IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES WHICH ARE APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER USES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of AM and
W Clark of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents,
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES WHICH ARE APPLICABLE
ALSO FOR OTHER USES Communicated to him from abroad by George
Washington Smith, of Harlansburgh Lawrence County, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of
53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE ESCAPES," WHICH ARE APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER USES [Com-
municated to him from abroad by George Washington Smith, of Harlansburgh
Lawrence County, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America]
"
This Invention, consists of a pair of hollow guide ways made of metal tubes
erected vertically in front of and projecting a little from the building and coupled
by an arch at the top to each of which tubes a balcony is fitted so as to slide
up and down, being connected through a slit with a suspending and operating rope
within the tube, the two balconies balancing each other so that persons in one
or the other may command their own descent by means of a lever brake in the
balcony. The apparatus which presents an ornamental appearance is also provided
with means for the operator to hoist a balcony by a crank and cog gear, so that
the fire escape may also be utilised by painters, window cleaners, and others when
desired.
The metal tubes forming the guide ways extend to and above the windows of
the upper stories where they are connected together by the arch which is hollow
and otherwise of suitable construction. The tubes have a slot from top to bottom
in the front. The balconies are supported by a piece which is provided with a
central web adapted to work in the slot of the tubes and having a T bar working

page_text: within the tube. The opposite balcony supports are connected by a wire rope which
extends from one support, up through and over guide rollers in the arch and
down to the balcony support of the other tube. Instead of the arch form of the
top, a tube may extend straight across from one to the other of the upright tubes
if desired, or, except for protection of the rope and for symmetry of design, the top
arch or tube may be dispensed with altogether, though in that case the tubes
would have to be more substantially secured to the wall of the building to resist
the lateral stress of the rope. Any approved form of connecting device may be
used but it is important that the web have sufficient length in the tube to afford
substantial control of the tendency of the balcony to tip either sidewise or forward.
It is also important that the web which connects the balcony support with the bar
should have such permanent control by the edge of the slit and by the flanges of
its head outside of the latter, and. bearing against the side of the latter, as will
prevent the balcony from turning sidewise on the tube. Suitable brackets may
also be provided for the same purpose. The balcony frames and their railing may
be constructed in any approved form suitable for a neat appearance, and at the
same time for use as a fire escape, also for the common uses of a balcony while in a
position to be ready for the emergency of fire.
A safety brake is provided for the control of the descent of the balcony by the
occupant and consists of a friction pawl pivoted to the balcony support below the
bottom of the cage, and so arranged that its friction upon the tube when
the balcony descends will make it bind thereon and prevent the descent of the
balcony unless the amount of friction bearing is diminished for which purpose the
pawl is connected by a rod projecting from the bottom of the balcony to a
regulating lever to be worked by the occupant of the balcony. I propose also to
connect a cord from the ground with the pawl over a pulley on the bottom of the
balcony so that the descent can be regulated from the ground. In order to adjust
and regulate the position of the balconies I provide at the top of the support a
small windlass provided with a suitable handle for its operation, and the ends of
the rope which connects the balconies at each balcony pass beneath a friction
pulley upon a slide to the windlass. This allows the lengthening of the rope as
may be required, so that, when one balcony reaches the ground the other shall be
at the upper or other story the building.
For the use of painters and others it is desirable to have some means for working
the balcony up and down by the workmen occupying it and to this end I provide
a toothed rack upon one side of the interior of the tubes and a crank arm and
pinion for moving the balcony thereby, and in order to shift the crank out of gear
when required to work quickly as a fire escape I provide an intermediate wheel
with which the crank and pinion can be geared or not by shifting the crank
endwise; but the crank pinion may be geared directly with the cogs and remain
so, the cranks being removed and the pinion being allowed to remain idle
The tubes may be connected to the wall of the building by any approved
form of bracket to be secured to wall by bolts anchored, or otherwise fastened in
said wall

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd March 1883.
86
IMPROVEMENTS
A communi-
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the Firm of A, M, and W, Clark of
53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Patent Agents
IN FIRE ESCAPES WHICH ARE APPLICABLE ALSO FOR OTHER USES "
cation to me from abroad by George Washington Smith, of Harlansburgh Lawrence
County State of Pennsylvania United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide for the convenient and ready escape of
persons from burning buildings and the Invention consists of a pair of hollow guide
ways made of metal tubes erected vertically in front of, and projecting a little from,
the building and coupled by an arch at the top to each of which tubes a balcony is
fitted so as to slide up and down, being connected through a slit with a suspending
and operating rope within the tube, the two balconies balancing each other so that
persons in one or the other may command their own descent by means of a lever
brake in the balcony. The apparatus is also provided with means for the operator
to hoist a balcony by a crank and cog gear so that the fire escape may also be
utilized by painters, window cleaners and others when desired. The apparatus is
ornamental and will constitute a feature of attraction to the building as hereinafter
described.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a building with a fire escape applied to it in.
accordance with the Invention. Figure 2 is a side elevation of a balcony and part
of one of the guide way tubes, a part of the balcony being broken out to show the
safety brake attachment. Figure 3 is a cross section on line x-x figure 2 showing
the arrangement of gears for working the balconies by a crank.
A represents the front wall of a building in front of which, and a little outward
from the wall so as to pass any cornices B, window sills, or other projections of the
building, are erected a couple of straight metal tubes C any suitable distance apart
and extending to and above the windows of the upper stories where they are
connected together by a hollow arch D of suitable construction. The tubes C bave
a slot E from top to bottom in the front. I is a balcony support provided with a
central web K adapted to work in the slot of the tube and having a T bar F
working within the tube. The opposite balcony supports are connected by a wire
rope G which extends from one support up through the arch and down to the
balcony support I of the other tube. Through the arch D the rope passes over
guide rollers H. Instead of the arch form of the top, a tube may extend straight
across from one to the other of the upright tubes C if desired, or, except for
protection of the rope and for symmetry of design, the top arch or tube D may be
dispensed with altogether, though in that case the tubes C would have to be more
substantially secured to the wall of the building to resist the lateral stress of the
rope. Any approved form of connecting device may be used, but it is important
that the web K have sufficient length in the tube to afford substantial control of
the tendency of the balcony to tip either sidewise or forward. It is also important
that the web K which connects the balcony support I with the bar F should have
such permanent control by the edge of the slit and by the flanges of its head
outside of the latter, and bearing against the side of the latter, as will prevent the
balcony from turning sidewise on the tube. Suitable brackets may also be
provided for the same purpose.
.

page_text: The balcony frames J and their railing may be constructed in any approved form
suitable for a neat appearance, and at the same time for use as a fire escape, also for
the common uses of a balcony while in a position to be ready for the emergency
of fire.
The safety brake for the control of the descent of the balcony by the occupant
consists of a friction pawl L pivoted to the balcony support I at M below the
bottom of the cage and so arranged that its friction upon the tube when the
balcony descends will make it bind thereon and prevent the descent of the balcony
unless the amount of friction bearing is diminished, for which purpose the pawl L
is connected by a rod N projecting from the bottom of the balcony to the regulating
lever P to be worked by the occupant of the balcony. I propose also to connect
the cord O from the ground with the pawl L over a pulley R on the bottom of the
balcony so that the descent can be regulated from the ground. In order to adjust
and regulate the position of the balconies, I provide at the top of the support I a
small windlass a provided with a suitable handle for its operation, and the ends of
the rope G at each balcony pass beneath the friction pulley b upon the slide F to
the windlass. This allows the lengthening of the rope as may be required, so that
when one balcony reaches the ground, the other shall be at the upper or other story
of the building.
It will be seen at once that the balcony being thus available for passing up and
down the front of the house, it may also be utilised for painting, washing, and
other work to be done outside, in which case it is desirable to have some means for
working the balcony up and down by the workmen occupying it. For this purpose
I provide a toothed rack S upon one side of the interior of the tubes C and a crank
arm T and pinion V for moving the balcony thereby, and in order to shift the
crank out of gear when required to work quickly as a fire escape, I provide an
intermediate wheel W with which the crank and pinion can be geared or not by
shifting the crank end wise but the crank pinion V may be geared directly with the
cogs and remain so, the cranks being removed and the pinion being allowed to
reinain idle.
The tubes C may be connected to the wall A by any approved form of bracket X
to be secured to wall by bolts Y anchored or otherwise fastened in said wall.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st The combination with the side wall of a house, of a fire escape consisting of a
couple of guide way tubes C, a balcony J fitted to slide on each tube and a
suspending and operating wire rope, both of the balconies being attached to and
balanced on the rope, said rope being continuous over guide pulleys from one tube
to the other at the upper end, substantially as described.
2nd The combination in a fire escape of a slotted guide way tube C, balcony J,
balancing support I provided with a central web K, and the T bar F connected to
said balcony support, substantially as described.
3rd The combination in a fire escape of a pair of guide way tubes C, a supporting
and operating rope and slide working in said guide tubes, a pair of balconies
sliding on such guide way tubes, and counterbalanced thereon by each other and a
self acting safety brake L, substantially as set forth:
4th A fire escape consisting of a balcony suspended and sliding on a guide way
tube C and having a safety brake L, such brake having a cord O connected to it
and arranged on the guide R to be worked by said cord from the ground,
substantially as specified.
5th In a fire escape consisting of a balcony suspended and sliding on a guide way
tube by a rope G, T bar F, and balcony support I attached to the said bar the
toothed rack S in the tube, and the crank and pinion on the T bar and balcony
support to work the balcony, substantially as described.
6th The combination with a building of a pair of vertical slotted tubes C, the
tubular top D connecting the tubes, the guide sheaves or pulleys H, a suitable rope

page_text: arranged in said tubes for the guide ways, and the suspending and operating device
for a fire escape, substantially as described.
7th In a fire escape consisting of balconies balanced at the ends of a suspension
rope and sliding on suitable guide ways, the windlass a for connection of the rope
and adjustment of the balconies with reference to each other, substantially as
described
In Witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set
my hand and seal this third day of March, A.D. 1883.