Improvements in Carriages for Transporting Fire Escapes.
Year: 1897

page_text: "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carriages for Transporting Fire Escapes.
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON, 75, Upper Ground Street, Blackfriars Road, London,
Engineer," do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention refers to an improved form of two wheeled cart or carriage used
in transporting a fire escape by hand or horse draught. With that form of fire
escape which is more generally used in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and when
run by manual power is balanced in a vertical or inclined position on an axle
and pair of wheels. A two wheeled cart has been used on which the head of the
escapo rests the ladder being then nearly horizontal and a connection between
the ladder and cart has been made by means of a bracket on the ladder and a
locking plate or swivel pin on the top of the cart-in this arrangement when turn-
ing a corner the body of the cart swivels about under the ladders-the cart being
firmly attached to the shafts for horse-consequently men sitting on the cart
whether fore and aft or at the side as in a jaunting car are moved under the
ladders into a dangerous position should the horse then stumble or fall-moreover
there are other difficulties owing to the connection between the escape and the
cart being high above the axle of cart.
My improvement consists in lowering the head of the ladders of escape or a
part towards the head on to the top of the body of the cart, and providing a firm
connection by pins or bolts or straps or other contrivance so that the escape becomes
rigidly connected to the body or box of cart-and at the bottom of the box I fit a
suitable locking plate and form a locking carriage of ordinary construction to the
axle and wheels of cart and with shafts or pole in the usual way. Thus if seats
are formed on the box of cart they remain when connected always in the same
relative position to the escape, being firmly attached thereto and the shafts or
pole with locking carriage being guided by the horse turn at an angle thereto.
Thus when the escape and cart are attached for travelling they become as an
ordinary four wheeled carriage. When the escape is transported to position where
to be used the connection between the cart and escape are unmade and the escape
is raised to the vertical position free of the cart. The body of cart being placed
squarely with the shafts or pole is locked there by means of a spring bolt or stop,
or by a lever or bolt or other suitable fastening. Then the box cannot turn on
the locking plate and is converted into an ordinary two wheeled cart or trap. If
when the escape is attached to the cart it is found desirable to have a pair of
shafts hinging on a pin on the spindle bar as is usual in four wheeled carriages,
then on or before removing the escape from the cart I firmly attach the shafts
to the locking carriage, preventing the hinge from acting by means of sliding
bar or jaws & pins or other attachment which will effect this purpose.
The attachment of body of cart to locking carriage and the firm fixing of shafts

page_text: to locking head may be performed by a lever and bolt or other device making the
connection at one operation. In place of pole or shafts or in addition thereto,
a drag handle may be fixed for hand draught. The cart may have seats at the
front the rear or at the sides, and the body may be formed for carrying hose,
branch pipes, and other appliances.
Dated thie 8th day of March 1807
"
Improvements in Carriages for Transporting Fire Escapes.
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON, 75, Upper Ground Street, Blackfriars Road, London,
Engineer," 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:
My invention refers to an improved form of two wheeled cart or carriage used
in transporting a fire escape by hand or horse draught.
With that form of fire escape which is more generally used in the Metropolitan
Fire Brigade and when run by manual power is balanced in a vertical or inclined
position on an axle and pair of wheels. A two wheeled cart has been used on
which the head of the escape rests the ladder being then nearly horizontal, and
a connection between the ladder and cart has been made by means of a bracket
on the ladder and a locking plate or swivel pin on the top of the cart in this
arrangement when turning a corner the body of the cart swivels about under the
ladders the cart being firmly attached to the shafts for horse-consequently men
sitting on the cart whether fore and aft or at the side as in a jaunting car are
moved under the ladders into a dangerous position should the horse then stumble
or fall moreover there are other difficulties owing to the connection between the
escape and the cart being high above the axle of cart. My improvement consists
in lowering the head of the ladders of escape or a part towards the head on to
the top of the body of the cart, and providing a firm connection, by pins, or bolts,
or straps, or other contrivance so that the escape becomes rigidly connected to the
body or box of cart and at the bottom of the box I fit a suitable locking plate and
form a locking carriage of ordinary construction to the axle and wheels of cort
and with shafts or pole in the usual way. Thus if seats are formed on the box
of cart they remain where connected always in the same relative position to the
escape, being firmly attached thereto and the shafts or pole with locking carriage
being guided by the horses turn at an angle thereto. Thus when the escape and
cart are attached for travelling they become as an ordinary four wheeled carriage.
When the escape is transported to position where to be used, the connection
between the cart and escape are unmade and the escape is raised to the vertical
position free of the cart. The body of cart being placed squarely with the shafts
or pole, is locked there by means of a spring bolt or stop or by a lever or bolt or
other suitable fastening. Then the box cannot turn on the locking plate and is
converted into an ordinary two wheeled cart or trap. If when the escape is
attached to the cart it is found desirable to have a pair of shafts hinging on a pin
on the splinter bar as is usual in four wheeled carriages, then on or before remov-
ing the escape from the cart I firmly attach the shafts to the locking carriage
preventing the hinge from acting by means of sliding bar or jaws & pins or other
attachment which will effect this purpose. The attachment of body of cart to
locking carriage and the firm fixing of shafts to locking head may be performed
by a lever and bolt or other device making the connection at one operation. In

page_text: UL
place of pole or shafts
in addition thereto a drag handle may be fixed for hand
draught. The cart may have seats at the front, the rear or at the sides, and the
body may be formed for carrying hose, branchpipes and other appliances.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
чон шегето a drag handle may be fixed for hand
draught. The cart may have seats at the front, the rear or at the sides, and the
body may be formed for carrying hose, branchpipes and other appliances.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved cart or carriage with fire escape
attached for travelling and then resembling an ordinary four wheeled carriage
with forelocking.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3 is an elevation looking at front end of carriage or cart.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation and Fig. 4' a plan of carriage and escape shewn
detached. The shafts on carriage are shewn replaced by a drag-handle for manual
draught.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of carriage shewing arrangement of gear for connect-
ing head of escape to carriage and body of carriage to locking.
Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same.
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of locking carriage shewing the arrangement
whereby shafts may be hinged or rigidly connected to under carriage as may be
desired.
Fig. 8. is a plan of the same.
Figs. 9, 10 & 11 are enlarged views of a part of the arrangement whereby the
shafts are hinged or rigidly connected to the under carriage.
Referring to Figs, 1, 2, 3 & 4 (A) is a portable fire escape of ordinary construc-
tion mounted on wheels (B) (B), and axle (C) and springs (D) (D), (E) is the
cart or carriage with body or box (F) for hose or implements, (G) (G) the running
wheels, (H) axle, (I) the fore locking carriage, (J) the shafts. There are seats (K)
for men shewn here at side of carriage but the same may be placed at front and
rear of carriage (E) as shewn at (L) (L). Figs. 4 and 4. (M) (M) are brackets
to receive cross bars (N) (N) by means of which the escape is secured to the body
of the carriage (E).
When the escape (A) is secured to the carriage or cart (E) the fore carriage (I)
moves about around the locking pin (0) as an ordinary locking carriage and the
shafts (J) work upon the hinge pin (1) as is usual in a four wheeled carriage.
When the escape (A) is removed from the cart (E) the body (F) of cart (E) is
secured to the locking carriage (I) and does not turn about upon it also the
shafts (J) are prevented from vibrating on their hinge pins (P) and become firm
and rigid with the side frames (1%) of locking carriage (I) as in the shafts of an
ordinary two wheeled cart. This locking arrangement I will now describe. In
Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 (R) (R) are handles for operating the bolts (S) (S) by means
of which the shafts (J) are hinged or fixed to the locking carriage (I).
In Figs. 5 and 6 (M) (M) are the brackets secured to the body (F) of carriage (E)
to receive the cross bars (N) (N) secured to escape (A). These bars being locked
in the jaws of brackets (M) by hooks or levers (U) (U) controlled by a hand lever (V)
and spring stop (W); this arrangement being similar to the fulcrum and bracket
of the fire escape and carriage the patent of which in No. 5330 and granted to me
in the year 1894. The hooks or levers (U) (U) are connected together by the link (X)
and levers (Y) (Y) both being operated by the hand lever (V). When the
escape (A) is connected to the body (F) of the carriage (E) the lever (V) would
be in the position shewn in full lines. To release the escape (A) the lever (V)
and spring stop (W) is moved over to the right as shewn in dotted lines, the
hooks (U) (U) will assume the position indicated by the letters (U¹) (U¹) and the
cross bars (N) (N) will be free to leave the jaws of the brackets (M) (M). (Z) is
one arm of a lever (E2) operated by the downward movement of a part (A) of
the escape (A) the other arm of lever has connected to it the bolt (B) for releasing
the locking carriage (I) from the body (F) of carriage (E) when the carriage (L)

page_text: is used in connection with the escape (A) or securing the same when the
carriage (E) is used independently of the escape (A).
When the escape is being removed from the carriage and the box brought
square with locking the bolt (B) is pushed down under the action of a spring (C³)
into a corresponding hole in a bar (D2) attached to the locking (I) as also shewn
in Fig. 7 the locking carriage (1) being then secured to the body (F) of carriage (E)
the arms (Z) of the lever (E³) will have assumed the position shewn in dotted
lines as the escape (A) is raised off the carriage (E).
In reconnecting the operation is repeated the escape (A) is lowered the part (A²)
is brought into contact with the arm (Z) of lever (E³) and being pushed down the
bolt (B) is withdrawn from the bar (D) the locking being free to turn at an
angle to the body (F) of the carriage (E) and escape (A) as shewn in dotted lines
in Fig. 2.
"
In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 the bar (12) to receive the bolt (B³) is formed on a part of
the locking carriage (I) and is curved on its upper side to facilitate the entry of
the bolt (B).
(F) (F) are the sides of the locking (I) supporting springs (G") (G³) in the
usual way and at front end of the sides (F9) (F) are formed jaws (H³) (H³) to
receive the ends of the shafts (J) (J) hinged on the pins (P) (P). "(K³) is a tubular
bar connecting the jaws (H) (H) and within this tube (K³) are the bolts (S) (S)
with handles (R) (R). There is also a spring (N) which acting upon the bolts (S) (S)
holds the same in the position in which the shafts (J) (J) are fixed rigidly to the
sides (F) (F) of the locking (I) which would be the case when the carriage (E) is
used independently of the escape (A) and the handle (R) would then be in the
position indicated by the letters (R²) (R²) Fig. 8. In the enlarged views
Figs. 9, 10 & 11 for sake of clearness the head of bolt (S) and the spring (N³)
are removed. To withdraw the bolts (S) (S) and thus release the shafts (J) (J)
from the sides (T) (F) the handles (R) (R) are moved in a slot (K³) in the
direction of the bar (K) and raised vertically in another slot (L³) then into the
slot (M) where it is held under the action of the spring (NB) the handle (R)
would then have assumed the position indicated by the letters (R³) (R³) the bolts
having been withdrawn from the jaws (H³) (H³) the shafts may vibrate on the
pins (P) (P).
At the ends of the shafts (J) (J) and near the pins (P) are formed lugs or pro-
jections (0) (0³) which on a certain vertical movement of the shaft (J) (J) engage
with the sides (F) of the locking carriage (I). Thus the shafts (J) (J) whilst
possessing sufficient vertical movement as shewn at (J) (J³) Figs. 1 & 7 to allow
freedom to the horse when travelling with the escape (A) and carriage (E) con-
nected, the lugs (0)³) (0)³) prevent the carriage (E) from tilting into a dangerous
position either backward or forward if by neglect the shafts (J) (J) have not been
secured to the frames (F³) (F2) when the carriage is being disconnected from the
escape to be used as a two wheeled vehicle.
In Fig. (4) the drag handle (P) is shewn in place of shafts (J) when the
carriage is to be drawn by men. A pole can also be used.
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:
Firstly. The arrangement for carrying the head of a two wheeled portable fire
escape on a two wheeled cart by rigidly connecting the ladder of escape to the
body or box of cart and allowing the wheels of oart to lock round as in an ordinary
four wheeled carriage also providing means for disconnecting escape from carriage
when escape is to be used as illustrated and described.
Secondly. The arrangement shewn for firmly connecting the body of such two
wheeled cart to locking carriage and disconnecting same as illustrated and
described.
Thirdly. The means of rigidly connecting the shafts to frame of locking carriage

page_text: and when desired to allow the shafts to be free and vibrate on joint pin as illus-
trated and described.
Fourthly. The above arrangement whether used separately or combined.
Dated this 9th day of December 1807
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON.