Escalators are essentially a moving chain of steps that are driven by a powerful electric motor. They are normally individual units going up or down. The steps on the topside are ridden by passengers and the return steps underneath are hidden under the floor or beneath the steps used by the passengers and return empty until they turn over for passenger use. It seems to me possible to construct an escalator so that the belt is in the shape of an isosceles triangle with the base line under the floor where the drive motor is attached and the two vertical legs are exposed for passengers riding up or down on opposing legs of the triangle thereby eliminating a good deal of the duplicating machinery of a double system.
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The current design of each step would not permit, without radical redesign, the interchange of the leading and trailing edges necessary for the change to an up to down movement. But if, instead of steps, the system used a moving ramp such as is used in several level supermarkets, the system should function without problems. It would also accommodate wheeled vehicles such as baby carriages and shopping carts and in airports and train stations, wheeled luggage.
I can see where you're coming from on this one, but I don't think I'd install either of these in my local market. I really like the thought of eliminating a large number of steps from an escalator, esp. considering the cost of metal to make them. The moving ramp is also hnady, because it would reduce the need for elevators by accomidating carts, wheelchairs, etc. I'm just not too sure about the implementation of these.
As to the triangle escalator, wouldn't you need more of a trapezoidal shape at the top to allow people to get on and off? Seems to me that it would lose the efficiency of a shorter chain pretty quick. There is a good reason for some of the duplicate machinery. A pair (or even trio) of ordinary escalators can be used in any direction, while a triangle model would have much more limited applicability.
As to the ramp, to keep it at a slope which would not leave everyone sliding off it would need to be very long compared to an escalator. Not an issue in some places (I've ridden ramps like this in some airports), but space is tight in the typical market. Not a general-purpose design, but very handy in big spaces.
How about this- two escalators, side-by-side, which have steps that are shunted across at the top and bottom so that the steps face in the same direction (out) while the attachment mechanisms stay in. They would have to separate at the top and bottom somehow- perhaps something like a skilift. If they were made to rotate on an underlying belt, but interlock when arranged as stairs...