"LIFT TRAPS."

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18399, 4 June 1925, Page 4

"LIFT TRAPS."

(TO THE liriLDISG EDITOR.) Sir,—The frequency with which people nre caught between floors in lifts is notorious. With the intricate mechanical and electrical appliances necessary and iu modern automatic lifts —this frequency is not going to be easily or quickly prevented. Designers arc doing their best, but even with an otherwise perfect design, the fact that we depend 011 hydro-electricity for our motive power, and this, of course, subject to the vagaries of Nature, will alwavs make an otherwise mechanically good lift liable to stoppage at an inopportune moment. The stoppage of the lift is a great uuisance in itself, but if the lift is occupied by bus;- men or women it becomes an added annoyance. "What I would suggest to overcome" this inconvenience is to provide in the ceiling of the. lift u trap-door, made to fasten from the outside (thi3 i 3 for safety's sake, as the ordinary users of a lift could easily make trouble for themselves through not knowing how to proceed after they had gained the roof of their lift). On" the occupants of the lift making known their plight, it would be easy for outside assistance to reach them by means of a light ladder from tho floor immediately above them. They could then go about their business whilst tho workman remedied whatever defect, had caused the stoppage. Just imagine what would happen to the' city if the Mayor and Town Clerk wero caught about the time tho Council met, or just before a big Citizens' Association or Labour function! 'Twould bo awful to contemplate!— Yours, etc., W. 11. WINSOK. Juuc 3rd, 192iT.