Improvements in Fire-escapes, Hoists, and such like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 20th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar.,
1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire-escapes, Hoists, and such like.
FRANCIS LYST 64 Somerville Road Hatcham London S.E. Gentleman. I do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A series of pairs of crossed levers of wood or metal &c. are pivoted at their
centres and hinged or pivoted at either end to the pair immediately above or below.
The lower ends of the bottom pair of levers are attached to a pair of blocks; these
blocks are made to approach to or recede from each other by means of a worm or
screw, one half of which screw has a right-handed thread and the other half a left-
handed thread, the blocks actuated by the screw are made to travel in parallel
grooves to keep them in required position.
The top pair of levers are pivoted or hinged to a pair of short, forked arms, which
have their forked ends pivoted underneath a platform or table, thus forming four
points of support for the same.
When the blocks approach each other the whole series of levers rise and so
elevate the platform to any desired height, where it is securely held by the action
of the screw; by turning the screw in the opposite direction the levers and
platform are lowered.
To form a fire-escape or extending ladder-a chain or other suitable ladder has
its upper ends fastened to the edge of the platform and is wound round a spring or
other suitable roller from which it is paid out automatically over wheels or
rollers as the platform ascends, and rewound as the platform and levers are
lowered.
The whole apparatus may be mounted on a horizontal axis so as to allow of its
being placed in a slanting position against the walls of a building, the angle of
slant being regulated by a cog-wheel and worm gear.
The fire escape thus constructed may be mounted on a suitable carriage to be
propelled by pedals or drawn by horses &c.
To form a lift for cellar work and area trap-doors-one, two, or more, sets of
these levers are pivoted on common shafts, and actuated by the same screw
simultaneously; and guard bars are made to rise automatically around the
opening in the strut &c. as the platform descends. The extending fire-escape
may have shute & hose attached to platform, and weights to counterpoise the
levers.
Dated this 20th day of Anril 1895
1, FRANCIS LYST, Gentleman of 64 Somerville Road, Hatcham, London, 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:-
This invention refers to portable elevators or extensible fire-escapes for saving
life at fires and for like purposes.
It consists of a combination of three distinct parts namely (1) a carriage with
[Price 8d.1

page_text: appliances for tilting same (2) a drum with a coiling ladder and appliances for
coiling and uncoiling same, and (3) a series of crossed extending levers pivotted at
their centres and each pair pivotally connected at their ends to the pair below and
above them, with appliances for operating same and combining them with parts (1)
and (2).
I will now describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
which show the same as applied to a fire-escape.
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of my invention mounted upon a hand truck or
cart, the rope ladder and coiling drum being omitted.
Fig. 2 shows a side plan view of same.
The ladder is indicated by two dotted
lines. The drum on which the ladder is wound is also shown.
Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 shows a detail side view of the mechanism for keeping the platform at the
upper end of the lattice levers rigid and straight.
Fig. 5 shows a front elevation of Fig. 4.
i
In both these Figures 4 and 5, the top of the ladder is shown.
Fig. 6 shows a plan and side view of a preferable method of pivotting or
connecting the levers where they cross each other.
Fig. 7 shows a side and end view of the form of combined travelling nut and
socket I use for expanding and contracting the lattice levers by means of a right
and left handed screw thread.
Fig: 8 shows a plan view of my invention in the closed position applied to a four
wheeled wagon..
"Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of Fig. 8 in the partially raised position. In
this and the previous figure the lattice levers are indicated by means of plain dotted
lines.
Also the arrangement for tilting the frame carrying the levers is different to that
previously shown, consisting as it does, of a secondary set of lattice levers similar to
but smaller than those already shown.
Fig. 10 shows a detail half plan view of the method of employing coiled springs
to assist in the raising of the escape.
a, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is the foundation frame to which the wheels and axle are
connected.
b, is a secondary frame on which the lattice levers and their fittings are mounted.
This frame b, is attached to the frame a, by means of hinges or other suitable means
to allow same to be tilted to any angle required by means of the rack and pinion
gear as shown in Fig. 1.
c, is a vertical toothed rack which is firmly attached to an extension piece of the
frame This rack c, engages with a toothed pinion, mounted upon a small
countershaft c, supported by suitable bearings . This shaft can be rotated in any
suitable manner at either end by means of a hand wheel or crank handle c, thus
tilting the frame b, as desired.
Further upon this shaft is mounted a loose running tension roller co, round
which the rope ladder passes when being wound or unwound off its coiling
drum
A
Referring now to the means for raising and lowering the lattice levers, d, d, are
plummer blocks for supporting the right and left handed square threaded screw e,
rotated by crank handles e, e. e, e, are travelling nuts working on the screw e.
Attached to these nuts e¹, are sockets which receive the ends of the lower pair of
lattice levers This combined nut and socket is shown in detail in Fig. 7.
12.
are joints where the levers cross in their centres and join at their ends,
and are shown in detail in Fig. 6.
9, is a crosshead shown in detail in Figs, 4 and 5 supporting a small platform at
the upper end and forming the head of the levers, which head is kept straight and
rigid by means of the mechanism described below, constituting a modified parallel
motion.
> .
The crosshead consists of an angular piece of iron of Tisection to the vertical'

page_text: part of which, the upper pair of levers f, are attached by means of the crosshead
pin g From this pin the shank of which is preferably squared, there depends a
slotted plate h, with slot h', and with this slot engages a pin h, projecting from one
end of an arm, the other end of which is pivotted to the nearest joint f, of the
lattice levers f.
Upon the tivo lateral ends of the crosshead are two brackets carrying two wheels
which conveniently hold the top of the escape outwards from the wall of a
house.
To the opposite side of the crosshead are fastened the two extremities of the wire.
rope or chain ladder which runs downwards over all the levers, round the tension
roller, (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) and is coiled on to the drum l, which is inounted upon
the axle, of the cart wheels so that when the lattice levers are expanded the rope
ladder is also drawn up and unwound from the drum l.
Sliding or telescopic ladders can be substituted for the folding ladder if
preferred.
J
On one side of the drum l, there is a smaller drum m, round which is coiled a
wire guide rope m¹ (Figs. 2 and 3) which is led upwards towards and along part of
the back of the frame b, round tension pulley wheels m², m³, and down the slot n,
formed in a centre bar in the frame 6 (Fig. 3) where it is connected to a bolt
pin f, with a large head engaging with the underside of the slot n, projecting
downwards from the lowest cross joint f¹, of the levers f. It will be understood
that this action will keep the plane of the levers, when being raised, parallel with
the plane of the frame b, at whatever angle it is tilted.
Referring to Fig. 10 which shows a method of employing longitudinal coiled
springs to assist in raising the lattice levers, o, is a barrel which is placed parallel
with the centre bar in the frame b, and is provided on one side with a slot of, which
contains a powerful coiled spring o³.
To the head of the spring is fastened in any convenient manner a wire rope of
the other end of which is fastened to the lowest joint f¹, where two of the levers f,
meet. I also prefer in some cases to use transverse springs connecting the outside
joints of the levers, as shown in Fig. 3.
Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9:
p, is a four wheeled conveyance, supporting the frames a, and b, as previously
described.
The frame b, is however tilted in a different manner, the mechanism for which
consists of a supplementary smaller set of lattice levers q, as shown, expanded
and contracted by a screw g¹, similar to that shown and described in Fig. 1 but of
reduced size.
It will be readily understood that the levers f, and ladder k, could if preferred
be operated by means of hydraulic pressure through a ram actuated by a pump
instead of the screw and nut e, el. The weight of the mechanism necessary would
however be a great objection to this method of operating them. It is also liable to
freeze in cold weather.
The method of operating my improved fire-escape is as follows:-
The apparatus being hauled to the spot where its services are required it is only
necessary to tilt the carriage by means of the pinion and rack c, c', and turn the
handles e, c, so as to draw the nut sockets el, close together when the levers f
would be rapidly extended to any height required carrying with them the
ladder.k.
When extended to the necessary height it is ready for ascent or descent.
When no longer required the screw is turned the reverse way and the nut sockets
caused to recede from each other when the levers.collapse.
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 :-
(1.) In a fire-escape, hoist or for like purposes the combination of the system of

page_text: extending lattice levers f, with joints f, with the operating mechanism e, e¹,
crosshead
92 drum l, coiled ladder k, roller c, slotted centre bar n, springs o³,
carriage and frame a and b, tilting mechanism c, d, or g, as herein described and
set forth.
(2.) In a fire-escape hoist or for like purposes the obtaining of a rigid.crosshead
for the summit of the extending levers by means of the plate h, and arm h³.
(3.) In a fire-escape, portable hoist or for like purposes the method of tilting
the frame of the carriage by means of the extending levers q, as herein described
and set forth.
Dated in 20th 1
1000
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, E.C., Patent Agent.