IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Clarke, of Southwell House, Lower
Heath, Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES."
Scaled the 28th July 1868, and dated the 31st January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Olarke at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 31st January 1868.
I, GEORGE CLARKE, of Southwell House, Lower Heath, Hampstead,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to the well-known fire escape constructed
by me, and for certain improvements upon which I registered a design
on the 12th March 1863, numbered 1313.
One of my present improvements consists in strengthening the main
ladder against twisting strains by means of a diagonal wire truss at
the back of the ladder, the upper ends of which truss are fixed to

page_text: the brackets upon the end of the ladder, whence the wire ropes
or rods pass diagonally to the opposite ends of the transverse stay bar
of the guiding quadrants; here they are led over pulleys attached to
the bar, and then again crossing each other they pass down to the
framing at bottom, to which they are attached by screw bolts arranged
so as to be capable of tightening the truss when requisite.
Another improvement consists in providing each of the two guiding
quadrants for the levers to the fly ladder with three pulleys instead of
only one as heretofore, over which the two side wire trusses are made
to pass so as to render both the quadrants and the side trusses
more rigid,
Another improvement consists in forming the two levers for working
the fly ladder with two arms or as "split" levers, to one of which arms
the ordinary rope for raising the fly ladder is attached, such rope being
worked by a small windlass fixed to the main ladder at bottom in
place of working the rope by hand as heretofore. To the second arm
is attached a check rope for preventing the fly ladder when raised to
the vertical position from falling forward too rapidly.
Another improvement consists in substituting for the aforesaid
levers working the fly ladder grooved wheels or pulleys of large
diameter, over which pass endless cords, wire ropes or chains, fixed
at one point to the pulleys, and passing over similar grooved pulleys
at the bottom of the main ladder worked by a windlass or crab. The
latter is provided with a brake strap actuated by a quick threaded
screw, and also with a pawl and ratchet wheel, whereby the raising
and lowering of the fly ladder may be effected with a uniform power
and is always under perfect control.
Another improvement consists in substituting for the canvas and
wire gauze trough heretofore employed attached to the main ladder,
a collapsible tube of fireproof canvas, netting, or other suitable limp
fireproof fabric or material, held open at the upper and lower ends
by a framing fixed to the ladder. By the employment of such tube in
place of the trough, the great resistance that the fire escape now
mects with, when travelling against a high wind will be obviated.
In order to cause the tube to collapse to the smallest possible dimensions,
india-rubber rings may be fixed at intervals down the same, which
would be readily distended by the passage of persons or objects down
the tube. Or the lower end of the tube may be made capable of

page_text: being turned so as to twist the tube together when travelling and to
untwist it when wanted for use. Metal bands fixed to the main
ladder may be passed round the tube at intervals down its length to
keep it from sagging. At one or more points in its length openings
may be formed in the tube which is kept distended at such parts so
as to facilitate the introduction of persons or objects through such
openings.
Another improvement consists in providing the "By ladder" with a
second sliding ladder working in grooves or between guides formed
thereon and capable of being slid up beyond the fly ladder by means
of ropes worked from below, when this requires to be extended,
instead of having to lower the fly ladder again and to attach another
ladder thereto as has at present to be done when the fly ladder itself
is found not to be of sufficient length. The ropes for raising the
sliding ladder are by preference actuated by means of the crab that
raises the fly ladder, for which purpose the crab is provided with a
shifting pinion which, after raising the fly ladder, is put in gear
with a wheel actuating a barrel for winding up the ropes of the
sliding ladder.
Another improvement consists in forming the front wire stays
(which at present are attached at the upper end to the end of the
main ladder and at the lower end to the extremity of the hand lever)
so as to be serviceable as hand rails for the main ladder. For this
purpose projecting brackets or arms are attached in front to the upper
end of the main ladder, and to these are connected the upper ends
of the stays which pass down over similar projecting arms on the
lower part of the ladder, and are then connected by tightening screw
bolts to the framing. If requisite one or more intermediate arms
may be fixed to the ladder for supporting the stay.
Another improvement consists in preventing the fire escape from
shifting when placed in position by providing two "scot blocks"
placed behind the wheels and provided with flanges, between which
the wheels fit so as to prevent their sliding off sideways.
Another improvement consists in providing the escape with a hose
reel by preference placed on the axle of the wheels, upon which reel a
considerable length of fire lose may be wound. Or in place of the
recl a box may be suspended from the axle of the wheels for containing
the fire hose.

page_text: Another improvement consists in attaching to the upper end of the
main ladder one or more sheaves or pulley blocks over which a rope
is passed in order to raise or lower articles thereby.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Clarke in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 31st July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
CLARKE, of Southwell House, Lower Heath, Hampstead, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Clarke, Her special
licence that I, the said George Clarke, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Clarke, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE ESCAPES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Clarke, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
• NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Clarke, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
That is to say:

page_text: My Invention has reference to the well-known fire escapes constructed
by me, and for certain improvements upon which I registered a design
on the 12th March 1863, numbered 4313.
One of my present improvements consists in strengthening the main
ladder against twisting strains by means of a diagonal wire truss at
the back of the ladder, the upper ends of which truss are fixed to the
brackets upon the end of the ladder whence the wire ropes or rods
pass diagonally to the opposite ends of the transverse stay bar of the
guiding quadrants; here they are led over pulleys attached to the bar,
and then again crossing each other they pass down to the framing at
bottom to which they are attached by screw bolts arranged so as to be
capable of tightening the truss when requisite.
Another improvement consists in providing each of the two guiding
quadrants on the main ladder with three pulleys instead of only one.
as heretofore, over which the two side wire trusses are made to pass
so as to render both the quadrants and the side trusses more rigid.
Another improvement consists in substituting for the levers employed
heretofore for working the fly ladder, grooved wheels or pulleys of
large diameter, over which pass endless cords, wire ropes, or chains,
fixed at one point to the pulleys and passing over similar grooved.
pulleys at the bottom of the main ladder worked by a windlass or
crab. The latter is provided with a brake strap actuated by a quick
threaded screw and also with a pawl and ratched wheel whereby the
raising and lowering of the fly ladder may be effected with a uniform
power and is always under perfect control.
• Another improvement consists in substituting for the canvas and
wire gauze trough heretofore employed attached to the main ladder
a collapsible tube of canvas, netting, or other suitable limp fireproof
fabric or material, held open at the upper and lower ends by a framing
fixed to the ladder. By the employment of such tube in place of
the trough the great resistance that the fire escape now 'meets with
when travelling against a high wind will be obviated. In order to
cause the tube to collapse to the smallest possible dimensions, india-
rubber rings may be fixed at intervals down the same, which would
be readily distended by the passage of persons or objects down the
tube; or the lower end of the tube may be made capable of being
turned so as to twist the tube together when travelling and to untwist
it when wanted for use. Metal bands fixed to the main lader may

page_text: be passed round the tube at intervals down its length to keep it from
sagging. At one or more points in its length openings may be formed
in the tube, which is kept distended at such parts so as to facilitate
the introduction of persons or objects through such openings.
. Another improvement consists in providing the "fly ladder" with a
second sliding ladder working in grooves or between guides formed
thereon, and capable of being slid up beyond the fly ladder by means
of ropes worked from below, when this requires to be extended, instead
of having to lower the fly ladder again and to attach another ladder
thereto as has at present to be done when the fly ladder itself is found
not to be of sufficient length. The ropes for raising the sliding ladder
are by preference actuated by means of the crab that raises the fly
ladder, for which purpose the crab is provided with a shifting pinion
which after raising the fly ladder is put in gear with a wheel actuating
a barrel for winding up the ropes of the sliding ladder.
Another improvement consists in forming the front wire stays (which
at present are attached at the upper end to the end of the main ladder
and at the lower end to the extremity of the hand lever) so as to be
serviceable as hand rails for the main ladder. For this purpose pro-
jecting brackets or arms are attached in front to the upper end of the
main ladder and to these arc connected the upper ends of the
stays, which pass down over similar projecting arms on the lower part
of the ladder, and are then connected by tightening screw bolts to the
framing. If requisite one or more intermediate arms may be fixed to
the ladder for supporting the stay.
Another improvement consists in providing the escape with a hose
reel, by preference placed on the axles of the wheels, upon which reel a
considerable length of fire hose may be wound; or in place of the reel
a box may be suspended from the axle of the wheels for containing
the fire hose.
is
Another improvement consists in attaching to the upper end of the
main ladder one or more sheaves or pulley blocks over which a rope
passed in order to raise or lower articles thereby.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is shown the construction
of a fire escape having my before described improvements applied
thereto.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the same; Figure 2 shows a
front clevation with the fly ladders removed for the sake of clearness;

page_text: and Figure 3 shows a back elevation.
indicate similar parts in each of the Figures.
Similar letters of reference
A, A, Figures 1 and 3, are the wire trusses for strengthening the
main ladder B against side strains. The upper ends of these trusses are
secured to the brackets C fixed to the upper end of the ladder B, from
which they pass in diagonal directions over the small sheaves a, d',
carried by the transverse bar d of the side quadrants D, and thence
again in a diagonal direction down to the framing E, where they are
secured by screw bolts a as shown. The side quadrants D are each
provided with three other small pulleys or sheaves d, d, d³, over
which the parallel side trusses F pass, whereby both these and the
quadrants are rendered more rigid than heretofore. The fly ladder B'
is raised and lowered by means of the grooved wheels or pulleys G
fixed thereto, and revolving on pins carried by brackets 7 on the sides
of the ladder. For working the wheels G endless cord or wire ropes H
fixed at one point to the circumference of G pass down to the crab I
where they are led over other grooved wheels J which in being rotated
by means of winch handles K (removable from the crab shaft L when
not in use) effect the partial rotation of the wheels G, and thereby
the raising or lowering of the ladder B'. The crab is provided with
a brake not shown on the Drawing, and which may be of any suitable
known construction, and also with pawls N locking into the spur
wheels for controlling the motion of the ladder. The ladder B¹
carries a sliding ladder B working in grooves in B', which, when the
latter requires to be increased in length, is slid up beyond the same
by means of the cord or wire rope M (shown in red lines in Figure 1)
which is fixed to the lower end of B³, whence it passes over the pulley b'
on the upper end of B' and down to the crab shaft L, so that on
shifting this so as to move the pinions I out of gear with the spur
wheels O driving the pulleys J, and then rotating it so as to wind up
the rope M, the ladder B' may be slid up beyond B' to any required
extent. At the back of the main ladder B is the collapsible tube or
shoot P of canvas or other suitable material, the upper end of which is
kept open by being fixed to a hoop carried by the brackets C at the
upper end of the ladder, as also to the ladder itself; at a short distance
down another opening p is formed, the sides of which are fixed to
the ladder B, and the lower end of the shoot is also kept open as
shown by being secured to the sides of the main ladder and to the
cross bar of the bent stays, as also to the heel board of the ladder by

page_text: means of canvas straps. The tubular part of the shoot is kept collapsed
as shown by means of india-rubber rings Q, which however expand
sufficiently to allow of the passage of any person or other object down
the shoot. As before mentioned, any other arrangement may be
employed for collapsing [the tube P, thus it may be merely twisted
together at the lower end when not in use, and untwisted when it is
required to pass anything down. In front of the main ladder B are
the wire stays R, R, arranged so as to be serviceable as hand rails,
for which purpose they are supported in a position parallel with the
ladder by the bars and brackets S, S', fixed to each side of the ladder,
the lower end of the stays being secured by adjusting screw bolts to
the ladder. Upon the axle T of the wheels U is swung the box V
provided with doors v, and serving to contain any desired quantity of
fire hose, or in place of such box the hose may be wound on a recl
placed loose on the shaft. W is a sheave or pulley fixed at the upper
end of the main ladder, over which a rope may be passed for the
convenience of hoisting up either fire hose or for raising and lowering
other objects. The other parts of the fire escape are of well-known
construction, and therefore require no further description.
Having thus described the nature of the several parts of my
Invention,
and in what manner the same are to be performed, I wish it to be
understood that I do not limit myself to the combination of the several
parts of my Invention as herein-before described with reference to the
accompanying Drawing, as it is evident that they may with equal
advantage be employed separate and apart from such combination;
but what I claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First. Strengthening the main leader by means of a diagonal wire
truss at the back thereof, arranged substantially as herein-before
described.
Second. Providing the guiding quadrants on the main ladder with
three pulleys, over which the side wire trusses to the main ladder are
made to pass, substantially as herein-before described.
Third. Effecting the raising and lowering of the fly ladder by means
of grooved wheels or pulleys fixed thereto, over which endless cords,
wire ropes, or chains pass that are worked by means of a windlass or
otherwise at the lower end of the ladder, substantially as herein-before
described.

page_text: Fourth. The application of a collapsible tube or shoot arranged and
operating substantially as described in place of the distended canvas
and wire gauze trough now employed.
Fifth. Providing the fly ladder with a second sliding ladder arranged
and operating substantially as described.
Sixth. Arranging the front wire stays to the main ladder to serve as
hand rails, substantially in manner herein-before described.
Seventh. Providing a box or reel slung on the axle or from the
framing of the escape for containing a supply of fire hose.
Eighth. Providing one or more pulleys or sheaves at the upper end
of the main ladder for raising and lowering fire hose and other
objects.
In witness whereof, I, the said. George Clarke, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.