Improvements in and relating to Combined Water-tower and Fire Escape.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 25th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Combined Water-tower and
Fire Escape.
1, FRANK MICHAEL HUGHES, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at Milford, in the County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, one of
the United States of America, Architect, 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 relates to a combined water-tower and fire-escape.
The main object of my invention is the production of a portable apparatus which
is adapted to be extended in the vicinity of a burning building, so as to form a
tower from which streams of water may be thrown onto the building and by means
of which the inmates of the building may escape.
Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby firemen are enabled to
easily and conveniently pass from the tower into any desired story of a building and
also have ready at hand a hose provided with a nozzle at whatever elevation of the
tower they may desire to work from, thus enabling them to throw water into several
stories of a building at the same time.
The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying
drawings and then pointed out in the claims.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention in operation, with a portion of one
set of ladders broken away.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus, showing it closed for the purpose
of transportation and with the ladders on one side removed.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus extended, with the ladders and the
outside casing of the base-section removed.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the apparatus extended, with the outside casing
of the lower section removed.
Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line a-x, Figures 3 and 4.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the base-section and a portion of the second section,
with the outside casing of the base section removed.
Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of one set of the pawls with the mechanisın
for operating them.
Figure is a detail perspective view of the means for holding the inner ends of
the bridge-girders.
In the drawings, A, is a base-section consisting of a rectangular frame-work
comprising side sills, 1, cross-sills 2, cross-braces, 3, corner-posts 4, side posts 5, and
plates 6, all inclosed in a casing 7. The side sills 1, are trussed by rods 8, passing
over the ends of joists or stringers 9, as shown in Figure 6. In the front and rear
ends of the side sills are journaled shafts 10, the sills being extended beyond the
frame-work proper for that purpose. On these shafts are fixed gear-wheels 11,
ratchet-wheels 12, sprocket-wheels 13, and winding-drums 14. Meshing with gear
wheels 11 are gear-pinions 15, fixed on shafts 16, also journaled in the extensions of

page_text: the side sills 1, each end of shafts 16 being squared to receive hand-cranks 17. To
the frame-work are pivoted pawls 18, adapted to engage with the ratchet-wheels 12.
To insure unison of movement in the winding drums 14, sprocket-wheels 13 on
shafts 10 are connected by a sprocket-chain 19.
In rear of base-section A is placed a large hose-reel 20, journaled in
supporting frames 21, attached to the main frame, as will be plainly seen in Figure 6.
In the front of base-section A are placed two hose-reels 22, journaled in supporting
frames 23, attached to the main frame in a manner similar to the frames 21, and
between these two front hose-reels is a seat, 24, for the driver.
Corner-posts 4 are rabbeted on their interior corners, as plainly shown in Figure 5,
to form slide-ways, in which slides vertically a second section, B. This second
section is a rectangular frame-work composed of side sills, cross sills, corner-posts,
and plates, similar to the frame-work of the base-section, and strengthened by
brace-rods 25, as shown. I prefer to use anti-friction rollers in each corner-post of
sections A, B, and C, for the section above each to slide on. One set of these
rollers 26 is shown in Figure 5. Section B is raised and lowered within the base-
section by means of cables 27, the upper ends of which are secured to the bottoms
of the corner-posts of section B, passing over pulleys 28, and attached to winding-
drums 14. To reduce the manual power necessary to raise section B and all the
sections above it, counterpoise-weights 29 are hung on cables 30, passing over
pulleys 31 on the plates of the base-section and secured to the side sills 1 of section B.
In each exterior side of the corner-posts of section B are placed ratchets 32, which
are engaged by spring-actuated pawls 33, pivoted to the plates 6 of the base-section.
These ratchets serve to hold the section B from accidentally falling back into
section A and also to take the strain off the hoisting-cables while the apparatus
is in use.
Within section B slides a third section, C, similar in construction to the former,
but carrying a deck or floor 34 at its lower end. This section is raised by means
of cables 35, secured to its lower end and passing over pulleys 36, mounted on top
of section B. The lower ends of cables 35 pass through holes in plates 6 of base-
section A and are secured to cross-braces 3 of said section. The raising of
section B by means of winding-drums 14 and cables 27 automatically raises or
extends section C.
Within section C is a fourth section D, similar in construction to section C. It is
raised automatically by means of cables 37, attached to its lower end, passing over
pulleys 38, and secured to cross-sills 2 of section B. It is also provided with two
decks or floors one 39, at its bottom, and one, 40, at its top. The deck or floor 39
is made trough-shaped, as clearly shown in Figure 1, in order that it may carry off
the water falling on it when the apparatus is in use.
Around the top deck, 40 is placed a folding railing consisting of corner-posts 41,
hinged to the deck 40 and connected in pairs by permanent braces 42 and rails 43,
forming panels. These panels fold toward each other and down onto the floor or
deck. When raised, they are held rigid by movable brace-rods 44, whose ends are
bent and pass through eye-bolts 45 in the corner-posts 41 and floor 40. To assist
in holding these corner-posts and also to serve as a railing, rails 46 extend from one
post of each panel to its opposite post in the other panel, being removably secured to
said posts by having their ends bent and passed through eyebolts 47 in said corner
posts.
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, 48, 49, and 50 represent fire-hose extending
upward from the bottom of the base-section. These hose, which are each provided
with a nozzle 51, pass through slots 52 in the floor 34 of section C, and also through
circular openings, 53, in the lower floor 39 of section D, where hose 48 and 49
terminate, hose 50 extending upward and passing through the upper floor 40 of
section D, where it terminates, each of the said hose being provided with a collar 54
to prevent it from slipping downward through the openings. It will thus be seen
that the fireman will always have a hose at his ready command when it is desired to
throw water from either one or both of these parts of the tower. However, the

page_text: number of hose employed and their locations may be varied without departing from
my invention, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, wherein five hose are illustrated, one
nozzle being located in section C, two above the lower floor of section D, and two
above the upper floor of section D. All the hose are of such relative lengths that
when the tower is fully extended their lower ends will be even with each other, so
that they can be conveniently coupled to hose connected with fire-engines, hydrants,
or any other source of water supply.
Sections C and D are each provided with ratchets 32 and spring-pawls, 33, as
heretofore described in relation to section B, and these pawls are connected in four
vertical sets by cords or ropes 55, by means of which the pawls may be disengaged
from the ratchets simultaneously by the firemen on the ground.
To assist the pawls in sustaining the sections when they are fully extended,
posts 56 are journaled in the side sills and plates of sections B and C. Near the
tops of these posts are brackets, 57, adapted to be moved in under the sills of the
section above by the turning of said posts. These bracket-posts are actuated by
springs 58 at their lower ends, which tend to retain them in position with the
brackets under the sections. They are turned so as to swing the brackets out by
means of ropes 59, as shown.
The top of base-section A is extended by brackets 60, decked over to form a
platform 61 all around the top of the base-section. On this platform is a ladder-
supporting rail 62, mounted in eye-bolts 63, fixed in the platform. On this rail,
at each side of the machine, are mounted two ordinary extension ladders, E, having
hooks 64, which hook over the rails 46 on the top section, D, whereby when the
tower is elevated the ladders are extended with it. To retain the ladders in this
position and also for the purpose of controlling them independent of the tower, an
ordinary extension-tackle 65 is employed.
F is a common ladder with hooks at its upper end whereby it may be hooked to
the ladder supporting rail, its lower end resting on the ground.
G is a portable bridge adapted to be run out from the top of the tower to a
burning building, being supported at its outer end by the ladders E, on the side of
the machine nearest the building, by means of which the firemen may gain entrance
to the building and inmates of the building may escape to the tower.
This bridge
consists of two girders 66, secured to the ladders by hooks 67 on their lower edges
engaging the top rounds of the ladders. The inner ends of the girders 66 are
secured to the deck of the tower by clips, 68, bolted to the deck, engaging flanges 69
on the girders. 70 is a bearing-rail over which the girders pass, as plainly shown
by Figure 8. To each end of each girder is fastened an upright rail post 71,
supporting hand-rails 72. Each post is braced by a rod 73, and at the outer end
of the bridge a cross-brace 74 connects the two outer posts by hooking over the
hand-rails where the latter join the posts. This cross-brace serves, also, as a
support on which can be hooked, when desired, a block 75, through which is rove a
rope 76, carrying a bucket 77 of sufficient size to hold one or more persons, who
may be thus lowered to the ground when unable to descend the ladders of the
apparatus.
On top of the girders 66 is placed a folding floor composed of narrow planks 78,
reaching from one girder to the other and connected with one another by being
interwoven between ropes 79, so as to permit the floor to be rolled up in a bundle
when not in use. It is shown in this condition in Figure 2.
To protect the apparatus and to shelter the firemen, asbestos fire-curtains may
be hung on spring rollers secured to the tops of the plates of the sections, whereby
the curtains can be rolled up or lowered, and if desired, these curtains may be
provided with openings through which the hose-nozzles may be projected.
The whole apparatus is mounted on trucks 80, provided with rubber car-springs 81,
as shown, the purpose of which will be apparent.
My combined water-tower and fire-escape is operated as follows: The apparatus
is drawn alongside the burning building and is then extended by turning the winding
drums 14, which carry the cables 27, attached to section B. The winding of these

page_text: cables acts directly to elevate section B, and as it is being elevated sections C and D
are also extended automatically. The ladders E are extended by the elevation of
the tower and those on the side of the machine toward the building are swung out
toward it, the bridge-girders put in place, and the floor laid. The hose at the
bottom being then connected to any source of water-supply the apparatus is ready
for use.
To close the apparatus the above operations are reversed, it being first necessary
to withdraw the pawls from the ratchets by drawing on the pawl-operating ropes
or cords 55, and also to swing the bracket-posts and brackets from underneath the
sections. As the sections are lowered the hose is reeled up by hand on the reels at
the front and rear ends of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a telescopic tower composed of sections having sills and plates, as described,
spring-actuated bracket-carrying posts revolubly mounted in the sills and plates of
the sections intermediate the base and upper sections,. whereby the brackets in one
section are made to aid in the support of the section next above, substantially as
described.
2. In a telescopic water-tower, a series of fire-hose, extending up through the
floors of the movable sections, each hose being provided with a fixed collar which
rests on the floor of the section in which it is desired the lose shall terminate,
whereby the hose will be elevated in the elevation of the tower, and a hose-reel
journaled in the base-section; substantially as described.
3. The combination, with a telescopic tower, of a series of fire-hose suspended
from the movable sections of the tower and extension ladders pivoted at their lower
ends to the base-section and carrying hooks at their upper ends which engage with
the upper section of the tower, whereby as the tower is elevated the hose will be
elevated and the ladders extended.
4. The combination, with the portable tower, of two or more ladders pivoted to
said tower and a movable bridge supported at one end by the tower and at the other
end by the ladder.
5. The combination, with the telescopic tower, of fire-hose suspended from the
movable sections of the tower, extension-ladders pivoted to opposite sides of the
tower, and a movable bridge supported at one end by the tower and at the other
end by one set of ladders, substantially as described, and for the purposes stated.
6. The combination with the telescopic tower, of extension-ladders pivoted to
said tower and a movable bridge supported at one end by the tower and at the other
end by the ladders, said bridge consisting of longitudinal beams provided with
means for engaging with the ladders and a folding floor.
7. The combination, with a telescopic tower and a hose reel journaled in the base-
section thereof, of a series of fire hose suspended from the movable sections of the
tower and adapted to be wound on the reel, extension-ladders pivoted to the base-
section of the tower on opposite sides, a knock-down bridge supported at one end
by the tower and at the other end by the ladders on one side of the tower, a bucket
or like receptacle, a rope attached thereto, and a sheave attached to the bridge, over
which the rope is passed, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 25th day of November 1892.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.