The Secret Life of Machines
tv show
18 total episodes
-
3 seasons
First Aired November 15, 1988
Genres:
Overview
The Secret Life of Machines is an educational television series presented by Tim Hunkin and Rex Garrod, in which the two explain the inner workings and history of common household and office machinery. According to Hunkin, the show's creator, the programme was developed from his comic strip The Rudiments of Wisdom, which he researched and drew for the Observer newspaper over a period of 14 years. Three separate groupings of the broadcast were produced and originally shown between 1988 and 1993 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, with the production subsequently airing on The Learning Channel and the Discovery Channel.
The Secret Life of the Lift
Season 3 - Episode 2 - 0h 0m
Air Date
February 25, 1993
Overview
The Colosseum in Rome is thought to have had a lift to carry the Emperor Nero to his balcony. By the 18th century, Mr Villayer was touring the palaces of Europe installing lifts called flying chairs. He disappeared shortly after an heir to the French throne had a serious accident in one at Versailles. Episode Contents: Models: A flimsy looking bicycle wheel pulley. Replicas of the Elisha Otis elevator in several scales. The biggest damn micro switch I have ever seen! A water powered hydraulic lift. Machines: Tim's Goldbergesque executive decision maker. Guests: A modern motorized capstan. A wire rope tester utilizing a gigantic hydraulic ram. The insides of a modern elevator system with governor, brakes, motor and various detectors. They also check out a computerized simulator to work out elevator usage patterns. Films: The cartoon life of Elisha Otis. Extro: A flying box!