Improvements in and relating to Windows, and to Ladders or Fire Escapes in connection therewith.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Windows, and to Ladders or Fire
Escapes in connection therewith.
I, FRANZ SCHERRER, Architect, of Essen on Ruhr, Germany, 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 :-
The new safety-window, represented by the accompanying drawings, is a sort of
a ladder, which may be very easily applied in every factory, theater, hôtel and the
like, to allow a safe and general escape in case of fire.
Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through a building supplied with such windows,
whereby the same are opened, in order to show the effect, when they are used as
ladders.
Fig. 2 represents the system of closed windows from the front side.
These two views 1 and 2 are described further in the horizontal sections
Figs. 3 and 4.
In case of a fire one lets, as is shown in Section 1, a ladder fall, which glides
inside the window, and is not to be seen, when the window is closed, lying behind
the vertical and horizontal frames of the same. This gliding ladder connects with
the lower lying window of the following story. In this manner a ladder is
constructed in the whole height of the house, that can be reached from every
window. As is shown in Fig. 2 the steps of the fadder cover the cross-pieces of
the window-frame when the ladder is not let down. In the casement to be opened
there are in. vertical direction three or more U-formed grooves a in which the
gliding parts of the joining ladder move. The uppermost step of this ladder
is provided with hooks and. the like that can be fastened on the under solid part
of the casement and so prevents the ladder from falling down entirely. The
casement itself has round steps 6 which stand far enough away from the window-
frame to prevent the breaking of the window-panes and also not to hurt the
hands and to allow an easy climbing up and down.
If the workmen of an establishment need this ladder in case of fire, one must let
fall a heavy weight G, that hangs on a vertical axle J. This weight is in the
cellar, the axle Jis laid in a wall-niche. The weight G may be let fall by means
of a lever arranged in every story, as well as in the basement on the inside or
outside by means of only one principal lever H, in order to be reached easily in
case of danger. But, if there are several levers in different stories, they are all
attached to the rod J and work in the same direction. When the lever is turned
round 60°, the weight G falls, pulls the chain K, that rolls over the roll and
which opens the bolt m that keeps the window shut.
The levers H are arranged on the rod J and catch by a notch in a groove N
of the rod J. They are supported by the eye-books P, fastened in the wall
of the building so that the rod J may move throughout the levers H and the
eyes O (Fig. 5 Sheet 2) while the supported levers retain their position and the
catching in the groove. The rod J is flattened on its lowest parts, and falls,
if duly turned, into an aperture of the foundation P till the weight G, fastly
connected with the rod J, touches the upper side of the foundation P. While
the weight G is falling together with the rod J, the chains K connected with the
rod J are drawn over the roll, the bolt m (Fig. 1 and 2 Sheet 1) is disengaged
and the windows are opened by the falling of the rod J further.
The connecting ladder hidden in the U-formed vertical traverses of the windows
consist of vertical T-formed rods that are connected one with another by round
iron rods that are to be used as steps. The uppermost of these cross-rods, л, is

page_text: not formed as a step and shall only be used to hang the connecting ladder o.1 the
undermost cross-rod, r, fastened between the U-formed vertical traverses 7 of
the window and so prevent the ladder from falling out entirely (Figs. 6. 7. 8.
Sheet 2).
When the window is closed, the connecting ladder is supported by the flat-iron
shown in top-view by Fig. 9 Sheet 2. This flat-iron is laid with its flat-side from
below on the wing of the window that is to be opened, and is guided in the hole si
by the pin s, vertically fastened to the wing of the window, so that it may move
from and to under the wing, whilst it is yet fastened to the same. There must be
at least two holes s in the flat-iron and two corresponding pins 8, on the wing of
the window. The flat-iron is provided with as many sections as the window has
vertical U-formed traverses, that is for the window represented by the annexed
drawings with three sections.
8
When the window is opened in the direction toward the block w, fastened to the
lateral embrasure of the window, where is the outside of the building, the flat-iron
to which is pivotly connected the bent-lever v 1, must also turn in the same
direction, because it is fastened to the wing of the window. When the window
2
now is opened to an angle of 90 degrees, the bent-lever v₁ puts with its arm v
toward the block w and will be turned, whereby the flat-iron under the wing of
the window is horizontally moved, so that the sections z stand exactly under the
n-formed vertical traverses of the window, in which is hidden the gliding ladder,
that now may fall throughout the sections and form a connection between two
windows, which are vertical one above the other.
With the lowest horizontal traverse of the window there is connected a double-
plate-springs in form of a quarter-circle. The upper-plate of this spring has a
groove n that catches in a n-formed bow o attached to the embrasure, and keeps
the window open in a right-angle, so that all lower windows are standing in the
same direction. At the same time the connecting ladder loses its hold and falls
through its own weight down to the next window.
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 :
The combination, in a new safety-window for factories, theaters, hotels and the
like, of a casement furnished with steps, that may be opened by the levers H and
the weight G and kept in a right-angle by means of a double-plate-springs and the
n-formed bow o, with a joining ladder hidden in the inside of the window-
casement and gliding in three ore more U-formed vertical traverses of the same,
that falls out, when the window is opened, and forms with the window a continuous
ladder from the top to the bottom of the house, substantially as described.
Dated this Ninth of June 1894.
JOSEPH MÖHLIG,
Agent for Applicant.