Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 12th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted; 15th Apr., 1887.
I AUGUSTE CABANEL of Montpellier in the republic of France do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :--
This invention relates to the construction of an improved fire escape and consists of
an apparatus running on wheels and which will allow of being elevated to different
altitudes as may be desired and the improvements consist mainly in constructing a
ladder to be called a "safety pyramid "with flat iron cross bars or lazy tongs and a
number of telescopic tubes; in the mode of connecting the said cross bars by means of
cross pieces or stays and frame work; in the arrangement by which the rising and
descending movements are obtained; in the combination of rope ladders wound on
drums and of a foot-bridge which can be moved backwards and forwards and of a plat-
form capable of turning in any direction, the whole as more particularly hereinafter
described.
The apparatus is constructed of a frame mounted on a carriage having a fore-
carriage turning at each exterior angle, and at the lower part of the frame is formed a
slot through which passes a rod which is provided at its end with a hole in which
slides a support held in place by a set screw. By means of this arrangemont the
apparatus may be rendered more firm and stable. To the four outer angles of the
upper part of the frame is fixed a drum around which is rolled a rope ladder connected
to the framework of the upper part of the apparatus by means of hooks; handles are
provided for winding the ladders on the druins.
At the front and at the back of the carriage is provided a box for receiving winches,
wedges, wheels, cords and other accessories of the apparatus.
Within the frame are four screws having pinions engaging with each other; outside
the frame these screws are provided at their ends with crank handles. The
screws are each provided with a nut on which are adopted cross-pieces which
bear against the lower arms of a jointed arrangement the said lower arms
being provided with rollers which run on a cross-piece for the purpose of facilitating
the raising and lowering of the apparatus. The upper part of the apparatus is
provided with a platform connected with the base of the apparatus by crosshar

page_text: arranged on the lazy tongs principle. A standard or upright having a slot serves as a
guide for the four pivots of the lower arms of each jointed arrangement. An axis is
provided formed of telescopic tubes; each tube is provided with a collar having stays
which bear against the pivots of the crossbars. Within each tube is placed a helical
spring to facilitate the upward movement of the apparatus. Several frames placed at
various heights within the crossbars keep them apart and at the same time increase
their stability.
Under the platform at the upper part of the apparatus is a framing provided with
tie-rods on which is fixed a toothed wheel to which is connected the top end of the
telescopic tube. A rod fixed to the centre of the platform passes into the tube
fixed to the toothed wheel and allows of the platform being moved horizontally in
any direction. The platform is provided with a guide in which a flooring can
slide to and fro the said flooring serving as a foot-bridge and which allows of
being put in communication with the burning building or otherwise. The foot-
bridge is operated by means of a crank handle and a pinion engaging with a rack
fixed at one side of the said foot-bridge. Another pinion engages with the toothed
wheel and by means of a crank handle operates the platform. Cramps are fixed
to the platform and take under the toothed wheel the object of these cramps being
to keep the platform rigid. The frame of the apparatus is also provided with
levels which by means of screw jacks fixed at each angle of the frame allow of the
apparatus being adjusted to a proper level.
It will be obvious that my improved apparatus is also applicable for other
than as a fire escape.
D
151
1000
purposes

page_text: I, AUGUSTE CABANEL, of Montpellier, in the republic of France 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 the construction of an improved fire escape and consists of
an apparatus running on wheels and which will allow of being elevated to different
altitudes as may be desired, and the improvements consist mainly in constructing a
fire escape to be called a "Pyramid fire escape," with flat iron cross bars or levers
forming a lazy tongs and a number of telescopic tubes; in the mode of connecting the
said cross bars by means of cross-pieces or stays and frame work; in the arrangement
by which the rising and descending movements are obtained; in the combination of
rope ladders wound on drums; and of a footbridge which can be moved backwards
and forwards; and of a platform capable of turning in any direction, the whole as more
particularly hereinafter described.
In order to enable the invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1 is an elevation
shewing the apparatus in its extended position; figure 2 is an elevation of the apparatus
closed; figure 3 is a plan of the lower part of the apparatus; figure 4 is a plan of the
underside of the upper part of the apparatus; figure 5 is a transverse section of the
same; figuro 6 is a section shewing the arrangement of telescopic tubes; figure 7 is
a plan of the cross bars and stays; figure 8 is a plan of the framework of the
apparatus; figure 9 is a transverse section on line X Y of figure 3, and figure 10 is a
detail shewing the arrangement of the nut and its cross pieces for operating the lower
arms of the jointed arrangement of lovers.
The apparatus is constructed of a frame a, mounted on a carriage having a fore
carriage turning at each exterior angle and at the lower part of the frame is formed a
slot b, through which passes a rod c, which is provided at its end with a hole d, in which
slides a support e, held in place by a set screw. By means of this arrangement the
apparatus may be rendered more firm and stable. At the four outer angles of the upper
part of the frame a, is fixed a drum f, around which is rolled a rope. ladder 9, connected
to the framework of the upper part of the apparatus by means of hooks; handles h, are
provided for winding the ladders on the drums.
At the front and at the back of the carriage is provided a box i, for receiving
winches, wedges, wheels, cords, and other accessories of the apparatus.
Within the frame are four screws k, each having a bevel pinion 7, gearing together;
outside the frame these screws k, are provided at their ends with crank handles m.
The screws k, are each provided with a nut n, having lugs or projections on which are
fixed cross pieces o which bear against the lower arms p, of a jointed arrangement
of levers, the said lower arms p, being provided with rollers 9, which run on
a cross piece r, for the purpose of facilitating the raising and lowering of
the apparatus. The upper part of the apparatus is provided with a platforms,

page_text: connected with the base of the apparatus by cross-bars or lovers p², arranged on the
lazy tongs principle. A standard or upright t, having a slot serves as a guide for the
four pivots of the lower arms p, of each jointed arrangement; «, is an axis formed of
telescopic tubes; each tube is provided with a collar v, having stays z, to which are
connected the cross-bars p', as shown in figure 7. Within each tube is placed a helical
spring, as will be seen by reference to figure 6, to facilitate the upward movement of
the apparatus. Several frames a², placed at various heights within the cross-bars p¹,
keep them apart and at the same time increase their stability.
Under the platform s, at the upper part of the apparatus is a framing b¹, provided
with tie-rods c¹, on which is fixed a toothed wheel , to which is connected the top
end of the telescopic tube. A rod el, fixed to the centre of the platform s, passes into
the tube fixed to the toothed wheel d¹, and allows of the platform being turned
horizontally in any direction. The platform s, is provided with a guide in which a
flooring, can slide to and fro, the said flooring serving as a foot-bridge and which
allows of the apparatus being put in communication with the burning building or
otherwise. The foot-bridge f, is operated by means of a crank handle and a pinion
engaging with a rack fixed at one side of the said foot-bridge. Another pinion g',
engages with the toothed wheel d¹, and by means of a crank-handle h¹, operates the
platform. Cramps, are fixed to the platform and take under the toothed wheel the
object of these cramps being to keep the platform rigid. The frame a, of the apparatus
is also provided with levels ², which by means of screw jacks fixed at each angle of
the frame, allow of the apparatus being adjusted to a proper level.
It will be obvious that my improved apparatus is also applicable for other purposes
than as a fire escape.
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 fire escape which I call a "Pyramid fire escape " constructed with flat cross
bars or levers forming a lazy tongs and a number of telescopic tubes substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
2. The method of connecting the cross pieces arranged on the lazy tongs principle
by means of stay pieces and frame work substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
3. The manner in which the raising and lowering of the machine is effected
substantially as heroinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
4. The combination of rope ladders and drums substantially as herein before a
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
5. In a fire escape the improved platform which can be moved backwards and
forwards to serve as a footbridge and which can be moved horizontally in any
direction substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
6. The improved fire escape as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
A