IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR FACILITATING EGRESS FROM THEATRES AND OTHER PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Buckley at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 12th January 1877.
HENRY BUCKLEY, of Hollinwood, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR FACILITATING EGRESS FROM THEATRES AND OTHER
PUBLIC BUILDINGS."
My Invention relates more particularly to theatres, music halls, concert halls, and
other places of entertainment, but may also be applicable to some other descrip-
tions of public buildings, and my said Invention has for its principal object to
furnish means for speedy egress from such places on the occasions of alarms arising
from conflagrations or from other causes.
When applying my Invention, say, for example, to a theatre, I construct or erect
balconies or floors outside of the theatre, and I furnish ample means of egress from
cach storey or division of the theatre into or on to such balconies or floors, and I
furnish outer stairs by means of which the audience may descend to the street or
ground level.
•
In an arrangement which I will select for an example I will suppose my Invention
to be applied to the front facade of a theatre. I construct a tier of balconies, one
above another, each balcony being at a level to suit one of the parts into which
the theatre is divided; as for example, the uppermost balcony would be at a height
to suit the gallery, a lower balcony might be at about the height of the upper circle,
and so on, as regards the balconies still lower; these balconies may be formed of
iron, and be supported by iron columns or by columns of brickwork or masonry, or
be otherwise constructed to harmonise with the architecture of the building. I form
a wide passage leading from each division of the theatre through a wide doorway
on to the corresponding balcony, and I prefer to make these special doorways to
open outwards on to the balcony; I may also provide additional doors or means of
egress, or windows may be arranged to furnish means for egress on to the balcony.
I prefer that the area of each balcony shall be sufficient to contain the whole of the
audience from the division with which the balcony is in communication, the inten-
tion being that in the event of an alarm of fire the whole of the audience in the
theatre may quickly escape from within the walls of the theatre, and may descend
to the street or ground level more leisurely than when leaving theatres of ordinary
construction on such occasions.

page_text: It will also be seen that the said balconies or outer floors will furnish means for
rendering assistance to panic-stricken crowds.
The ordinary means for access and egress may be furnished in addition, the means
herein indicated being intended more particularly to be used in cases of emergency.
The said balconies may also be used by the audience as lounges if considered to be
desirable or advisable. I connect each balcony with the next lower balcony by
means of one, two, or more stairs or staircases of ample width; or I provide separate
means of egress from each balcony, and I prefer that the head of each staircase shall
not be near to the principal means of egress from the theatre.