Paternoster

A paternoster, paternoster short, technically called people - circulation lift, is a special form of an elevator system to carry passengers.

When paternoster several hanging on two chains attached single cabins run (usually for one to two people per cabin ) in continuous circulating operation. The cabins are implemented at the upper and lower turning point over large slices into the other elevator shaft. The transport of passengers during the turning process is provided and safely. The transport speed is about 0.20 to 0.45 meters per second.

History

The previously common bag lifts with vertical endless conveyor belt had a similar design principle. Also includes earlier, also been called Paternoster bucket elevators and belt conveyors to the precursors.

The now well-known Paternoster was developed in England. The first known Paternoster elevator in the world in 1876 built the General Post Office in London. However, he did not meet fully the later technique and used to transport packets there. However, he already united all the characteristics of Paternoster technique, namely, the constantly circulating, always upright cabins (or container here ), and he served then later the transport of persons.

1882 developed the English hard the idea of ​​a paternoster lift for persons Cyclic his lift. From the invention of Hart was JE Hall's Cyclic Elevator, which was first installed by JE Hall 1884. This plant also corresponded to - for example, with limited to only a chain drive - not the later technique.

1886, the newly built Dovenhof was opened in Hamburg. Equipped with the latest technology prototype of the Hamburg office buildings already owned at the beginning and a Paternoster. This first plant outside of Great Britain already had the later became usual mechanics, but was still as the English plants driven by steam power. The Paternoster soon spread to other European countries.

In Germany Hamburg remained, due to the growing trade and the transformation of the city center to a business city with modern business and office buildings, a stronghold. Already in the year after the inauguration of the first paternoster it were there 9 facilities, from the 1936 counted in Germany 679 plants was slightly more than half in Hamburg, who were there also referred to derisively as proletarians excavators, if for special persons, a separate, closed Elevator ( lifter bosses ) was present. The highest Paternoster elevator in the world was for some time in 1925 completed Hansahochhaus in Cologne.

In Austria, the Paternoster of 1910 at the House of Industry at Vienna's Schwarzenberg Place the oldest. This is also still in operation.

In Switzerland, only a publicly accessible paternoster in operation - in a sports shop Vaucher in the Old City of Berne.

Origin of the name

The name Paternoster stands with the Catholic rosary in the context of a counting chain for prayers. When Rosary follows ten smaller beads for the Hail Marys one of them stepped on the Lord's Prayer (Latin: Paternoster ). This counting chain was formerly known as Paternoster cord. Moreover, also called the eleventh ball, according to the accompanying prayer, Paternoster. Similarly, the passenger cabins are threaded like on a string in a circular elevator. The term was first used by miners for the freight elevators, as these were similar to the rosary.

Pros and Cons

Advantages of Paternoster lifts over other lifts are permanent with no long waiting time availability for both directions ( up and down ), whereby an exchange between closely spaced levels is possible in particular faster, as well as the very high flow rate similar to that of an escalator. Although the speed of a paternoster is about 0.25 meters per second under that of a conventional elevator, but at the same small footprint usually no elevator in a position to convey a similarly large amount of people at the same time.

Continue driving on the public floors of a building addition, although some places do not welcome or even prohibited, but a ride on the upper and lower endpoints is basically harmless, since the car only implemented, but is not reversed. Another advantage is possibly for persons under other lifts or not use because of the narrowness of a fully enclosed cabin, because of the higher speed or because of the acting during acceleration and deceleration forces reluctant.

A disadvantage is the longer travel time between distant exits, so a built excretes in very tall buildings due to the lower speed. In high-traffic elevators that are stopped at several levels, the travel time, however relativized. In a paternoster load transport is also prohibited. The risk of accidents is greater because the enter or leave the cabin during the journey for each user is equally possible. For disabled persons risk of falling, especially a wheelchair user is nearly impossible. Also, the entry and exit, requires similar to an escalator especially for inexperienced users a certain concentration. But there are dangers also due to carelessness and careless actions. Thus, the exit is to be avoided as far as possible when the car has been clearly crossed the floor, and the climb out of a left standing Paternoster can be dangerous if the Paternoster driven again at this moment. This pinching will prevent some Paternoster are therefore equipped with upward-opening flaps on the entries on the amount of the Floors of stories. However, this only prevents pinching at cruising up booths.

Another drawback is the over conventional elevators reduced fire protection, as in the case of fire, the fire can easily spread over several floors of a house. This is not so easily possible with other lifts because of the at least on newer systems often acting as fire doors, entrance doors.

Energy balance and noise level shall be assessed differently. Although you can basically say that an elevator - because it is active only when it is needed - a better energy balance than a paternoster system that is constantly in operation and is usually placed in office buildings only at night. However, even an elevator at rest consumes power (including through the cabin lighting, which usually does not apply to vertical carousels ). In direct comparison, therefore, the different transportation services, different kinds, technology and the age of the plants play a role. In addition, the Paternoster mechanics caused with their drive chains higher friction losses, which can bring an increased noise level in relation to ordinary elevators with a rule. Here too, among other things, the type of investment, the installation, the respective building and existing measures for sound insulation as well as frequency of use and hours a role because the knocking continuous noise of the paternoster is not necessarily perceived as disturbing as the operating noise at times occurring in another elevator.

Rights situation in individual countries

Germany

Since 1974, no new paternoster elevators longer allowed to be put into operation in West Germany. 1994, a modification of the elevator regulation was planned, which provided for the decommissioning of existing plants by 2004. Against this limitation arose resistance, including through a specially founded in Munich "Association for the Rescue of the last people Paternosters ". The Federal Council therefore raised to the proposed change so that existing Paternoster can remain in operation until further notice. Paternoster lifts must be operated according to the prior art. The corresponding technical rules are since 1972 in the TRA 500 ​​( " Technical regulations for elevators - passenger bucket elevators " ) set (most recently in 1985 changed). In the GDR there was no such restriction. Thus, for example, in the former House of Ministries, today's Detlev Rohwedder Building, where now the Federal Ministry of Finance has its headquarters, built in 1982, a Paternoster. Currently there are approximately 240 paternoster in operation in Germany.

2009 was put into operation in the building of the company Solon (Berlin- Adlershof ), a new Paternoster. The basic principle is roughly the Paternoster, but for legal reasons he is called " run- lift ". He was only approved because in the building is hardly any public transport and the elevator several security features available. Its speed is 0.15 m / s significantly lower than that of conventional paternoster. In addition, a kind of traffic light controls, when can be turned on and dropped out. Photoelectric sensors stop the lift immediately, if users want to enter or leave the car at "Red".

After an accident caused by improper operation, the Paternoster allowed in the IG Farben House of Juli until November 2011 individually by the university management from only by staff and students of the Johann -Wolfgang- Goethe University and with unterweisendem certificate of entitlement ( " Paternoster - license " ) are used, which was monitored by security personnel. In November 2011, the " Paternoster - license ", however, was abolished, as now additional warning and information signs for the safety of Paternoster - users should be sufficient.

Austria

One of the most important developers of paternoster in Austria - Hungary was Anton Freissler.

In Austria no new Paternoster may be authorized since the 1960s. There is also no longer valid standards for this type of elevators, so the state of the art evaluations are very difficult. Since the security is above the monument, old Paternoster lifts are dismantled and replaced by standard lifts. In 2007, in Austria for about 20 to 25 Paternoster in operation.

In Vienna in 2013 next to the probably oldest still in operation, electrical Paternoster of the world the House of Industry in 1911 with only 0.2 m / s speed, six more paternoster in operation. ( → List )

Others

A (short ) cinematic monument was the Ferris by Doris Dorrie put men in their film, literary immortalized him Heinrich Boll in his satire Doctor Murkes collected silence and Hans Erich Nossack in Paternoster. A literary example of a criminal Paternoster hunting supplies David Lodge in his novel " relocation ".

A legend is the notion that the cars turn around at the top of the plant and headlong drive down again, so it was very dangerous to accidentally go higher than the top floor. On the basis of this false belief, some people are afraid to use a Paternoster. In a spot of Mainzelmännchen this idea was presented jokingly, as in a movie with Charlie Chaplin. Moreover, it was played with this idea in the show " Candid Camera ": people stood in front of the paternoster elevator and saw other drove down headlong in it. The latter had but - before they were seen - set up accordingly in the cabin.