IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ESCAPE LADDERS AND HOSE CONDUCTORS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE-ESCAPE LADDERS AND HOSE CONDUCTORS." A communication from
abroad by Joseph Richard Winters, of Chambersburgh, in the County of
Franklin, State of Pennsylvania, and Robert Vosburgh, of Brooklyn, in the
County of King's, State of New York, both in the United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ESCAPE LADDERS AND HOSE
CONDUCTORS." [A communication from abroad by Joseph Richard Winters, of
Chambersburgh, in the County of Franklin, State of Pennsylvania, and Robert
Vosburgh, of Brooklyn, in the County of King's, State of New York, both in the
United States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to promote convenience and increase security in
using fire escape ladders of the kind known as lazy-tongs ladders.
The Invention consists in the combination with the axle and the frame of
swivelled screws, their nuts, and guide uprights, whereby the frame can be kept
level, however uneven or inclined the surface of the ground may be; also in the
combination with the frame of stationary hooks and hinged hooks, whereby a side
ladder can be conveniently and securely carried; also in the combination with the
frame of bent pipes and the hose, whereby the said hose will be raised and lowered
by and with the said ladder; and also in the combination with the side bars of the
ladder of tyres and end blocks, whereby the ladder is strengthened, as will be
hereinafter fully described.
The frame of the carriage is made of angle and T iron securely bolted together.
The forward part of the frame is made with an upward offset to provide room for
the forward wheels in turning, the said forward wheels being connected with the
frame by an axle, springs, and fifth wheel. The axle of the rear wheels passes

page_text: through slotted uprights attached to the said frame. To this axle at the inner
sides of the slotted uprights are rigidly attached bolts or screw rods, which pass
through sockets attached or hinged to the upper ends of the uprights. Upon the
screws are nuts, which pass through and are swivelled to the sockets, and are
provided with hand wheels, cranks, or other suitable handles. With this construc-
tion by turning the hand nuts the frame can be levelled so that the ladder will
rise vertically, however uneven may be the surface of the ground upon which the
wheels rest. The side bars of the ladder are pivoted to each other in pairs at their
centres and ends by rods, thus forming a lazy-tongs ladder. The side bars are
also connected by rounds, forming a double ladder. The forward lower ends of
the lowest side bars are hinged by lugs and bolts or other suitable means to a cross
bar, the ends of which slide upon flanges upon the side frames of the carriage, or in
grooves in the said side frame. Through screw holes in this cross bar or in nuts
attached to the said cross bar pass screws which are swivelled to cross bars of the
frame. To the outer ends of these screws are attached bevelled gear wheels, the
teeth of which mesh into the teeth of bevelled gear wheels attached to a cross
shaft which revolves in bearings in the sides of the frame, and to one or both of
the ends of which is attached a crank or crank wheel, which is made large and
heavy, so as to serve also as a flywheel to give steadiness of motion to the ladder
when being raised and lowered.
The rear lower ends of the lowest side bars are hinged to a cross bar by having
holes formed through them to receive the rounded end parts of the said cross bar,
or by lugs and a bolt or other suitable means. The ends of the cross bar or
bearing blocks or bars attached to the said ends slide in vertical guide slots in
uprights attached to the sides of the frame of the carriage. In screw holes in the cross
bar, or in nuts attached to the said cross bar, work screws which are swivelled to a
cross bar attached to the side bars of the frame or to the lower ends of the slotted
uprights. To the lower ends of the swivelled screws are attached bevelled gear
wheels, the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of the bevelled gear wheels attached
to a cross shaft which revolves in bearings attached to the frame, and carries a
gear wheel on one or both of its ends, the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of a
gear wheel, the shaft of which is pivoted to the frame. To this shaft are attached
cranks or crank wheels, which are inade heavy so as to serve also as flywheels; or
a crank or crank wheel can be attached to one end of the shaft, and a flywheel to
the other end if desired.
With this construction the ladder can be inclined to the rearward, or held in a
vertical position, as may be required. The side bars of the extension ladder are
strengthened, so that the ladder can support great weights when required by
having a metallic band or tyre placed around each of the said bars.
The ends of the bars are strengthened to receive their hinging rods by blocks,
the outer ends of which have holes formed through them to receive the rods, and
are rounded off to receive the band or tyre. These blocks have tapered recesses
formed in them to receive tapered tenons formed upon the ends of the bars. The
tyre, the blocks, and the bars are secured to each other by bolts which pass through
the said tyre and blocks and the tenons of the said bars.
The centres of the bars are strengthened by metallic plates attached to them,
and through which the central hinging rods pass.
When the ladder is lowered the outer parts of its lowest side bars rest upon
cross bars, the ends of which bars rest upon the upper ends of spiral springs, whose
lower ends bear upon the side bars of the carriage frame, so as to afford a yielding
support to the said ladder. The cross bars are covered or padded with leather or
other suitable material to prevent noise and wear, and have holes at their ends,
through which pass uprights, the upper ends of which have outwardly projecting
hooks formed upon them to receive the upper side bars of the side ladders, the lower
side bars of which rest upon the side bars of the frame, where they aro held in
place by hooks hinged to said frame, so that they can be easily and quickly turned
back to release the said ladders. These ladders are especially designed for use in

page_text: reaching buildings at the side of the machine in places where it is not convenient
or possible to turn the said machine so as to reach the building by inclining the
extension ladder.
In using a side ladder the foot or base of the same is placed astride the lower
parts of a pair of the side bars of the extension ladder. The outer end of the
ladder is then lowered to the window or other desired part of the building. The
outer ends of the side bars of these ladders have hooks formed upon or attached to
them, so that they can be readily secured to a window sill or other object.
A cage is provided for raising or lowering people, furniture, and other objects to
and from a building. To the upper parts of the ends of this cage, ao as to be above
the centre of gravity, are attached the ends of two ropes or chains, which pass
over pulleys pivoted to the lower ends of bars which are connected by a bar or
round, and upon the upper ends of the said bars are formed, or to them are attached
hooks to hook upon a round of the ladder at any desired distance from the ground.
From the pulley the ropes or chains pass to and between guide rounds or rollers
attached to or pivoted to the frame or to supports attached to the said frame.
From the guide rollers the ropes or chains pass to a cylinder, and are attached to
and wound upon the said cylinder, where they are kept separate by a central
flange. The journals of the cylinder or drum revolve in bearings attached to the
frame, and to one or both the said journals are attached crank wheels or cranks
for operating the said cylinder, and which may be made heavy to serve also as
flywheels; or a crank or crank wheel can be attached to one journal of the cylinder
and a flywheel to the other journal. To the rear part of the frame are hinged
hooks to hook upon pins or staples attached to the ends of the cage to support the
said cage when the machine is being moved from place to place. To the sides of
the frame are attached short pipes, the outer ends of which are designed to be
connected with a fire engine, a hydrant, or other water supply. The inner ends of
the pipes are curved upward, and to them are attached the ends of two lines
of hose, which are carried up upon the opposite sides of the ladder, each line of
hose passing up upon the outer sides of the rounds of one pair of side bars and
upon the inner sides of the rounds of the next pair of side bars.
With this arrangement the ladder will be balanced by the hose, and the hose
will be raised by and with the said ladder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th November 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPE LADDERS AND HOSE
CONDUCTORS." A communication from abroad by Joseph Richard Winters, of
Chambersburgh in the County of Franklin, State of Pennsylvania, and Robert
Vosburgh, of Brooklyn, in the County of King's, State of New York, both in the
United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to promote convenience and increase security in
using fire escape ladders of the kind known as lazytongs ladders.
The Invention consists in the combination with the axle and the frame of
swivelled screws, their nuts, and guide uprights, whereby the frame can be kept
level however uneven or inclined the surface of the ground may be; also in the
combination with the frame of stationary hooks and hinged hooks, whereby a side
ladder can be conveniently and securely carried; also in the combination with the
frame of bent pipes and the hose, whereby the said hose will be raised and lowered
by and with the said ladder; and also in the combination with the side bars of the
ladder of tires and end blocks, whereby the ladder is strengthened, as will be
hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus
shown folded for carriage; Figure 2 is a plan view of the carriage, the ladder
being removed; Figure 3 is a side view of the improvement, the ladder being
extended; Figure 4 is a front elevation of the same, showing the side ladder;
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a bar of the extension ladder enlarged; Figure 6 is
a front elevation of a part of the extension ladder; Figure 7 is a rear elevation,
partly in section, of the carriage; Figure 8 is a sectional rear elevation of the
carriage, showing the mechanism for tilting the ladder; Figure 9 is a sectional end
elevation of the carriage taken through the line x, x, Figure 2. Similar letters of
reference represent corresponding parts.
A represents the frame of the carriage, which is made of angle and T iron
securely bolted together. The forward part of the frame A is made with an
upward offset to provide room for the forward wheels B in turning, the said forward
wheels being connected with the frame A by an axle C, springs D, and fifth
wheel E. The axle F of the rear wheels G passes through slotted uprights H
attached to the said frame A. To the axle F at the inner sides of the slotted
uprights H are rigidly attached bolts or screw rods I, which pass through sockets J
attached or hinged to the upper ends of the uprights H. Upon the screws I are
placed nuts K, which pass through and are swivelled to the sockets J, and are
provided with hand wheels, cranks, or other suitable handles. With this construc-
tion, by turning the hand nuts K, the frame A can be levelled, so that the ladder
will rise vertically however uneven may be the surface of the ground upon which
the wheels B, G, rest. L are the side bars of the ladder, which are pivoted to each
other in pairs at their centres by rods M, and at their ends by rods N, thus forming
a lazytongs ladder. The side bars L are also connected by rounds O, as shown in
Figure 3, forming a double ladder. The forward lower ends of the lowest side
bars L are hinged by lugs and bolts or other suitable means to the cross bar P, the
ends of which slide upon flanges upon the side frames A, or in grooves in the said
Bide frame. Through screw holes in the cross bar P, or in nuts attached to the
said cross bar, pass screws Q, which are swivelled to cross bars R of the frame A.
To the outer ends of the screws Q are attached bevelled gear wheels S, the teeth of

page_text: which mesh into the teeth of the bevelled gear wheels T attached to the cross
shaft U. The cross shaft U revolves in bearings in the sides of the frame A, and
to one or both its ends is attached a crank or crank wheel V, which is made large
and heavy so as to serve also as a flywheel to give steadiness of motion to the
ladder when being raised and lowered. The rear lower ends of the lowest side
bars L are hinged to the cross bar W by having holes formed through them to
receive the rounded end parts of the said cross bar, or by lugs and a bolt or other
suitable means.
The ends of the cross bar W or bearing blocks or bars X attached
to the said ends slide in vertical guide slots in uprights Y attached to the sides of the
frame A. In screw holes in the cross bar W, or in nuts attached to the said cross
bar W, work screws Z which are swivelled to a cross bar a attached to the side bars
of the frame A, or to the lower ends of the uprights Y. To the lower ends of the
swivelled screws Z are attached bevelled gear wheels b, the teeth of which mesh
into the teeth of the bevelled gear wheels c attached to the cross shaft d. The
cross shaft & revolves in bearings attached to the frame A, and to one or both its
ends is attached a gear wheel 4, the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of a gear
wheel 5, the shaft 6 of which is pivoted to the frame A. To the shaft 6 are attached
cranks or crank wheels e, which are made heavy so as to serve also as flywheels;
or a crank or crank wheel can be attached to one end of the shaft 6, and a fly-
wheel to the other end if desired. With this construction the ladder can be
inclined to the rearward, as shown in Figure 3, or held in a vertical position, as
may be required.
The bars L are strengthened so that the ladder can support great weights when
required by having a metallic band or tyre f placed around each of the said bars L,
as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The ends of the bars L are strengthened to receive
the hinging rods N by the blocks g, the outer ends of which have holes formed
through them to receive the rods N, and are rounded off to receive the band or
tyre f. The blocks g have tapered recesses formed in them to receive the tapered
tenons formed upon the ends of the bars L. The tyre f, the blocks g, and the
bars L are secured to each other by the bolts h, which pass through the said tyre
and blocks and the tenons of the said bars, as shown in Figure 5. The centres of
the bars L are strengthened by metallic plates i attached to them, and through the
centres of which the hinging rods M pass. When the ladder is lowered the outer
parts of its lowest side bars rest upon the cross bars j, which have holes in their
ends to receive the uprights . The ends of the bars j rest upon the upper ends of
the spiral springs 7, the lower ends of which rest upon the side bars of the frame A,
so as to afford a yielding support to the said ladder. The cross barsj are covered
or padded with leather or other suitable material to prevent noise and wear.
upper ends of the uprights have outwardly projecting hooks m formed upon them
to receive the upper side bars of the ladders o, the lower side bars of which rest
upon the side bars of the frame A, where they are held in place by the hooks n
hinged to the frame A, so that they can be easily and quickly turned back to
release the said ladders o. The ladders o are especially designed for use in reaching
buildings at the side of the machine in places where it is not convenient or possible
to turn the said machine, so as to reach the building by inclining the extension
ladder. In using a side ladder o the foot or base of the said ladder o is placed
astride the lower parts of a pair of bars L, as shown in Figure 4. The outer end
of the ladder o is then lowered to the window or other desired part of the building.
The outer ends of the side bars of the ladders o have hooks p formed upon or
attached to them, as shown in Figure 4, so that they can be readily secured to a
window sill or other object.
The
q, Figure 3, is a cage for raising or lowering people, furniture, and other objects
to and from a building. To the upper parts of the ends of the cage q, so as to be
above the centre of gravity, are attached the ends of two ropes or chains ?', which
pass over pulleys & pivoted to the lower ends of the bars t. The barst are
connected by a bar or round, and upon the upper ends of the said bars t are
formed or to them are attached books to hook upon a round of the ladder at any

page_text: desired distance from the ground. From the pulley & the ropes or chains ? pass to
and between guide rounds or rollers w attached or pivoted to the frame A or to
supports attached to the said frame. From the guide rollers w the ropes or chains r
pass to the cylinder x, and are attached to and wound upon the said cylinder,
where they are kept separate by a central flange. The journals of the cylinder or
drum revolve in bearings attached to the frame A, and to one or both the said
journals are attached crank wheels or cranks y for operating the said cylinder, and
which may be made heavy to serve also as flywheels; or a crank or crank wheel
can be attached to one journal of the cylinder a, and a flywheel to the other
journal. To the rear part of the frame A are hinged hooks z to hook upon
pins or staples 1, attached to the ends of the cage q, to support the said cage when
the machine is being moved from place to place. To the sides of the frame A are
attached short pipes 2, the outer ends of which are designed to be connected with a
fire engine, a hydrant, or other water supply. The inner ends of the pipes
curved upward, and to them are attached the ends of two lines of hose 3, which
are carried up upon the opposite sides of the ladder, each line of hose passing up
upon the outer sides of the rounds O of one pair of side bars L, and upon the inner
sides of the rounds O of the next pair of side bars L, as shown in Figure 3. With this
arrangement the ladder will be balanced by the hose, and the hose will be raised
by and with the said ladder.
are
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. In a fire escape ladder and hose conductor the combination with the axle F
and the frame A of the swivelling screws I, the nuts K, and the uprights H,
substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the frame can be kept level
however uneven or inclined the surface of the ground may be, as-set forth.
2nd. In a fire escape ladder and hoso conductor the combination with the frame A
of the stationary hooks m and the hinged hooks n, substantially as herein shown
and described, whereby a side ladder can be conveniently and securely carried, as
set forth.
3rd. In a fire escape ladder and hose conductor the combination with the frame A
and the extension ladder L, M, N, O, of the bent pipes 2 and the hose 3, substan-
tially as herein shown and described, whereby the hose will be raised and lowered
by and with the said ladder, as set forth.
4th. In a fire escape ladder and hose conductor the combination with the side
bars L of the ladder of the tires fand the end blocks g, substantially as herein
shown and described, whereby the ladder is strengthened, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my band and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, A.D. 1881.