My 2 cents

Alexander Miles, an African-American inventor from Duluth, Minnesota, received U.S. patent #371,207 on October 11, 1887, for an improvement to elevators.¹ His invention was for an automatic mechanism that opened and closed the elevator shaft and car doors simultaneously, making elevators much safer for passengers.²

Details of the Patent

Before Miles’ invention, elevators were extremely dangerous.³ Passengers or operators had to manually open and close both the elevator shaft door and the car door.⁴ If either door was left open, it created a serious hazard, as people could fall down the shaft.⁵

• The Invention: Miles designed a system of levers and weights attached to the elevator car and the doors.⁶ As the elevator approached a floor, a series of levers would automatically unlatch and open both the inner and outer doors.⁷ As the car moved away from the floor, the levers would release, and the doors would automatically close and lock.
• Key Features: The core innovation was the interconnectedness of the two sets of doors. By linking the car door to the shaft door, Miles ensured that neither could be left open accidentally, thus preventing falls and increasing the safety of a ride.
• Problem Solved: Miles’ invention solved a critical safety issue that plagued early elevators, turning them from a risky mode of transport into a much safer and more reliable one.⁸

Significance of the Invention and Inventor

Alexander Miles’ invention was a crucial step in the evolution of modern elevators.⁹ While his patent wasn’t the first for an elevator door, his design was foundational to the safety systems we rely on today.¹⁰

• Impact on Society: The invention made multi-story buildings more practical and accessible, contributing significantly to the rise of skyscrapers and modern cityscapes. By making elevators safer, Miles helped to revolutionize urban architecture and transportation.¹¹
• Legacy as a Black Inventor: Alexander Miles’ patent is a powerful testament to the ingenuity of African-American inventors who often worked with little recognition and faced systemic racism.¹² His work, like that of many other Black innovators, helped to shape the modern world.¹³ His story is a powerful reminder of the contributions of marginalized communities to technological progress.