Improvements in the Manufacture of Fire Escapes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Fire Escapes.
I SAMUEL EDMOND STATHAM of the Manor House Adlandts Lane
Levenshulme Manchester India Rubber Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1st. I construct of metal or other material a frame or tower either square or any
other shape of the requisite height in such a manner that each side of it presents
the form of a ladder with spokes at convenient distances for mounting the structure
tapering down towards the top where the uprights which form the frame or corners
of the tower meet. I then turn forward in the shape of a curve the united uprights
so as to be able to affix and allow free play to a pulley. I connect the uprights by
cross bars at the bottom so as to give the necessary rigidity to the structure and I
attach at a convenient distance from the bottom two chairs or sockets as supports
for an axle upon which I put another double pulley one part of which is of several
times the diameter of the other and concentric with it. I also attach to the front
part of the tower at a convenient height another pulley the axle of which turns in
sockets fixed to the frame of the tower.
I then attach at a convenient distance from the bottom of the tower and on the
two sides of it a frame forming the supports of an axles running through the tower
from side to side and being on the outside supported by chairs on two corresponding
frames attached to two sections of a round turn table with an open parallel space in
the middle.
The frame or tower is therefore suspended by and swings on the axle above
described and can be turned in any direction on acting in the desired manner on
the turn table (to which it is attached) by means of handles fitted to the latter.
I further attach to one side of the square frame and below the level of the top of
the turn table a cross bar and a corresponding one across the bottoms of the
upright frames attached to the turn table (both turning in sockets) and I pierce
both and run a screw thread through the one attached to the tower and insert a
screw into it supported at the other end by a socket in the cross bar attached to
the frames and terminating by a wheel or handle in such a manner that a turn of
the latter will give to the tower any inclination desired and within the limits of the
turn table which is constructed of two halves leaving a sufficiently wide and
parallel space in the middle so as to allow of the play of the tower backward and
forward.
I now cut the tower in two at about half its height and reattach the two halves
on the backside by strong hinges thus enabling me to double up the whole structure
to the extent required for making it play upon the attaching hinges.
I now attach on each side of and to the upright frames of the turn table and on
the axle by which the whole structure is suspended a strong lever supported by a
stay or stays forming shorter levers underneath and attached to the same axle and
terminating in such a manner at the bottom so as to form with the longer levers
the basis of a triangle and attached at the top at a convenient height to the longer
levers by pivots in such a manner that when this axle turns the small levers act
upon the large ones so as to make them rise and descend.
The long levers are of sufficient length to reach to the top part of the tower
where I unite them by a cross bar or roller. I then affix to the outside of the upper
part of the tower a double and parallel slide closed at both ends and of sufficient.
length and I pass through this slide the cross bar forming roller (which unites the
upper parts of the levers) in such a manner that when these latter are lowered or
raised the cross bar forming roller slides within the limits of the double slide and

page_text: presses upon it in such a manner as to raise or lower the upper part of the tower
turning on its hinges and to either replace the same in its original position or to
lower it so as to remain at any angle required.
In order to obtain the necessary power for acting upon the bottom ends of the
levers that is upon the axle to which they are attached I fix upon this axle a
section of a cam wheel the teeth of which are turned downwards I then affix to
the lower part of the tower and on the side of the section of the cam wheel an
endless screw turning in sockets fixed to the frame of the tower.
The endless screw is fixed in such a manner that its threads act upon the teeth of
the section of the cam wheel when turned by handle or wheel attached to its top
end thus forcing the section of the cam wheel backwards and forward at will and to
raise or lower with it the levers to which it is attached and consequently also the
upper part of the tower to any required degree.
I reserve to myself the right to employ any other means or motive power in
order to obtain the same result.
In order to maintain the upper part of the tower in its original position after
having placed it there by acting on the levers I fix a catch or snap on the side
opposite to the hinges in such a manner that the catch of the upper part slips into
a corresponding incision arranged in the snap attached to the lower part of the
tower. This latter snap turns upon an axle and is furnished with a lever to the
end of which is fitted a rod led down by guides to the bottom part of the tower and
is held down by a weight thus forming spring upon the lower catch and either
holding the two parts of the tower firmly together or by lifting it will detach the
catch or snap again when required.
I now attach by brackets attached to the front sides of the two sections of the
tower a double slide at a convenient distance from the tower and in such a manner
that when the two halves of the tower are made to meet as above described the
guides of both meet also and join so as to make continuous and parallel lengths
reaching from the top to the bottom of the entire structure and being united at the
bottom by a cross stay of any shape required.
I now construct of a suitable material a cage or platform of any suitable material
representing a flat surface surrounded on three sides by a railing and open in front
I attach to the back of it a frame with strengthening stays connecting the flat
surface with the top so as to give it sufficient strength & support and I attach to
the back of the platform by hinges another flat surface of any suitable material and
turning on hinges and to this second platform I attach by hinges a third and
narrower one and connect the front of it by chains to the front top of the
strengthening stays of the cage and I attach to the front part of the bottom of the
cage a crank turning on axles fitted with a lever in such a manner that the raising
of it raises the crank and with it the front part of the second platform in such a
manner that it approaches the horizontal position when the bottom platform might
occupy an inclined one on account of a forward movement of the tower as heretofore
described. The third and narrower platform would serve the purpose of drawbridge
when required and for that of connecting and covering distances or gaps. I further
attach to the back of the cage two upright ladders terminating at the top by an
accessible platform surrounded by railings and I affix further to the back of the
cage sockets or guides so arranged as to correspond with the parallel guides
attached to the tower so as to enable the cage to slide up and down on these guides
in the direction of the tower.
I now provide two cylinders of unequal dimensions and affix the one with the
larger diameter to a platform (so as to traverse the same vertically) of similar size
and form to the one in which the turn table revolves so as to join the two surfaces
in order to form a level and continuous platform and I mount and fix the same
upon a frame in such a manner as to leave a rim to run round and project beyond
the frame which forms the top of a carriage.
I affix the second cylinder of smaller diameter to a support attached to the
bottom of the front part of the tower and raise and attach it to and parallel with its

page_text: front part also reserving myself the right to lay the cylinder horizontally or to
curve it and fit it with a flexible piston. I provide covers and pistons for both and
connect them by a tube leading from the bottom of the larger cylinder or reservoir
and below its piston to the top of the smaller cylinder and above its piston I
introduce into the larger cylinder which I call the reservoir and underneath its
piston by any method which is most convenient a sufficient quantity of water or air
or steam and I force the same by pressure on the piston procured by a suitable
contrivance in such a manner that the water air or steam is forced through the
connecting tube at the bottom into the top of the smaller cylinder, the piston of
which is thereby forced down together with its rod which works in the direction of
the front part of the tower and to the end of which rod I attach in a suitable
manner a steel wire rope or belt I lead this rope or belt over the pulley attached
to the front outside part and in about the middle of the height of the tower and
lead it downwards to the empty space formed by the four sides of the tower and
attaching it to the grove of the larger circumference of the double pulley at the
inside bottom part of the tower in such a manner that when the double pulley is
turned upon its axle the paying out of the one cable or belt by the one side of
the pulley causes the rolling up of the other cable or belt on the other side of
the pulley and at a differential rate determined by the proportion between the
differential circumferences of the two parts of the double pulley. In this manner
the cage is worked up and down at any speed required according to the speed with
which the pistons are set in motion and at the rate of the difference between the
two concentric grooves of the double pulley. I then place the whole structure
upon the top of a carriage with the number of wheels required I also attach to
the carriage at one or both ends two or more legs or stays spreading out in such a
manner when touching the ground so as to give additional surface to the structure
and to prevent capsizeing these legs or stays may be worked from the top platform
up and down by screws or otherwise so as to be able to lift the wheels off the
ground and to prevent the moving of the carriage when wanted.
I reserve myself the right to affix to the carriage moveable or other ladders or
other facilities of ascent or descent and to affix to it or to the tower or cage
contrivances to stow away or attach fire hose or other stores or implements wanted
in the working of the apparatus.
I also reserve to myself the right to use the upper part of the tower as a bridge
and to fit to its top a moveable platform with railings so as to facilitate the
approach to the house or other object from which the bridge may have to be used.
I may also attach to the bottom end of the upper part a connection with the top
part of the lower end of the tower so as to facilitate the safe descent along the
bridge and down the lower part of the tower I reserve myself also the right to
affix to any part of the tower an electric or any other light fed in any manner
which may be convenient.
I may also provide special ladders or platforms so contrived as to be attachable
to any part of the structure in order to give additional facilities of approach. I
reserve myself the right to work the cage or hoist by any mechanical means to
attach to it a break or brakes for greater security and a contrivance for controlling
from there the motive power for mounting or descending. I may also telescope
sections of the tower one into the other in addition to or instead of doubling it up
as above described. I may also fix a car or lurry or sliding or rolling chair in
connection with the upper part of the tower when forming bridge for the facility of
lowering invalids or valuables; to fix or adopt to the total structure or any part of
it asbestos paint cloth or cord to act against the effect of heat.
I claim for my invention the originality of its general conception as well as its
adaptability to many other purposes and I believe it to be of great and general
public utility.
Dated this 15th day of July 1890.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Fire Escapes.
I, SAMUEL EDMOND STATHAM of Manor House, Levenshulme Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, India Rubber Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The improvements which form the subject of this invention relate to fire escapes,
and consist in the construction of a frame or tower which may be used so as to form
a swing bridge and may be revolved so as to convey persons rescued from a
building that is on fire to another building on the opposite side of the street or to
descend by means of a cage, and may also be used by the firemen in the conveyance
and direction of the fire hose in positions otherwise inaccessible.
I attain the objects set forth by mechanism hereinafter described and as illus-
trated in the accompanying four sheets of drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side view in perspective showing the machine with the upper portion
lowered for transit through the streets.
Fig. 2 is a side view showing the machine at its full height;
Fig. 3 is a front view of the same;
Fig. 4 is a plan drawn to an enlarged scale:
Fig. 5 is a plan the same as Fig. 4 but inverted.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cage by which to ascend or descend.
In this invention I construct a frame or tower A either of steel, iron or other
material of a rectangular or other preferred shape and of any height required.
In the drawings the tower is shown rectangular and formed in such a manner
that each side represents a ladder with spokes a at convenient distances apart for
mounting the structure which tapers towards the top, and the upright pillars b
which form the corners of the frame or tower are also curved forward at the top
in order to afford free play to a pulley e which is affixed thereto.
I connect the corner pillars at the bottom by cross bars so as to give the
necessary rigidity to the structure.
In order to carry the structure I attach at a convenient distance from the bottom
of the tower A and to each side of said tower the supports of an axle j. This axle
passes through the tower A and rests on the outside on frames attached to two
sections of a turntable with an open parallel space 13 in the centre, said turntables
forming part of a carriage m either of the form shown on drawings or of other
suitable construction.
The frame or tower A is by these means suspended by and swings on the axle j
and
may
be placed at any angle in the manner hereinafter described at the same
time said frame or tower may be turned round in any direction by means of the
aforesaid turntable k to which it is affixed.
In order to place the tower at any angle required, I attach a cross bar I
to one side of the base of the frame A and below the level of the top of the
turntable k.
I place a like cross bar between and connected to the frames, both of the
aforesaid cross bars rest in bearings.
I form holes through both of the cross bars and ; the hole that is in the
cross bar having a screw thread therein in which to insert a screw 12; the shaft of
said screw is retained in a socket inserted in the hole in the cross bar and
terminates in a wheel or handle n.
In order to place the tower A at any inclination required the aforesaid screw
is caused to rotate by the wheel or handle n, and place the cross bar that is

page_text: affixed to base of tower, farther from or nearer to the cross bar that is attached
to the frames h.
I divide the frame or tower A transversely, at about half its own height and
connect the two halves of said tower by hinges o.
On the axle at each side of the tower A I place a lever p; the upper end p¹ of
cach lever is attached to the upper section of tower A by means of a cross bar y
which works in guide slots 7. Each of the levers p is supported and strengthened
by a stay rod terminating at their lower ends on each side of the frame
in a triangular base or segment of a circle which is also the termination of the
levers p.
On one side of the tower A the base or segment r has teeth formed thereon
which gear into a worm that is supported by brackets attached to the frame h.
When this worm is turned by the handle the segment of worm wheel is forced
backwards or forwards which causes the lever p to raise or lower the upper part of
the tower to any required angle.
In order to retain the upper part of the tower in a vertical position when it has
been set up by the levers p, I fix a catch s on the frout side of tower, said catch
being formed so that one part will slip into and be retained by the other by means
of a lever turning on an axle and connected with a rod s2 led down by guides to
the bottom part of the tower said catch may be held firmly in position or may be
disconnected.
To the front corner pillars 6 of the frame or tower A and at a convenient distance
therefrom I attach by means of brackets t¹, parallel guides or slides which are
divided at or near the centre at the point corresponding with the division in the
tower so that when the upper and lower sections of the tower meet these guides
will also meet and form continuous parallel bars extending from the top to the
bottom of the structure.
I construct a cage in which is a platform
of any suitable material surrounded
on three sides by a railing and open towards the front.
I connect the platform at the back to a suitably formed frame ³ and attach
thereto sockets rollers or guides arranged so as to correspond with the parallel
guides by which means the cage may slide up and down on said guides the full
height of the tower.
In order that the floor of the cage u may always present a horizontal position
although the cage may have an inclined position I attach to the back of the floor
by means of hinges an additional floor and to the front part of the bottom of
the cage I attach a bell crank lever or an eccentric turning on an axle and
actuated by a lever so as to cause the front portion of the additional floor ³ to be
raised and retain a horizontal position when the bottom floor c¹ of the cage may
occupy an inclined position in consequence of the forward movement of the tower
as herein before described.
2.8
I form an extension of the floor by connecting thereto by hinges or by slides
a platform supported by chains to the framework of the cage, said platform
being intended to bridge over any open space that may be caused by the inclination
of the tower at the upper part of the cage I form an additional platform 10 that
may be used by firemen, access to which may be gained through the openings
by means of the ladders. At a convenient distance from the bottom of the
tower, I attach to said tower two brackets or sockets d in which to support an
axle e and I place on said axle either a double grooved pulley or two pulleys f
and the grooves in which are of different diameters. I attach to the front part
of the tower A at any convenient height a pulley y the axle gl of which revolves in
sockets affixed to the frame.
For the purpose of elevating and lowering the cage I employ two cylinders w
and w' of unequal dimensions. I mount the cylinder to that is of least length but
greatest diameter on the platform m' that supports the turntable and the
cylinder w¹ that is of greatest length but least diameter I place in a vertical position

page_text: on a platform m² that is formed on or attached to the front part of the base of the
tower A.
I connect these two cylinders by means of a flexible tube a one end of which
I attach to the bottom part of the larger cylinder w and the opposite end I attach
to the upper end of the smaller cylinder w. I provide each of these cylinders with
a piston the rod w2 of the smaller piston terminating at its upper end with an
eye and the upper portion of the rod of the larger piston with a worm or
rack . I introduce into the larger cylinder or reservoir w below the piston any
suitable quantity of water or other liquid, air or steam and by means of a pinion
worm or other mechanical appliance gearing into aforesaid worm or rack w that
may exert a downward pressure on the piston I cause the fluid, air or steam to pass
through the tube x and exert a downward pressure on the piston of the smaller
cylinder w¹.
υ
To the eye w³ of the piston rod w² I attach a steel wire rope, cable. or belt y and
lead this wire rope over the pulley g down through the centre of the tower and
attach the end of said wire rope to the groove of the larger pulley f. I also attach
one end of a wire rope or belt y to the frame work of the cage and pass said
rope over the pulley c and attach the opposite end to the groove of the smaller
pulley in such a manner that the paying out of the one cable or belt by one
pulley causes the winding up of the cable or belt attached to the other pulley but
at a differential rate determined by the difference between the circumference of
the pulleys. The cage is drawn up or let down by the action of the piston
contained in the cylinder w¹ the rod w² of which is connected to the wire rope y,
the cage v being raised when the piston is forced down into the cylinder by the
means herein before described or lowered when the pressure is reduced.
In the various portions of a fire escape constructed according to this invention,
other forms of mechanism than those shown on drawings may be employed for
operating the tower and the several levers and connections may be modified in
shape to meet various requirements: the power cylinders may be placed hori-
zontally or higher or lower on the frame and additional ladders and platforms may
be used without departing from the nature of this invention; but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. In a machine that is employed for rescuing persons from a building that is
on fire the use of a tower that may be of any height constructed either in the form
and manner shown on drawings or of other preferred form and construction sup-
ported by and suspended from an axle resting on side checks, in order that said
tower may be placed at any angle in the manner and for the purpose substantially
as herein before described.
2nd. In a machine that is employed for rescuing persons from a building that is
on fire the use of a turntable upon which to support a tower in order that said
tower may be turned round in any direction in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as herein before described.
3rd. In a machine that is employed for rescuing persons from a building that is
on fire the use of a tower divided in two parts in order that the upper portion of
said tower may be placed at any angle in the manner and for the purpose sub-
stantially as herein before described.
4th. In a machine that is employed for rescuing persons from a building that is
on fire the use of a cage with adjustable and extensible floors in combination with
tower for the purpose and in the manner substantially as herein before
described.
a
5th. In a machine that is employed for rescuing persons from a building that is
on fire the means for raising and lowering a cage by the use of cylinders in the
manner and for the purpose substantially as herein before described.

page_text: 6th. In a machine that is employed for rescuing persons from a building that is
on fire the means for raising and lowering a cage by the use of differential
pulleys in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein before
described.
Dated this 15th day of May 1891
SAMUEL EDMOND STATHAM,
Applicant.