IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Sidney Prindle of the city of Washington in the
District of Columbia and United States of America Patent Solicitor for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES communicated to me by
George Henry Thompson of Plattsmouth in the county of Cass and State of
Nebraska, and Stephen Oscar Ryder of the city county and State of New
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Sidney Prindle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July 1883.
GEORGE SIDNEY PRINDLE of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia
and United States of America, Patent Solicitor IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES
communicated to me by George Henry Thompson of Plattsmouth in the county of
Cass and State of Nebraska and Stephen Oscar Ryder of the city county and
State of New York both in the United States of America
Figure 1 shows an elevation of a portion of the wall of a building provided
with the improved fire escape; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of one of the
thimbles used in the fire escape with the hinged door shown in dotted lines as
partly swung back. Figure 3 shows a perspective rear view of the same,
Figure 4 shows a section of one of the thimbles on line x x of Figure 2 together
with a section of a portion of the brick wall into which the thimble is set and
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of one of the thimbles, as adapted for fastening
into the wall of a frame building. Letters of like name and kind refer to like
parts in each of the figures. The object of the invention is broadly to provide an
improved fire escape which shall not disfigure or weaken the building, to which it
is applied and which shall be simple, cheap and efficient, impossible to be got out
of order and always ready for instant use and to this end; it consists principally
of a vertical series of thimbles set into the wall of a building at a suitable distance
apart, each one of which carries a cross bar, so that a continuous permanent ladder
Ali

page_text: will be formed by the series substantially as hereinafter described. It consists
further in the series of thimbles set into the wall of a building each of which
thimbles is provided with a cross bar, and a swinging door hinged at the top of
the thimble and adapted to normally close the front thereof, and prevent the
entrance of dust, rain or snow substantially as hereinafter described and set forth.
It consists further in the thimble provided with the cross bar, and the swinging
hinged door with a channel in its outer face to receive the cross bar so that when
the door is shut, the outer face of the door will be flush with that of the bar and
with the front edges of the thimble substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter
described. It consists further in the thimble for fire escapes provided with the
holding rib or ridge and with lugs at its back and projecting laterally from its
sides substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. It consists further
in the fire escape thimble provided with the holding rib and with lugs pivoted at
the rear end of the thimble substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter
specified. It consists finally in the general and special construction and arrange-
ment of parts as hereinafter described and specifically pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings A A designate the improved fire escape as applied to the wall of
a building. It is formed of a series of thimbles B inserted permanently in the
wall at suitable distance apart vertically. These thimbles are in the form of
rectangular boxes open at front and back and are made of iron or other
metal of any weight and strength desired, though I prefer to make them of
iron of about the thickness of the usual mortar joint of the wall in which
they are to be placed. The height of each box or thimble is about equal to
that of three courses of brick. At the height of one course of brick from the lower
edge, a cross bar C is fastened with its outer surface flush with the front of the
thimble To the top of each thimble is hinged a door D so hung that it normally
closes and is flush with the front end thereof. In order that it may thus close, the
door is provided with a groove E to receive the bar D as shown. It is desirable
that the door should be made light so that it will easily swing back when the foot
or hand is placed upon the cross bar. I therefore make it of metal of about the
same thickness as the sides of the thimble and from the required groove to receive
the bar by bending the metal plate as shown in Figure 4. When the plate is of
cast iron, this required bend or offset can of course be produced in the casting.
Around the outside of each thimble parallel with its front or back edge and about
Inidway between the back and front is a rib or ridge F which is intended to extend
into the cement used to bed the thimble into the wall. Several of these ribs can
of course he provided when desired. To lugs g g fixed on the rear edges and
extending inward at right angles to the sides of the thimble are pivoted the
movable lugs G G as shown in Figure 3. When the thimbles are built into a brick
wall these lugs G G are swung out laterally so as to project into the mortar or
cement behind or between some of the surrounding bricks. When the wall is of
stone, these lugs can be set either behind some of the blocks surrounding the
thimble or where the blocks are large, into niches cut into the same for their
reception. As they are pivoted they can be used or not as desired. When the
fire escape is to be applied to a frame building I provide a flange H around the
front edges of the thimble as seen in Figure 5 said flange being furnished with a
number of screw holes so that the thimble can be fastened firmly in its place in the
wall. If desired the pivoted lugs can then also be provided with holes for screws
and be utilized as additional fastenings at the back. The pivoted lugs as arranged
are of special advantage when the thimbles are to be inserted in cavities in a wall
already built; For the lugs can then be turned inward so as to present no
obstruction to the insertion of the thimble, and then outward again when the
thimble has been set in place so as to form secure fastenings for it. as set forth
above It will be observed that the fire escape as applied to the walls of a building
does not weaken but serves to strengthen the same for by reason of the ribs and
lugs extending out into the mortar or cement and surrounding material forming
the wall, the thimbles act very effectually as binders. When a still stronger

page_text: binding action is required I intend to put a flange around the front of the thimble
to overlap the front edges of the cavity in which the thimble is placed. Usually
it is desirable that the thimbles should be as little conspicuous as possible.
I therefore ordinarily make them without these flanges. They are then set into
the wall so as to be flush with the same and painted to correspond with the color
of the surrounding material. The mortar lines are also then painted across the face
of the thimble As the swinging doors normally hang so as to close the front of
the thimbles and be flush with the wall, these thimbles can easily be so painted as
not only not to be conspicuous and disfigure the building but to be concealed and
unobservable at a short distance therefrom When it is not desired to conceal the
thimbles the fronts thereof can be lightly ornamented in any suitable style and
where the front binding flanges are used, they also can be ornamented or made of
such a design that the whole will be a decoration rather than a disfiguration of the
building. I have shown the thimbles as boxes with front and rear ends open and
this construction. I prefer, but the whole can be cast or made in the shape of a
rectangular frame the larger portion of the sides top and bottom being left open.
From the above description the use and operation of the fire escape is evident.
The series of thimbles is so placed as to be within easy reach from the windows.
The swinging doors which norinally close the fronts of the thimbles and prevent
the entrance of snow, rain or dust, are made light so as to swing back easily when
the hand or foot is placed on one of the cross bars and offer no obstruction to the
ready use of these bars as the ordinary rungs of a ladder, The series can of course
be extended from the roof to the ground, but, as is usual in the case of permanent
fire escapes it is well to extend it down no further than the top of the first story
or ground floor. From this point escape to the ground is always easy and safe,
If desired, a flexible or other form of ladder can be provided at this point which is
ordinarily kept up out of reach of any one from below, but can be let down when
desired for use. This however forms no part of this invention as it is a common
thing when permanent fire escapes are employed. The fire escape as arranged
is not only valuable as securing the safe escape of the occupants of a building but
as affording to firemen a ready means of gaining access to any floor of the
building where his services may be needed. When the buildings are high as in
large cities and the streets narrow and obstructed with telegraph poles, it is often
impossible to get ladders long enough or to raise and place them in an
advantageous position if they could be obtained and consequently there is great
loss of life and property. Even when the ladders are long enough and cau be
raised into position much valuable time is consumed in obtaining and so raising
them. As is obvious from the above description the fire escape forms a permanent
ladder which is always ready for use and easy of access from the windows and
cannot get out of order or be rendered inefficient or useless It is simple and cheap,
does not weaken but strengthens the wall to which it is applied, and does not
disfigure the building but can be concealed in the wall and made an ornament
thereto as desired. Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of the
invention what I claim as new is —
1st The fire escape consisting of a series of thimbles set into the wall of a building
at a suitable distance apart and provided with transverse bars so that a permanent
ladder will be formed thereby substantially as and for the purpose described.
2nd As a fire escape the vertical series of thimbles set into the wall of a building
and provided with transverse bars or rungs fixed in the front of the thimble and
above the bottoms thereof substantially as and for the purpose set forth 3rd The
series of thimbles set into the walls of a building and provided with cross bars and
with swinging doors hinged at the tops of the thimbles and adapted to normally
close the fronts thereof substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 4th The
thimble for fire escape provided with the cross bar and the. hinged door adapted
to normally close the front of the thimble substantially as and for the purpose set
forth. 5th The thimble provided with the cross bar and with the swinging door
hinged to the top of the thimble and having a groove or channel in its face to

page_text: receive the bar all so constructed that when the door is shut, its outer face will be
flush with the front face of the cross bar and of the thimble substantially as and
for the purpose specified. 6th The fire escape thimble for insertion in the wall of
a building provided at its rear end with lugs pivoted thereto and adapted to be
turned inward when the thimble is being put in place, and then outward at right
angles to the sides to engage with the surrounding wall and firmly hold the
thimble when it has been placed as desired substantially as shown and described.
7th The thimble constructed with the external rib F and provided with the lugs G
pivoted at its rear end substantially as and for the purpose described. 8th The
fire escape thimble B constructed with the outwardly extending lugs at its rear
end and with the external rib F substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9th The metal thimble constructed with the external rib and having fixed at its
rear end the inwardly extending rigid lugs g g with movable lugs G G pivoted
thereto substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said George Sidney Prindle have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty third day of July in the year of our Lord, One thousand
Eight Irundred and Eighty three.
GEORGE SIDNEY PRINDLE (L.S.)