Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 27th June, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
I, CHARLES EDWARD COOPER, of No. 161, High Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight,
Master Butcher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes, and consists in providing
ready and effective means for escape from buildings in case of fire, which
escape can be instantly brought into operation when required, while at the same
time it is simple and compact, and when out of use, occupies little space and does
not interfere with the ordinary arrangements of a room or the like in which it
may be located.
In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a bracket of suitable form
which is fixed immediately beneath the window-ledge on the inside of a room or
the like, through which bracket passes a spindle having bolted on each end thereof,
an S-shaped arm, the lower end of which is in the form of a circular eye to form
the bearings for a second spindle to which is attached one end of a ladder of con-
venient length, which is preferably composed of strong webbing or other flexible
material, and normally kept in a rolled condition.
The other end of such ladder is attached to a rod on the ends of which, and
free to revolve, independently thereof, are wheels or rollers.
When the fire-escape is in its inoperative position, it hangs down against the
wall, the rod aforesaid being supported by suitable projections upon the S-shaped
arms.
When required for use, the arms are raised upon their hinge until they rest
upon the window frame, when the rod at the lower end of the ladder will fall
out of its supports and run over the window-sill and thereby unroll the ladder
to its full length, the escape then being ready for use.
If desirable a wooden or other cover may be provided for use when the apparatus
is in its unoperative position.
Dated this 17th day of March 1808
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents.

page_text: the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes, and has for object to
provide ready and effective means for escape from buildings in case of fire, which
escape can be instantly brought into operation when required, while at the same
time it is simple and compact, and when out of use, occupies little space and does
not interfere with the ordinary arrangements of a room, or the like in which it
may be located.
In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a bracket of suitable form,
which is fixed immediately beneath the window-ledge on the inside of a room or
the like, through which bracket passes a spindle having bolted on each end thereof,
an S-shaped arm, the lower end of which is in the form of a circular eye to form
the bearings for a second spindle to which is attached one end of a ladder of con-
venient length, which is preferably composed of strong webbing, or other flexible
material, and normally kept in a rolled condition.
The other end of such ladder is attached to a rod on the ends of which, and
free to revolve, independently thereof, are wheels or rollers.
When the fire escape is in its inoperative position, it hangs down against the
wall, the rod aforesaid being supported by suitable projections upon the S-shaped
arms.
When required for use, the arms are raised upon their hinge, until they rest
upon the window frame, when the rod, at the lower end of the ladder will fall
out of its supports and run over the window-sill and thereby unroll the ladder
to its full length, the escape then being ready for use.
If desirable a wooden or other cover may be provided for use when the apparatus
is in its inoperative position.
In order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying sheet
of illustrative drawings, wherein :-
-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the fire escape in its inoperative position in a
room and suspended beneath the window thereof.
Fig. 2 being a similar view of the apparatus shewn in the position it assumes
when the arms are turned on their hinge for the ladder to run out the window.
Referring to the drawing in which like letters of reference indicate correspond-
ing parts in both the figures, a is the bracket which is fixed in any suitable manner
beneath the window-ledge b in the room or the like. Through openings in the
arms of the bracket a passes a spindle c, upon the projecting ends of which are
bolted at the S-shaped arms d. The said spindle c may be free to turn in the
bracket a or it may be immovable and the arms be capable of an independent
hinge-like movement.
The lower ends of the S-shaped arms & terminate in eyes which form bearings
for the spindle e to turn in. To this spindle e one end of the flexible ladder f is
attached, the other end being provided with the rod g having wheels or rollers gl
on its ends. h are the projections or supports to receive the rod when the
apparatus is hanging down in its inoperative position.
In operation, the S-shaped arms d are furned upon their hinge from the position
shewn in Fig. 1 until they assume the position shewn in Fig. 2, which causes the
rody to drop out of the projections or supports h on to the window-sill i, the
rollers or wheels g carrying such rod and the end of the flexible ladder f over
the window-sill whence they fall to the ground, the weight of the rod g and rollers
or wheels g¹ unwinding the flexible ladder f in their descent.
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:
In fire-escapes, the bracket a carrying the spindle c to the ends of which are 5

page_text: either bolted or pivotally attached S-shaped arms d having bearings at their
other ends to receive a spindle e to which is attached one end of a flexible ladder f,
the other end of said ladder being secured to a rod y having wheels or rollers g' at
its extremities and adapted to lie in supports h upon the S-shaped arms when the
apparatus is out of use, all arranged, combined and operating substantially as
and for the purpose described and illustrated.
Dated this 27th day of June 1898
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London W.C. Agents for the Applicant.