Spiral staircases are space-efficient.

They are not, however, suitable for everyone; and moving bulky items up and down can be challenging.

What is needed is the new BorgCo Spiral Stairwell.

Ths consists of three tubes, one inside the other, the outer and inner tubes being fixed, and the inner diameter being 1200 mm.

There are two vertical slots in the inner tube, running from the lower floor level to the upper.

The user steps onto the platform at ground level, and closes the curved sliding door.

The middle cylinder, which has a double spiral slot cut in it, rotates, causing the platform - which has lugs passing through the vertical slots in the fixed inner cylinder, and engaging in the spiral slots - to gently rise; the angle of the spiral is shallower at the top and bottom, giving a gentle acceleration and deceleration.

When the platform reaches the top, the door can be opened and the user steps out.

Mechanical interlocks driven by the spiral prevent the doors being opened when the platform is not present.

In an emergency the spiral can be cranked by hand, internally or externally.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 13 2017

Springles
[xaviergisz, Aug 13 2017]

Spiral Escalator https://www.youtube...watch?v=wFKqpZpvX8I
In case you didn't know they exist. [Vernon, Aug 15 2017]

So, sort of like a lift but without the annoying mechanical simplicity?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 13 2017


It's a lift, but it has several important advantages.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 13 2017


Ah yes, now that you mention it I can see them clearly. Perhaps you'd best explain them for the others, though.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 13 2017


I think it's similar to the 'springles' idea (link) except for people rather than chips.
-- xaviergisz, Aug 13 2017


" In an emergency the spiral can be cranked by hand "

Let me fix that for you ....

Cranking it by hand will be an emergency.
-- normzone, Aug 13 2017


So, sort of a grain elevator with a platform inside instead of a screw. Could also be used at angles, too, if architecture doesn't have the right layout.
-- RayfordSteele, Aug 14 2017


Waldo's remote manipulator could give this a lift. The arm articulation would have to be compact and complicated to fit with the spiral architecture.
-- wjt, Aug 15 2017


Damn. I should have posted my dream months ago, when I had it.
-- Selky, Aug 15 2017


All your dream are belong to us.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 15 2017



random, halfbakery