Improvements in Telescopic Scaling or Fire-escape Ladders and Apparatus connected therewith.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telescopic Scaling or Fire-escape Ladders and
Apparatus connected therewith.
We, LOUIS SMITTER of 48 rue Labat, mechanical engineer and PAUL DUHAMEL of
54 rue Tepic, gentleman, both in Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention refers to improvements in telescopic scaling or fire escape
ladders and its object is to so construct these telescopic ladders that they may be
used as fire escapes for extinguishing fires and for scaling or ascending heights
inaccessible with ordinary apparatus.
The ladder consists of a series of tubes provided with rungs and telescoped into
each other when not in use so as to take up as little room as possible. Each of these
tubes is provided at the top with a landing surrounded by balusters. The lowest or
outside tube is pivotted or journalled in strong standards or frames so that the tubes
when telescoped in can be placed horizontally for better transport. The whole is
mounted on a suitable vehicle. Two windlasses are provided one for the operation
of the life saving basket and one for the operation of the tubes by chains.
A windlass fixed to the body of the vehicle serves in combination with guide pulleys
and a chain fixed to the lower end of the lowest or external tube to raise the
telescoped tubes from the horizontal to a vertical position or vice versa.
To permit the lower end of the telescoped tubes to escape the bind axle tree of
the vehicle when the tubes are moved from the horizontal into the vertical position or
vice versa the hind axle tree is split in the middle the ends overlapping and close to
the wheels it is jointed so that the middle parts can be swung back laterally to allow
the lower end of the telescoped tubes to pass through. When the two parts of the axle
tree are placed together again a sleeve is passed over the overlapping middle ends to
couple them together and is then suitably fastened in position.
The lowest tube is provided at its lower end with strong adjusting screws which
rest on the ground and by means of which the exact vertical position of the tubes is
assured and obtained.
The different tubes are provided with corresponding lengths of fire hose and on
each landing of the ladder is placed a pivotted fork on which to enable the fireman
to rest the nozzle of the hose to better direct the water jet. Each landing is
moreover provided with a hinged flap which can be let down towards the building
and is supported by chains when let down.
Each tube is provided with a bolt or catch which operates automatically as the
tubes are drawn out or telescoped in. On the uppermost platform is carried a lantern
which indicates the highest position of the drawn out ladder and serves as a warning
during the transport of the apparatus ; a sounding signal is moreover situated under
the drivers seat.
Ladders are hooked to one side of each tube. The life saving basket can be
elevated up to the highest landing by means of a windlass pulleys and chains.
The telescopic tubes may be square or of any other desired form and their number
and dimensions may vary according to circumstances, and the various other details
herein referred to and some or all of which may be applied to one apparatus may be
modified according to requirements.
Dated this 20th dow of Janna 1980

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telescopic Scaling or Fire-escape Ladders and
Apparatus connected therewith.
We, LOUIS SMITTER of 48 rue Labat, Mechanical Engineer, and PAUL DUHAMEL
of 54 rue Lepic, Gentleman, both of Paris in the Republic of France, 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 :-
This invention relates to improved apparatus to be used in extinguishing fires and
in scaling or ascending heights inaccessible with ordinary apparatus."
To this end we mount upon a wheel carriage a telescopic ladder, consisting of a
series of tubes capable of being drawn one within to contract the height of the
apparatus when not in use. Each of these tubes is fitted at the top with a landing
stage fenced by a band rail. The lowest or outside tube is pivotted in vertically
adjustable bearings carried by strong standards or frames attached to the sides of
the carriage, so that the telescopic ladder, when contracted, can be tipped to a
horizontal position for better transport.
In the accompanying drawings:-Fig. 1 shows in side elevation our improved
apparatus complete, the telescopic ladder being in a vertical and closed position.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on a smaller scale, of the apparatus, the telescopic ladder
being extended to its full height. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan, on an enlarged scale,
of the telescopic ladder taken on the line 1. 2. of Fig. 1, illustrating the details of its
construction. Fig. 4 shows in plan view one of the several platforms attached to the
ladder. Fig. 5 shews the central tube detached, and Fig. is an elevation of the
back end of the carriage, showing the mode of constructing the jointed axle to
which the hinder travelling wheels are fitted.
A, A is the carriage frame, the front end of which is covered by a platform. This
frame is fitted with a fore carriage A' for the steering wheels, and a divided axle a for
the hinder wheels.
Bolted to the opposite sides of the carriage A, are strong vertical frames B. B, in
which are suitably mounted vertically sliding racks bars CC having each at their
upper ends an eye serving as a bearing for the trunnions d d of the telescopic
ladder.
This ladder is composed of a series of metallic tubes D, D1, D2 &c., five being shown
in the drawings, having open ends, and taking preferably a rectangular form.
The tube D, which is the outermost of the series, is made of steel angle bars
connected together at top and bottom by a rectangular frame, and closed on all
sides by sheet iron. The front of this tube is fitted with ladder rungs for the ascent
of the fireman.
It is to the sides of this tube D, that the trunnions d. d are fitted, a strong metal
strap made fast to the angle bars, serving to carry the trunnions which are intended
to bear the whole weight of the ladder and its load.
Gearing into the teeth of the rack bars C, are pinions e, mounted on short axles on.
the carriage A. To these axles are also keyed spur wheels c¹ in gear with a pair of
pinions, carried by a transverse shaft e³. This shaft turns in bearings on the
carriage, and is fitted with a pair of ratchet wheels et into the teeth of which, pawls c³
(pivotted to the carriage) enter for locking the shaft e*.
The ends of the shaft e³ are squared to receive winch handles, by turning which, the
gearing just described is caused to raise or lower, as desired, the rack bars CC), and
with them the telescopic ladder which they carry.
The use of this vertical movement of the rack bars will be hereafter explained.
At the top of the tube D is fitted a platform d', which is surrounded on three
sides by a hand rail for the protection of the firemen. This platform is made to
carry lengths of fire engine hose for conveying water upwards to the top of the
ladder.

page_text: D1, D2, D3 are tubes constructed substantially like that just described, but with
lattice sides instead of sheet iron. These tubes are made of gradually decreasing
capacity, for the purpose of fitting the one within the other, as shown in the section,
fig. 3. The innermost tube D₁, shewn detached at Fig. 5, is made preferably of a
cylindrical form, rungs being fitted thereto, as is the case with all the sliding tubes.
These tubes are also fitted with platforms like the tube D, and they each carry a length
or lengths of hose for coupling up with the lengths of hose carried by the platform
of the tube D, and capable of being put in communication with adjacent fire engines
or hydrants.
To provide for the sliding of these tubes freely the one within the other, they are
each fitted at bottom with four V-edged pulleys for entering the angles of their
respective surrounding tubes, as is clearly shewn in Fig. 3.
The tubes D, D1 D2 D3 are also fitted at top with hollow V pulleys (see fig. 4) to
take the angles of the sliding tubes.
As, however, the innermost tube D is cylindrical, it is fitted with feathers to enter
the guide pulleys of the tube D³.
For the purpose of raising the inner tubes from the closed position of Fig. 1. to
the extended position of Fig. 2, and returning them to their depressed position, a
pair of steel chains E E is provided.
These chains are each threaded over and under a series of guide pulleys, in order
to connect the several tubes together and bring them under control of a winch F,
mounted on a pair of bracket supports F carried by the main tube D (see fig. 3).
The opposite ends of the pair of chains E E are connected respectively to cross rods
carried by the central tube D, as is clearly shown at Fig. 5.
Fitted to the rectangular tubes at top and bottom, are guide pulleys e e*, to receive
the chains, and guide them in their course to and from the winch F.
The course of the chains is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1; thus, starting from
the lower cross bar, the chains pass under guide pulleys e* fitted to the tube D, and
thence up to chain wheels f, mounted loosely on the winch spindle F. Passing over
these wheels, the chains are led under a pair of wheels f¹, keyed to a spindle f*, which
is in gear with the spindle F.
The chains next pass up to the guide pulleys e, mounted on the platform of the
tube D, and are led thence downwards to guide pulleys e* fitted to the lower end of
the tube D. From these pulleys, the chains pass upwards to pulleys e, fitted to the
platform of the tube D', thence downwards to guide pulleys e* on the lower end of
the tube 12, and so on, until they reach the second or upper transverse bar of the
tube D' to which they are secured.
For the purpose of transmitting motion to these chains, and thereby enabling
them to raise and lower the sliding tubes, the winch spindle F is squared at its ends
like the shaft 3, to receive a winch handle, by which rotary motion is imparted,
through the spur gearing, to the chain wheels fin gear with the chains.
The height of the winch F is such that it is readily accessible to the attendants from
the platform of the carriage when the ladder in a position to be elevated, and keyed
to the winch spindle is ratchet wheel or it may be a pair of ratchet wheels f³, into
which take pawls f* pivotted to the brackets F¹.
These ratchet wheels and pawls are for the purpose of maintaining the tubes, when
elevated, in their raised position, and they may, if thought desirable, be assisted in
this work by means of spring catches fitted to the inner face of the tubes.
A brake wheel is keyed to the spindle ƒ³, for the purpose of checking the
descent of the tubes when released from the drag of the chains, and a friction
band, operated by a hand lever, serves to control the movement of the brake
wheel.
Attached to the platform of the tube D, is a pair of guy chains G, which connect
the tube D with fixed points at the rear end of the carriage A.
These guy chains serve to secure the verticality of the tube D when its raised
position, but when it is desired to bring it to the horizontal position (shown in dots
at Fig. 1), the racks bars are, by means of the winch c³, drawn down, when the

page_text: tube having a bias towards the front of the carriage, will tip forward, checked in its
descent by the guy chains, until it assumes the dotted position.
On reversing the movement of the rack bars, these guy chains will, in rising with
the tube D, rock it again into a vertical position.
Fitted to the bottom of the tube D, are screws d², the lowering of which, when the
tube has reached its vertical position, will enable the weight of the telescopic ladder
to be transferred from the carriage to the ground.
A² A² are screw jacks fitted to the carriage A, for the purpose of giving the
carriage a fixed bearing upon the ground, when the apparatus is brought to a position
for use.
To provide for the tipping of the telescopic tubes into the dotted position of fig. 1,
the axle a, which carries the hinder wheels of the carriage, is constructed as shown
at Fig. 6, that is to say, it is divided at the middle of its length, and the parts of the
axle within the frame are hinged to the outer parts, which latter are affixed to the
carriage springs.
A sleeve a', connected to one division of the axle, and formed to slide thereon,
serves to couple the two hinged parts together, and give rigidity to the divided
axle.
When the telescopic ladder is drawn down to its contracted position, as at Fig. 1,
and it is desired to transfer the apparatus to a new position, the divided axle a is
dropped into the dotted position of Fig. 6, and thus a free space is left for the
telescopic ladder to take the horizontal position on the carriage.
Each sliding tube is provided with a stop d³ for the purpose of limiting the rise
of the several tubes when acted upon by the elevating chains E.
The inner tube D is provided at top with a pulley h, over which may be passed
a chain leading up from a winch H fitted in bracket bearings on the rear side of the
tube D.
A basket suspended from this chain may be utilised, on occasion, for saving life,
or the rescue of property from a burning building.
I is a detachable bridge capable of being fitted to the platforms of the tubes, and
lowered by means of chains to establish communication between a building on fire
and the telescopic ladder.
K is a swivel fork attachable to either of the platforms, and serving as a rest for
the hose nozzle by which the fireman can with facility deliver a stream of water in
any desired direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. The construction of tubular ladder above described, fitted with trunnions, and
capable of rocking in vertically adjustable bearings on a travelling carriage, as and
for the purpose above set forth.
2. The means above described for raising the tubular ladder to a vertical position,
sustaining it when extended, and lowering it to a horizontal position.
3. Fitting the tubes which compose the telescopic ladder with platforms for the use
of the attendants and for carrying the appliances above described.
4. The construction of divided axle for the purpose above set forth.
5. The means above described for fixing the position of the apparatus, and relieving
the carriage from the weight of its load while the telescopic ladder is in use.
Dated this 30th day of November 1889.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.