Improvements in Fire-escapes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Fire-escapes.
:
I, EDWARD HODSON BAYLEY, of 42 Newington Causeway, London, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that kind of fire-escape in which the ladders, are
arranged to slide longitudinally upon a carriage or frame supported by the axle
of the road wheels, or by the springs which rest thereon, so that the centre of
gravity of the ladders may be brought more or less nearly over the axle of the
road wheels when the said ladders are lowered into the horizontal position for
convenience of moving the escape from place to place.
Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the main ladder has rested upon the aforesaid
carriage or frame, the part of the ladder which slides on the latter being preferably
shod with iron to prevent undue wear and tear; but the attachment of this ironwork
to the ladder necessitates the insertion into the timber sides thereof of a great number
of screws or bolts which materially weaken such sides. In order to obviate this
weakening of the sides of the main ladder, and for the sake of other advantages
obtained by the arrangement, and which are hereinafter described, I interpose
between the ladder and the aforesaid carriage or frame, a second or upper frame
adapted to slide longitudinally, in suitable guides, on the first named or lower
carriage or frame; and I attach the main ladder to the said upper frame, so that
when it is desired to slide the ladders backwards to balance them ou the axle for
facility of transport, or forwards preparatory to raising them into the upright
position, the upper frame with the ladders mounted on it is caused to slide in
contact with the lower carriage or frame instead of the ladder itself sliding in
contact therewith.
.
The main ladder may in some cases be fixed on the upper frame parallel thereto;
but prefer to fix it at an angle to the frame, for example the lower end of the
ladder may be fixed close to the rear end of the upper frame, while the forward
part of the ladder is supported at a certain distance above the front end of such
frame, by brackets, or other suitable means, so that the general line of the ladder
forms an acute angle with the upper frame.
By the improvements above described greater stability is obtained, when the
ladder is brought fully back, than can be obtained by the arrangements heretofore
in use, and the ladder does not require to be brought so far back in order to effect
a balance on the axle, when the ladder is in the horizontal position.
كيمي
1
1005

page_text: '
I, EDWARD HODSON BAYLEY of 42 Newington Causeway, London, Gentleman,
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 that kind of fire-escape in which the ladders are
arranged to slide longitudinally upon a carriage or frame supported by the axle
of the road wheels, or by the springs which rest thereon, so that the centre of
gravity of the ladders may be brought more or less nearly over the axle of the
road wheels, when the said ladders are lowered into the horizontal position for
convenience of moving the escape from place to place.
Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the main ladder has rested on the aforesaid
carriage or frame, the part of the ladder which slides on the latter being
preferably shod with iron to prevent undue wear and tear, but the attachment
of this ironwork to the ladder necessitates the insertion into the timber sides
thereof of a great number of screws or bolts which materially weaken such
sides.
In order to obviate this weakening of the sides of the main ladder, and for the
sake of other advantages obtained by the arrangement, and which are hereinafter
described, I interpose between the ladder and the aforesaid carriage or frame, a
second or upper frame adapted to slide longitudinally in suitable guides on the first
named or lower carriage or frame, and I attach the main ladder to the said upper
frame, so that when it is desired to slide the ladders backwards to balance them on
the axle for facility of transport, or forwards preparatory to raising them into the
upright position, the upper frame with the ladders mounted on it is caused to slide
in contact with the lower carriage or frame instead of the ladder itself sliding in
contact therewith.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I will now
proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings
in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a fire-escape with my invention applied
thereto, Figure 2 a plan of same with the upper ladder removed, the lower or main
ladder only being shown, and
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line X-X of Figure 1.
A are the ordinary road wheels mounted on an axle B as usual. C is the
abovementioned lower carriage or frame carried by the springs D secured to the
axle B; or if preferred the carriage or frame C may be secured direct to
the axle B without the springs D. The sides of the frame C are rebated as
shown in Figure 3 or otherwise provided with guides to receive the upper
frame E which is adapted to slide backwards and forwards therein, and is
prevented from rising out of the rebates or guides of the lower frame C by
metal clips F secured to the latter and projecting over the upper surface of
the sides of the frame E, or by other suitable means. G is the main ladder
attached to the upper frame E by the brackets or props H.
The main ladder G may be fixed to the upper frame E parallel thereto; but I
prefer to fix it at an angle to the frame as shown in Figures 1 and 3, so that the
lower end of the ladder is fixed more or less closely to the rear end of the upper
frame E, while the forward part of the ladder is supported at a greater distance
above the front end of the upper frame so that the general line of the ladder G
forms an acute angle with the upper frame E.
The rebates or guides in the lower frame C in which the upper frame E moves

page_text: may be provided with rollers such as those shown at I for example in Figure 2 to.
reduce friction between the frames E and C, or the rollers may be fitted to the
upper frame E if preferred. Stops K secured to the lower frame C prevent the
upper frame E from sliding back beyond a certain distance when the cross bar E 1
of the upper frame comes against them. Forward movement of the upper
frame E on the lower carriage or frame C beyond a certain distance is prevented
by a stop L coming against the crossbar CI of the said lower frame; and the
upper frame may be secured and held in its forward position by means of a sliding
latch or bolt M the inclined lower end of which rides over the cross bar C¹ as
the upper frame is moved forward and is pressed down over the front edge.
thereof by the action of the spring N when the frame E has reached its most
forward position. When it is required to draw the upper frame E and ladder G
backwards the latch or bolt M can be raised clear of the cross bar C1 by pulling
up the sliding bar P, which is connected by a chain or cord Q, passing under a
guide roller, with a lever R fixed on the rocking shaft S, a lever arm T which is.
connected to the latch or bolt. By pulling up the bar P the lever arm R is
drawn down, and the lever arm T and latch or bolt M are raised, then on
releasing the bar P the spring N returns the latch or bolt M and bar P to their
normal positions.
The upper frame E, with the ladders mounted on it, is drawn
forward on the lower carriage or frame C by means of wire ropes or chains U one.
end of each of which is secured to a windlass V. These ropes or chains are then
passed under guide rollers V 1 turning in carriages fixed near the foot of the main
ladder or to some part of the upper frame E; then round guide rollers V 2 turning
in carriages fixed to the crossbar C 2 of the lower carriage or frame C; then
round guide rollers V 3 turning in carriages fixed to the crossbar E2 of the upper-
frame E; and their other ends are then secured to shackles V 4 connected to.
the carriages of the rollers V 3, or otherwise to some part of the lower carriage C..
It will now be readily understood that on turning the windlass V by means of its
handle V 5 the wire ropes or chains U will be wound thereon, and the upper
frame E with the ladders thereon will be drawn forward until the stop L comes
in contact with the crossbar C1 of the lower carriage or frame C, and will be
locked in that position by the latch or bolt M. The windlass V is preferably
provided with a ratchet wheel and pawl (not shown in the drawings) to prevent
it from turning in the reverse direction until it is required to move the upper
frame and ladders backwards. When this is to be done the latch or bolt M is
drawn up, the pawl drawn out of gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel on the
windlass V, and the upper frame and ladders then slide backwards on the lower
carriage or frame by the action of gravity when the front end of the ladder is
lowered so that the frames C and E assume an inclined position as shown in.
Figure 1.
In the arrangements above described when the front ends of the ladders are
tilted downwards for cleaning or other purpose the upper frame E has a tendency
to slide forward on the lower frame C, and to prevent this, suitable stops may be
applied to the frames C and E, for example stops Y may be hinged at Y 1 to the
frame E, which stops when turned over into the position shown in Figure 2 come.
against stops Y2 fixed on the frame C and prevent the forward movement of the
frame E; but when the stops Y are turned on the hinge Y 1 so as to lie against
the inside of the frame E the latter is free to move forward in the frame Cuntil.
stopped by the stop L.
The upper ladder W is adapted to the main ladder G and may be moved up
and down thereon in the usual and well known manner.
In Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings the frames C and E are represented as being
placed horizontally, not in the inclined position shown in Figure 1.
By the improvements above described greater stability is obtained, when the
ladders are brought fully back, than can be obtained by the arrangement at
present in use, and the ladders do not require to be brought so far back as
heretofore in order to effect a balance on the axle when in the horizontal position,.

page_text: '
'
because the frame E supplies a certain amount of weight which helps to effect the
balance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In a fire-escape mounting the ladders upon an upper frame adapted to
slide longitudinally on a lower carriage or frame secured to the axle of the escape
so that the said ladders, with the upper frame upon which they are mounted, may be
moved forward on the said lower carriage or frame into a position suitable for the
ladders to be raised into the upright position, or backward in order to balance the
ladders on the axle for facility of transport, substantially as described.
Second. In a fire-escape the combination, with a lower carriage or frame
secured to the axle, of an upper frame carrying the ladders and adapted to slide
longitudinally on the lower carriage or frame to an extent sufficient for the
accomplishment of the purposes herein set forth, substantially as described.
Third. In a fire-escape the combination of a lower carriage or frame secured to
the axle, an upper frame carrying the ladders and adapted to slide longitudinally
on the lower carriage or frame, and devices for limiting the motion of the sliding
frame in either direction, and for locking it in its forward position on the lower
carriage or frame, substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of November 1905
E. H. BAILEI,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.