Post by MicheleOkay I give up would someone please describe what a Paternoster lift
is?
Michele
http://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/technology/engin_hall_lifts.shtml
THE PATERNOSTER LIFT
A curious feature of the lift business was the revival, briefly
referred to earlier, of the continuously moving lift. Called the
Paternoster lift, it was more handsome than but no different in basic
principle from its poor relation of the early 1900s. It was better
known and more readily accepted on the Continent than in the UK. Since
it did not stop for the passenger to enter or alight, it looked
alarming and sales at first were slow in spite of its advantages. It
could handle twice as many 'up' passengers as the most advanced
high-speed lifts of its time, and a comparable volume of traffic at
the same time on the downward phase of the cycle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster
A paternoster or paternoster lift is an elevator which consists of a
chain of open compartments (each usually designed for two persons)
that move slowly in a loop up and down inside a building without
stopping. Passengers who are agile enough can step on or off at any
floor they like.
Paternosters were popular throughout the first half of the 20th
century as they could carry more passengers than ordinary elevators.
They were more common in Europe, especially in public buildings, and
less so in Great Britain.
Today, in many countries new construction of paternosters is not
allowed any more because of the high danger of accidents (people
tripping or falling over when trying to enter or alight). Also, an
increased sensitivity to the needs of the disabled, for instance
wheelchair users, has led to the paternoster's gradual demise.
Existing ones remain operative until they are dismantled, so there are
still some but their number is continually decreasing. As objects that
belong to a vanishing world, for some people paternosters have
achieved cult status.
An irrational yet common misconception is that it is dangerous to stay
on in an upgoing cabin after it has reached the top floor or in a
downgoing one after it has passed the ground floor level. However,
nothing much happens in such a case, as the compartment remains
upright.
The name paternoster ("Our Father") has been taken from the first two
words of the Lord's Prayer in Latin. A special bead on a rosary
indicates that a Pater Noster is to be said, and from there the whole
rosary and, what is more, anything resembling a rosary was referred to
as paternoster.
An example of a continuous-belt type paternoster of the type used in
industrial plants can be seen in the 1966 film Our Man Flint, in which
James Coburn uses a paternoster to escape pursuing enemies.
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Another nerdy reference service from [tah-daaaah!] Aperger-man!!
/ryno
The original Hornery Critter.