Improvements in Fire Escapes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
Improvements in Fire Escapes.
We, IGNATZ KNAPKE and ALEXANDER CAMPBELL ROBNETT, both residing at
New Pine Creek, in the County of Lake, and State of Oregon, U.S.A., Manufac-
turers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The fire escape of this invention consists of a lazy tongs frame mounted on a
four wheel truck and operated to extend and fold up on the truck by means of a
windlass carried in bearings underneath the truck platform. The lazy tongs frame
is double and braced together by cross bars. Between each pair of pivotted cross
bars of the lazy tongs is pivotted a ladder on the corresponding cross bars so that
a ladder folds up or extends with each fold of the lazy tongs. At the top of the
vertical lazy tongs is mounted. a second windlass and a workman's seat. To this
upper windlass is connected a second lazy tongs frame to fold up or to be extended
horizontally so as to form a bridge between a building and the vertical lazy tongs
frame.
3000
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants..
We, IGNATZ KNAPKE and ALEXANDER CAMPBELL ROBNETT, both residing at
New Pine Creek, in the County of Lake and State of Oregon, U.S.A., Manufac-
turers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention relates to fire escapes of the class in which an extensible ladder
is supported upon a waggon body.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. is a perspective view of the fire escape of
this invention in the closed position. Fig. 2 a similar view of the same in the open
position with two of the wheels of the truck removed and parts broken away to shew
the interior construction more clearly. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a portion of the
suspension bridge in connection with the extensible ladder so as to project laterally
and so that communication may be effected therewith from a burning building and
permit the inmates to escape to the extensible ladder.
1 is a truck mounted on four wheels 2 and is made up of a pair of cross beams 3
at the front and rear thereof and of a pair of longitudinal beams 4 connecting the
beams 3. Secured to the front and rear cross beams 3 on the outside of the
longitudinal beams 4 are a pair of parallel metallic beams 5, 6, the latter with an
extension 7 at its centre. Beams 8 similar to beams 5 are also secured to the front
and rear cross beams 3 between the longitudinal beams 4. Mounted in the extension 7

page_text: and extending transversely across the machine beneath the beams 4 is a drum 9
having crank arms 10 on each end and provided with ratchet wheels 11, which are
engaged by pawls 12 for preventing backward movement of said drum. This latter
has secured to it at two points, dises 13 which practically divide the drum into three
separate drums. Also secured to the front and rear cross beams 3 are a series of
semicircular guide rods 14 extending downwardly and connected at their lower ends
by a brace bar 15.
16 is a shaft extending transversely through the centre of the beams 4, 5, 6, 8.
Fulcrummed at their centres upon the shaft 16 and located respectively between the
metallic beams 5, 6, on each side of the beams 4 and between the beams 8 at the
centre of the truck, are three pairs of intersecting rods 17, 18, the pairs being in
parallel planes. These rods 17, 18, are formed with bifurcated lower ends which.
embrace the semicircular guide rods 14 and are provided with rollers 19 acting in
engagement with said guide rods. Three pairs of intersecting rods 17, 18, are shewn.
Their lower ends are connected, through cords 20, with the drum 9 so that by turning
the crank 10 on the end of the drum the lower ends of rods 17, 18, will be drawn
together and their upper ends thrown upwards. These latter are connected by
laterally disposed rods 21, to which are connected a similar series of crossed rods 22, 23,
connected at their centres by rods 24 and at their upper ends by rods 25. By this
construction it will be seen that a lazy tongs extension device is produced, and this
construction may be continued indefinitely, ascending to the height to which it is
desired the ladder shall reach. An ordinary ladder 26 is connected to one of the
rods 21 and bears at its lower end upon one of the longitudinal beams 4.
the opposite side of the device a similar ladder 27 leads downwardly from one of the
rods 25 to the rod 21. These ladders are continued alternately on different sides of
the device up to the top. The pawl 12 and ratchet 11 hold' the extensible ladder at
any point to which it may be raised. To prevent too great a strain upon the pawl
and ratchet there are provided at the upper ond of the ladder, a pair of notched
locking bars 28, which are pivotted to one end of the upper lateral connecting rod 29
and attached to the opposite connecting rod 30. By this means outward movement
and consequently downward movement of the extensible ladder is prevented. Also
secured to the connecting rod 29 of the upper set of intersecting rods is a driver's
sent 31. Pivotted to the connecting rod 30 are a pair of inwardly extending rods 32
which are pivotally connected through the links 83 to the rud 29, and are also
provided with extensions 33° in which is mounted a drum or roller 34. A shaft 35
connects the upper ends of the rods 32, in which are fulcrummed a pair of intersecting
rods 36, 37, their inner ends being connected through cords 38 to the drum 34
provided with crank arms 39 by which it may be rotated. The outer ends of the
rods 36, 37, are connected to similar angularly arranged rods 40, 41, which are
fulcrummed at their centre by means of a shaft 42, and similar connections are made
with the outer ends of the rods 40, 41, thereby producing what we term a suspension
bridge.
Pivotted to each of the series of shafts 42 which connect the centres of the
intersecting rods 40, 41, and those corresponding therewith, are inwardly extending
plates 43, as best shewn in Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale, which form a floor adapted
to be extended with the extension of the bridge. Cords or ropes 44 are connected to
the upper ends of the forward intersecting rods of which this bridge is constructed,
and extend rearwardly through suitable guide rings 45 and connect with the drum 34.
By this construction it will be seen that the driver upon his seat 31 can, by turning
the crank 39 in one direction or the other, extend the bridge to a window of a
burning house or can contract the same when it is desired to move the bridge from
the window and lower the ladder.
46 is a windlass mounted in suitable bearings upon one of the cross beams 3, and
around which a hose is wound. This latter is connected at its upper end to a hook 47
upon the rod 30 so that with the upward movement of the extensible ladder by the
ineans just described, the hose also will be unwound from the drum and elevated with
the ladder, and be within convenient reach of the driver upon seat 31..

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus of the kind set forth, the combination with a truck mounted
upon suitable wheels and made up of a pair of cross beams and longitudinal beams
separated one from the other, and a series of metallic plates secured to the cross
beams of said truck frame, the outer of said metallic beatns having extensions at their
centre, of a drum mounted transversely of the frame in said extensions, having crank
arms upon its ends, ratchet wheels and pawls for preventing backward movement of
said drum, a series of seinicircular guide rods secured to the front and rear cross
beams of said truck frame, a series of pairs of intersecting rods fulcrummed to the
truck frame at their central points, having bifurcated lower ends acting in engagement
with said semicircular guide rods, cords connected to the lower ends of said rods and
to said drum, and a series of similar intersecting rods pivotted to the upper. ends of
the rods fulcrummed in said truck frame, and ladders arranged alternately on opposite
sides of said series of rods, for the purpose specified substantially as described and
shewn.
2. In an apparatus of the kind set forth, the combination with a truck mounted.
upon suitable wheels and made up of a pair of cross beams and longitudinal beams.
separated one from the other, and a series of metallic plates secured to the cross.
beams of said truck frame, the outer of said longitudinal beams having extensions at
their centre, of a drum mounted transversely of the frame in said extensions, having
crank arms upon its outer ends, ratchet wheels and pawls for preventing backward
movement of said drum, a series of semicircular guide rods secured to the front and
rear cross beams of said truck frame, a series of pairs of intersecting rods fulcrummed
to the truck frame at their central points, having bifurcated lower ends acting in
engagement with said semicircular guide rods, cords connected to the lower ends of
said rods and to said drum, and a series of similar intersecting rods pivotted to the
upper ends of the rods fulcrummed in said truck frame, ladders arranged alternately
on opposite sides of said series of rods, and notched locking bars pivotted to the
upper end of said series of angularly arranged rods and adapted to be attached to.
the opposite end thereof; for the purpose specified substantially as described and
shewn.
3. In combination with the extensible ladder referred to a suspension bridge
pivotted thereto and constructed and arranged substantially as described and shewn
and for the purpose specified.
4. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting the fire escape,.
substantially as described and shewn.
D
1000
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.