IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES AND APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Kennedy of Strabane in the County of Tyrone
Ireland Shirt Manufacturer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE
ESCAPES AND APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Kennedy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August 1882.
JAMES KENNEDY, of Strabane in the County of Tyrone, Ireland Shirt
Manufacturer IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES AND APPARATUS FOR EXTIN-
GUISHING FIRES
My invention relates to certain improvements in Fire escapes and apparatus for
extinguishing fires and has for its object the arrangement of the escape ladders in
such a manner that carriages may be mounted thereon for the lowering of persons
from an elevation: and the application to the ladders of adjustable apparatus to
which the hose pipes can be attached in such a manner that the pipes are supported
and the direction of the jets of water under better control.
My object is accomplished in the following manner: the ladders are mounted on
wheels and the sides of the ladders prepared with grooves in which is made to slide
between the ladder sides a cage or carriage for lowering persons from an elevation.
The cage is actuated by means of a small hoist which is connected with the former
by ropes or chains passing over pullies attached to the upper portion of the ladders.
The sides of the ladders are also arranged with other grooves to which are fitted
sliding platforms to the framework of which levers are fitted having sockets
secured thereto in which the hand or hose pipes are to be attached thereby
supporting the hose pipes and water. The levers are mounted to compound joints,
so that the attendant is enabled to direct the jets of water as desired consentrating
the delivery to one place or at some distance apart.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Kennedy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th February
1883.
JAMES KENNEDY of Strabane in the County of Tyrone, Ireland, Shirt
Manufacturer IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES AND APPARATUS FOR EXTIN-
GUISHING FIRES
My invention relates to certain improvements in Fire Escapes and apparatus for
extinguishing Fires, and has for its object the arrangement of escape ladders in such
a manner that carriages may be mounted thereon for lowering persons or material
from an elevation: and for the application to the ladders of adjustable apparatus
to which one or more hose pipes can be attached so that the pipes are supported
and the direction of the jets of water under better control.
In order that my invention may be better understood I will by the aid of the
accompanying drawings proceed to more fully describe the means employed by me
in carrying the same into effect.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved apparatus. Figure 2 is a
front elevation. Figure 3 is a sectional plan through line. a. b.: the platform
covering the shafts in this, as in the other figures is removed and Figure 4 is a side
elevation of the top part of the bottom portion of the ladder shewing the
adjustable platform to which the apparatus for supporting the hose pipes is
attached.
The sides A of the bottom part of the ladder are attached to the wheels B by
springs B in the ordinary manner and from the ladder sides project the
arms A', to which is mounted a number of winch shafts for the purpose hereinafter
described.
Between the two sides A is fitted the upper or sliding portion of the ladder A²:
this part of the ladder is raised or lowered by turning with an ordinary handle the
shaft C and winch barrels C¹, to the latter of which the ropes or chains C2 and C³
are attached, and passing around the grooved pullies D and D', are connected to the
sliding ladder A2, thereby raising or lowering the same according to the direction in
which the shaft is turned.
The carriage or cages G and G¹ travel between slides formed in the ladders, and
are raised or lowered by turning the winch shaft E and barrels E¹: the rope or
chain F is shewn attached to the barrel E' and is secured to a cross-bar F1 on
carriage or cage G, and from this point is conducted forward to the top of the
ladder A² passing over the grooved pullies K mounted to the cross brace A³, and
the end finally secured to the carriage or cage G₁. By conducting the rope or
chain in the manner described, the carriages are alternately raised and lowered,
when one of the carriages is ascending the other is descending, thereby saving the
time and labour of having to raise the empty carriage or cage from the bottom to
the top each time any person is lowered, the length of the rope between the cages
being adjusted by the screw on bar F'.
The carriages may be alternately raised or lowered by having separate ropes or
chains: one to each cage: when this arrangement is carried out, one of the ropes or
chains is wrapped round one of the barrels in one direction, and the other in the
other as indicated by the arrows on the barrels E': by these means the ropes allow
one of the carriages to ascend and the other to descend in whatever way the barrels
are turned.
One or both sides of the ladder A may be fitted with a sliding platform L: in
the drawing one only is shewn, which is elevated or lowered by means of the rope
or chain M in connection with barrel N, the shaft N' and barrel N are turned by

page_text: shaft C which by sliding in the bearings is made to act upon both the barrel
shafts C and N₁ when disengaged with shaft C¹ the ladder A2 is kept secure
by means of an ordinary catch wheel and pawl P, and the shaft C is kept in
gear with the desired barrel shaft by placing the guard P¹ in the respective
groove.
The rope or chain M passes around the grooved pullies R and R', and is
secured to the framework of platform, which is jointed to the bar S, secured to the
two blocks S¹, the latter being made to slide freely on the V grooved bar T.
The top block is provided with a screw for securing the platform in position
when elevated to the required height. By the platform being jointed in the
manner described, it can be turned over out of the way when not in use, or transit,
the part L' resting on the interior or centre of the ladders.
To the top rail of platform framework, one or more sets of levers L³ may bo
mounted, fitted with sockets for the reception of the hose jet pipes: these levers
are jointed to uprights L³ which are capable of being turned round on the centre
pin, passing through the top rail of platform framework: by so mounting the levers,
the end of the jet pipes can be directed in whatever position desired, by the person
stationed on the platform, the latter sustaining the weight of the pipe and column
of water.
Having thus described my invention and the manner in which the same may be
carried into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details herein described and deliniated, as the same may be varied without
departing from the peculiar character of the invention, but what I beleive to be new
and desire to protect under Letters Patent is :-
Fire Escapes and apparatus for directing the jets of water arranged substantially
in the manner as herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
The arrangement and combination of the platform and universal joints substan-
tially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
In Witness whereof I the said James Kennedy have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 10th day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-three.