On Sept. 20, 1853, Elisha Graves Otis sold his first “hoist machine,” or elevator, featuring an automatic safety brake he had patented. His seemingly simple invention was designed to stop a platform ...

The tallest building today has 163 floors. You’d have to climb over 3,000 steps to reach the top, while an elevator would take you there in around a minute. The humble passenger lift had a huge impact ...