ESCALATOR ALSO SERVING FOR WHEELCHAIR

PURPOSE: To shorten the waiting time of general passengers at the time of operation for a wheelchair by disposing the final get-on steps for general passengers at the time of switching to operation for the wheelchair, in the vicinity of point symmetric positions to the positions of special steps in a circulating path. CONSTITUTION: An escalator also serving for wheelchair has special steps l, but in this case, final get-on steps 2 for general passengers to get on at the time of limiting the general passengers to get on the escalator to start operation for a wheelchair are disposed in the vicinity of point symmetric positions to the special steps 1 in a circulating path. These steps 2 are colored or the like so as to be conspicuous. When a detected step 3 is detected by a sensor 4 at the time of wheelchair operation, the entry of the general passengers is limited, and when the final get-on step 2 passes under the rubber of a get-off landing 7, speed is reduced, and the special steps 1 are stopped at the get-on landing 5 to let a wheelchair passenger mount on the step l. The get-on inhibition of the general passengers is then released to enable the use of the escalator.