2. Freight Elevators – are used to carry material, goods, equipment, and
vehicles, rather than people.
3. Dumbwaiter – is a small freight elevator used to transport light weight freight
such as food, laundry, books, records, and other small items.
4. Manlift – is an elevator installed in a variety of structures and locations to
provide vertical transportation of authorized personnel and their tools and
equipment only.
 5. Hospital Elevators – are found in medical facilities. These elevators are
equipped with a “Code Blue” service for emergencies. It provides highly
stable and smooth operation.

An escalator is a power-driven, continuously moving stairway system used for

transporting people. Balustrade is the side of an escalator system. It extends above the
steps and includes skirt panels, interior panels, decks, and handrails. Moving handrail
provides a handhold that riders use for balance and safety on their ride up or down. The
handrail is powered by the same system that powers the steps. It moves along the top
of the balustrade in synchronization with the steps. Truss is an assembly of structural
steel that serves to support the escalator load. Ends of the truss are attached to top and
bottom landing platforms. The machinery of an escalator is hidden beneath its steps
and within the truss. At the top of the escalator, housed in the truss, is an electric motor
that runs the drive gears. There are two drive gears on either side at the top and two
return gears on either side at the bottom. These gears have chains that loop around the
gears and run down each side of the escalator. Connected to each step, these chains
help the steps make their way up, or down, the escalator.

The escalator machinery is hidden beneath its steps in what is known as the truss
and at the top of the escalator, housed in the truss, is an electric motor which runs the
four gears that all escalators have two drive gears on either side at the top and two
return gears on either side at the bottom and the gears have chains that loop around the
gears and run down each side of the escalator then they are connected to each step,
these chains help the steps make their way up, or down, the escalator where the
handrails that riders use for balance and safety on their ride up or down escalators are
powered by the same system that powers the steps and finally at the handrails are
essentially long rubber loops connected to the two drive gears at the top of the escalator
and powered by the same electric motor that powers the steps.

TYPES OF ESCALATORS
 1. Parallel - this type of escalator go up and down simultaneously.
2. Multi Parallel
3. Spiral Type Escalators – these are used to enhance the architectural beauty
and to save the space.
4. Criss-cross – stacks of escalators that go in single direction and reduces
structural space requirement.

A moving walkway is a power-driven, continuous, slow-moving conveyor belt

that transports people horizontally. They are also called moving sidewalk, moving
pavement, walkalator, and travelator.

An inclined moving walkway, also known as moving ramps, is a moving

walkway that transports people on an incline, up to a 12° angle of inclination. Moving
walkways are more accessible to those in wheelchairs, as they are usually thought
easier to use than getting in and out of small elevators.

TYPES OF WALKWAY TECHNOLOGIES

1. Pallet Type — a continuous series of flat metal plates join together to form a
walkway and are effectively identical to escalators in their construction. Most
have a metal surface, though some models have a rubber surface for extra
traction.
2. Moving Belt — are built with mesh metal belts or rubber walking surfaces
over metal rollers. The walking surface may have a solid or bouncy feel.
 A lift is a form of vertical transportation between building floors, levels, or decks,
commonly used in offices, buildings, and multi-storey building. It can be essential for
providing vertical circulation, particularly in tall buildings, for wheelchair and other non-
ambulant building users and for the vertical transportation of goods. Some lifts may also
be used for firefighting and evacuation purposes.

TYPES OF LIFTS

1. Wheelchair Lifts – are used to move a wheelchair and its passenger from
one level to another. The wheelchair lift does not operate until all gates are
secure and the wheelchair and its passenger are in place. They often are
designed to accommodate just one person in a wheelchair or scooter at a
time.
2. Wheelchair Stair Lift – moves the wheelchair and its passenger up or down
stairs on a platform with side closures that are attached to a steel rail system,
which is fastened to the wall or the stair treads.
3. Stair Lift – this lift has a chair that runs along a steel or extruded aluminum
rail that is mounted to the wall or the stair treads. Stair lift is capable of
moving around corners and across landings, allowing the passenger to
disembark safely away from the top of the stairs.
4. Chairlifts – are a type of aerial lift that consists of a continuous steel cable
loop strung between two terminals. The cable continuously circulates
between the terminals and intermediate towers allowing the chairs to move in
opposite directions. Chairlifts are commonly used at ski resorts, amusement
parks, tourist attractions and in urban transport.
5. Platform Lifts – supply access to decks, porches, stages, and elevated
surfaces.
6. Car Lift – is installed in small parking garages where ramps are not feasible.
 Conveyor Systems are mechanical devices or assemblies that transport
material with minimal effort. While there are many different kinds of conveyor systems,
they usually consist of a frame that supports either rollers, wheels, or a belt, upon which
materials move from one place to another. They may be powered by a motor, by
gravity, or manually.

Conveyors move materials from one place to another within the building. They
allow quick and efficient transportation for most materials that make them popular in the
packaging and material handling industries.

1. Belt Conveyors are material handling systems that use continuous belts to

convey products or material.
2. Roller Conveyors use parallel rollers mounted in frames to convey product
either by gravity or manually. 
3. Slat Conveyors use slats or plates made of steel, wood, or other materials
typically mounted on roller chains to convey product.
4. Magnetic Conveyors use moving magnets mounted beneath stationary
plates, tables, or other kinds of non-magnetic slider beds, to move magnetic
(ferrous) materials, often in the form of machining scrap.
5. Bucket Conveyors or bucket elevators use multi-sided containers attached
to cables, belts, or chains to convey products or materials. 
6. Chute Conveyors are material handling systems that use gravity to convey
product along smooth surfaces from one level to another.
7. Overhead Conveyors are mounted from ceilings that use trolleys or carriers
moved by chains, cables, or similar connections.
8. Screw Conveyors, sometimes known as spiral, worm, or auger
conveyors use helical screw element or steel auger that rotates around a
central shaft, driving the work material according to the screw design and
rotational direction. 
9. Pneumatic Conveyors are used primarily in materials handling applications
such as dust collection, paper handling, ticket delivery, etc. and in processes
 such as chemical, mineral, scrap, and food. Materials for the conveyors can
be metallic or non-metallic depending on the media being conveyed.
10. Vertical Conveyors move products vertically between levels of conveying
lines. Key specifications include the lift speed and maximum load height.
Vertical conveyors move material or product to higher levels within a facility.
They are further classified as continuous lifting or reciprocating. Various sizes
and load capabilities are available depending on the application.
11. Vibrating Conveyors use rotary or linear vibration to move material along
their system beds. Vibrating conveyors are used for moving dry, bulk
materials such as aggregate, gravel, coal, etc. The bed of the conveyor
vibrates to move the material along its length. The conveyor can be a trough,
a tube, or a flat table top. Many sizes are available depending on the
application.
12. Walking Beam Conveyors use a combination of static supports and moving
supports to index workpieces through manufacturing cells. Walking beam
conveyors are used on automation and assembly lines, where items need to
be placed in specific locations in a sequential manner.
13. Wheel Conveyors use unpowered wheels to move objects along their
lengths by gravity or manual power. Wheel conveyors are used for item or
package handling and are commonly employed for loading and unloading
trucks and moving packages, pallets, etc. through facilities or along assembly
lines. The conveyors are configured by the number of wheels and wheel
spacing, depending on the load requirements and the application.
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/430321911/11-a-Basic-Principles-in-Building-Conveying-
Systems

https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/materials-handling/understanding-conveyor-systems/

https://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/building_construction/building_systems/e
levators_escalators_moving_walkways