IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRICTION OF THE CELLINOS זו! FLOORS OF BUILDINGS FOR FACILITATING EXIT THEREFROM IN CASE OF FIRE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Roberdean Clymer, of Reading, Berks County, in
the State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRICTION OF THE CELLINOS
זו!
FLOORS OF BUILDINGS FOR FACILITATING EXIT THEREFROM IN CASE OF FIRE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Roberdean Clymer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th December 1883.
DANIEL R. [ROBERDEAN] CLYMER of Reading, Berks County, in the State of
Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America,
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE CEILINGS AND FLOORS OF BUILDINGS FOR FACILITATING
EXIT THEREFROM IN CASE OF FIRE."
This improvement relates to fire-escapes concealed within; and to be used in
the interior of the building. The object of the improvement is to provide a safe
and ready mode of escape from a burning building; the escape being so arranged
that by a series of passages, doors and ladders (concealed when not in use,) descent
may be made from the top of the highest building, story by story, without risk of
life, broken limbs, or of being deterred by fear from attempting to descend.
My fire-escape is located within and not exterior to the walls of the building;
made easy of access, and the continuous descent at any point not of an intimidating
height.
'It is more particularly adapted to private residences and to hotels, where the
control of the building is in the hands of a person or persons, who can lay down
and enforce regulations, governing the use of the same; but it is applicable to all
buildings where the occupants of the several stories or rooms agree, for the common
good, to provide for their mutual escape from a burning building.
I provide well holes in the floors each having two doors one over the other, one
door flush with the floor, which I term the floor door, and another a very little
above the finish of the ceiling below, which I term the ceiling door. Between
these the fire-escape ladder is packed out of the way, resting upon the ceiling door
Dries R

page_text: beneath; the ladder is secured by hooks and staples and of such length as only to
reach nearly or quite to the next floor below.
At the lower ends of the ladder, and connected therewith at each side, are eyes,
chains, rings or buttons; and beneath the floor and suitably secured, either a bar
with bent ends, or staples, for the purpose of securing the ladder thereto, and to
prevent the swaying back and forth of the same. Openings are cut through the
floor above the bent ends, of the bar, or over the staples, and are hidden from view
when not in use, by floor blocks with handles.
Within every room in a building occupied as a working, living or sleeping
apartment (according to the use to which it is applied) I have one or more well-
holes, in size about 18 by 24 inches or more in the clear, on the plan, forming the
same by a front trimmer and a rear trimmer, in combination with the floor joists,
the former of the same depth as the joists, the latter the thickness of the ceiling
door less in depth.
The ceiling may be finished as usual by plastering directly across the under face
of the ceiling door. The several ceilings therefore present only the usual
appearance; but the laths are arranged to allow the ceiling to be easily broken by
pressing down from above on the ceiling door, when a fire occurs; and thus throw
the door instantly and fully open.
The ladders are made of such length, that when hanging free their lower ends, or
the last rung of the same, shall be within easy reach of the floor immediately
beneath the well opening. At this point of the ladder flexible chains are attached
by eyes thereto, terminating with rings or swivel buttons for a purpose disclosed
further on.
I do not place the wells or openings through the several stories, directly beneath
each other, but require the openings in the floor below to be set some three or more
feet to one side of the opening in the floor above. In the landing floor thus
provided, and immediately under the ladder as suspended, and in line with the
rungs of the same, openings are cut through the floor, a flat bar of iron having its
ends worked down, rounded and bent somewhat towards the ceiling, are secured
beneath the floor so that the ends shall clear about a half inch; the extreme ends of
the openings or staples are set beneath the floor in openings. In the first case the
rings on the ends of the chain are slipped over the bar ends, and in the latter case
the swivel buttons are passed through the staples, the intention in both cases being
to give stability to the ladder and therefore more confidence to the user of the
same.
These wells are preferably located at such points on the floor plan of each room
as will certainly not be obstructed by heavy articles in the furnishing of the same.
The rooms may be carpeted and furnished as usual, the carpet being preferably left
loose, or only slightly tacked in the vicinity of the well holes.
The said wells are placed two or more feet horizontally on floor plan to one side
of the well opening, above, or beneath the same, whereby the descent is made from
story to story resting at each story on a landing.
The ceiling door is connected by hinges to the rear trimmer and extended
rearward into a space provided therefor, whereby said door when released will
drop into a vertical position without crushing the ceiling
A system of electric bells. or tube signals is combined for hotels and workshops,
and may be adapted to private dwellings, by which the occupants would be notified
of the danger and the location of the fire; the occupant of a room would know
at once whether the fire was beneath his room or not. If clear below he would
throw back the carpet remove the floor door, unhook the ceiling door, and placing
his foot upon the ceiling door, press down upon it, and break the plaster connection
of the same, when the door would fall releasing the ladder, when he would descend
into the room below; if there were more to follow him, the first to descend would
on arriving on the floor below, remove the floor pieces, exposing the bar ends or
the staples and taking the chains in hand would secure the same on either side of

page_text: the ladder, to said bar ends or staples as described. He would then, unless some
one had preceded him, repeat, the operation upon each successive story or floor,
reached in his descent, until the ground floor was gained and he was free from the
building; in each case followed or preceded by the occupants of each floor; and the
rooms would thus be successively cleared without risk of life.
In case the signal would indicate that the fire was beneath, the quarter occupied,
the occupant would pass into the hall and without attempting a stair case, pass on
the same level to a part of the building clear of fire beneath the rooms; and
entering therein, pass down through the wells as before described and thus escape.
To give security to the occupants of the rooms against unwarrented intrusion,
(when the building is not on fire) a vibrating bell is attached to the inner face of the
floor door, in any suitable manner, so that any attempt to tamper with or raise the
same, will be indicated by the ringing of the bell. The bells may also be connected
with a system of electric calls, so that the breaking of the connection by the raising
of the door will set off the bells.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Daniel Roberdean Clymer in the Patent Office on the 18th June
1884.
DANIEL ROBERDEAN CLYMER, of Reading, Berks County, in the State of
Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE CEILINGS AND FLOORS OF BUILDINGS FOR FACILITATING
EXIT THEREFROM IN CASE OF FIRE.
This improvement relates to fire escapes concealed within and to be used in the
interior of the building.
The object of the improvement is to provide a safe and ready mode of escape
from a burning building; the escape being so arranged that, by a series of passages,
ladders and doors (concealed when not in use), descent may be made from the
highest building, story by story, without risk of life, broken limbs, or of being
deterred by the height of descent from attempting to reach the ground.
The above objects are attained by the adoption of my improvement, as shown
in the drawing herewith forming part of this specification and in which similar
parts are marked by letters of similar character; Figure 1 representing in
perspective two floors and part of the wall of a building with my improvement
in place therein ready for use; Fig. 2 representing a section longitudinally
through the centre of one of the well-holes, showing the fire-escape ladder packed
out of the way and resting upon the ceiling door beneath, the latter secured by
hooks and staples, both ceiling and floor doors shown closed. Fig. 3 is also a
longitudinal section through the well, showing the floor door removed and the
ceiling door dropped with a portion of the ladder suspended in the well. Fig. 4
is a cross-section through the well hole just in front of the ladder, showing a mode
of securing the lower end of the ladder by a simple ring and pin. Fig. 5 is also
a similar cross-section, showing a different mode of securing the ladder.
A represents one of the walls of the building; A¹, the wash-board; A² the
cornice; B floor piece; C front trimmer; C¹ rear trimmer; D floor; E ceiling;
F well holes; G floor-door; G' handle to the same; H ceiling-door; I hinges
to same; staples; K hooks to secure the ceiling door in place; L an escape-
ladder, hung within the well by the upper rung M and having the usual
rungs M
At the lower ends of the ladder and connected therewith at each
side are eyes N, chain O, rings P or buttons S, and beneath the floor and suitably
secured either a bar R with bent ends R¹ or staples T for the purpose of securing
the ladder thereto and to prevent the swaying back and forth of the same.
openings cut through the floor above the bent ends R¹ of the bar R or over the
staples T, and are hidden from view when not in use by floor-blocks V with
bandles V'.
V are
Notwithstanding the number of fire-escapes which have been invented, there
are but few comparatively that are in use. The fact is that, unless enclosed, few
persons can be induced to use them; and if enclosed and permanently attached
to the building, they become excrescences projecting beyond the building-line,
detracting from the appearance of the building and available only to the occupants
of the same who chance to be lodged or employed on the side where they are
located.
To relieve the average mind of all fear as to the use of fire-escapes, they must
be located within and not exterior to the walls of the building, made easy of
access, and the continuous descent at any point not of an intimidating height.

page_text: When it is understood that escapes of such character are provided, the most
timid will remain cool and ready to avail themselves of the means of safety
placed within their reach.
My improved fire-escape is more particularly adapted to private residences and
to hotels where the control of the building is in the hands of a person or persons
who can lay down and enforce regulations governing the use of the same. At the
same time it is applicable to all buildings where the occupants of the several stories
and rooms agree for the common good to provide for their mutual escape from a
burning building.
My invention provides all who adopt it with so rapid a mode of egress, that, in
a few moments after the alarm is given, the occupants of the highest flats of our
times may reach the street in safety.
My invention is applied as follows:-Within every room of a building occupied
as a working, living or sleeping apartment, (according to the use to which it is to
be applied) I make one or more well-holes F in size about eighteen inches by
twenty-four inches or more in the clear on the plan, forming the same by a front
trimmer C, and a rear trimmer C, in combination with the floor-joist B, the former
of the same depth as the joist, the latter the thickness of the ceiling door less in
depth. These wells are preferably placed at such points on the floor plan of the
room as would absolutely not be obstructed by heavy articles in the furnishing of
the same.
The floor is worked or laid up to within one inch of the inner face of
the well, and the space thus left is subsequently filled out with a door of the same
material laid to correspond therewith; is fitted so as to be easily removed. To
facilitate removal, I cut through the central portion of the door two mortises
about one and one half inch by three eighths of an inch in size and about six inches
apart through which I pass a strap of leather or of saddle-girth webbing, and sew
or rivet the ends together beneath the face of the door, leaving the handle thus
formed of sufficient length when raised above the face of the door to admit the
hand. When not in use, the strap or web is pressed through the mortise, so as to
lie flat upon the door and thus offer but a trißing obstruction beneath the carpet.
I prefer to place these wells near the wash boards, and to place upon the same a
mark readily recognized to indicate the position of the same. The ceiling or
bottom of the well will be closed by a door H permanently hung therein by
hinges I secured to the door, and the rear trimmer C¹. A space or boxing will be
provided in the rear trimmer C¹, and the door so hung that when it is dropped in
a perpendicular position, as shown in Fig. 3 the rear of the door will enter within
said space as shown. The front of the door is provided with one or more staples J,
and pivoted within the well are hooks K whereby the door when closed, as in
Fig. 2, is retained in place. This door is also fitted loosely in place is lathed over,
(the lath cut even with the door-edges) plastered, papered or finished to correspond
with the ceiling as though no well-hole were provided therein.
Within the well-holes as described, I suspend, in any convenient and suitable
manner, a flexible ladder of wire-rope, chain or links, preferably of the latter
form. The ladder may be suspended in the well at the rear next to the wall or at
the front of the well. I prefer to suspend it at the end farthest from the wall.
When not in use, it will be rolled, folded or doubled up, so as to lie within the well
upon the ceiling door. The ladders are made of such length that when hanging
free, their lower ends or the last rung of the same shall be within easy reach of the
floor immediately beneath the well opening. At this point of the ladder, flexible
chains are attached by eyes N thereto, terminating with rings P or swivel
buttons S for a purpose disclosed farther on. The wells being provided, the bed
cord or sheets knotted together would improvise a safe means of descent from
room to room; but I give preference to a ladder securely placed in each well, and
so constructed and arranged that on releasing the ceiling-door it should drop with
the same, and open out ready for use. Persons who are trying to escape from a
burning building will hesitate and, hesitating, are lost before they will attempt to
descend from the height of three or more stories to the ground, either -by-a loose

page_text: dangling ladder or by an enclosed well extending the same distance in a direct
line, but who would not stop an instant to calculate chances when they know their
landing point was comparatively but a few feet below them. For this reason, I do
not place the wells directly beneath each other, but require the opening in the floor
below to be set some three or more feet to one side of the opening in the floor
above. In the landing floor thus provided and immediately under the ladder as
suspended and in line with the rungs of the same, openings V are cut through the
floor D, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, and a flat bar of iron R, having its ends R¹
worked down, rounded and bent somewhat towards the ceiling, is secured beneath
the floor, so that the ends R¹ shall clear about one half inch extreme ends of the
openings V; or, as shown in Fig, 5, staples T, are set beneath the floor in
openings V. In the first case, the rings P on the ends of the chains O are slipped
over the bar-ends R¹, and in the latter case, the swivel-button is passed through
the staple; the intention in both cases being to give stability to the ladder and
therefore more confidence to the user of the same.
The operation of the invention is as follows: In hotels the guests are instructed
where to look for the wells and the manner of using the same; while in private
dwellings, it is understood that the inmates would know the use of the same.
The rooms would be carpeted and furnished as usual, the carpet being left loose or
only slightly tacked in the vicinity of the well holes. A system of electric or tube
signals would be adopted for hotels and workshops, and might be adapted to
private dwellings, by which the occupants would be notified of their danger and
the location of the fire. The occupant of a room would know at once whether the
fire was beneath his room or not. If clear below he would throw back the carpet,
remove the floor-door G, unhook the ceiling-door H, and, placing his foot upon the
ceiling-door, press upon it and break the plaster connection of the same, when the
door would fall releasing the ladder, when he would descend into the room below.
If there were more to follow him, the first to descend would, on arriving on the
floor below, remove the floor pieces V₁, exposing the bar-ends R' or the staples T,
and, taking the chains O in hand, would secure the same on either side of the
ladder to said bar-ends or staples, as described.
He would then unless some one
had preceded him, repeat the operation upon each successive story or floor reached in
his descent until the ground floor was gained and he was free from the building, in
each case followed or preceded by the occupants of each floor, and the rooms
would thus be successively cleared without risk of life. In case the signal should
indicate that the fire was beneath the quarter occupied, the occupant would pass
into the hall; and, without attempting a staircase, pass over the same level to a
part of the building clear of fire beneath the rooms, and entering therein pass
down through the wells, as before described, and thus escape.
Having shown the construction arrangements adaptation and desirability of my
fire-escape, I desire to secure by Letters Patent the following claims thereon:
:
First In combination with a building to which they may be adapted, and with
the floors, joists, trimmers and ceilings thereof, a series of well-holes F, provided
with removable floor-doors G and ceiling-doors H hung on hinges I and secured by
hooks K and staples J or their equivalent, and concealed within the well thus
arranged a flexible ladder L permanently hung therein; the whole constructed,
arranged and adapted to be used substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second: In a building, a series of well-holes F piercing through floor and
ceiling as described and provided with floor-doors G ceiling-doors H and a flexible
ladder L permanently secured therein; the said wells being placed from two or
more feet horizontally on floor plan to one side of the well-opening above or
beneath the same, whereby the descent is made from story to story with landings,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third: In combination with the landing floor of a fire-escape well and its ladder
as described, the openings V caps V2 bar R R¹ or staples T the chains O loops or
rings P or swivel-buttons S, whereby the ladder is steadied between floors as and
for the purpose set forth,

page_text: Fourth In combination with fire-escape wells provided with door G and door H
connected by the hinges I to the rear trimmer C³, said door being extended rear-
ward into a space provided therefor whereby said door when released will drop
into a vertical position without crushing the ceiling substantially as shown and for
the purpose set forth.
Fifth-In combination with a fire-escape well provided with doors and ladder
as described, an alarm device Q connected to the floor-door G; so that a movement
of the latter will give an alarm to guard against unwarranted intrusion, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said Daniel Roberdean Clymer have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 22nd day of May A.D. 1884.
AT