Year: 1888

page_text: Pennsylvania U.S.A., Manufacturer 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 :-
My invention relates to ladders and more particularly to such as are used as
fire escapes.
The object of my present invention is to provide a fire escape ladder which shall
occupy but little space, and which will not disfigure the building to which it is
applied.
A further object is to produce a ladder capable of being built with the building or
placed in the structure during its construction.
A further object is to so construct the ladder that when not in use it will be out of
sight and protected from the weather.
A further object is to construct the device in such a manner that it can be brought
into use quickly and easily by any person.
A further object is to provide a ladder with devices by which the occupants of the
house may be notified when the ladder is used by an unauthorized party.
A further object is to produce a fire escape ladder which shall be simple in
construction possessing a due amount of strength and comparatively cheap to
manufacture.
With these objects in view my invention consists in the novel construction and
peculiar combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter set forth and
pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a building having my improved devices applied

page_text: Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.
Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the metallic boxes with the top plate removed
and the parts in their normal positions.
Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the step in position for use.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of a metallic brick or box and contained parts.
Fig. 6 is a view of a modification.
A indicates a wall of a structure, built preferably of brick or masonry and provided
at suitable intervals from top to bottom with boxes B which will be hereinafter more
fully described.
When the building is not provided with a cornice the series of boxes will extend to
within a few inches of the top of the wall a bracket C being secured to the roof or
upper extremity of the wall and projected somewhat beyond the edge thereof, by
means of which persons may be aided in reaching the roof, and this bracket may also
serve as a support for a hose. If the house be provided with a cornice a short iron
ladder D will be secured at one end to the roof D¹ in any suitable manner and at its
other end to the wall A in close proximity to the uppermost box B.
Each box B is constructed of iron or other suitable material and about the size of
an ordinary brick having one of its side faces left open as shown in Fig. 4. At each
end of said open face is an inwardly projecting flange a which extends from the top
of the box downwardly about three quarters the thickness of the box, thus producing
a recess b.
Made integral with or secured to the inner surface of the end plates of the box B
and in alignment with the lower end of the flanges a are guide strips c which together
with the recesses & serves as guidés for a sliding step E, as shown in Figure 4.
'
This step E comprises a rectangular frame having the inner edge of its "front
connecting bar d rounded so that it may be grasped without injury to the hand. An
upwardly projecting flange F is made integral with or secured to the inner surface of
the bottom of the box B near the open face thereof and serves as a stop to limit the
outward movement of the step E, sufficient space being left between the ends of the
flange F and the ends of the box to permit the passage of the end connecting bars of
the step.
By constructing the step E as above set forth it is rendered light and substantial
and by its arrangement within the box it is permitted to have a limited sliding
movement in the same and is capable of sustaining the weight of a person being held
in its rigid horizontal position by means of the strips c.
Mounted upon the strips c.is a sliding block G comprising a front plate adapted to
produce a finish to the box B and form a continuous surface to the outer face thereof
and two hollow end blocks G¹. The hollow blocks G₁ are provided on the inner
surface of their bottom portions with laterally projecting pads or bearings g adapted
to rest and slide upon the strips c thus permitting the front plate of the sliding
block G to extend slightly below the strips c and make a close joint with the step when
the device is out of use. By this arrangement the working parts of the device are
protected from the weather and being made of metal, are kept free from rust, which
would seriously injure the device and prevent its free and easy working.
The top portions of the hollow blocks G¹ are projected slightly beyond the ends of
the sliding block or plate G, as at h and adapted to bear against the vertical flanges a
and prevent the sliding block from projecting beyond the front surface of the box C-
the outer edges of the pads 9 also abutting against said flanges and serving the same
office as the projections h.
Fixed to the inner surface of the back plate C3 of the box B and at or about the
centre thereof is a bracket H having two parallel perforations ij made vertically
through it. This bracket serves as a fulcrum for two levers I J which are passed
loosely through these perforations ij and are adapted to turn therein. The levers I J
are preferably made of heavy brass or steel wire and bent in the form shown in
Fig. 3.

page_text: As shown in said figure, the lower portions of the levers are extended m
rections from the bracket H along the bottom of the box and parallel with the rear
ate thereof, their extremities being bent upwardly and adapted to have a broad
earing upon the rear connecting bar of the step E.
The levers I J are bent upwardly at right angles to their inner ends and passed
rough the perforations ij of the bracket H.
After passing through said bracket the levers are bent at an obtuse angle to their
ower portions and being crossed at a point near the bracket are extended forwardly
the inner surface of the sliding block G against which they are adapted to hear
If desired tho inner face of the block G may be
nd have a sliding movement.
grooved to serve as guides for the ends of the levers and the opposite extremities of
aid levers may be guided by suitable guide bars fixed to the rear connecting bar of
he step E, although neither of these provisions are essential.
The boxes or metallic bricks as I prefer to term them being thus constructed and
arranged are placed in the wall of a structure either in its process of construction or
after the completion of the building as circumstances may require. If the building
be of the general style of architecture shown in the drawing there will preferably be
one series of these boxes or bricks arranged in zigzag order from top to near the
bottom of the building at intervals of about the thickness of four or five bricks, the
purpose of such zig-zag arrangement being obvious.
Other series of boxes or bricks may be arranged along the vertical edges of the
wall and others on the lower portions of the walls leading to the ground. Boxes will
also advisably be placed over and under each window to enable occupants of the
house and firemen to get in and out of the windows.
In case of large buildings, such as hotels the arrangement of the boxes to produce
an escape ladder will be at the discretion of the builder.
In order to guard against the use of the ladder produced by the above described
arrangement of boxes and steps, by unauthorized persons a bell K is placed in each
room of the building by which the ladder passes, and connected by means of a wire
or otherwise to one of the working parts of the stepped box said wire passing through
the wall of the building and the rear plates of the box B.
In case of a hotel one of the working parts of the device will preferably be
attached to the system of electric bells by means of suitable connections and thus
provide means for notifying the hotel clerk of the improper use of the ladder.
When it is desired to use the ladder in descending, the block G of the first box B
reached will be pressed inward by the band thereby causing the upper ends of the
levers to slide along the inner surface of said block in reverse directions and thus
causing the levers to turn in the bracket H.
The levers being made to turn, their upper arms will move rearwardly with the
0 block G and their lower extremities will move outwardly and push the step E
forwardly beyond the front face of the box B.
.
As the person on the ladder descends he will operate the boxes beneath him by his
foot, but when a person is ascending the ladder the boxes will be operated by hand.
A modification of the operating parts of the device is shown in figure 6. In this
15 modified construction the end connecting bars of the steps E are provided with
rack barsk on their upper surfaces. A shaft is journaled in the box and furnished
near each end with a pinion m and a smaller pinion n the former being adapted to
mesh with the rack bars k and the latter pinions made to mesh with the rack bars o
fixed to the under edge of the blocks G¹ near each end.
50 It is obvious that this device may be used in climbing high stacks of bricks and
for ascending to the roof of a building under ordinary circumstances. The boxes
may be painted a different colour from the bricks of the building and thus be clearly
distinguishable, and at the same time present an ornamental appearance to the
-building.
55
Slight changes might be made in the constructive details of my invention withou

page_text: departing from the spirit thereof hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise
details of construction herein set forth, but
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 :
1. A ladder composed of a series of boxes and a sliding step in each. box
substantially as set forth.
2. A ladder composed of a series of boxes having sliding steps adapted to be
concealed within the box substantially as set forth.
3. A ladder composed of a series of boxes a step within each box and mechanismi
for sliding said step substantially as set forth.
4. A ladder composed of a series of boxes a step in each box mechanism for sliding
said step and a stop in the box to limit the movement of the step substantially as set forth.
5. A ladder composed of a series of boxes a step in each box mechanism for sliding
said step, a stop to limit its outward movement and strips in the box to sustain the
weight brought to, bear upon the step substantially as set forth.
r"
i
6. A ladder composed of a series of boxes a step in each box, levers in the box, a
stop for limiting the outward movement of the step and mechanism for operating the
levers to slide the step substantially as set forth.
7. A ladder composed of a series of boxes, a step in each box a stop to limit the
forward movement of said step, a sliding block mounted on bearings above the step,
a bracket secured in the box, and levers fulcrumed in the bracket and bearing at
their ends against the sliding block and the step substantially as set forth.
8. A ladder composed of a series of boxes a step in each box a stop to limit the
forward movement of the step, a sliding block mounted in the box above the step a
bracket, secured within the box a pair of levers fulcrumed in the bracket and having
their free lower ends bent at right angles to said brackets and adapted to bear against
the step, and the upper ends of the levers bent at right angles to the bracket and
made to cross at a point above the bracket and bear at their free extremities against
the sliding block substantially as set forth.
9. A ladder composed of a series of boxes, having open faces and an inwardly
projecting flange at each end of said open face, strips on the end plates of the box, a
step in each box beneath said flanges and strips a stop to limit the forward movement
of the step, a sliding block provided with hollow boxes adapted to slide on said strips
and levers fulcrumed in the box and bearing at their free ends upon the steps and
sliding block respectively substantially as set forth.
t
10. A ladder composed of a series of boxes, a step in each box, a stop to limit the
forward movement of said step a sliding block having hollow blocks fixed thereto,
projecting pads secured to said hollow blocks, and adapted to slide upon bearings
above the step and levers fulcrumed in the box and bearing at. their respective..
ends against the step and sliding block substantially as set forth.
11. A ladder composed of a series of boxes, a step in each box, rack bars on
each step, a sliding block above the step a rack bar on said sliding block and
pinions journalled in the box to mesh with said rack bars substantially as set forth.
12. The combination with a building of a series of boxes secured in the wall
thereof and a sliding step-in each box substantially as set forth.
13. The combination with a building of a series of boxes secured in the wall
thereof at suitable intervals, of a sliding step in each box, a sliding block mounted
in the box above the step and levers fulcrumed in the box and bearing upon the
sliding block and step respectively substantially as set forth.
.
14. The combination with a building of a series of boxes secured in the wall
thereof a sliding step in each box, a sliding block mounted in the box above the
step, and mechanism for operating said step and block to conceal the working
parts of the device or adapt the same for use as desired substantially as and for
the purpose set forth..

page_text: 15. The combination with a building of a series of boxes secured in the wall
thereof a sliding step in each box, a sliding block mounted in the box above the
step, and bells in rooms of the building and connected with a working part of the
boxes substantially as set forth.
16. The combination with a building of a series of boxes secured in the wall
thereof, a sliding step in each box and a ladder secured in the wall of the building
and projected over the cornice at the top of the building substantially as set forth.
17. The combination with a building of a bracket secured to the top of the wall of
the building and projecting beyond the edge thereof and a series of boxes having
steps, secured in the wall of the building, the upper box of the series being in close
proximity to said bracket substantially as set forth.