Escalator

An escalator is a conveyor transport device to transport people, consisting of a staircase whose steps move up or down on tracks which keep the surfaces of the individual steps horizontal. Most escalators also have moving handrails which approximately keep pace with the movement of the steps.

Related Topics:
Conveyor transport - Transport - Staircase

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The direction of movement (up or down) can be permanently the same, or be controlled by personnel according to the time of day, or automatically be controlled by whomever arrives first, someone at the bottom or at the top (of course the system is programmed such that the direction is not reversed while somebody is on the escalator). In the last two cases there has to be an alternative nearby.

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A moving sidewalk, moving walkway, slidewalk, travelator, travellator or trav-o-lator is a slow speed conveyor belt to transport people; they can walk along it or stand; it is like a horizontal escalator. They are often applied in pairs, one for each direction.

Related Topics:
Conveyor belt - Transport - Walk - Escalator

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They are often used in airports where there is a long distance to walk between terminals, and in metro stations.

Related Topics:
Airport - Metro

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The speed is usually 3 km/h, but there is a high-speed version with a speed of 9 km/h at Gare Montparnasse station in Paris.

Related Topics:
Gare Montparnasse - Paris

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An inclined moving sidewalk, movator or moving ramp is used in airports and supermarkets to move people to another floor with the convenience of an elevator (people can take along their suitcase trolley or shopping cart) and the capacity of an escalator. The carts have either a brake that is automatically applied when the cart handle is released, or specially-designed wheels that secure the cart within the grooves of the ramp, so that it doesn't roll uncontrollably down the ramp. Some department stores instead use an escalator with a specially-designed chain, similar to those used on roller coasters, to move specially-designed carts up and down a steeper slope beside and at the same speed as the passenger escalator. http://www.simonaut.com/index.php?id=266

Related Topics:
Supermarket - Elevator - Shopping cart - Brake - Ramp - Department store - Roller coaster

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