Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 10th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 15th Nov., 1887
I, GEORGE BRAY of 54 Princes Street, Deptford in the county of Kent, Wheel-
wright, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
.
My said invention relates mainly to the construction of a combined fire-escape or
scaling-ladder and hose-cart, but parts of such improved apparatus may also be used
in the construction of, or in combination with, other fire-escapes, scaling-ladders or
hose-carts.
A pair of wheels are mounted upon an axle-tree of such a length that they will
readily pass through any narrow passage or gateway, such as the ordinary gateway
leading into a front garden or fore-court.
Supported upon the axle-tree, between the wheels, is a suitably formed box of such
size as to hold conveniently a hand fire-pump and various tools. Doors are provided
in one or both ends of the said box to admit of the entrance or removal of the said
pump. Carried in a suitable framing, above and parallel with the box, is a telescopic
ladder, formed in two, three or more parts, sliding under one another, and provided
with staylines or trusses and otherwise constructed in accordance with the manner
described in the specifications accompanying the Letters Patent granted to me,
No. 1165 of 1884 and No. 4347 of 1885, or in the provisional specification
accompanying my application for Letters Patent No. 5797 of 1886.
The said ladders are preferably narrow in width and are not provided with shoots.
These ladders are not affixed to the framing, but the main or outermost ladder of
the set is carried in guides, within which it can slide longitudinally for a certain
distance, in a manner to be presently described.
A lever with a cross-bar at the outer end, is inserted in eyes at one end of the top
of the pump box; and long narrow boxes, to contain a sufficient supply of hose, are
hung on to the framing outside the wheels, one on each side of the machine.
When not in use, the ladders are slid back, so that the wheels are central to their
length, and in this form the apparatus occupies little space and can stand under a low
shed. When required for service it can with perfect ease be pushed along by one
man, and on arriving at the scene of the fire the hose-boxes are lifted off, the pump
taken from its box and the ladders slid forward, the lever with the cross-bar is pulled
Price 1171

page_text: out and inserted into a socket at right angles to its former position. The apparatus
by means of such lever is then tipped up into a nearly vertical position, in which
state it resembles in appearance, and is, to all intents and purposes, a miniature fire-
escape. The ladders are provided with ropes and blocks, or any of the forms of
raising gear described in my hereinbefore recited specifications, and are by such
means extended to the required height.
But the apparatus which I prefer to use for this purpose consists of a drum
journalled on the front of the main ladder, on which the raising rope is wound, this
drum is worked by means of a winch on the front of the ladder connected to the drum
spindle by a pair of mitre or bevel-wheels, preferably enclosed in a box or frame. This
arrangement is specially useful when the ladders are removed from and are being
raised independently of the cart, as the direction of rotation of the winch does not tend
to twist the ladder on the ground, as would be the case were the winch applied
directly to the drum spindle.
The main advantages of my improved apparatus are, that it combines a hose-cart
and fire-escape, or in other words a complete fire apparatus, in one machine; that it
can be moved about and worked by one man, and that it can be readily used in
situations to which an ordinary fire-escape could not gain access. Also that the
telescopic ladder can be detached from the machine and used independently.
In place of using the removable lever as described, a double sided lever may be
hinged to the framing to fold down on the ladders when not in use, and it may be so
connected with the main ladder by means of a rope or ropes, passing over pullies,
that the act of turning the lever up at right angles will simultaneously slide the
ladders forward. The hose-boxes, in place of being hung outside the wheels, as
described, may, if desired, be hung under the ends of the ladders, when the said
ladders are in the travelling position, and various other modifications may be made in
the detailed arrangement of the apparatus without departing from the essential
principles of its construction.
AMBROSE MYALL, C.E.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I, GEORGE BRAY of 54 Princes Street, Deptford, in the county of Kent, Wheel-
wright, 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 said invention relates mainly to the construction of a combined fire-escape or
scaling-ladder and hose-cart, but parts of such improved apparatus may also be used
in the construction of, or in combination with, other fire-escapes, scaling-ladders or
hose-carts.
In the accompanying four sheets of drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with one
wheel and one hose-box removed, Fig. 2 an end elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan of an
apparatus constructed according to my invention, with the various parts in the relative
positions which they ordinarily occupy, when the said apparatus is not in use, or is
travelling along the road, and Fig. 4 is an outline view, to a reduced scale, shewing
the ladders erected ready for use.
Similar letters refer to the same parts throughout the several figures.
A pair of wheels A, A, are mounted upon an axle-tree B of such length, that they
will readily pass through any narrow passage or gateway, such as the ordinary gateway
leading into a front garden, or fore-court.
Supported above the axle-tree B, between the wheels, is a suitably formed box C, of
such size as to hold conveniently a hand fire-pump, and various tools or other articles
likely to be useful at a fire. A door D is provided at one end of the box C, to admit
of the entrance or removal of the said pump and other articles, but a door may be
provided at the other end of the box, in addition, if desired. E, E, is a frame carried
on springs F, F, on the axle tree B, and the box C is hung from this frame, or it may
be so constructed as to form a part thereof.
H, H, H2, are the three parts of a telescopic ladder, sliding under one another and
provided with stay-lines or trusses, and otherwise constructed in accordance with the
ladders described either in my Letters Patent No. 1165 of 1884 or in my Letters
Patent No. 4347 of 1885 or in my Letters Patent No. 5797, of 1886, and it is
therefore unnecessary to describe in detail the construction of the said ladders H, H', H²,
but they are preferably narrow in width and are not provided with shoots.
,
Longitudinal timbers J, J, are fixed on the frame E E and form a bed or carriage
on which the sides of the main ladder H rest, this ladder is not affixed to the
timbers J, J, but is capable of sliding thereon, in a manner to be presently described.
Small rollers K. K are preferably provided in the timbers J, J, to assist in moving
the said ladder and metal arms J, J, are provided to keep the ladders in position on
the timbers J, J, while allowing freedom of motion, and the arms J, J, are made of
the shape as shewn in Fig. 2 to give room for the under struts and stay-lines on the
ladder H.
A lever L, with a cross-bar M at the outer end, is inserted in eyes or sockets N, N,
at one end of the frame E, E, and forms a handle by which the apparatus can be
readily pushed along after the manner of an ordinary hand-cart or truck.
Long narrow boxes P, P, to contain a sufficient supply of hose, are hung on to the
frame E, E, outside the wheels, one on each side of the machine, by means of metal
arms Q, Q, at each end, which drop into sockets Q', Q¹
When not in use the ladders are slid back, so that the wheels are central to their
length, as shewn in Fig. 1, and in this form the apparatus occupies little space and
can, if required, stand under a low-shed.

page_text: In Fig. 1 the ladders are broken away on the left, but they are intended to overhang
to about the same extent as on the right. When wanted for service, it can with
perfect ease be pushed along by one man, and on arriving at the scene of a fire, the
hose-boxes P, P, are lifted off, the pump taken from the box C, and the ladders slid
forward in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1), the lever L is pulled out and inserted
into sockets N', N', in the box at right angles to its former position. The apparatus
by means of this lever is then tipped up into a nearly vertical position, see Fig. 4, in
which state it resembles in appearance, and is, to all intents and purposes, a miniature
fire-escape. The ladders are provided with ropes and blocks, or any of the forms of
extending gear described in my hereinbefore recited prior specifications, and are by
such means raised to the required height, but the apparatus which I prefer to use for
this purpose, consists of a drum R journalled in the front of the main ladder H, on
which the raising rope is wound by means of a winch S on the front of the ladder
connected to the spindle of the drum R, through the medium of a pair of mitre or
bevel wheels, enclosed in a box or frame T. The advantage of this arrangement is
that the direction of rotation of the winch does not tend to twist the apparatus on the
ground, as would be the case were the winch applied directly to the drum spindle, and
this is particularly important when the ladders are removed from, and are being raised
independently of the cart.
In Fig. 4 the ladders are not shewn at their full height, but only partially extended.
The main advantages of my apparatus are that it combines a hose-cart and fire-
escape, or in other words a complete fire apparatus on a small scale in one machine,
that it can be moved about and worked by one man, and that it can be readily used
in situations to which an ordinary fire escape could not gain access, also that the
telescopic ladder can be detached from the cart and used independently.
In place of using the removeable lever L, a double sided lever may be hinged to the
framing to fold down on the ladders when not in use, and it may be so connected with the
main ladder by means of a rope or ropes, passing over pullies, that the act of turning
the lever up at right angles, will simultaneously slide the ladders forward. The hose-
boxes, instead of being hung outside the wheels, as shewn, may if desired, be hung
under the ends of the ladders, when the said ladders are in the travelling position,
shewn in Fig. 1 and the said hose boxes may be omitted altogether in the construction
of the apparatus, in cases where it would not be necessary to carry hose therewith.
The telescopic ladder is not necessarily made in three parts as shewn, and a single
ladder of fixed length may even be substituted therefor, if required.
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 combined fire-escape or scaling-ladder and hose-cart, constructed in the
manner and for the purposes, substantially as herein described and shewn with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. A hose-cart, having combined therewith a telescopic or plain ladder, so arranged
that the said ladder can be moved longitudinally on the said cart, in the manner and
for the purposes, substantially as herein set forth.
3. In a combined fire-escape or scaling-ladder and hose cart, a hand lever I capable
of being fixed in two different positions on the said cart, in the manner and for the
purposes, substantially as herein set forth.
4. The combination with a fire-escape or scaling-ladder carriage, of removable
external hose-boxes, substantially as herein set forth.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W.,
Agent for the Applicant.