Who Invented the Escalator? Jesse Reno & Charles Seeberger

The Escalator: Dual Invention, Competing Designs

Jesse W. Reno did not invent the escalator alone. The modern escalator resulted from two separate inventions that were later combined by Otis Elevator Company.

Jesse W. Reno (1861–1947)

• 1891: Patented "Inclined Elevator" (U.S. Patent 470,918) — a conveyor belt with cast-iron cleats at 25° incline.
• 1896: Installed first working model at Coney Island, NY (amusement ride, 6 ft rise).
• Design: Continuous belt, no steps; passengers stood sideways, held on. Called "Reno Inclined Elevator."
• Company: Reno Electric Stairways and Conveyors.

Charles D. Seeberger (1857–1931)

• 1895: Patented "Escalator" (coined the term from Latin scala = ladder + elevator).
• Design: Moving steps (wooden, articulated) that leveled at top/bottom — closer to modern form.
• 1899: Partnered with Otis Elevator Company to produce.
• 1900 Paris Exposition: Won first prize; installed in Paris department stores.

Otis Combines the Best (1910s–1920s)

• Otis bought Reno's patents (1911) and Seeberger's rights.
• Engineered hybrid: Reno's continuous chain drive + Seeberger's level steps + comb plate (safety).
• 1921: First modern "Type L" escalator (cleated steps, comb plates, constant speed).
• Trademarked "ESCALATOR" (lost trademark in 1950 — became generic).

Key Milestones

Legacy

• Reno: Inventor of the concept of continuous inclined transport; Reno, Nevada named after his father (Civil War general).
• Seeberger: Inventor of the word and the step-based design.
• Otis: Commercialized, perfected, dominated global market.

So: Reno invented the inclined conveyor; Seeberger invented the stepped escalator; Otis made it universal.