An Improved Apparatus for Saving the Lives of Persons who Drop or Jump from Burning Buildings and for similar Purposes.
Year: 1884

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Saving the Lives of Persons who
Drop or Jump from Burning Buildings, and for similar
Purposes.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF
PERSONS WHO DROP OR JUMP FROM BURNING BUILDINGS AND FOR. SIMILAR
PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for saving life and property from burning
buildings or the like, and is intended to be used' instead of a mattress, which
is frequently used for this purpose.
The improved apparatus consists essentially of a cloth stretched between the
sides of a frame resting upon connecting bars or arins acting in their turn upon
springs, which, by reason of their elasticity, weaken the shock consequent upon
the fall, from a certain height of a person or an object to be saved.
The arrangement of the saving apparatus will be understood from the following
description.
The said apparatus comprises an iron or wooden frame upon which are fixed
springs similar to carriage-springs and also two shafts supported in bearings. One
end of each of these springs is rigidly connected with the frame, the other ends
being connected to short arms on the said shafta.
To the said shafts are secured long arms which extend upwards in an inclined
position, the long arms of one shaft crossing those of the other shaft. The said
long arms are maintained in their normal positions by means of the said springs.
At the upper ends of these long arms is a frame-pierced with holes through
which passes a cord. This cord serves to fasten a cloth upon which the persons or .
objects to be saved fall,
The arms slide in slots in the frame in order to permit the movement of the latter
to be transmitted to the shafts.

page_text: At the corners of the lower frame I arrange pads, which prevent the accidental
shock of the upper frame upon the lower frame.
I arrange also, upon the ends of the upper frame, fixed cushions or panels which
increase the surface upon which anything may fall. Other panels jointed to the
sides of the frame can be employed in order to diminish the width of the apparatus
and facilitate its transportation. Upon these panels, as well as upon the edges of
the frame, are placed cushions which reduce or deaden the shock.
The power of the springs is calculated for holding, through the medium of the
shafts and arms, the upper frame at a height of about 1.80 meters. This height is,
adjusted by means of the springs so that these springs together hold the apparatus
in equilibrium. Practically I adjust the apparatus for a weight of 100 kilogrammes
falling from a fifth story.

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Saving the 'Lives of Persons who
Drop or Jump from Burning Buildings, and for similar
Purposes.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING THE
LIVES OF PERSONS WHO DROP OR JUMP FROM BURNING • BUILDINGS, AND FOR
SIMILAR PURPOSES 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 apparatus chiefly designed for saving the lives of persons
who drop or jump from burning buildings, and for saving property thrown
therefrom; and is intended to serve as a substitute for a mattress which is
frequently used for this purpose.
The improved apparatus consists essentially of a frame having a cloth stretched
over it and supported upon bars or arms acting in connection with springs, which,
by reason of their elasticity, enable the said arms to yield when any person or
object is thrown upon the said cloth, thereby weakening the shock resulting from
the fall.
The arrangement of the improved apparatus will be understood from the
following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a front view of the said apparatus.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section thereof on the line M N Figure 1.
Figure 3, is a side view of the apparatus mounted upon a carriage and
Figure 4 is a plan of the upper part of the apparatus.
The said apparatus comprises an iron or wooden frame A upon which are fixed
springs B, B similar to carriage springs, and also two shafts CC supported in
bearings D D. One end of each of these springs is rigidly connected with the
frame A the other end being connected to short arms I Ĭ on the shafts C C. To
the said shafts are secured arms G, G which extend upwards as shown in Figure 3,
the arms G. attached to one shaft crossing those attached to the other shaft.
At the upper ends of the arms G G is a frame E having holes formed therein,
through which passes a cord serving to secure the cloth F upon which the persons
or objects to be saved fall.
.
The arms Gare pivotted to the frame E at one end of the latter as shown at
H, and at the other end slide in slots H. The said arms transmit the movements
of the frame to the shafts C. C. As the latter are connected with the springs BBB
through the medium of the arms 1, the said frame is enabled to yield when any.
person or object strikes the cloth, thereby weakening the force of the fall.
At the corners of the frame A 1 arrange pads M, which, in case the frame E
strikes upon the frame A, roduce the force of the blow.
I also arrange upon the ends of the frame E fixed cushions or flaps N N which
increase the surface upon which any thing may fall. Other flaps OO jointed at PP
to the sides of the frame E, as shown in Figure 3, can also be employed; and

page_text: folded when not in use, in order to diminish the width of the apparatus and to
facilitate its transport. Upon these flaps, as well as upon the edges of the frame,
are placed cushions which reduce or deaden the shock.
The strength of the springs B B is preferably. such as to hold the frame E
through the medium of the shafts C Ċ and arms G G, at a height of about
1.80 metres.
.
This height can, if desired, be adjusted by means of spiral springs arranged
between the upper frame E and the frame A so that the latter springs, acting in
combination with the springs B hold the apparatus in equilibrium.
In practice I adjust the apparatus for receiving a weight of 100 kilograms falling
from a fifth story.
- Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign Correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
The improved apparatus hereinbefore described for saving life and property, the
said apparatus being characterized by the combination of a frame, over which a
cloth is stretched, and which is supported upon arms crossing each other, with
springs; the said arms, when any weight is thrown upon the cloth, acting upon
the said springs, which, by yielding, reduce the shock resulting from the fall.
Dated this 19th day of Aumu 1885