A dumbwaiter is a small freight Elevator or lift intended to carry food. Dumbwaiters found within modern structures, including both commercial, public and private buildings, are often connected between multiple floors. When installed in restaurants, schools, hospitals, retirement homes or in private homes, the lifts generally terminate in a kitchen.
A simple dumbwaiter is a movable frame in a shaft, dropped by a rope on a pulley, guided by rails; most dumbwaiters have a shaft, cart, and capacity smaller than those of passenger elevators, usually 45 to 450 kg (100 to 992 lbs.) Before electric motors were added in the 1920s, dumbwaiters were controlled manually by ropes on pulleys.
Practical Weight Limit:
The weight limit of your new dumbwaiter should account for a significant amount of your decision. It’s a common mistake for people to consider only one function for their dumbwaiter, and to select a weight limit according to that particular need. It’s vital to think about the possible uses for your dumbwaiter that may not come to mind initially.
Sufficient Platform Size:
Similar to the weight limit, the platform size of your dumbwaiter will have a substantial effect on what functions you will be able to use it for in your building. If you are installing the dumbwaiter in a kitchen, for example, be sure to choose a size that will accommodate every type of commercial tray your staff may use.
Required Safety Features:
It’s important for the safety of anyone who will use the dumbwaiter that it have the proper safety mechanisms. A quality dumbwaiter will come with interlocks to ensure its safety while in use. The function of an interlock is to latch any access doors in the system while the lift is in use, other than that of the level on which the dumbwaiter sits.
Adequate Travel Speed:
Depending on your needs, the speed of a dumbwaiter may be worth considering. While the average dumbwaiter travels at 20 to 30 feet per minute, some move as quickly as 50 feet per minute.
Attractive Car Appearance:
Dumbwaiter cars come in a variety of finishes, so be sure to consider the styling of the rooms in which it will be used when selecting an option. Additionally, some dumbwaiter manufacturers offer a selection of access doors from which to choose. If these do not suit your tastes, however, your installation company can use doors that you provide which match your current décor.
