I remember a long time ago encountering an elevator (in the US) where the physical buttons were the push on/push off type so you could cancel using another press, and they also popped back out once the desired floor was reached. Anyone else remember that type of control? It's probably from the 40s/50s. I haven't seen one since.
I did a bit more searching and, thanks to YouTube's elevator enthusiasts (yes, really), I was able to find video of this type of control in operation, although it doesn't show whether this one will pop out and cancel if you press again:
There's also the "push to call, pull to cancel" mentioned in a sibling comment --- observe how the buttons are shaped such that they imply you can pull on them:
There's also the "push to call, pull to cancel" mentioned in a sibling comment --- observe how the buttons are shaped such that they imply you can pull on them:
Many thanks for these videos, the shape of the buttons in the last video is exactly how I remember them (both the push/pull floor select buttons and the push-only door close/open buttons, and yes, I'm sure it was an Otis); the main difference is that there were many more floors.
I also recall encountering that sort of elevator panel with push on/push off buttons here in Brazil, it was probably in the 80s or 90s (or at most earlier 2000s), but I don't know how old that panel was. I haven't actually used that panel myself, since there was always an elevator operator (ascensorista) on that elevator; and I believe that these elevators have since been upgraded to a modern panel. And yes, I do recall seeing more than once the ascensorista pulling on the buttons to cancel a wrongly set floor.
In Russia (and I presume in other former USSR republics) there's a once-common Soviet-era type of elevator that has buttons that stay pushed down and pop out like that. With a loud click that scares the shit out of you if you don't expect it. Except IIRC you couldn't push multiple buttons at once, all of them would pop out on the next stop. And you definitely couldn't undo them.
No. But even in the 1980's the dorm elevator where I went to college had a way to cancel a floor select. I don't remember what the trick was though, but it was not a simple toggle.
Comments
I remember a long time ago encountering an elevator (in the US) where the physical buttons were the push on/push off type so you could cancel using another press, and they also popped back out once the desired floor was reached. Anyone else remember that type of control? It's probably from the 40s/50s. I haven't seen one since.
I did a bit more searching and, thanks to YouTube's elevator enthusiasts (yes, really), I was able to find video of this type of control in operation, although it doesn't show whether this one will pop out and cancel if you press again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZUUr2nHpAE
There's also the "push to call, pull to cancel" mentioned in a sibling comment --- observe how the buttons are shaped such that they imply you can pull on them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzC5Bpz-PkQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYtsNxzDR50
Many thanks for these videos, the shape of the buttons in the last video is exactly how I remember them (both the push/pull floor select buttons and the push-only door close/open buttons, and yes, I'm sure it was an Otis); the main difference is that there were many more floors.
I also recall encountering that sort of elevator panel with push on/push off buttons here in Brazil, it was probably in the 80s or 90s (or at most earlier 2000s), but I don't know how old that panel was. I haven't actually used that panel myself, since there was always an elevator operator (ascensorista) on that elevator; and I believe that these elevators have since been upgraded to a modern panel. And yes, I do recall seeing more than once the ascensorista pulling on the buttons to cancel a wrongly set floor.
In Russia (and I presume in other former USSR republics) there's a once-common Soviet-era type of elevator that has buttons that stay pushed down and pop out like that. With a loud click that scares the shit out of you if you don't expect it. Except IIRC you couldn't push multiple buttons at once, all of them would pop out on the next stop. And you definitely couldn't undo them.
No. But even in the 1980's the dorm elevator where I went to college had a way to cancel a floor select. I don't remember what the trick was though, but it was not a simple toggle.
I've seen these in old Boston and Brookline buildings.