who invented the elevator

The elevator as a concept existed in ancient times, with Archimedes credited for an early rope pulley system around 236 BC. However, the modern elevator's crucial innovation was the safety elevator invented by Elisha Graves Otis in 1853. Otis designed the first elevator with an automatic safety device that would prevent the elevator from falling if the hoisting rope or chain broke, making elevators safe for passenger use. He publicly demonstrated this safety brake in 1854, leading to the broader adoption of elevators. The first safety passenger elevator was installed by Otis in 1857 in New York City. Thus, Elisha Otis is credited with inventing the safety elevator, which is the key to the modern elevator's widespread use and practicality.