Improvements in Fire Escapes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Escapes.
We, JAMES COMPTON MERRYWEATHER, of Greenwich Road Greenwich, in
the County of Kent, Engineer, and ARTHUR PORDAGE, of Chief Fire Station,
Portsmouth, in the County of Hampshire, Fire Brigade Superintendent do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improvement in that form of telescopic escape,
constructed so that the sliding ladder or extension ladder, hereinafter called the
sliding ladder, works on the upper side of the main ladder, and is kept engaged
therewith by means of rollers revolving on suitable formed clips embracing each
side of the main ladder.
In the above mentioned form of escape, the rollers and clips for attaching the
sliding ladder to the main ladder are fixed at the lower extremity of the sliding
ladder in such a way as to render the withdrawal of the sliding ladder from the
main ladder, an operation involving a considerable expenditure of time and trouble,
which can only be carried out when the escape is in a horizontal position, and
further, impossible of accomplishment by one man alone.
Our invention enables one man to readily detach the sliding ladder from the
main ladder while, the escape is in its vertical position.
The method we employ to carry out our invention is as follows:-At the lower
extremity of the sliding ladder, and on each side of the same, we attach a shoe
constructed of wrought-iron, or any other suitable material, and fasten it in such a
manner as to render it perfectly flush with the sides of the ladder. At the lower
end of the shoe, and in prolongation with the ladder we form a round pin terminating
in a conical point.
To carry the clips and rollers for attaching the lower end of the sliding ladder
to the main ladder when it is desirable to use them together, we construct a forging,
or casting, on which is formed two sockets with the holes spaced in such a manner
as to engage with the round pins at the lower end of the sliding ladder shoe, and
fasten it to them by means of two cotters dropping into holes drilled through the
sockets and pins, made so as to be easy of withdrawal. On the outside of the
sockets we fix in a suitable manner the clips for carrying the rollers for attaching
the sliding ladder to the main ladder. Midway between, and on the same piece
as the two sockets, we construct an eye for the attachment of the wire line for
raising the sliding ladder when used in conjunction with the rest of the escape.
The method by which a man can detach the sliding ladder from the main ladder
-He lowers the sliding
when the escape is in its vertical position is as follows:-
ladder to a convenient position, and allows the safety catches, usually fixed to the
sides of the same, to engage with one of the rungs of the main ladder. He then
withdraws the cotters attaching the socket forging to the shoe, and allows the
forging to drop to the bottom of main ladder. The man then withdraws the sliding
ladder in such a way as to clear the rollers on the end of main ladder, and allowing
the conical points of the shoe to rest on the ground, he brings the ladder to a
vertical position, from which it is lowered into the most convenient position for
transport. The re-attachment of the sliding ladder to the main ladder is the exact
converse of the above.
Dated this 24th day of November 1893.

page_text: We, JAMES COMPTON MERRYWEATHER, of Greenwich Road, Greenwich, in the
County of Kent, Engineer, and ARTHUR PORDAGE, of Chief Fire Station,
Portsmouth, in the County of Hampshire, Fire Brigade Superintendent, 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:-
Our invention relates to an improvement in that form of telescopic escape
constructed so that the sliding ladder or extension ladder, hereinafter called the
sliding ladder, works on the upper side of the main ladder, and is kept engaged
therewith by means of rollers revolving on suitable formed clips embracing each
side of the main ladder..
In the above mentioned form of escape, the rollers and clips for attaching the
sliding ladder to the main ladder are fixed at the lower extremity of the sliding
ladder in such a way as to render the withdrawal of the sliding ladder from the
main ladder an operation involving a considerable expenditure of time and trouble,
which can only be carried out when the escape is in a horizontal position, and
further, impossible of accomplishment by one man alone.
Our invention enables one man to readily detach the sliding ladder from the
main ladder while the escape is in its vertical position.
The method we employ to carry out our invention is as follows:-At the lower
extremity of the sliding ladder and on each side of the same we attach a shoe
constructed of wrought-iron, or any other suitable material and fasten it in such a
manner as to render it perfectly flush with the sides of the ladder; at the lower
end of the shoe, and in prolongation with the ladder we form a round pin
terminating in a conical point.
To carry the clips and rollers for attaching the lower end of the sliding ladder to
the main ladder, when it is desirable to use them together, we construct a forging
or casting on which is formed two sockets, with the holes spaced in such a manner
as to engage with the round pins at the lower end of the sliding ladder shoe, and
fasten it to them by means of two cotters dropping into holes drilled through the
sockets and pins, made so as to be easy of withdrawal. On the outside of the
sockets we fix in a suitable manner the clips for carrying the rollers for attaching
the sliding ladder to the main ladder. Midway between, and on the same piece as
the two sockets we construct an eye for the attachment of the wire line for
raising the sliding ladder when used in conjunction with the rest of the escape.
The method by which a man can detach the sliding ladder from the main ladder
when the escape is in its vertical position is as follows:-He lowers the sliding
ladder to a convenient position and allows the safety catches, usually fixed to the
sides of the same, to engage with one of the rungs of the main ladder. He then
withdraws the cotters attaching the socket forging to the shoe, and allows the
forging to drop to the bottom of main ladder. The man then withdraws the
sliding ladder in such a way as to clear the rollers on the end of the main ladder,
and allowing the conical points of the shoe to rest on the ground, he brings the
ladder to a vertical position, from which it is lowered into the most convenient
position for transport. The re-attachment of the sliding ladder to the main ladder
is the exact converse of the above.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings,
Figure 1, is a side elevation of part of main ladder and lower end of sliding ladder
of the above described pattern of escape, shewing the sliding ladder attached to the
main ladder.

page_text: Figure 2, is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 3, is a plan.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, A is the main ladder and B the sliding ladder. CC are
the shoes permanently attached to the foot of the sliding ladder, and DD are the
round pins made in one piece with and in prolongation with the shoes. E is the
forging constructed with the sockets F F, with holes to engage with pins D D.
G G, are the pins or cotters for keeping the forging attached to the shoes.
H H are the clips for attaching the main to the sliding ladder, and J J are the
rollers.
r
In Figure 3, K is the eye constructed on the forging E.. M is the wire rope
attached to winch for hauling up the sliding ladder, and L is the double hook for
detaching the rope from the sliding ladder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a telescopic fire escape with a sliding ladder, a device which can be
attached to the foot of the sliding ladder to keep the sliding ladder in conjunction
with the main ladder, and which can be readily detached from the same to enable
the sliding ladder to be withdrawn from the main ladder.
2. In a telescopic fire escape the attachment of the shoes CC with the pins D D
to the foot of the sliding ladder B, the construction of a forging E with the
sockets F F, clips H H, and rollers J J, for the attachment or detachment of the
foot of the sliding ladder to the main ladder substantially as described and shewn in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of August 1894.