A COMBINATION OF MACHINERY CONSISTING OF A FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER, AND THE VARIOUS APPARATUS NECESSARY FOR THE SAFETY OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY IN SUCH CASES, PART OF WHICH MACHINERY IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1818

page_text: TO ALL TO. WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GREGORY, of Penny Fields, in the Parish of All Saints, Poplar, in the County
of Middlesex, Shipwright, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifteenth day
of January, in the fifty-ninth year of His .reign, give and grant unto me,
the said John Gregory, my exors, admors, and assigns, His especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Gregory, my
exors, admors, and assigns, during the term of years therein mentioned;
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all our Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "A COMBINATION OF MACHINERY
CONSISTING OF A FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER, AND THE VARIOUS APPARATUS NECESSARY
FOR THE SAFETY OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY IN SUCH CASES, PART OF WHICH
MACHINERY IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso that if I, the said John Gregory, shall
not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent,

page_text: and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly
cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the same, relation being
thereunto had, will more fully. and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Gregory, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the
following description thereof (that is to say):
:-
Fig. (1) is a side elevation of the fire-escape ladder, with the derrick and
fire-engine hose supported by the derrick, the step for the fireman to stand
or sit upon, and the cradle to raise or lower persons or property in.
Fig. (2) an end elevation of the fire-escape ladder without the appendages
last mentioned.
Fig. (3) a side view of the fire-escape ladder with the ladders brought
into a horizontal position for the convenience of removal, stowage, &c. The
dotted lines represent the ladders. in their vertical-position when lowered and
ready for being elevated, as shewn in Fig. (2), or for being placed in the
horizontal position shewn in Fig. (3).
Fig. (4) is a plan of the upper side of the carriage of the fire-escape ladder
with the revolving platform taken off..
Fig.(5) is thesunder side of the revolving platform.
Fig. (6).is a section on an enlarged scale through the three ladders. A, A;
in Figures: 1, 2, 3, and 4, represent the carriage and wheels. B, B, Figures 1,
2,3, and 5, the revolving platform. C, C, &c., the uprights or stancheons
which are firmly secured into the revolving platform at their lower ends and
support the two rails D, D; shewn in Figures 1, 2, &.3. E, F, G, Figures 1,
2,8; and 6, are the three ladders which are placed between the rails D, D.
In Fig. (1) the three fladders are shown in a slanting and elevated position;
the lower ends.of.the ladder E are secured to the revolving platform B, B, by
apin or bolt passing through holes in two iron cars H, Figures 1 and 3,
attached to the revolving platform; and also through two other holes in the
sides of the ladder. The ladders are kept in a vertical position by two pins
or bolts JJ, Figures 1, 2, and 3, passing through holes in the rails D, D;
and through the sides of the. ladder E. In this situation they can be elevated
by means of the ropes J, J, Figures 1, 2, and 3,' which pass. over the pulleys
KK, on the sides of the ladder E, and are secured to the bottom of the ladder
F. The other ends of the ropes J, J, are secured to the barrels L, L,
Figures:d, 2, and. 3, which are furnished with winches or handles M; M,
and ratchet! wheels: and palls; N, N,on turning which 'barrels the ladder

page_text: F can be elevated, and at the same time,. by: means of the ropes O,: 0,
&c., which are secured to the eyes-P, P, &c. in the upright stancheons C, C,
and whose other ends pass over the pulleys Q, Q, &c. in the tops of the ladder
F, and are secured to the bottom of the ladder G, that ladder is also elevated
with an accelerated. velocity. In order to give the ladders the slanting position;
as shewn in Fig. (1), the pins I, I, must be removed from their holes, and the
ladders may be lowered as much' as is necessary by means of the guy ropes,
R, R, &c., one end of each of which ropes is firmly secured to the rails D, D,
and their other ends pass over the pulley blocks T, T; to the cleats U, U,&c
around which they may be secured at the requisite position. The ladders
are also further supported in this slanting situation by resting upon the bolts
or pins-I, I, which are placed in the holes V, V, &c. made in the rails D, D,
for that purpose. In order to prevent the ladders (F and G) from descending;
too low; the stops W, W, Figures 1 and (3).are affixed to the feet of the ladder:
E and F for them to rest upon. To the upper stave of the ladder (G) is,
affixed the pulley-block X, Figs: 1 and 2; over which passes the rope Y, Y, to
which is hooked the cradle Z, and the other end of which rope passes over;
the end of the rail D, D, and fastens on the cleat a. b, b, is the derrick which,
for the sake of portability is made in two parts, scarfed together and secured
by the two hoops c, c. The derrick' passes through a collar d shewn separately,
in Figs. 20, 21, and 22; at d this collar is affixed by a neck to a bar; with
two studs or pins which fit into holes made in the top of one of the rails D, D,
and thus help to steady the derrick. At the foot of the derrick is another
pin or stud which is received into an eye bolt e, made fast in the stancheon-C,
Figs. 1 and 2, and is thus kept in a proper position for use. At the top of
the derrick is a pulley f, over which the rope 9, 9, passes, one end of which
rope goes over the end of one of the rails D, D, and is made fast to a cleat:
in one of the stancheons C. To the other end of the rope g, g, is hooked, a
leather saddle h, which supports the pipe or nozzle, and part of the hose, of *a-
fire engine i, i. Instead of the saddle h I can also occasionally. hang on the
rope g, g, by means of a loop attached to it, pole of considerable length, so
as to reach the ground, and be acted upon by the firemen or: others. in-the
manner of a battering ram; to knock down any walls, chimnies; &c:; when
necessary. On the upper end of the ladder G, Fig. 1, I occasionally fix two
spurs, one of which is shewn at j; and the intention of which is to allow room
for the cradle Zi to be hoisted to the top of the ladder, clear of the walls of
the house, &c. against which the spurs j rest. The three ladders E, F, G,
are connected together so as to slide freely up and down, in order to do
which the ladders E and G have iron bars or plates k, k, &c. sce. Figs. 1, 2;
a

page_text: A scaffold
and 6, affixed upon them by rivetts, under which, on the inside of the ladders,
are made grooves or rebates extending the whole length of the ladders. To the
ladder F, Figs. 1, 2, and 6, are affixed, at different distances along it, the bent
iron plates or staples 1, 1, &c., see Figs. 1, 2, and 6, by means of screws, the
bent claws of which staples extend into the grooves or rebates under the iron
plates on the ladders E and G, and slide up or down under those plates, which
are oiled or greased to allow a greater facility of motion. The stops W, on the
feet of the ladder E, are formed of the plate k, but those upon the ladder F
are made of iron plates, screwed upon the ladder for that purpose.
or stage m, Figs. (8 and 9), having a door or flap in it, with hinges, shewn at
n in Fig. 9, can be affixed to the top of the ladder G, Figs. 1, 2, and 8, by
means of hooks o, o, Figs. 8 and 9, fitting into eyes p, p, &c., Figs. 1, 2,
and 8, and also by means of two ropes q, q, Figs. 8 and 9, secured to the
scaffold, and having hooks or loops at their ends which hang upon the upper.
ends of the ladder G. r, Figs. 1, 10, and 11, represents the step for the
firemen to rest upon, which can be hung by its two hooks upon any of the
staves of the ladders. Figs. 12 and 13 represent a front and side view of an
additional part or ladder which can be affixed to the top of the ladder G,
Figs. 1 and 2, in order to lengthen it, by means of the hooks upon this
additional part being hooked upon the staves of the ladder G. It has also
a pulley at the top of it for the rope to pass over, which draws the cradle Z
up and down.
Fig. 7 represents the cradle partly folded up, for the sake of portability, by
means of the joints made in the rim round the upper part of it, and the
hinges on its bottom for that purpose. In Fig. 1, 2, and 3, 8, s, &c. represent
friction rollers let into bolsters fixed on the outsides of the rails D, D; the use
of these friction rollers is to lessen the friction occasioned by the ropes J, J,
passing to the barrels L, L. In order to keep these ropes in the same positions
when the ladders are slanted, two bent iron rods are affixed at one end to
the rails D, D, and at the other to the bolsters, and which project as far out
on each side as the friction rollers do. t, t, in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are stop
irons, which are affixed to the rails D, D, and which apply themselves the
one above and the other below the ladders when placed in the horizontal
situation shewn in Fig. 3, in order to support and steady the ladders in that
situation. In order to turn the ladders in any direction required, the platform
B, B, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, which they are fixed, is made to revolve upon the
carriage A, A, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, which has six or more friction rollers u, u,
&c., Fig. 4, turning upon it, and upon which the ring v, v, fixed on the
under side of the revolving platform B, B, shewn in Fig. 5, rests. Upon the

page_text: carriage A, A, Fig. 4, is firmly fixed the toothed ring w, w, into which the
pinion, which is hung in the revolving platform B, B, Fig. 5, works, and
the axis of which pinion passes through to the upper side of the platform, and
has a handle or winch y, Figs. 1 and 8, upon it, and by turning which the
platform can be made to revolve in any direction required.
2, z, &c., in
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, represent iron legs, stays, or stretchers, which are affixed to
the fire-escape, and can be placed in any required situation on the ground to.
support it, as may be wanted. As a necessary part of the apparatus of this
fire-escape ladder I have contrived a portable derrick, represented in Figs. 14,
15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, in which Fig. 14 is à side elevation of the derrick in
its elevated and slanting position. Fig. 15, a side elevation of the derrick when
lowered in a vertical position. Fig. 16, a bird's-eye view of it on an enlarged
scale. Fig. 17, a section of the rings and teeth, on the scale of Fig. 16.
Fig. 18, a section through the dotted line C, C, and Fig. 16 on a considerably.
enlarged scale, and Fig. 19 a section through the dotted line D, D, of Fig. 16,
on the same scale as Fig. 19. A, A, in Figs. 14, 15, & 16, is the platform of
the portable derrick, upon which is firmly supported the iron ring with teeth
inside of it, B, B, &c., shewn in Figs. 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. Around this
moves the ring E, E, to which is screwed the two bars or plates F, F, shewn
in Figs. 16, 17, 18, and 19; upon these plates the saddle G slides backwards
and forwards, and can be secured in any required situation by the pins or
bolts H, H, being inserted in the holes I, I, made in the saddle for that
purpose, and also put into any of the holes made in the bars F, F, to receive
them. The bars F, F, with the saddle G, can be turned round into any
situation required, by means of the pinion J, which is hung between the two
cross bars K, K, Figs. 16, 18, and 19, working into the teeth in the inside of the
fixed ring B, B. This pinion J has two squares L, L, upon its axis, on which
a handle or winch M, Fig. 14, may be put, either above or below the bars F, F,
to turn it by. N, O, P, Figs. 14, 15, and 16, is the derrick, which consists of
the trunks N and O, and the pole P. Each of these parts has a pulley Q, Q, Q,
affixed in their tops. To the lower part of the trunk N is fixed the barrel R,
Figs. 14 and 15, furnished with a ratchet and pall, and a winch or handle S.
To this barrel is secured the rope T, which passes over the lower pulley Q,
and is affixed to the heel or foot of the trunk O. Another rope U is secured
at one end to a cleat on the moveable ring E, E, and the other end of it
passes over the middle pulley Q, on the top of the trunk O, to the heel or
foot of the pole P, & when the barrel R is turned round, the rope T winding
upon it draws up the trunk O, and by the action of the rope U over the
middle pulley Q, the pole P is likewise drawn up with an accelerated velocity.

page_text: To the foot of the trunk N. of the derrick is firmly secured a pivot or stud V
Figs. 14 and 15, which lodges in a conical hole made made in a metal step W,
firmly secured in the middle of the platform A; A. The trunk N also lies
in the cavity made in the saddle G for that purpose, and the derrick may be
placed.and retained in any declination: or: position required; by means of the
pins or bolts H, H, being put into the holes in the saddle G, and bars F, F,
as before described. X, X, &c., in Figs. 14, 15, 16, and 18,. represent
the iron stancheons, which support the fixed ring with teeth B, B. Y, Y, &c.,
Fig. 14, is the rope which passes over the upper pulley Q, of the pole P, and
by which the cradle: Z:may be raised or lowered as repaired. a, a, .Fig. 16;
are two friction'rollers.
.
I do not mean to claim as my Invention the various parts of which these
machines are composed, but I do hereby mean to claim the manner of com-
bining and applying those parts so as to produce the effects herein specified.
In witness whereof," I; the said John Gregory, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and nineteen.
Inrolled the Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and nineteen.