Improvements in Safety Ladder or Step Apparatus for Use in Effecting Access to or Escape from Buildings in Case of Fire or otherwise.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th Mar., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Ladder or Step Apparatus for Use in
Effecting Access to or Escape from Buildings in Case of Fire or
otherwise.
I JOHN FERGUSON HASKINS of 114 Queen Victoria Street in the City of London,
Consulting and Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
-
The nature of this invention consists in supplying a folding ladder or step apparatus
for use on residences, factories, and all establishments where people reside, are
employed, or congregate, the object being to enable them to readily make their escape
in case of fire or any other accident to any portion of the building or other occasion
arising for effecting access to or escape from the structure to which the apparatus is
applied. The invention consists in supplying a folding ladder which may be applied
to the exterior, or interior of the building, and one which when not in use, can be
folded up within its own case and be protected from the weather and kept free from
accident, and also, be entirely out of the way so as not to interfere with the usual
pursuits carried on on the premises.
The invention is characterised by its providing
Necessary arrangement of the parts to form the folding ladder which can be opened
and thus made ready for use by the occupants of either floor or from the street below,
when key is used, the ability to open from floors above the street not being affected by
the key locking the ground portion.
Such parts as will constitute, when the ladder is open, braces to give it lateral
strength, and also form steps and railing to aid parties in the use of the ladder.
Alarms, electrical or otherwise which come into play when the ladder is opened.
A means of locking the ladder so that it cannot be opened from the street without
having the necessary key adapted for the purpose and permitting of this being opened
when the key is used.
A folding or collapsing single or double or other step which when in use forms also
a buttress or stay for the ladder to keep it correctly to its work.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant,

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Ladder or Step Apparatus for Use in
Effecting Access to or Escape from Buildings in Case of Fire or
otherwise.
I JOHN FERGUSON HASKINS of 1144 Queen Victoria Street in the City of London,
Consulting and Mechanical 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:—
The nature of this invention consists in supplying a folding ladder or step apparatus
for use on residences, factories, and all establishments where people reside, are
employed, or congregate, the object being to enable them to readily make their escape
in case of fire or any other accident to any portion of the building or other occasion
arising for effecting access to or escape from the structure to which the apparatus is
applied. The invention consists in supplying a folding ladder which may be applied
to the exterior, or interior of the building, and one which when not in use, can be
folded up within its own case and be protected from the weather and kept free from
accident, and also, be entirely out of the way so as not to interfere with the usual
pursuits carried on on the premises.
The invention is characterized by its providing
Necessary arrangement of the parts to form the folding ladder which can be opened
and thus made ready for use by the occupants of either floor or from the street below,
when key is used, the ability to open from floors above the street not being affected by
the key locking the ground portion.
Such parts as will constitute, when the ladder is open, braces to give it lateral
strength, and also form steps and railing to aid parties in the use of the ladder.
Alarms, electrical or otherwise which come into play when the ladder is opened.
A means of locking the ladder so that it cannot be opened from the street without
having the necessary key adapted for the purpose and permitting of this being opened
when the key is used.
A folding or collapsing single or double or other step which when in use forms also
a buttress or stay for the ladder to keep it correctly to its work.
But in order that my invention may be the more readily comprehended I will proceed
to describe the same in detail by the aid of the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews an elevation of part of a building A with my improved safety
Indder or step apparatus applied and shewn in position as closed out of use against
thic wall A.
Figure 2 shews a side view of the apparatus the wall being cut through.
Figure 3 shows by plan view that unna

page_text: Figure 4 shows by a like view the step apparatus as it appears when closed up
against the wall.
Figures 5 and 5 shew by side view and plan respectively Figure 6 by edge view
the locking and catch devices for holding the ladder or step apparatus against the wall
when closed up and so that unauthorised persons may be debarred from interference
with or making illicit use of the apparatus.
Figures 7 and 8 shew views of a modification of the invention, corresponding to
Figures 1 and 2 except that an extra rail or projecting bar is provided which is placed
at a convenient height above the foot plate support, so as to serve to prevent the
user falling.
Figure shews the extra or hand rail or protecting bar in plan view.
or hand rail folds up with the rest of the step apparatus.
This extra
a, a are the foot supports or step plates conveniently for greater lightness, foothold
and avoidance of lodgment of water, made perforated, but this may be varied as for
instance wood or india rubber or other suitable cogging may be inserted.
These foot plates or landing places a are carried by the frame bar, which is
supported at its opposite ends in eyes 3 attached to the wall so as with the ends of
the frame bars to form hinges on which the foot plate may be turned up against the
wall or down into a horizontal position for use. The frame at its middle is also
hinged at 6 to the outer longitudinal support c of the folding ladder. This support c
is of section by preference for facility of connection afforded in rivetting the cross
bars thereto. is the wall plate which carries or is formed with two parallel fins
or feathers e longitudinally between which the inner ends of the cross bars c¹ are
secured at intervals by rivets c³.
The outer support of the ladder e is for closing the ladder pressed upward and
inward, each cross bar e rising with the support c and swinging on its fixed hinge
connection e³ until the outer flange of the support closes on the edges of the projecting
fins e boxing in securely the whole of the cross bars c¹.
The landings a being connected by the bars to the support c are shut up against
the wall A and held there by the attachment which locks the ladder shut.
The ladder is constructed to reach in its complete vertical hoight from ground to
such height above the sill of the highest window as may be deemed advisable but it is
divided in practice into sections for convenience of operation in lowering for use and
stowage for times of non-requirement within its enclosing case.
Such a section may reach from the floor line or thereabout of one story of a
building to the next and so on and such a length may be taken for example to be
represented by Figure 6.
The locking appliances consist of a hook catch on the upper cross bar el of each
ladder section which hook when the ladder is folded into its case e engages with a
spring catch g' operated for disengagement by a trigger lever g³, which serves to raise
and free the catch g' from the hook when pressed outwards by the hand or foot of
the intending user of the ladder.
One of these trigger levers g' is placed on each side of the inner ladder upright e so
as to be equally conveniently accessible from a window at either side of the ladder by
which escape or access may be desired. Another locking appliance is provided at or
near the foot of each section of ladder and capable of operating in like manner by the
engagement of a hook catch on the lower or lowermost rail c¹ with a rising spring
controlled hook catchy connected by a rod h so as to act simultaneously on both
hook catch g and when either is raised but the lower catch from below can only be
operated by the armi and when this arm is locked down by padlock j to a fixed
loop and the key given to trustworthy custodian such as the police constable or
watchman illicit access from the street level is prevented but at the same time any one
requiring to lower a section of ladder or sections of ladders between himself and the
ground can do so without difficulty because the lifting and releasing of catches g¹
releases simultaneously the lower catches g.
The lowering of any of the sections of the ladder by the movement of the locking
parts releases a terminal piece and places it in electrical contact with another terminal

page_text: piece of an electric circuit represented by say the dotted line wire kk and sets a bell
or alarum ringing which continues until replacement of the locking parts is effected
or the current is switched off by access to a switch not accessible to the general public
but only to special custodians by key. Instead of electricity spring or other con-
tinuously sounding or recurrently sounding means may be employed, but these are
well understood devices separately.
The landings aa and their stay framings h, b also act as braces to the ladder
against lateral flexure or straining and in like manner also do the hand rails shewn in
Figures 7, 8 and 9 add to the stiffness of the structure in its position for use.
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 or arrangement and use in safety ladder or step apparatus
capable of being folded into a case or recess in or against the outer wall of a building
and there locked, of sectional ladders or stops, a receiving case, locking means, alarum
apparatus and landing places also forming stays or lateral braces, all operating in
manner and for the purposes set forth.
2. In safety ladder or step apparatus the combination and use of a folding sectional
ladder or set of steps with landing frames hinged to the wall and to the ladder so as to
co-operate in opening and closing and being locked. substantially as set forth.
3. In safety ladder apparatus of the character herein described the employment of
hinged lateral stays folding with and being locked out of use by the same means as
the ladder itself.
4. In safety ladder apparatus the combination with folding steps or, ladder parts,
having encasing and locking means, of landing frames and guard rails as described
and shewn in respect of Figures 7, 8 and 9.
5. In safety ladder or step apparatus the general arrangements or combinations of
parts as shewn and described.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.