IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Shand, of 75, Upper Ground Street,
Blackfriars Road, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Shand at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th October 1871.
I, JAMES SHAND, of 75, Upper Ground Street, Blackfriars Road, in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES," to be as follows:
My improvements consists in an arrangement of two, three, or more
ladders with or without shoots attached to cach, and sliding (tellescope
like) into each other, the ladders and their raising cords being wholly of
metal, and power applied by means of two winch handles, and also two
cords or ropes at the lower part for raising the ladders to the height

page_text: required. The winch handles can be used by two or more men; but
the rope may be pulled by any persons assembled, as is usually the
case at houses on fire, and thus assist the men at the handles, and cause
the escape to be raised in less time. These same ropes used for assisting
in raising also form an efficient break in lowering, as by means of a
lever provided for that purpose they (the ropes) are pinched between
two pieces of wood, thus controlling the descent of the ladders steadily
into each other. I also provide a back stay that is thrust out while the
ladders are raising, thus extending the base in proportion to the height
raised. This back stay is forced out by a toothed quadrant actuated by
the same power applied for raising ladders, thus enabling the escape to
stand (if required) when unsupported by the wall of building; the
lower ends of the back stay are fitted with wheels that by means of
jointed levers are made to travel parallel on the surface of the ground,
and if the ground was perfectly level the inclination of the escape would
not be altered whilst the base was extending. Safety stays are also
provided in the shape of forked pieces from the top rounds of the lower
ladders, and fitting under the adjacent rounds of the upper ladders;
these stays drop in under cach round as the ladders rise, but in lowering
the same they are moved away from the rounds of the ladders by a lever
at the lower end that communicates with the stays by means of a
sliding or elongating rod. These stays are for the purpose of removing
the strain off raising cords, avoiding the chance of accident in case of

page_text: wire gauze, and a softened surface preventing abrasion of the person
descending, with sufficient flexibility to retard the descent by extending
the knees and elbows as heretofore with the canvas shoots.
improved shoot is also applicable to the existing fire escapes.
This
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Shand in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SHAND, of 75, Upper Ground Street, Blackfriars Road, in the County
of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in
the thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Shand, Her special
Licence that I, the said James Shand, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Shand, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE ESCAPES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Shand, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Shand, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
My improvements consist in an arrangement of two, three, or more

page_text: ladders with or without shoots attached to each, and sliding (telescope
like) into cach other, the ladders and their raising cords being wholly of
metal, and power applied by means of two winch handles, and also two
cords or ropes at the lower part for raising the ladders to the height
required. The winch handles can be used by two or more men; but
the ropes may be pulled by any persons assembled, as is usually the
case at houses on fire, and thus assist the men at the handles, and cause
the escape to be raised in less time. These same ropes used for assisting
in raising also form an efficient break in lowering, as by means of a
lever provided for that purpose they (the ropes) are pinched between
two pieces of wood, thus controlling the descent of the ladders steadily
into each other. I also provide a back stay that is thrust out while the
ladders are rising, thus extending the base in proportion to the height
raised. This back stay is forced out by a toothed quadrant actuated by
the same power applied for raising ladders, thus enabling the escape to :
stand (if required) when unsupported by the wall of building; the
lower ends of this back stay are fitted with wheels that by means of
jointed levers are made to travel parallel on the surface of the ground,
and if the ground was perfectly level the inclination of the escape would
not be altered whilst the base was extending. Safety stays are also
provided in the shape of forked pieces from the top rounds of the lower
ladders, and fitting under the adjacent rounds of the upper ladders;
these stays drop in under each round as the ladders rise, but in lowering
the same they are moved away from the rounds of the ladders by a lever
at the lower end that communicates with the stays by means of a sliding 2
or elongating rod. These stays are for the purpose of removing the
strain off raising cords, avoiding the chance of accident in case of the
same breaking.

page_text: prevented from forming creases or folds, which often cause rents in the
gauze. I next provide inside of the wire gauze a shoot of woollen,
cotton, or other fabric, prepared with an uninflammable solution. I thus
obtain strength and shape from the metal strips in meshes, protection
from flame by the wire gauze, and a softened surface, preventing
abrasion of the person descending, with sufficient flexibility to retard
the descent by extending the knees and elbows as heretofore with the
canvas shoots. This improved shoot is also applicable to the existing
fire escapes.
I now proceed to describe the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side clevation of a fire escape in three divisions or ladders
extended up to the required height; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the
lower end of the bottom ladder; Fig. 3 is a plan of the same; Fig. 4 is a
front view; Fig. 5 is a side view, and Fig. 6 is a plan of the upper ends
of the top and middle ladders, shewing the safety stays provided for
taking the strain off the raising cords. In describing the action of the
details the same letters of reference apply to each of the Figures.
The escape when out of use is all contained in the bottom length, and
thus propelled to the place required. The shafts A and B are made to
rotate by the attendants turning the winch handles, one of which is
shewn at C. On each said shafts is a pinion D gearing into the
wheel E, on which is a detent that carries round the drums F and G;
both cast in one piece as shewn in section. If the attendants only are
present the ladders are raised by them at the said winch handles; but
soon as other assistance arrives, they (the assistants) can pull the
ropes H, H, in opposite directions, and by their combined assistance
instantly raise the ladders to the required height. But should the
power applied at the ropes cause the drums to rotate faster than the
men could turn the winch handles the detent on the wheel E would
yield and allow the drums to rotate without carrying the handles round
with them, thus avoiding accident to the men turning them. A cord
attached to the bottom of the middle ladder at I is carried round a pulley
at J, and thence on to the drum F, the rotation of. which winds up the
cord and raises the said middle ladder. Another cord is attached to the
lower end of the upper ladder at K, and passes round the pulley L, and
thence on to the top of the bottom ladder, where it is fastened.
this arrangement the top and middle ladders are raised simultaneously.
The safety stays shewn in Figs 4 and 5 arc (while the ladders are being
By

page_text: raised) in the position shewn at M, leaning against the ladder rounds as
they pass up, and falling under them when past. The required height
being obtained the ladders are lowered into the fork of the said safety
stays, and the strain is thereby taken off the cords and transferred to the
stays. On the axis of the drums F and G is a small pinion shewn at
N, Fig. 1, that gears into and actuates a spur wheel shewn at O, also
gearing into a toothed quadrant at P, so that while the rotation of the
drums has raised the ladders as described the pinions and quadrants
have simultaneously thrust out the back stay, thus extending the base
in proportion to the height raised. A wheel Q, Fig. 1, at the bottom of
the back stay is made to travel parallel on the ground by means of the
jointed levers shewn at R, R. Attached to each length of ladder is a
shoot, the fabric composing which is protected from fire by wire gauze,
and the wire gauze supported and strengthed by the strips of metal
before described in the Specification.
Having described the process of
explain the provision for lowering it.
raising the escape, I will now
First, the ladders are raised a few
inches to disengage them from the forked stays; the said forked stays
are then moved out of contact with the ladders into the position shown
at S, Fig. 5, by means of a lever at the lower end of the bottom ladder,
and within reach of the attendants. The angular motion of the said
lever is conveyed from bottom to top of ladders by means of a spindle
shewn at T, Fig. 5, the upper part of which is square, and slides
telescopically into the lower part, clongating or shortening with the
ladders. In the Fig. 5 at U is seen the end of the square spindle
protruding through the lower part (which is shewn broken off); a short
lever is shewn at V, Fig. 6, that conveys motion from the said spindle
to the tail of the forked stay, allowing sufficient play for the stay to
recede when pressed by the ascending rounds of ladders. The stays
being thus removed from contact the lever X,,Fig. 2, is forced in the
direction of the dotted lines towards Y; the lower end of this lever has
a pin at the back forming a fulcrum, and on either side of this fulcrum
in front is a pin that passes through brackets fastened to two pieces of
wood, No. 1, No. 1, with grooves fitting the ropes H, H, by forcing the
lever X in the direction described, the ropes passing from the drums G
and round the pullies Z, and between the said pieces of wood are firmly
pinched, thus forming an effectual break, and preventing the descent of
the escape; the pawl W is then raised out of contact with the drum F,
and the detent on the wheel E released; the pressure against the

page_text: lever X being moderated the upper ladders are allowed to gradually
slide into the lower division, the quadrant P simultaneously with-
drawing the back stay past the position shewn in dotted lines at No. 2.
The ladders are composed of flat pieces of iron with angle irons rivetted
thereto as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The rounds are composed of tubes,
except where the shafts intervene. The pullies J and L, round which
the raising cords pass, are shewn enlarged in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The
crossings on the shoots shew the meshes for protecting the gauze. The
arrows shew the direction of handles, drums, and pullies while raising.
The dotted curves from R, R, shew the parallel motion of the
wheel Q.
Having described my improved fire escape generally, I now point
out the novelties constituting my claim,—
First. The construction of a public travelling fire escape, the essential
parts of which are all of metal, thus avoiding the danger arising from
the use of wood, which becomes decayed, and gives way when least
expected.
Second. The construction of a flexible shoot in metal, down which the
rescued individuals may slide, and the attachment of the shoots to the
ladders, so that they always maintain the same slength even when raised
to their greatest height.
Third. A self-acting back stay, which is extended in proportion to the
height the ladders are raised.
Fourth. The means by which the bystanders can aid the extension of
the ladders to the required height.
Fifth. The self-acting arrangement by which the escape is retained at
any point of its elongation independent of the men at the ropes or
winch handles.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Shand, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
the ladders to the required height.
Fifth. The self-acting arrangement by which the escape is retained at
any point of its elongation independent of the men at the ropes or
winch handles.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Shand, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
JAMES SHAND. (L.S.)