Year: 1886

page_text: I HENRY CARDWELL of 95 Shudehill Manchester in the County of Lancaster,
Rope Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
:-
. I construct a portable and folding ladder of ropes or cords saturated in asbestos
paste or other similar fire-proof liquid, to render the same fireproof, for which
purpose I saturate not only the individual strands in the course of manufacture
but also the rope or cord when twisted together in the fire-proof liquid.
The rungs of my improved ladder or fire escape are formed by preference of
wooden staves also saturated in fire-proof liquid, these staves being affixed to the
ropes or cords forming the sides of the ladder by preference by that description of
knot or loop called the " throttle" knot; or any similar knot or loop which has
the advantage of not allowing the staves to slip or move out of position along the
ropes, may be employed. I do not, however, confine myself to these methods of
securing the staves as, for instance, holes may be formed in the staves for the
ropes to pass through and the staves be secured in position by knots formed in
the ropes or by wires inserted through the ropes or in any other convenient
manner.
This ladder being provided with a hook at the top extremity is thus capable of
hooking on to any convenient projection or may be attached by a cord to any
fixed part of the chamber or apartment from which the ladder is required to be
used, and thus constitutes an efficient and handy means of escape in case of fire.
This ladder when not in use can be readily disposed away in small compass and
is sufficiently light in weight to be easily portable.
It will be readily apparent that this description of fire escape would be useful
not only to be kept in the house requiring protection but also for use in the
adjoining houses of a neighbourhood as by means of a cord attached to the end of
the ladder, a communication could easily be effected with the inmates of a burning
apartinent and the ladder be hauled up to the window of the same.
Dated this 11th day of Ja 1996
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Portable Fire-escapes.
I HENRY CARDWELL of 95 Shudehill, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Rope Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
I construct a portable and folding ladder, as illustrated by front view Fig. 1. on
the accompanying drawing, of a pair of ropes or cords a. a. formed of hemp or
other suitable fibre by preference saturated in asbestos paste or other similar fire-
proof liquid to render the same fireproof for which purpose I saturate not only the
individual strands in the course of manufacture but also the rope or cord when
twisted together in the fire-proof liquid.
"
The rungs of my improved ladder or fire escape are formed by preference of
wooden staves b. b. also saturated in tire-proof liquid, these staves being affixed to
the ropes or cords a. a. forming the sides of the ladder by preference by that
description of knot or loop c. c. called the " throttle knot (as illustrated about
full size in Fig. 2.) or any similar knot or loop which has the advantage of not
allowing the staves to slip or move out of position along the ropes may be
employed. I do not however confine myself to these methods of securing the
staves as for instance holes may be formed in the staves for the ropes to pass
through and the staves be secured in position by knots formed in the ropes or by
wires inserted through the ropes or in any other convenient manner. The two
side ropes are (as illustrated in Fig. 1.) made of cord twisted in opposite directions
which has the effect of preventing the ladder from curling.
The two side ropes a. a. of this improved ladder being spliced together terminate
in a hook d. at the top extremity. The ladder is thus capable (as seen in small
scale side view Fig. 3.) of hooking on to say a staple e. secured to the floor or to
any convenient projection or may be attached by a cord to any fixed part of or to
any heavy piece of furniture in the chamber or apartment from which the ladder
is required to be used and thus constitutes an efficient and handy means of escape
in case of fire.
This ladder when not in use can be readily disposed away in small compass and
is sufficiently light in weight to be easily portable.
It will be readily apparent that this description of fire escape would be useful
not only to be kept in the house requiring protection but also for use in the
adjoining houses of a neighbourhood, as by means of a cord attached to the end of
the ladder a communication could easily be effected with the inmates of a burning
apartment and the ladder be hauled up to the window of the same.

page_text: Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
The improved portable rope ladder or fire escape, constructed and arranged
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated on
the accompanying drawing.