A Dumbwaiter is a small lift which was designed to transport goods between floors, the original dumbwaiters were installed in the early 1800′s and were generally of wooden construction.
Modern dumbwaiters are generally made from Steel and have many commercial uses, most commonly found in restaurant kitchens and public houses.
Sometimes referred to as a food lift the dumbwaiter is used extensively to transport food and drinks in restaurants, pubs, cafes, hotels and any other hospitality environment imaginable.
Dumbwaiters have also made a comeback in private homes across the UK, many London homes now have a dumbwaiter installed to transport shopping, food and luggage between levels in the house, often utilizing the basement for storage.
Dumbwaiters run using a small lift motor, lift ropes, lift pulley and lift counterweight. This is all enclosed within the dumbwaiter shaft and operates in a see-saw type fashion.
A lot of old dumbwaiters are subject to lift removal and replaced with modern service lifts.