History

Fred Hymans and the Theory of Rope Traction, Part Two

This series’ conclusion focuses on the inventor himself and his legacy.

by George W. Gibson Over the approximate century since emergency mechanical stops of high-speed Frederick “Fred” Hymans developed the theory . In it, Hymans introduced the of rope traction in 1920, there have been a few “Equivalent Dynamic System,” which he used minor challenges to a couple of the assumptions throughout his years at Otis. It’s a variation on posited by Hymans — specifically, the hoist rope Newton’s Second Law of Motion but offers a maintaining its cylindrical shape and the radial convenient analytical methodology. Prior to his compressibility of the rope cross-section as retirement, Hymans authored an in-depth wires cross each other and as the rope profile analysis of centrifugal governors,[2] which seats itself in the rigid groove. The relative readers might find informative. hardness of the wires and sheave groove must be Hymans is a legend within the worldwide considered. In an era when instrumentation (lift) industry. Can any other technology was primitive by contemporary standards (and decades before the emergence of information be found to highlight the human computers), it can be argued that Hymans made dimensions of the man? Beyond their technical reasonable assumptions to set up the writings, patents and publications, the technical mathematical model and develop a meaningful giants of yesteryear left little footprint other than solution. It can also be argued that his theory the folklore tales of their accomplishments, and practice of rope traction has withstood the which were handed down to successive test of time, especially since numerous test generations of engineers. programs over the century have shown the Hymans was a contemporary of several theory and practice was made to a reasonable notable engineers of his time. These included degree of engineering accuracy. As stated in Part David L. Lindquist, John N. Anderson, George One of this article (ELEVATOR WORLD, W. Crabbe, George Lautrup and Clifford February 2017), Hymans’ theory has become Norton. Swedish-born David L. Lindquist, Otis the gold standard for rope traction over the chief engineer (Figure 2), is credited with last century. masterminding Otis’ technological progress Over the many decades of ASME A17 through the first half of the 20th century.[3] He Mechanical Design Committee discussions, was a “founding father” at the A17 committees, countless references to Hymans have been made participating in the development of the 1921 and in relation to his expertise in mechanics of several subsequent editions of the A17 code. motions, rope traction, analysis and design of safeties, machines, structures and buffers, just to Following an outstanding career of 43 years at [3] name a few. Notably, Hymans presented a Otis, Lindquist retired in 1944 at the age of 70. technical paper at the annual meeting of the During Lindquist’s era of technological American Society of Mechanical Engineers leadership as chief engineer of Otis, several other (ASME) in December 1926, in technical giants reported to him, including (NYC). This paper,[1] shown in Figure 1, is a Anderson, Crabbe, Lautrup, Hymans and cornerstone technical treatise about the Norton. The one thing they, with the exception Continued 122 www.elevatorworld.com • March 2017

of Lindquist, had in common was their collective retirement from the Otis Engineering Division at the end of 1947. Reference is made to an archival Otis Bulletin article[4] from December 1947 (Figures 3 and 4). The article profiled Anderson, Crabbe, Lautrup, Hymans and Norton as “The Men Who Made the Modern Elevator.” These five gentlemen were the technical giants within the Otis Engineering Division, located at 260 11th Avenue, NYC. Continued

Figure 1: Hymans’ 1926 ASME paper Figure 2: David L. Lindquist, Otis chief engineer, 1912-1944

Figure 3: First volume in a series of Figure 4: Cover of the December 1947 bound Otis bulletins Otis Bulletin

Figure 5: “The Men Who Made the Modern Elevator”: (l-r) John N. Anderson, George W. Crabbe, George Lautrup, Fred Hymans and Clifford Norton. Vests and pocketwatch chains were the order of the day![4]

124 www.elevatorworld.com • March 2017 March 2017 • ELEVATOR WORLD 125 ™

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Motion Indicators & Applications Custom Graphics • Easy-to-Clean & • Permanent & Vandalism Maintain Resistant • Recyclable Figure 6: “Profiles of Talent”[4] • Patented NT Technology At the time of Hymans’ retirement, he was 72 years young! An interesting footnote is in order. In 1947, Otis’ mandatory retirement age for its employees was 65 years, the traditional age Canada | USA | Barbados | Mexico | Brazil | Germany used throughout the U.S. business community during the 1940s. France | Slovakia | Spain | UK | China | Japan But, the senior and highly valuable engineers of that era, like Hymans, and possibly some or all of the others shown, were www.ehc-global.com [email protected] classified as consultants and, therefore, not impeded from continuing to contribute their expertise to Otis beyond the normal, age-65 retirement. These pictures and accompanying narratives have been excerpted from the Otis Bulletin, December 1947.[4] At Otis, we’re dedicated to helping you see the world in new ways. Hymans is seen in a rare photo in his Otis office in Figure 7. We Learn more about Otis technology, service and expertise at otisworldwide.com. now know that he was a pipe smoker and enjoyed a highly coveted window view from his desk. Interestingly, the calculator just behind him is a Friden electromechanical calculator, the same as your author used between 1960 and 1967, when they were finally trashed, having reached the end of their useful and repairable lives. Continued

126 www.elevatorworld.com • March 2017 SEE THE WORLD FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE

At Otis, we’re dedicated to helping you see the world in new ways. Learn more about Otis technology, service and expertise at otisworldwide.com. Figure 7[4]

After receiving his engineering degree from the University of Stuttgart in 1900, Hymans was involved in the design of steam engines, cranes and structural steel in Germany. After emigrating to the U.S., he started his career with Otis in 1902. With the exception of 2-1/2 years when he left Otis to work as a research engineer at Vibration Specialty Co. in Philadelphia,[1] Hymans spent his entire professional career at Otis from 1902 through 1947. Early in his Otis career, he was assigned to the Otis New York Construction Department. He worked in the Otis Engineering Division continuously from 1910 through 1947. Throughout, he focused on the design and rigorous theoretical analyses of geared and gearless machines, structures, safeties, governors, buffers, mechanics (motions), hydraulics for deck-edge elevators for aircraft carriers and other special designs in which Otis was involved. He had several patents, notably those summarized in Table 1. TheOtis Bulletin profile of Hymans’ life is seen in Figure 8. On one of their early trips back to the U.S., Hymans, age 30, and his wife, listed as Lydia, age 22, sailed on the SS Zeeland from Antwerp, Belgium, on November 4, 1905, arriving in NYC on November 14, 1905.[5] Fred’s citizenship was Dutch; his occupation was listed as “Mechanical Engineer.” Lydia was listed as a housewife, born in Germany, having German citizenship. Their New York destination was their home on Clove Road, West New Brighton, Staten Island, New York. Fred first arrived in the U.S. in 1902. The data entries were recorded on a sheet reserved for Figure 8: Hymans’ career history[4] saloon- or first-class passengers.[5] This 1905 trip was Lydia’s first trip to the U.S. Building were 600 fpm and 700 fpm.[9] Hymans played a significant The beginning of the 1900s ushered in a new era for high-rise, role in the development of the new high-speed elevator systems in high-speed elevators. Up to that point, roped hydraulics using connection with their gearless traction machines, governors, reeving ratios as high as 12:1 dominated the high-rise market but safeties and buffers. were superseded by electric gearless traction elevator systems In the 1930 U.S. Census,[6] taken on April 4, 1930, Frederick F. introduced in 1903. A new generation of skyscrapers was built in Hymans (the first known appearance of his middle initial) and NYC in the early 1900s. These include the 612-ft.-tall Singer Anna Lydia Hymans resided at 317 Hawthorne Avenue, City of Building, 1906 – 1908; the 700-ft.-tall Metropolitan Tower, 1910; Yonkers, Westchester County, New York. He was listed as a and the 792-ft.-tall Woolworth Building, called the “Cathedral of mechanical engineer working at the Otis factory. The census form Commerce,” 1912. The highest elevator speeds in the Woolworth Continued 128 www.elevatorworld.com • March 2017 March 2017 • ELEVATOR WORLD 129 U.S. Patent Date Subject Comment Number

Geared Elevator Machine 15,125 6/14/21 Coinvented by Hymans and Lindquist Leveling System

This is the Otis Flexible Guide Clamp Safety employing a 2,150,373 3/14/39 Elevator Safety Device U-spring. Another variation of the design utilized a helical spring (Figure 9).

This is the Otis 6183AE sound-isolated platform and support Sound Isolated Passenger 2,246,732 6/24/41 frame, which utilizes the deflection of isolation blocks for use in Platform tripping load-weighing switches as loads enter or leave the car.

This was the Otis Mono-Mass tied-down compensation device, 2,270,441 1/20/42 Elevator Safety Device which was arguably the most effective device of its kind ever invented (Figure 10).

Hydraulic leveling system to maintain the elevator level with 2,359,112 8/14/43 Hydraulic Elevator ship landings on aircraft carriers with deck-edge elevators

Table 1: Hymans’ notable patents

noted that he first emigrated to the U.S., in 1902, with this being Hymans authored numerous publications throughout his the case for Lydia in 1905. Otis’ main factory was the one in professional life. His books include Der Neuzeitliche Aufzug mit Yonkers. Engineering activities under the purview of the New York Treibscheibenantrieb[Part One, 20] and Electric Elevators, Books I & II.[Part Engineering Office were performed in the New York Executive One, 10 & 11] He is credited with authoring additional publications on Offices, 260 11th Avenue, NYC, and in the Yonkers factory offices stress analysis and vibrations. During his Otis career, Hymans on Wells Avenue. Otis also had its test tower in the Yonkers factory. taught several engineering courses in stress analysis, mechanics It was not uncommon for engineers to work in both locations back and vibrations in the evening postgraduate school of the in the 1930s right up until the Engineering Division was relocated Polytechnic Institute of , New York, known as “Brooklyn to Mahwah, New Jersey, in 1974. Poly.” Several Otis engineers took many of Hymans’ courses at Several months after the 1930 census was taken, the Hymans Brooklyn Poly. Your author took numerous postgraduate- and sailed from Antwerp, Belgium, on the SS Lapland on September doctoral-level engineering courses at Brooklyn Poly in the 1960s. 19, 1930, arriving in NYC on September 28, 1930.[7] According to Indeed, the Otis engineers who took Hymans’ courses sat at the the ship’s records, Fred was naturalized in the Supreme Court, foot of the master! Yonkers, in May 1925. Lydia was naturalized at the same location in One of Hymans’ protégés was Joseph “Joe” Mastroberte, who July 1928. At the time of the ship’s voyage,[7] the couple resided at worked under Hymans’ tutelage for 19 years between 1926 and 317 Hawthorne Avenue, Yonkers, later relocating to Larchmont, 1945. Mastroberte would later describe Hymans as an outstanding New York. mentor, albeit a bit frugal in giving merit raises! Other associates at In the 1940 U.S. Census,[8] the Hymans resided in an area of Otis described Hymans as “a person always willing to help a young financial means at 93 Stuyvesant Avenue in Larchmont. Fred was engineer; those at Otis knew him as ‘The Man.’”[Part One, 11] listed as a mechanical engineer in the elevator industry. His Mastroberte recounted that during the period when the Empire neighbors were all professional people, having such employment as State Building was being designed in the late 1920s, Hymans was broker, boat captain, sales manager, executive, teacher, treasurer, heavily involved in the design of all the mechanical systems. When etc. Since there were no other residents at the Hymans’ address, it the building was being erected in early 1931, Lindquist and must be concluded that they lived in a private one-family home. Hymans made several presentations to the NYC Buildings Continued

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SAVE OVER $ RETAIL80.00 PRICE $ 50 124. Figure 9: Flexible Guide Clamp Safety Figure 10: Mono-Mass Safety for Tied-Down Compensation

Department urging the approval of higher-speed elevators for it. In that era, elevator speeds in the new generation of NYC skyscrapers were limited to 700 fpm, since this was deemed to be the maximum speed a human elevator operator (attendant) could safely control,[9] i.e., stopping the elevator at a destination floor without overshooting the landing and having to relevel. In fact, this 700-fpm limit was specified in the Building Code of New York City, 1911, Part XVII, effective September 1, 1911, Section 20, in the Borough of . This section[10] remained in effect until the early 1930s, when the automation of speed controls influenced NYC to raise the speed limits to 1,000 fpm[3 & 9]. This 1911 Check everything off your wish list with requirement stated: “20. The speed of all elevators must not exceed five hundred feet per minute, except that express elevators may run seven hundred feet per minute for that portion of the shaft in which no intermediate stops are made.” The NYC Building Code, 1911,[10] Section 12, limited express elevators to 700 fpm and required car safeties to stop a 700-fpm The next stage in the evolution of the MRL elevator nominal (rated) speed car in a distance not greater than 8 ft. The text of the requirement stated: “12. Safety Gear. All elevators, except direct plunger elevators With nearly four decades designing and manufacturing elevator systems, and freight elevators having a rise of 15 ft. or less, shall have a governor or speed regulator properly connected to the safety EV Elevator has the innovation and experience to build the highest quality devices on the car, in such a manner that the car will be brought to elevators to your exacting specifications. You will find form, fit and function rest with an easy and gradual stop, or in a distance not greater in every one of our pre-engineered elevator systems. than 8 ft. for a speed of 700 ft. per minute except that on elevators having a speed of 100 ft. per minute or less safeties of the instantaneous type may be used.” As a result of the numerous Otis presentations by Lindquist and US mailing address Hymans to the NYC Buildings Department and other NYC 8550 Flight Path Way officials, NYC increased the limits on car speeds in the NYC San Diego, California 92154 U.S.A. Building Code, thus allowing the Empire State Building elevators Toll-Free (North America): to be run at their higher design speeds. While not a member of any 1-800-650-9549 Outside North America: of the A17 committees, Hymans assisted his boss, Lindquist, in +52 (664) 660-2300 giving technical presentations to assist the committee members in [email protected] Continued www.eevint.com 132 www.elevatorworld.com • March 2017 Check everything off your wish list with

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US mailing address 8550 Flight Path Way San Diego, California 92154 U.S.A. Toll-Free (North America): 1-800-650-9549 Outside North America: +52 (664) 660-2300 [email protected] www.eevint.com appreciating the technical detail. Offline from the committee themselves and did a good job of it. Of course, there were only a meetings, Dickinson of the U.S. National Bureau of Standards few companies. Otis was the big one, and A.B. See was active at frequently collaborated with Hymans in the 1930s and 1940s on that time. Haughton was also in the picture. They were all very numerous mathematical analyses relating to oil buffer much aware of what the others were doing, and there was a real performance, safety design and testing. effort to maintain high standards according to sound engineering During the 1930s and 1940s, the major elevator companies practices. The Otis chief engineer, Dave Lindquist, and [its] chief contracted with the U.S. National Bureau of Standards (NBS) for mechanical engineer, Hyman[s], had a good deal to do with this buffer and safety testing. Dickinson was the primary person doing and with promoting the first codes. . . .” the work, most of which was subsidized by the major elevator Mastroberte recounted many folklore tales about Hymans. manufacturers, for the bureau. Early A17 minutes and code Legend has it that a young engineer who started in Otis editions noted that Dickinson was the secretary of the A17 Engineering after World War II asked, “What does Mr. Hymans Sectional Committee, participating in the formulation of the do?” The answer from a senior engineer was, “Whatever he wants A17 codes, starting with the 1921 code up through the 1960 code. to!” Another asked, “Who does he report to?” The answer from He not only served as the secretary, then secretary emeritus, but another experienced sage: “The Almighty!” Such were the was also a major contributor to the technical work. Up until the anecdotal stories about this legendary engineer. 1970s, the NBS was one of three co-secretariats for the A17 During his career with Otis, Hymans was a research engineer, Standards Committee. Dickinson was a contemporary of Hymans, then chief mechanical engineer and, finally, consulting mechanical and both respected each other’s scholarly work. Dickinson engineer in his later years. Upon Hymans’ retirement, Mastroberte performed many freefall buffer and safety tests at the NBS; many was appointed the Supervisor of Machines & Structures were supervised by him at the test towers of the companies. He Engineering; he was later appointed department head, Machines, collaborated extensively with Hymans during the years leading up Structures & Safeties Engineering. Mastroberte was the chairman to Hymans’ retirement. of the A17 Mechanical Design Committee for several years, starting In the section of the publication[11] “History Is Made Up of in mid 1961 until his retirement in 1967. Joe Mastroberte mentored Recollections,” George Reppert, Otis electrical engineer, and later your author from 1960 to 1967, a stroke of good fortune, indeed! code engineer for the National Elevator Industry, Inc., Hymans gave much of his collection of technical manuscripts to acknowledged Lindquist and Hymans: Mastroberte, either as originals or blueprint copies, such as those “I recall when I joined Otis’s construction manager’s office in seen in Figures 7, 14, 16, 17 and 18 in Part One of this series. He 1909, there were no elevator codes. The manufacturers policed memorialized many of Hymans’ technical papers as Otis Theory & Continued

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Practice Books, subsequently used by the Otis mechanical and References structural engineers in their work. [1] Hymans, F. “The Emergency Stops of the Gearless Traction Elevator at the After a long illness, Hymans passed away on March 23, 1959, at Terminal Landings,” ASME, New York (December 6, 1926). Rise Above the age of 84 at his home in Larchmont. His obituary in The New [2] Hymans, F. “Centrifugal Governor in Elevator Service,” Semi-Annual [12] Meeting of the ASME, Chicago, IL ( June 16-19, 1947). York Times published the following day noted his 45 years as a [3] Goodwin, J.P. OTIS, Giving Rise to the Modern City, Ivan R. Dee, publisher, mechanical engineer at Otis and nine years as an adjunct professor p. 127, 128 & 132. at the Brooklyn Poly (1931-1940), and that he wrote several books [4] Otis Elevator Co. Otis Bulletin, December 1947. JOIN US FOR THE on stress analysis. He was survived by his wife, Lydia, two brothers [5] New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. “List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for The U.S. Immigration Officer at Port of Arrival,” roll T715, microfilm and three sisters. roll: roll 0641; line: 9, “Departing Antwerp, Nov. 4, 1905, SS Zeeland.” There are undoubtedly several untapped sources for further [6] U.S. 15th Census, City of Yonkers, Westchester County, NY, Supervisor’s research into Hymans’ life. Hopefully, the author has inspired District No. 20, Enumeration District No. 60-5, Sheet 61A (April 4, 1930). further research. Hymans deserves the tribute! [7] New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. “List of United States Citizens (For The Immigration Authorities),” roll T715, roll 4836, line: 13, p. 154, “Departing Antwerp, Sept. 19, 1930, SS Lapland.” [8] U.S. Census, Supervisor’s District No. 25, Enumeration District No. 60-109, Sheet 61A, 1940. [9] Landau, S.B. & Condit, C.W. Rise of the New York Skyscraper: 1865-1913,” p. 386 (1996). [10] Cullmer, H.R. Elevator Shaft Construction, or Practical Suggestions for the Installation of Electric Elevators in Buildings (1912). [11] ELEVATOR WORLD. “In Search of the Past,” September 1963, p. 35. [12] The New York Times, Obituary Section, March 24, 1959. MARCH 26-29, 2017

George W. Gibson has an extensive technical and managerial We are excited to teach background in the your kids about elevator elevator industry, We hope to hear and escalator safety! spanning more than 60 from you soon! years. He is president of George W. Gibson & Associates, Inc., an elevator consulting firm. He is also a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), past member of the ASME To register, book your room, or for more information on Education sessions, please visit www.naec.org/conference board of directors on codes and standards, and honorary member of the ASME A17 Elevator Safety Code Standards Committee, following 40 CONFERENCE AGENDA years of active membership. He retired from Otis in January 1993 after 37 years with the SUNDAY, MARCH 26 TUESDAY, MARCH 28 company, where he held design engineering, 8:00am – 3:00pm NAEC Board of Directors Meeting 8:00am – 12:00pm Registration engineering management and corporate management positions. Gibson is the recipient 11:00am – 4:00pm Registration & Hospitality 8:30am – 10:00am Education of the ASME “Codes and Standards Medal” and 3:00pm – 4:00pm Contractor Member Session 9:00am – 1:00pm Art of Merlot* Dedicated Service Award. He is the chairman of 3:00pm – 4:00pm Supplier Member Session 10:15am – 3:15pm Education The Safe T Riders are ready to share their The mission of EESF is to educate the public the Advisory Board of NAESA International, 5:30pm – 6:30pm Reception new and exciting program in 2017. Contact on the safe and proper use of elevators, advisor to the NAESA Board of Certification, 3:00pm – 4:00pm Associate Member Session Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation today or escalators, and moving walks. past regent on the Elevator Escalator Safety 7:00pm – 9:00pm Welcome Reception visit www.safetyriders.org to learn more. Your WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29 Foundation and a past member of the board of school or organization can participate in this education program that will teach children all executives of the International Association of MONDAY, MARCH 27 8:00am – 11:30am Roundtable Discussions about elevator and escalator safety. Elevator Engineers. He is also a past member of 7:30am – 12:00pm Registration 12:00pm – 6:00pm No Frills Golf Tournament* the Elevator World, Inc. Board of Directors and 8:00am – 9:15am Opening Breakfast 1:00pm – 2:30pm Education The Safe T Riders program is administrated by Technical Advisory Group. He is chairman the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation. For emeritus of the A17 Mechanical Design 9:30am – 11:45am Education 7:00pm – 8:30pm Dregs Event more information about the Foundation, visit Committee (30 years as chairman). www.eesf.org. 12:00pm – 6:00pm Official Golf Tournament* *Optional – Advance Ticket Purchase Required 1:30pm – 5:30pm 4x4 Excursion* Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation | 356 Morgan Avenue, Mobile, AL 36606 | 251-479-2199 | www.eesf.org Bold Items Included in Registration 1:30pm – 3:00pm Open Mic Session Committee Meetings to be added as appropriate

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