Lever Lift

For viewing and riding, this exterior or atrium elevator would swiftly and safely raise and lower passengers in twin glass cabins. The giant seesaw would utilize the mechanics of the lever, but instead of changing or moving the loads, the length of the lever arms would change by moving the fulcrum underneath. For a ten story elevator, start with a five story column, topped with a platform. On the platform are two rollers and on them a third roller and on it the beam holding the cabins. This construction allows the fulcrum roller trio to move back and forth, while the lever beam is not moved sideways but only rotates.

With a loaded cabin at street level, the fulcrum trio rolls in that direction shortening its lever arm, and as its weight (force) decreases, it is raised to the correct floor. To lower a load, the fulcrum trio rolls away, lengthening that lever arm to increase its weight.

The fulcrum movement would be quite sensitive to allow soft starts and stops, to “hover” at intermediate floors and to hold steady during loading and unloading. Also the rollers would be geared to eliminate slippage.