Dumbwaiters are a practical, time-saving appliance and are used in today’s residential and commercial buildings to facilitate the transportation of goods from one floor to another. Goods may include firewood, food, laundry, documents, equipment, books and mail, among others. The first known use of a dumbwaiter dates back to the Roman Empire; dumbwaiters were still in common use and assisting servants at Thomas Jefferson’s home in Monticello, Virginia.