Figure 12. — Final development of the Baldwin- 

 Hale water balance elevator, 1873. The brake, 

 kept applied by powerful springs, was released 

 only by steady pressure on a lever. There were 

 two additional controls — the continuous rope 

 that opened the cistern valve to fill the bucket, 

 and a second lever to open the valve of the 

 bucket to empty it. (From United States Rail- 

 road and Mining Register, Apr. 12, 1873, '^°1- '7: 

 4 p. 3-) 



operator, it was capable of speeds far greater than 

 other systems could then achieve — up to a frightening 

 1,800 feet per minute.^ 



In addition to the element of potential danger from 

 careless operation or failure of the brake, the Baldwin 

 system was extremely expensive to install as a result 

 of the second shaft, which of course was required to 

 be more or less watertight. 



Much of the water-balance elevator's development 

 and refinement was done by William E. Hale of 

 Chicago, who also made most of the installations. 

 The system has, therefore, come to bear his name more 

 commonly than Baldwin's. 



The popularity of the water-balance system waned 

 after only a few years, being eclipsed by more rational 

 systems. Hale eventually abandoned it and became 

 the western agent for Otis — by this time prominent in 

 the field — and subsequently was influential in develop- 

 ment of the hydraulic elevator. 



The rope-geared system of hydraulic elevator oper- 

 ation was so basically simple that by 1880 it had been 

 embraced by virtually all manufacturers. However, 

 for years most builders continued to maintain a line 

 of steam and belt driven machines for freight service. 

 Inspired by the rapid increase of taller and taller 

 buildings, there was a concentrated effort, heightened 

 by severe competition, to refine the basic system. 



By the late 1880's a \'ast number of improvements in 

 detail had appeared, and this form of elevator was 

 considered to be almost without defect. It was safe. 

 Absence of a drum enabled the car to be carried by 

 a number of cables rather than by one or two, and 

 rendered overtravel impossible. It was fast. Control 

 devices had received probably the most attention by 

 engineers and were as perfect and sensitive as was 



y^^. 



•> Today, although not limited by the machinery, speeds are 

 set at a maximum of about 1,400 feet per minute. If higher 

 speeds were used, an impractically long express run would be 

 necessary for starting and stopping in order to prevent an 

 acceleration so rapid as to be uncomfortable to passengers and 

 a strain on the equipment. 



12 



BULLETIN 228: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



