- A wheelchair elevator is a mechanical device that is designed specifically to transport a wheelchair or motorized scooter and its occupant from one floor to another. This allows wheelchair-bound individuals the opportunity to move freely within a multi-floored building while taking their wheelchair with them.
- There are various wheelchair elevator designs. The vertical, or platform lift, is an exterior structure that runs on tracks that are vertically fitted along the side of the building. The lift, which is a box-like structure called a cab, can be an open or enclosed space large enough for a wheelchair to enter. The motor then moves the cab up the tracks to the destination floor. A typical wheelchair lift might take up a vertical space of 4.5 by 5 feet.
- Wheelchair elevators can be driven by roped hydraulics or cables. Electricity powers the motor, but many models come with battery backup systems for operating during a power outage. Safety codes often require that phone systems be installed in the elevator in case of emergencies. Both braking and automatic locking systems are desired features for wheelchair elevators. Because of their weight, exterior walls are more suited for the installation of a wheelchair elevator than interior walls, which may require reinforcement.
- Incline wheelchair lifts are installed along stairways. Their platforms are hooked to a track that run up the wall. The weight of the lift is supported by embedded stanchions or the wall. After a wheelchair is rolled onto the lift, the mechanism moves the platform up or down the stairwell.
