Improved Appliances for Use as Domestic Fire Escapes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1889-Accepted, 3rd Aug.. 1839
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Appliances for Use as Domestic Fire Escapes.
I EDWARD TOWNDROW of 16" Peabody Buildings; Royal Mint Street, Whitechapel,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in appliances for use as Domestic
Fire Escapes, and the first part consists of a foldable or jointed derrick to project
from the outside of a window, and from which a person can be lowered or can lower
himself.
The next improvement consists of a telescopic cross bar, to enable said bar to
suit any width of window, so that the derrick can be supported therefrom for lowering
purposes.
The third detail consists of a plate so formed with holes, that it fixes the derrick
legs, and attaches the telescopic bar, and also supports the tackle block, and rope by
which the lowering can be effected.
The fourth part consists of a cleat composed of a plate having a hole top and
bottom, one for the attachment of one end of the rope and the other for the
attachment of a bucket, bag or cage, in which an escape can be effected. This plate
has also another hole, (elongated), to be used in conjunction with a cleat projecting
from the plate. The elongated hole has the free end of the rope rove through it,
and then takes a turn round the cleat so that the occupant of the bucket, bag or cage
can lower himself at any desired speed; or by affixing a cleat to one of the legs of
the derrick, a lowering can be effected by a second person at the window or if the
rope be sufficiently long it can be operated from a person on a pavement or roadway,
and the cage or bag be hoisted and then lowered in succession for the escape of the
occupants of a burning building.
The derrick is composed of two legs only, with a. stay or tie bar which can be
hooked to keep the bottoms of the legs extended. The lower points of the legs rest in
the corners of the window sill, the upper ends of the legs being connected by the
plate before mentioned and also by guys to the telescopic cross bar.
Dated this 5th day of October 1888
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said E. Towndrow.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Appliances for. Use as Domestic Fire Escapes.
I, EDWARD TOWNDROW of 16" Peabody Buildings, Royal Mint Street, Whitechapel,
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 :
This invention relates to certain improvements in appliances for use as Domestic
Fire Escapes and the first part consists of a foldable or jointed Derrick to project
from the outside of a window and from which a person can be lowered, or can lower
bimself.
The next improvement consists of a telescopic cross bar to enable said bar to suit
any width of window so that the Derrick can be supported therefrom for lowering
purposes.
The third detail consists of a plate so formed with holes that it fixes the Derrick
legs and attaches the telescopic bar and also supports the tackle block and rope by
which the lowering can be effected.

page_text: The fourth part consists of a cleat composed of a plate having a hole top and
bottom, one for the attachment of one end of the rope, and the other for the
attachment of a bucket, bag, or cage in which an escape can be effected. This plate
has also another hole (elongated) to be used in conjunction with a cleat projecting
from the plate. The elongated hole has the free end of the rope rove through it and
then takes a turn round the cleat, so that the occupant of the bucket, bag, or cage can
lower himself at any desired speed, or by affixing a cleat to one of the legs of the
Derrick a lowering can be effected by a second person at the window, or if the rope
be sufficiently long it can be operated from a person on a pavement or roadway and
the cage or bag be hoisted and then lowered in succession for the escape of the
occupants of a burning building.
The Derrick is composed of two legs only with a stay, or tie bar which can be
hooked to keep the bottoms of the legs extended. The lower points of the legs rest in
the corner of the window sill, the upper ends of the legs being connected by the
plate before mentioned and also by guys to the telescopic cross bar.
My invention will be understood by the annexed drawings, in which at Figures 1
and 2, I show my invention applied to a window of a house, such as fixed for the
escape of inmates therefrom.
A, A, are two legs adjusted at an angle to lodge in the corners of the window frame
and upon the sill B, the upper part being jointed by a stud C to a plate D on which
stud they are foldable as from a centre. The lower part of the two legs A, A, have
lugs E, E, connected for the attachment of a span bar F.
The plate D which I show in separate view, Figure 3, has two holes G, G, for
connection of two chains H, the length of which determine the distance from which
upper part of the Derrick legs A, A, shall project from the window, so that the bag,
or basket I can bo kept clear of the lower window sells while being moved up or
down. The inner ends of the chains H fit over a transverse bar shown separately in
Figure 4, said bar being made of three pieces J, K, L, the extension pieces J, L,
being fixable at any part of K by screw nuts M, M, according to the width of the
window across the inside of which said bar has to be placed.
In order to retain the bar at the proper height of the window, I attach to the inside
of the window framing a couple of screw pins N of the form shown at Figure 5, said
screw pins N having each a swinging piece P which can be turned over the ends of
the bars J, L, to lock the ends temporarilly in position.
From the lower hole Q of the plate D, I suspend a tackle block to hang freely for
supporting a rope S by which the lowering can be effected, either from a person
inside a room, the rope then being rove round a cleat T, as indicated at Figures 1
and 2, said cleat being on one of the legs A, or it may be by roving the rope round
the cleat U, said cleat U forming the attachment between the lowering rope S and
the link ropes V connected to the bag I.
The cleat U is of the shape shown in the perspective view, Figure 6, and projects
from a plate W, so that the occupant of the bag I wishing to lower himself can
regulate the speed of descent by arranging the bight of the rope S round the cleat U
in the manner indicated and for this purpose the bight of the rope is first passed
through an elongated hole S and over the cleat U, as indicated.
I am aware that Frame like appliances have been fitted outside a window and upon
a window sill for the purpose of lowering persons, or a person lowering himself in
cases of danger from fire, therefore I make no claim broadly to such an apparatus but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
do claim is :-
1. The combination of appliances and their method of action, as and for the purpose
or purposes set forth.
2. The Derrick legs A, A, foldable on a stud C from a plate D when applied in the
manner and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 3. In connection with a portable fire escape, the telescopic cross bar shown at
Figure 4 of the annexed drawings and the method of fixing extension bars J, L, from
within a window, as described.
4. As a detail connected with portable fire escape, the four holed plate D, seen
at Figure 3 of the annexed drawings, as a means of connecting the foldable Derrick
legs A, A, extension chains H, H, the tackle block and the load suspended therefrom,
as set forth.
5. The plate W with elongated hole X and cleat U, as and for the purposes
The 29th day of June
H. GARDNER,
Per R. Core Gardner,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said E. Towndrow.