IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE ESCAPES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLI- CABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Ephraim Lamb at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd August
1866.
I, EPHRAIM LAMB, of 54, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE ESCAPES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLI-
CABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements of
mechanism for the construction of fire escapes, and also of other apparatus
for similar or analogous purposes, such as those for which ladders or hoisting
machines are needed, the chief agent employed being a series of bars or
levers connected together and working upon pivots or centres upon the
principle which has been heretofore used in the instrument called "lazy-
tongs."
The application of this Invention to the construction of fire escapes may be
first described. In cases in which it is desired that the fire escape shall be
so placed on the exterior of a building as to be always available for use, the
object is effected by placing series of levers of the before-mentioned descrip-
tion against the wall of the building, the same being retained in such position
by means of a slotted guide plate constructed of metal or wood, and fixed to
the wall, a space being left between the wall and that portion of the back of
the plate which is in proximity to the slot in order to permit of the attach-

page_text: ments to the levers, herein-after mentioned, moving freely therein. The
system of levers, constructed as before mentioned, is fixed by one end thereof
to the slotted plate at any desired portion of the wall, or to the latter, each
central point of attachment being furnished with a short spindle projecting
backwards, and on which is mounted a grooved wheel working in the said
slot, or any analogous contrivance for preventing friction may be used. The
effect of this arrangement is that upon the requisite amount of power being
applied to the respective portions of any section of the system of levers the
whole of such system is set in action, and the same can be compressed or
extended at will. For the sake of illustration it may be supposed that an
arrangement, such as that before described, is placed on each side of a window
or line of windows; to the exterior side of each system of levers, and at right
angles to the wall, is attached a similar combination, the whole being con-
nected so as to be capable of simultaneous compression or extension. In
order to afford means of support for the persons who are to be lowered or
raised by the apparatus, bars are extended between and rest upon or are
attached to the respective sides of the apparatus, and upon which a platform
with protective bars or rails can be placed. In order to allow of the system
of levers being compressed or extended at pleasure, the respective ends of a
vertical bar furnished with a screw worm on the exterior thereof are attached
by means of eyes or sockets to the opposite bars of one of the sections of the
system of levers in proximity to the platform, such eyes or sockets being fur-
nished with an internal screw thread corresponding to that on the bar. A
winch or handle is mounted in suitable bearings on the platform, the spindle
of such winch being provided with a thread or teeth gearing into the worm
on the before-mentioned bar. Upon the winch or handle being turned the
system of levers is compressed or extended at pleasure, and by proportioning
the length thereof to the height to be traversed the apparatus may be ren-
dered available for the saving of life in cases of fire. Instead of the apparatus
being actuated from the platform by the person who wishes to descend, the
compression and extension may be effected from the bottom of the apparatus
by means of an arrangement similar to that before described, it being unim-
portant to which section of the system of levers the power is applied, as such
power is simultaneously communicated to all parts of the combination.
In some cases it may be found desirable to dispense with the slotted plates
or guides and to employ as a fire escape merely the combination of levers and
the arrangement for compression and extension, the apparatus being in such
cases firmly attached to the building by its upper end or raised against the
building from the ground. The advantage of this arrangement is that the

page_text: apparatus may be placed at an angle to the building, and thus enable the
persons using it to avoid the effects of fire issuing from the lower portions of
the building.
It is manifest that combinations of levers such as those before mentioned
may be advantageously employed for a variety of purposes, such as the repair
or ascent of buildings generally, and the fixing of telegraph wires at con-
siderable heights. The parts of which the compound levers employed are
constructed should consist of iron or other suitable metal or material, and
which may be of any form or section adapted for the purpose and capable of
imparting adequate strength to the apparatus.