Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fire.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th N. v., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fire.
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON 75 Upper Ground Street Blackfriars Road London,
Engineer do bereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements refer to that class of apparatus used in connection with fire
escapes or fire ladders and which enables a jet of water to be played from the
head of a ladder or fire escape the direction of the jet either vertically or
horizontally being governed by a fireman on the ground.
At the head of the fire escape.I place two brackets, one on each side of the
ladder having jaws or bearings opening upwards, and into these bearings I place a
cross-shaft or gudgeon extending across the face of ladder from side to side; at
about the centre of its length is a hole, into which is fitted a pin formed on the
upper or lower side of a heud pipe. The axis of this pin may be placed radially
from that point from which the curve of bend is struck or on a line parallel with
a radial line therefrom; at one end of this bend I connect a length of hose pipe
which is carried up the face of ladder from the ground, and at the other end of
the bend I attach a branch-pipe with nozzle. In its normal position the branch-
pipe stauds horizontally but it can be raised at an angle above and lowered below
the horizontal line by turning on its axis the cross-shaft which lies in the bearings
attached to sides of escape, or the bend and branch-pipe can be revolved on its
centre pin which swivels in the hole at centre of cross-shaft.
To perform these movements attach a worm wheel quadrant to one end of the
cross-shaft, and a worm geared' into this, this worm being secured to a shaft on
which is a pulley which cau be revolved by means of an endless cord or chain
reaching to the ground and moved by the fireman; by pulling this cord or chin
in one direction or the other the branch-pipe is raised or lowered above or below
the horizontal position. In order to make the movement radiating from the centre
swivelling pin of the bend I place a lug at one side of the bend and attach links to
the lug which links are connected to a nut running on a screwed spindle which
runs in bearings connected to the cross-shalt, at one end of this spindle is a pulley
with endless chain or cord to ground, when the pulley and shaft are revolved the
nut is moved backwards or forwards and the links give the horizontal radiating
movement to the bend.
When it is not desired to use the water tower on the fire escape, the cross-shaft
and connection, with bend and branch-pipe can be lifted out of the open jaws and
bearings and then removed; these jaws may be closed with an iron cotter. To
the lower end of the bend I can connect a short length of armoured hose so that no
kink will occur in it by the movement of the bend when moving the branch-pipe
horizontally. I also provide a strap, chain, or loop to connect to a spoke of the
ladder and to take the weight of the hose pipe running up the escape off the bend
and apparatus.
In another form of the above I dispense with the bend and use the armoured
bose to form this bend and place the upper end of the length of armoured hose in
a cradle with hinged cover aud fly-nuts by means of which the armoured hose, cau
be rapidly fixed in the cradle, this cradle has a swivelling pin entering hole at
centre of cross-shaft, and the revolving movement given to this shaft. The action
of the links connected to this cradle and nut and spindle give the horizontal and

page_text: radial movements as in the case of the bend previously described. In both cases
1 dispense with packed or moving joints to allow of the necessary movement of
the branch and jet.
In order to take out any swirl or twisting of the stream set up by the bend I
place a fin, or thin sheet of metal at the mouth of the bend or in the large end of
the branch-pipe, the thin edge of sheet cutting through the centre of the bore of
pipe and secured at each side in slots in the bore and the sheet extending down the
mouth of bend or branch some three or four inches.
This form of water tower can be readily connected or adapted to fire ladders &
esrapes now generally in use.
When the branch-pipe is removed from the bend, a line of hose can be connected
to the bend and run forward into a building to a position desirable for using
a jet.
Dated this 28th day of February 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fire.
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON 75 Upper Ground Street Blackfriars Road London
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 improvements refer to that class of apparatus used in connection with fire
escapes or fire ladders and which enables a jet of water to be played from the hend
of a ladder or fire escape, the direction of the jet oither vertically or horizontally
being governed by a fireman on the ground.
At the head of the fire escape 1 place two brackets one on each side of the
ladder having jaws or bearings opening upwards, and into these bearings I place
a cross-shaft or gudgeon extending across the face of the ladder from side to side;
at about the centre of its length is a hole into which is fitted a pin formed on the
upper or lower side of a bend pipe, the axis of this pin may be placed radially
from that point from which the curve of bend is struck or on a line parallel with
a radial line therefrom. At oue end of this bend I connect a length of hose pipe
which is carried up the face of ladder from the ground, and at the other end of
the bend attach a branch-pipe with nozzle. In its normal position the branch-
pipe stands horizontally but it can be raised at an angle above and lowered below
the horizontal line by turning on its axis the cross-shaft which lies in the hearings
attached to sides of escape; or the band and branch-pipe can be revolved on its
centre pin which swivels in the hole at centre of cross-shaft.
To perform these movements 1 attach a worm wheel quadrant to one end of the
cross-shaft, and a worm geared into this, this worm being secured to a shaft un
which is a pulley which can be.revolved by means of an endless cord or chain
reaching to the ground and moved by the fireman; by pulling this cord or chain in
one direction or the other the branch-pipe is raised or lowered above or below the
horizontal position.
In order to make the movement radiating from the centre swivelling pin of the
cend I place a lug at one side of the bend and attach links to the lug, which links
are connected to a nut running on a screwed spindle which runs in bearings con-
nected to the cross-shaft, at one end of this spindle is a pulley with endless chain
or cord to ground, when the pulley and shaft are revolved the nut is moved
backwards or forwards and the links give the horizontal radiating movement to
the bend.
When it is not desired to use the water tower on the fire escape the cross-shoft

page_text: horizontal as shewn at (11) Fig. 3 by turning on its axis the cross-shaft (D) the
branch pipe may be raised at an angle above the horizontal position (I') as shown
at (1) or lowered as shewn at (1) to give the necessary turning movement to the
cross-shaft (D). I attach to one end of this cross-shaft a worm wheel quadrant (K)
gearing with a worm (L) secured to a shaft (M) running in bearings (N) formed on the
bracket (A); to the outer end of shaft (M) is secured a pulley (0), which may be
revolved by an endless cord or chain (P) reaching to the ground as shewn at
Figs. 1&2. By pulling the endless chain or cord (P) in one directiou or the other the
pulley (0) and consequently the shaft (M) and worm (L) are revolved giving a
vibrating motion to the quadrant (K) and crosshaft (D) thereby raising or lowering
the branch pipe (1) to positions shewn at (12) aud (13) or to any other desired position.
To give the movement radiating from the centre swivelling pin (F) whereby the
branch pipe is moved from position (1) into positions shewn at (1) and ([*) at
Fig. 4, place on one side of bend (G) a lug (Q), to this lug (Q) is coupled one
end of links (R), the other end of the links (R) being coupled to a running nut (S)
on a screwed spindle (T) this spindle revolves in a bearing (U) attached to the
cross-shaft (D) and at the outer end of spindle (T) is a pulley (V) with an endless
cord or chain (W) reaching to the ground as shewn at Figs. 1 and 2 by pulling
the endless cord or chain (W) in one direction or the other the pulley (V) and
screwed spindle (T) is revolved giving a reciprocating motion to the running
uut (S), this motion being transmitted through the links (R) to the lug (Q) on
bend (G) which with the branch pipe (1) is caused to vibrate on the swivelling
pin (F). To disconnect the water tower from the head of the escape I withdraw
the iron cotters (E) from the brackets (A). The cross-shaft (D) together with
the bend (G) and branch pipe (1) attached may then be lifted from the jaws or
bearings (C) on the brackets (A) (A). Referring to Fig. 1 (X) is a short length
of armoured hose connected to the bend (G) thus preventing auy kink being made
in the hose by the movement of the bend when the branch pipe (I) is being raised
or lowered from its horizontal position (1'). (Y) is a strap or loop on the hose
pipe (X) connected to a spoke (Z) of the ladder (B.) thereby relieving the
bend of the weight of the hose pipe. Referring to Figs. 8, 9 and 10 (D) is
the crosshaft (F) the swivelling pin formed on a cradle (A') (I) is the branch-
pipe and (X) the armoured hose substituted for the bend (G) in Figs. 3 & 4. The
armourett hose (X) is supported on the cradle (A) and secured thereto by a hinged
cover (B) and fly nuts (C), the cradle has formed on it the lug (Q) to take the
links (R) connecting to running uut (S) and screwed spindle (T) and pulley (V)
giving the same radial and horizontal movement to the brauch-pipe (I) as before
described and shewn at Figs. 3 & 4. In Fig. 6 the thin sheet of metal or fin (D')
may be placed at the mouth of the bend (G) as shewn or at the larger end of
branch pipe (1) as shewn at (D) its position being on the centre of the bore of the
bond (G) or branch pipe (I) and secured thereto by means of slots (E³) us shawn
at Fig. 7; the fin D extends down the mouth of the bend (G) or the fin (D³)
down the mouth of the branch pipe (1) some three or four inches as shewn at
Fig. (6). Fig. 10 is an elevation of bend (G) with the cross-shaft (D) shewn in
section, the branch pipe (1) being removed from the bend (G) and to that end of
bend is connected one end of a liue of hoso (F) which may be run forward into a
building to a position desirable for using a jet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
'
Firstly. I claim the arrangement of crosshaft or gudgeon carried in open jaws
or bearings at the head of a fire ladder or escape in connection with a bend pipe
with axis turning in a bearing on crosshaft the bend pipe having connection to
receive the hose pipe and branch pipe and jet and actuated by gearing pulleys and
ropes and chaius to give the horizontal and vertical movements to the jet in the
maboor and for the purposes as illustrated and described.

page_text: Secondly. I claim the arrangement of crosshaft or gudgeon in open jaws or
bearings at the head of a fire ladder or escape in connection with a cradle with axis
turning in a bearing on crosshaft carrying a length of armoured hose, or hose.
with internal or external spiral wire the hose being supplied with branch pipe and
jet and actuated by gearing and pulleys and ropes or chains to give the horizontal
and vertical movements to the jet in the manner and for the purposes as illustrated
and described.
Thirdly. The arrangement described whereby the water tower can be readily
removed by means of the open jaws and other arrangements in connection with
cross shaft or gudgeon as illustrated and described.
Dated this 28th day of November 1895.
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON.