Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 9th Aug., 1887.
I, CARL HEINRICH AVERBERG of Hamburg, Germany, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in fire escapes, which are composed sub-
stantially of a pair of lazy-tongs mounted on wheels; and the objects of my
improvements are firstly, to obtain a high degree of stability of said lazy-tongs; and
secondly, to facilitate the connection of the apparatus with the building on fire.
To this effect, my improved apparatus is composed of two double lazy-tongs, one on
each side. The double lazy-tongs are formed in such a manner as to make the arms
of the same of double length and to employ a double number of arms; thus each arm
will be connected movably at five points with five other arms. The pivot bolts which
join the arms of the one lazy-tongs are prolonged transversally through the whole
apparatus to the other lazy-tongs and their other ends form the pivots of the arms of
the other lazy-tongs. Thus both lazy-tongs are solidly connected, whereby a great
stability is obtained; the more so, as the bolts are graduated by decreasing in length
from the lower to the upper part of the lazy-tongs.
Each double lazy-tongs is connected with a pair of toothed segments to which one
arm of the respective system of lazy-tongs is attached rigidly but the other by means
of a link. The pivots of such links and the respective arms of the lazy-tongs
connected therewith are placed in guides, which slide in horizontal notches of the
carriage-frame. Thus the oscillation of the said segments produced by a suitable
transmission of power will cause the lazy-tongs to extend and to contract in a most
safe and reliable manner.
At the top of the lazy-tongs is a platform in horizontal notches of which the upper-
most arms of the lazy-tongs are guided in the same manner as the lowest ones in the
horizontal notches of the carriage-frame. To maintain this platform permanently in

page_text: the centre of the apparatus, that pivot rod which is the upper most one in the centre-
line, is provided with a movable block, in the lateral perforations of which two
parallel rods, fixed vertically to the underside of the platform, are guided.
A double bridge slides between guides on the upper face of the said platform and
constitutes, when it is pushed out to either side, the communication with the building
on fire.
The upper piece of the bridge is guided on the lower one in the same manner as the
latter one on the platform; it enters, when pushed out, one of the windows or other
suitable openings of the building.

page_text: 1, CARL HEINRICH AVERBERG, of Hamburg, Germany, Civil Engineer, 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 :—
My invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes which are composed sub-
stantially of a pair of lazy tongs mounted on wheels; and the objects of my
improvements are, first, to obtain a high degree of stability of said lazy tongs; and,
second, to facilitate the connection of the apparatus with the building on fire.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus provided with my
said improvements.
Fig. 2 is a plan also partly in section of the lower part of the apparatus ; and
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the complete apparatus.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.
My improved apparatus is composed of two double lazy tongs, one on each side of
the body of the carriage which serve as a supporting frame. The double lazy tongs
are formed so as to make the arms of the same of double length and to employ a double
number of arms; thus each arm will be connected movably at five points with five
other arms, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The pivot bolts e which connect the arms of the
one lazy tong are prolonged transversely through the whole apparatus to the other
lazy tong, their ends forming the pivots of the arms thereof. Thus both lazy tongs
are firmly connected, whereby a great stability is obtained which is increased by the
gradual decrease in the length of the bolts e from the bottom to the top of the
apparatus.
Each double lazy tong is connected with a pair of toothed segments a, a¹, to which
the arms bare rigidly attached, while the arms b¹ are connected to the latter by links c.
The pivots e of the links c and the arms are placed in the guide blocks d, which
slide in guides d¹ in the carriage frame. The motion of the segments a, a¹
upon their
axes will therefore cause the lazy tongs to extend or to contract, the remaining arms 62
of the lazy tongs being connected with the arms b, b¹ in the manner described. At
the top of the lazy tongs is a platform in the guides g of which the top arms of the
lazy tongs slide in the same way as the bottom arms in the guides d¹. To maintain
this platform permanently in the centre of the apparatus, that pivot rod e which is
the uppermost one in the centre-line is provided with a movable block h which engages
with guide rods i depending from the underside of the platform.
A double bridge 1, 1, slides between the guides k on the platform and constitutes,
when it is pushed out to either side, the communication with the building on fire.
The upper section, 1, of the bridge is guided on the lower one, l, substantially as the
latter is on the platform j, and is intended to enter, when extended, one of the windows
or other suitable openings of the building.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination in a fire escape, of a supporting frame; pivotted toothed
segments having arms b, b; links c, c and a double lazy tongs connected to said arms
and links, and means for operating said seginents, as described.
2. The combination in a fire escape, of a supporting frame; pivotted toothed segments
and means for operating the same, and a double-lazy tongs connected to said segments;
and connecting rods serving as the pivots and levers of the lazy-tongs, and graduated
in width toward the top; substantially as described.
3. In a fire escape, the combination of a pair of lazy-tongs; a block h, pivotted on
the uppermost pivot rod e; the parallel rods i; and the platform f; substantially as
set forth.
4. In a fire escape, the combination with a pair of lazy-tongs, of a platform
mounted thereon and provided on its upper side with guides; a bridge section
capable of sliding in said guides and having guides on its upper face; and a section
capable of sliding in said last mentioned guides; substantially as set forth.
5. The combination in a fire escape, of a supporting frame provided with horizontal
guides d', pivotted toothed segments having arms b, b; links c, c, and a double lazy-
tongs connected to said arms and links; guide blocks sliding in said grooves; and
means for operating the toothed segments; substantially as set forth.
6. The combination in a fire escape, of a supporting frame; pivotted toothed
segments, and means for operating the same; a double lazy-tongs connected to said
toothed segments; a platform mounted on said tongs and having depending portions
provided with guides g; and pivot rods, e, e, sliding in said guides; substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 8th day of Tal 1007