scape Ascendors.
Year: 1885

page_text: Pascapes anu Ascendors.
I JOHN EDWARD WALSH of Waterhouse Chambers Crossley St. Halifax in the
county of York, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES AND ASCENDORS," a communication to me
from abroad by Edmond Frison, Architect of Malines Belgium, to be as follows :-
"
My arrangement of fire escapes consists of a moveable tower establishing easy
communication with the different stories of the houses by the aid of narrow
bridges or platforms, in case of fire it allows the hose bearers and firemen to com-
municate simultaneously and easily with the interior of the house and to work
effectively in convenient positions from the centre of the fire, it is designed as a
substitute for salvage engines.
It serves as a post of observation and command and gives firm footings to the
workers at the fire.
When the machine is raised saved persons can descend either by lowering the
machine or by ladders fixed to the apparatus with sacks ropes or other like means.
The apparatus consists of a vehicle or chariot on wheels, and a platform moveable
at the back and front on axles, to allow the handles to make all their movements
the platforms consist of a set of sheets of a fixed number joined together by two's
in their centre and their hind parts by iron pins zig-zag between them.
Moveable bridges are fixed to the different pins and complete the system by
means of a roller and chains similar to a crane the apparatus can be raised or
lowered at will and afford footing for sixteen men to work upon independant of
each other.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Escapes and Ascendors.
I JOHN EDWARD WALSH of Waterhouse Chambers, Crossley Street Halifax,
Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention which has been communicated to me from abroad by Edmond Fryson,
Architect of Malinés, Belgium, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :— ·
My arrangement of fire escape consists of a moveable tower, establishing easy
communication with the different stories of the houses, by the aid of narrow
bridges or platforms, in case of fire it allows the hose bearers, and firemen, to com-
municate simultaneously and easily with the interior of the house, and to work
effectively in convenient positions, from the centre of the fire, it is designed as a
substitute for salvage engines, it serves as a post of observation and command, and
gives firm footing to the workers at the fire.
When the machine is raised, saved persons can descend either by lowering the
machine, or by ladders, fixed to the apparatus, with sacks ropes, or other like
means. The apparatus consists of a vehicle or chariot on wheels, and a platform
moveable at the back and front on axles, to allow the handles to make all their
movements; the platforms consist of a set of sheets of a fixed number joined
together by two's in their centre, and their hind parts by iron pins zigzag between
them.
Moveable bridges are fixed to the different pins, and complete the system, by
means of a roller and chains, similar to a crane; the apparatus can be raised or
lowered at will, and affords a footing for sixteen men to work upon, independent of
each other.
The platform which supports the apparatus should be perfectly horizontal, but
when the ground is uneven it is not so but can be regulated by the axle of the
front wheel of the carriage carrying a screw jack, which can be raised or lowered,
and the axle of the back wheel carries a rack and pinion each end of the rack being
connected by chains or other means to the ends of the platform, it can be regulated
to any nicety.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of my apparatus.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of apparatus at rest.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of apparatus in raised or working order.
For shews apparatus for reaching to a greater height.
Figs. 5 and 6 shews views of arrangement for keeping the platform perfectly
level on inclined around

page_text: barrel or roller into operation, n are the guides for the feet of the lower wings,
the action is a follows: on the drum being turned one way the feet of the wings
are drawn towards the centre and the wings are opened, raising the platforms
simultaneously, the platform H, which supports the apparatus, should be perfectly
level; in order to regulate this, when upon inclined ground, the axle B, of the
front wheel of the carriage (see Fig. 5) carries an ordinary screw jack P, of which
the head T, may be raised or lowered.
The axle A of the after-wheel, carries a moveable rack Q, and pinion S, the rack
being connected by chain R, or other means, to the sides of the platform H, it can
be regulated laterally to any nicety.
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. The combination and arrangement of the pivotted wings N, bridges I, and
winding drum L, as and for the purposes shewn and described.
2. The arrangement of the guide n, for the feet of the wings, to which the
chains M, are attached, and operated, by winding drum L, as shewn and
described.
3. The arrangement for regulating and keeping level the platform H, when on
inclined ground as shewn and described.
4. The general arrangement as shewn and described.