Improved Means for Releasing Cattle in Case of Fire.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROTIONAL DIECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Releasing Cattle in Case of Fire.
THOMAS STUART, 217, Scholes, Wigan, Lancashire, Provision Dealer & Cow
Keeper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The bottom end of the ring pole is so constructed that it will allow the top end
to fall down, this pole is held in an upright position by a ring lever, over the single
end of this lever their is a weight suspended by a cord or fusible wire, passing over
and about the shippon or stable. This cord or wire is also connected with an
electric bell in the house of the owner, and should a fire break out in the shippon
or stable and the cord or wire get parted, it will at once release the animals and also
throw open the doors for thein to pass out.
Dated this 13th day of March 1807
I, THOMAS STUART, of 217, Scholes, Wigan, in the County of Lancaster, Provision
Dealer and Cow Keeper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
the same manner is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object a device or appliance for freeing cows, horses or
other animals in cases of fire so that they can leave the stable or shippon in which
they are fastened.
On the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a stable or shippon fitted with such an
appliance;
Figure 2 a cross section thereof;
Figure 3 a diagrammatic view of an arrangement of cords and fuses arranged
underneath the ceiling of the building;
Figures 4 and 5 enlarged detail views of a portion of the appliance, and
Figure 6 a vertical section of a modification to be hereinafter described.
In these A are the walls of the stable or shippon, and B the ceiling which in this
case is a flat one, C are the partition boards between the stalls, D pairs of ring poles
onto which is slipped the ring of the chain which secures the animals. The ring
poles are hinged at d so that they can fall down and be clear of the partitions C, or
they can be held in an upright position by pivotted levers E Figures 1, 4 and 5, one
end e of each of which may be formed with two rings or eyelets e¹ which are adapted
to engage a pair of ring poles D as shown best in Figures 4 and 5. F is a weight

page_text: suspended over the free end E¹ of the lever which in the case of fire drops on such
lever and turns it on. its pivot into the position shown in dotted lines (Figure 4)
which then
thereby freeing the ring poles
fall down thus freeing the
the
the ring on the chain which secures
animals, as
them slips off
poles as they are falling. The weights F may be suspended by a cord or fusible
wire but I prefer to suspend them by a chain G from a bracket H secured to the
ceiling. I is a pin passing through the bracket and through a link of the chain G,
J are short chains connecting each of the pins I with a chain K running the length
or part of the building or in any required direction, L are guide pulleys and M weights
at the ends of the chain K counterbalancing each other. N are fuses counected at
one end to the wood work of the building or any inflammable portion thereof, their
other ends being attached to a fusible wire or cord 0, Figure 3 arranged preferably
underneath the ceiling such cord being attached at one end to the chain K, and at
the other end to a fixed point at W, this cord passing round a suitable guide pulley P
and provided with pivotted levers P' at intervals. Now if a fire should break out in
the stable or shippon, the fuses N would instantly convey the fire from any part of
the building to the cord O which on being burned through, would free the chains K
and weights M on the ends thereof, and these weights on dropping would take the
chain with them, thereby causing the pins I to be withdrawn by the short chains J.
The weights F being freed drop onto the ends of the levers E as herein before
described thereby freeing the cattle, and at the same time the weights M are so
arranged as to release the latches R¹ of the doors Q to allow the animals to
pass out.
Referring to Figure 6, the suspended weight F is here fitted with a knife R, so
that when the weight drops in the case of fire, the knife cuts through the leather
strap T and sets free the animal. It will be obvious that the falling weights could
and 2 of the
be used for operating a bell or other alarm as at U on Figures
drawings, or they may be connected with electric bells in the house of the owner.
In case an animal should get entangled in its stall it can be released by hand by
withdrawing the pins I, hand chains U¹ being provided for this purpose passing over
pulleys V and being connected with the heads of the pins.
Instead of the ring poles being upright, they may be arranged horizontal and
crossing the front of the manger. In such case they are hinged at one end and at
the other provided with a locking device and pivotted lever, so that when the weight
falls on the end of the lever, the latter will liberate the pole, and set free the animal,
by the chain which fastened the animal, slipping off it.
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. The improvement in apparatus for releasing cattle from stables or shippons in
case of fire, which consists in hinging the ring poles (to which the animals are
tethered) at one end, and at the other supporting them upright by pivotted levers,
or in such other manner that the rings on the chains that secure the animals cannot
slip off, in combination with weights suspended over the free end of the levers by a
cord or fusible wire, or otherwise directly or indirectly fitted with fusible wires, in
such manner that immediately these fusible wires are burned through, the weights
are freed and so drop on to one end of the levers as to release the other end from
engagement with the ring poles, whereby the ring poles will fall down, and free the
chains which tether the animals to the poles while the falling weights may also be
used to operate an alarm bell, and unfasten the latches of the doors for the animals
to pass out, substantially as described.
2. For the purpose of releasing cattle from stables or shippons in case of fire,
hinging at one end the ring poles by which the animals are tethered or coupled, and
providing pivotted levers so arranged as to normally engage and hold these poles in
an upright or other position, in combination with weights suspended above the free
end of each lever in such manner that in case of fire, these weights shall drop on

page_text: said levers and turn them on their pivots, so as to release the ring poles which then
fall down, enabling the rings on the chains that tether the animals to slip off the
poles, whereby the animals are permitted to escape substantially as described.
3. The method of automatically releasing the weights F in case of fire so that
they shall fall down and actuate the levers, which consists in suspending the weights
from pins and in connecting these pins with chains running the length or part of
the length of the building, and having weights at the end thereof, in combination
with fuses connected to fusible wires or cords arranged, and connected with the
chains aforesaid, in such manner that should fire break out in any part of the
building the cords will be burned through and free the chains and weights, thereby
withdrawing the pins and causing the weights F to drop on to the ends of the
levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The arrangement substantially as described in reference to Figure 6, in which
the suspended weight is fitted with a knife blade, and the device or a part thereof,
which tethers the animal in its stall, so arranged that when the weight drops the
knife cuts it through, thus setting free the animal.
5. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 12th day of January 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.