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Ferris Lift
Ferris wheels on outside of office buildings | |
Another answer to installing lifts in buildings that have none, and cant spare the space inside for a shaft. A more fun way of elevation to your floor of a morning. A fun twist on the (similar) idea of an internal paternoster; where you don't have to wait for ages for one lift car, as the next one on
the wheel will be along shortly.
Mount a ferris wheel on the side of a building. The cars are open sided. There are portals in the side of the building that match where the cars pass-by. jump-on at street level. Jump off on your chosen floor. In times of emergancy the wheel could be speeded up to get more people out. bouncy castle type pads could expand and fill the floor of each car, so that people don't hurt themselves when jumping onto the faster moving platforms.
The wheel could be set so that its zenith is above the level of the building, and people could take more relaxed scenic rides on their lunch break.
(?) Attenborough tower (middle one)
http://jonathan.raw...y=leicester&photo=1
The building which houses the paternoster that was sort of the inspiration for this idea [Zircon, Sep 02 2002]
(?) Attenborough tower (middle one)
hhttp://jonathan.ra...icester&photo=univ1
The building which houses the paternoster that was sort of the inspiration for this idea [Zircon, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]
A Ferris lift for boats.
http://www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk/
[coprocephalous, Apr 08 2009]
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Ideally the building will have as many basement levels as floors above ground, which would allow the axle of the ferris wheel to be mounted at ground level. Then, the entire outside of the building could be themed as a 1930's-style Mississipi paddle-steamer... |
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This actually sounds really good. It uses existing proven technology in an innovative and amusing way. It could be constructed on the exterior of a building, or indeed inside (say) a shopping mall. Definitely a croissant. |
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I think the cars would have to stop at each floor, but to make it more interesting the wheel would rotate an odd number of positions between each stop. So you might have to go round a couple of times before you got to the floor you wanted. Shame ..... |
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Question: How do you prevent your staff (or indeed members of the public who have wandered in off the street ?) from just riding the thing all the live-long day ?? |
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[hippo] I'm glad I have an office to myself as I really did just lol at your paddle steamer idea. Post it as aseperate idea so I can croissant it! |
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[8th of 7] The cars wouldn't necessarily have to stop...I'm lucky enought to work in a building with a paternoster. For those that haven't encountered such a thing, an explanation; there's two portals on each floor. On the left platforms (that can fit 2 people) go past upwards, and on the right they go downwards. It is continuously moving. You just step right on and get carried away. There is a clever, but simple mechanism that stops the undesired removal of bodyparts, but does not require the whole deal to be stopped and reset. There are also emergency stop cords on each floor. The cars are articulated so that at the top/bottom they move sideways and join the down/up stream. Your point about how to stop employees just riding around all day is a good one. My building is 18 stories, and when bored or feeling like a break I regularly do a complete circuit of the system with a cup of coffee. The added advantage of this is that it faces windows so you can see the city as you ascend. I would suggest that it is only used for an hour in the morning, evening and at lunch, peak times so to speak, except for as an employee rather than employer, I'd want to see it on all the time. |
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You'd have trouble if the building is higher than it is wide. In your 18 storey building how would you ever get on or off at the ninth floor?
Perhaps you could construct a series of half-span suspension bridges on each side to meet the car. If you used lots of cast iron you could create a wonderful Victorian-style edifice. (Crystal Palace meets Falkirk wheel) It would of course have to powered by steam. |
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... with one of those polished brass Watts centrifugal governors, and a big whistle ...... Yes ! |
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Why not make it eliptical for those really tall buildings. |
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//jump-on at street level. Jump off on your chosen floor// best to make sure downsizees and other unhappy people take the stairs |
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for narrow/tall buildings you could have several small wheels - though i prefer gordon's solution |
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I want a paternoster, Zircon where do you work? |
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...a large (eliptical) ferris wheel which carries several smaller (circular) ferris wheels. Gives you whole-building and floor-to-floor coverage. |
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This building would also be equipped with horizontal axis revolving doors at ground level. |
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[kaz] I work in the Attenborough tower in the University of Leicester (see link). Even if you were to ruch over here right now from whereever you are, you would'nt be able to sample the splendour of the paternoster as they are currently completely rewiring it. *sigh*. They do big mainatinence every summer for about 4 weeks, before all the freshers arrive and storm the poor contraption in drunken awe. |
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I have never heard of a paternoster until today, and I find the idea fascinating! Why did these go out of style? Too hard to maintain? Too much electricity usage from constant motion? |
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By the way, I love how you listed many benefits for the Ferris wheel on the building, you sold me! + |
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Only downside is that the entrance for each floor would have to be at a different horizontal location on the building, so the building face would have to be about square, and there would have to be an inset door on each floor also to prevent the need for the building to be open to the outdoors all the time. Both not insurmountable issues. |
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//Why did these go out of style? //
too difficult to remove the bodies. |
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After further consideration: |
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Construct two office buildings with the ferris wheel running in between them. The axle is half way up. |
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The wheel protrudes on each side. Users can only enter or exit the wheel at ground level or at the very top of the building. An articulated suspension mechanism allows the cars to run "flat" on platforms at the top and bottom of their travel, alowing entrance and exit as from a moving walkway. The wheel moves at constant speed. |
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Having reached the top of the building, visitors then descend to their chosen floor by a choice of fireman's pole or helter-skelter spiral slide. |
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Such an office building might be suitable as the world headquarters of a company which runs theme parks, or alternatively for a major financial organization - both make their money by taking people for a ride. |
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A building side railway with independent cars could
be made into shape you wanted. |
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I assume the paternoster earns its name from the prayer one must say before stepping aboard. |
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A singular advantage of the paternoster is that if there is a queue for one direction, advantage may be gained by traveling one floor in the opposite direction and then abruptly switching paths. |
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