MENT IN FIRE ESCAPES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, OLE HANSEN, of Walnut Grove, County of Sacramento, and State of
California, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for " IMPROVE-
MENT IN FIRE ESCAPES," to be as follows :-
•
My Invention relates to improvements in fire escapes in which folding ladders
are employed, and so constructed as to conform to the architecture of the building
to which they are attached, when the same are folded up and out of use.
The following is a description of the construction of the same. I form the ladder
of metal; the outer rail having a groove to receive the rounds of the ladder, when
folded up in the front wall of the building.
I attach any suitable moulding or other projection (corresponding in form to the
mouldings and projections on the front of the building, which is recessed to receive
the ladder) to the outer rail. I form the rounds of the ladder of metal and pivot
one end in the outer rail, and the other end in the inner strip or ladder rail.
I employ several different modes of operating the ladder, according to the
construction and arrangement of the house. .I sometimes raise and lower or open
the same by a segment and pinion.
I sometimes balance the weight of the outer rail by a balance weight.
I generally attach a bell, and arrange an arm or lever to strike the same when
a pulley is caused to revolve by a cord passing over it, and serving to operate the
ladder.
I attach a platform under the windows, and pivot it to work upon the same line
or axis as the rounds of the ladder, so that when the ladder is opened out, a
platform wide enough to step out upon is just a little below the window sill, and
connected with the ladder by rails leaving a space at the end between the platform
and the ladder to pass down through.
I connect beveled wheels with the shafts of any suitable pulleys or shives for
a cord to operate over, thus allowing the whole or any required number of ladders
to be operated simultaneously by operating one shaft.
I employ a portable ladder strip to attach the folding ladder to houses already
constructed, such strip being constructed with flanges to receive the rounds.
I attach the strip by means of bolts or similar attachments.
I sometimes cause the lever or arm above referred to, to strike or set off any
well-known coil spring or other alarm, so as to make sufficient noise to alarm the
whole house instantly, instead of employing a common bell

page_text: The following is the operation of my fire escape:-When a fire is discovered the
segment referred to is operated by means of the pinion, or any well-known device
for throwing the ladder out and down until the outer rail rests upon the ground,
and the rounds of the ladder lie in a horizontal position.
The platform is in position to allow a person to step out upon it, and descend
the ladder between the rails connecting the platform to the ladder. The platform
serves as a firm brace to the ladder, to keep it from swaying sidewise, but I some-
times employ braces for that purpose near the top or bottom of the ladder, or at a
point where it may be required, and there is no platform employed to steady it.
Dated this 6th day of March 1884.

page_text: I, OLE HANSEN, of Walnut Grove, County of Sacramento, and State of
California, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN FIRE ESCAPES" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to improvements in fire escapos in which folding ladders
are employed, and so constructed as to conform to the architecture of the building
to which they are attached, when the same are folded up and out of use.
My Invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which :—
Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of a building with my improvement attached.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a broken part of the ladder, to show the side view of
the brace which serves to keep the ladder from swinging or swaying sidewise and
is employed near the top or bottom of the ladder.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same as that shown in Figure 2.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the ladder slightly broken and partially raised
as in the act of folding.
Fig. 5 is a broken part of the outer rail of the ladder to show the attachment of
a projection conforming to a projection upon the house.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the ladder standing in position for use, upon the wall
of a house having no projections below the cornice.
Fig. 7 is a side clevation of a broken part of the ladder, showing a pinion and
segment attached as one mode of raising the same.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of broken parts of the ladder with a broken part of the
folding platform or window-step.
Fig. 9 is designed to show a well-known construction of bevel gear for connecting
the pulleys or other gear for operating the ladders simultaneously in all parts of
the building.
Fig. 10 is a broken view of a window, showing the folding platform or window-
step, as it appears when the ladder is opened out ready for use.
Fig. 11 is a broken part of the ladder strip employed to attach the folding ladder
to a house already constructed.
Fig. 12 is a vertical plan view showing a section of the same as that shown in
Fig. 11.
The following is a description of the construction of the same. I form the ladder
of metal; the outer rail A having a groove to receive the rounds of the ladder,
when folded up in the front wall of the building.
I attach any suitable moulding or other projection B (corresponding in form to
the mouldings and projections on the front of the building, which is recessed to
receive the ladder) to the rail A. I form the rounds of the ladder of metal and
pivot one end in the rail A, at O, and the other end at D, in the inner strip or
ladder rail E.
I employ several different modes of operating the ladder, according to the
construction and arrangement of the house. I sometimes raise and lower or open
the same by the segment and pinion F and G, shown in Figures 4 and 7.
I sometimes balance the weight of the outer rail A, by the weight H, shown in
Figures 4 and 6. I generally attach the bell I, and arrange the arm or lever J, to
strike the same as the pulley K is revolved by the ladder cord L, passing over it as
the ladder opens out.
I attach the platform I, under the windows, and pivot it to work upon the
same line or axis as the rounds of the ladder, so that when the ladder is opened

page_text: •
out, a platform wide enough to step out upon is just a little below the window-sill,
and connected with the ladder by the rails M and N, leaving a space at the end
between the platform and the ladder to pass down through.
I connect the different beveled wheels O and P shown in Figure 9 with the
shafts of any suitable pulleys or shives for the cord L, to operate over, thus
allowing the whole or any required number of ladders to be operated simultaneously
by operating one shaft Q.
I employ the portable ladder strip R, with flanges S and S to receive the rounds T.
I attach the strip R, by means of the bolts V, or similar attachments. I sometimes
employ the lever or arm J, shown in Fig. 6 to strike or set off any well-known coil
spring or other alarm, so as to make sufficient noise to alarm the whole house
instantly, instead of employing the common bell I shown in Figure 6.
The following is the operation of my fire escape:-When a fire is discovered, the
segment F is operated by means of the pinion G or any well-known device for
throwing the ladder out and down until the outer rail A rests upon the ground, and
the rounds of the ladder lic in a horizontal position.
The platform L is in position to allow a person to step out upon it and descend
the ladder between the arms M and N. The platform L¹ serves as a firm brace to
the ladder, to keep it from swaying sidewise, but I sometimes employ the braces ✗
shown in Figures 2 and 3 for that purpose near the top or bottom of the ladder, or
at a point where it may be required, and there is no platform L¹ to steady it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First. In fire escapes, the ladder described, having the outer rail A, and folding
rounds T, attached or pivoted at C and D, in combination with the platform L₁
constructed and operated in connection with a building, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
Second. In fire escapes, the projection B in combination with the ladder described
constructed and operated substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. In fire escapes, the cord or cable L, and balance weight H, to balance the
weight of the folding ladder described constructed and operated substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. In fire escapes, the lever J, in combination with the weight H and
weight cord and folding ladder described, for the purpose of ringing the bell or 3
sounding the alarm, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. In fire escapes, the bevel gear composed of the bevel wheels O and
pinions P, and line shaft Qor their mechanical equivalents, constructed and
operated substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
* Dated this 3rd day of Julv 1884.