Improvement in Means of Communicating with Upper Storeys of Buildings in Case of Fire and of Removing Furniture and other Articles.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1886
Complete Left, 28th July, 1887
Complete Accepted, 12th Nov., 1887
BEVARAVNAL DECIFICATION.
Improvement in Means of Communicating with Upper Storeys
of Buildings in Case of Fire and of Removing Furniture and
other Articles.
I, ROBERT BACON LONGE of Spixworth in the County of Norfolk Esquire, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To provido a simple and Commodious Exit, which can readily be secured to any
uppor window and afford a rapid and easy means of escape for a large number of
persons, as well as a greater facility in the removal of furniture and other articles.
To effect my object, I mount a rectangular frame of oak or other suitable material
horizontally at a convenient height above two pair of light wheels; a simple form of
staircase or companion ladder is pivotted near one extremity of the frame in such a
manner that it can be placed horizontally to lie in the same plano as the frame or can
be elevated to an angle of 45° or more.
The elevation is effected by means of racks fixed to the staircase and pinions
actuated by crank handles fixed to the frame, or by other suitable gear. In order to
preserve the balance the staircase, whon horizontal, projects nearly equally beyond
either extremity of the frame; the treads are so placed, that when the staircase is
raised to the required angle, they lie in a horizontal plano or nearly so.
The height of the frame and length of the staircase projecting beyond that extremity
of the frame to which the pivot is attached are so arranged that when the staircase is
elevated to the required angle, the bottom step is at a convenient distance from the
ground.
The topmost step of the staircase is extended horizontally and forms a platform
which can pass through or rest upon the sill of an upper window; adjustable hooks
are provided which can be made fast to the inside of the window, to secure the
staircase in position. A hand-rail is attached to both strings in such a manner that
it can be folded down to lie close to the side of the string or can be raised to
a convenient height. This may be effected by connecting the hand rail to the string
by means of parallel struts pivotted at either end to the rail and to the string, or the
rail may be connected to the string by lattice or other bracing and the whole made
Pain Q77

page_text: capable of turning in a direction at right angles to the string so that the rails may be
folded down to rest upon and lie in the same plane as the noses of the treads. When
raised the hand rails are secured in position and form trusses which strengthen the
strings.
The total length of the staircase is such that when raised to the required angle it 5
will reach to the first floor windows, or I can make larger sizes which will reach to
the second or third floor windows as required. In another form of my machine I make
the height of the frame above the ground adjustable, this allows the staircase to be
elevated to a greater angle so as to reach a higher window. I also make the angle
between the treads and the string adjustable, by connecting each tread to the strings 1
by pivots and all the treads to a bar running at the back, which can be fixed in any
position, so as to place the treads horizontally whatever the angle of the staircase, or
may make the total length of the staircase adjustable by means of supplementary
steps fixed to either end of the inain staircase and hinged so as to fold down and lie
flat upon the main staircase or capable of being entirely removed at will.
Dated this Sieth dor of November 1886
1

page_text: Improvement in Means of Communicating with Upper Storeys
of Buildings in Case of Fire and of Removing Furniture and
other Articles.
I, ROBERT BACON LONGE of Spixworth Park in the County of Norfolk, Esquiro 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 nature of my invention for improvement in means of communicating in cases of
Fire or other requirements with the upper storeys of buildings is as follows.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple & commodious exit which can
readily be adjusted to any upper window and afford a rapid and easy means of escape
for a large number of persons.
To effect my object I mount a rectangular frame shewn at A in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of
oak or other suitable material horizontally at a convenient height above two pair of
light wheels.
"A simple form of staircase or companion ladder is pivotted near one extremity of
this frame as shewn at a in figs. 1, 2 and 3 in such a manner that it can be placed
horizontally to lie in the same plano as the frame or can be elevated to an angle of 45°
or more. The elevation is effected by means of racks shown at b in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
fixed to the staircase and pinions actuated by crank handlos fixed to the frame or by
other suitable gear.
In order to preserve the balance, the staircase when_horizontal projects nearly
equally beyond either extremity of the frame as shewn in Fig. 3.
The treads are so placed that when the staircase is raised to the required angle they
lie in a horizontal plano or nearly so.
The height of the frame & the length of the staircase projecting beyond that
extremity of the frame to which the pivot is attached are so arranged that when the
staircase is elevated to the required angle the bottom step of the staircase is at a
convenient distance from the ground. The topmost step of the staircase is extended
horizontally as shown at B in Figs. 2 and 4 and forms a platform which can pass
through and rest upon the sill of an upper window.
Adjustable hooks shewn at C in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and in detail in Fig. 5 are
provided which can be made fast to the inside of the window to secure the staircase in
position.
A hand rail is attached to one or both strings in such a manner that it can be
folded down to lio close to the side of the string or can be raised to a convenient
height. This is effected by connecting the handrail to the string by means of
parallel struts pivotted at either end, to the rail at C in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and to the
string at d in Figs. 1 & 3, or the rail may be connected to the string by lattice or
other bracing and the whole made capable of turning in a direction at right angles to
the string, so that the rails may be folded down to rest upon and lie in the same

page_text: plane as the noses of the treads. When raised the hand rails are secured in position
and form trusses which strengthen the strings. The total length of the staircase is
such that when raised to the required angle it will reach to the first floor windows, or
I can make larger sizes which will reach to the second or third floor windows as
required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is.
1st. The combination of a light staircase with a horizontal frame and wheels so as
to form a portable staircase which can be placed horizontally or raised to an inclined
position, as herein described.
2nd. The combination of my portable stairs with a hand rail which can be raised or
lowered as described.
3rd. The combination of my portable stairs with a platform fixed to the stairs which
when the stairs are raised to a suitable angle will project horizontally and can pass
through and be secured to an upper window as described.
4th. The lightness of the structure and consequent ease with which the machine can
be moved and fixed to any window.
5th. The non-requirement of any assistance from within in fixing the machine.
6th. The facility of descent afforded to decrepid and invalid persons by the width
and easy gradient of the stairs and support of the hand-rail.
1 "
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