IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED AS A FIRE ESCAPE, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES WHERE LADDERS ARE USED
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
WILLIAM GERISHI, of East Road, City Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Ironmonger, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighth, day of August, in the fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Francis William Gerish, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Francis William Gerish, my exors, adñors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis William Gerish, my exors, adñiors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED
AS A FIRE ESCAPE, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES WHERE LADDERS ARE USED;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Francis
William Gerish, shall cause a particular description of the nature of iny said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Francis William Gerish, do hereby declare that the nature of my said

page_text: Figure 1 represents a ladder constructed according to my Invention in the
contracted state, Figure 2 shows the ladder in the expanded state, and
Figure 3 shews a side view of Figure 2; and it will be seen that the uprights of
the ladder are formed of iron tubes of the forms shewn in section at the Plan..
Figure 4. The Drawing shows the ladder to be in three lengths, the
upper parts sliding into the lower one. a, a, a, a', and a, a, are the sides
or uprights of the ladder, the parts a sliding in a', and the parts a¹ sliding
in a. The rounds or steps b, b, b, of the upper parts a¹, a², of the ladder;
are capable of sliding up and down, and they are retained in their proper
relative positions by the links c, c, each pair of which are coupled together
by pin joints, the other end of each link being connected to the sliding
socket of a round or step b, by a pin joint, as is clearly shown. The rounds
or steps of the lower part of the ladder a, a, are fixed in their places
to the sides or uprights of the ladder. d, d, are rollers or wheels carried by
the axis e, at the top of the ladder, to facilitate its being raised when
resting against a house or other surface. f, f, are two ends or ropes, one
end of each of which is affixed at the lower part of the ladder a², a², and
passes over a pulley 9, g, carried by a projection affixed to each of the sides
or uprights a, a, and such cords or ropes are then affixed to projections h, h,
which are affixed to the sides or uprights a, a, which projections carry-two-
pulleys, over which the cords or ropes i, i, pass, one end of each of such ropes
being affixed to the lower end of the sides or uprights a¹, a', and the other
ends are affixed to the windlasses or barrels j, j, affixed on the axis k, moving
in suitable bearings affixed to the sides or uprights a, a, there being proper
ratchet wheels and clicks or catches to prevent the barrels running back
when the barrels is lengthened out for use. I is a winch handle, by which

page_text: the windlass or barrels are turned round, and it will be readily be understood
that when the ladder is in the contracted state the simple act of turning the
handle will cause the ladder to be expanded out to the extent required; and
I would remark that although I have shown the ladder to consist of three parts,
the same may be varied and yet retain the same character of combination.
Figures 5, 6, and 7, show a front view of another ladder in the con-
tracted state, a front view in an expanded state, and also a side view in
an expanded state; and Figure 8 shows a plan full size of part of the ladder;
and it will be seen that the sides or uprights of the ladders are of plates of
iron, bent at right angles, to give strength and stiffness; and it will also be
seen that the rounds or steps in this ladder are all fixed to the respective
uprights. The mode of raising and lowering the parts of this ladder is
similar to that before described, but the pulleys over which the ropes work
are carried by rounds or steps of the ladder, and only one rope or cord is
used for each part of the ladder, and in place of having a windlass or barrels
to wind up the lower cord or rope, the end of the rope is drawn up by hand
and twisted round, and made fast to the lower step or round of the ladder; or
a windlass may be used, as in the others.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it
understood that what I claim as my Invention is the modes herein described
of constructing iron ladders for fire escapes, and other purposes for which such
ladders may be required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Gerish, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 6th day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
F. W. (L.S.) GERISH.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Sixth day of February, in the
year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid Francis William Gerish came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.