Improvements in Fire Escapes for Household or other Use.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 16th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Escapes for Household or other Use.
WALTER PAXTON HARDING Bank House Whitefriars Chester, in the County f
Chester Dental Surgeon do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The apparatus consists of a chain or rope ladder with metal or wooden bars or
steps, winding upon a metal or wooden roller contained in a metal or wood casing.
The ladder is wound upon a roller by means of a crank or its equivalent, held by a
ratchet and wheel, and controlled by a lever spring brake outside the casing.
To use the apparatus it is attached by means of swivelling bolts or clasps or other
equivalent means, temporarily or permanently to the wall at the side of the window,
or if desired, inside the room below the window. The end of the ladder hangs down
outside over a roller so as to keep it from catching on the wall or sill. The end has
sufficient weight attached to it to form a motive power powerful enough to cause the
winding roller to unwind when the catch and brake are let go. To use the apparatus,
the catch or ratchet pawl is withdrawn by means of a small spring button or lever
handle, which is connected with a gong or electric bell, which gives the alarm, in
case the escape is being used unwarrantably; and also to warn passers by in the
street, and for assistance. The brake is also let go, and the. ladder allowed to run
out, the brake steadying its motion. The occupants of the room now stop out onto
a platform alongside the ladder, or over the top of the apparatus, and descend the
latter. The ladder, can now be used by the firemen, or others to return to the
building if necessary, and when not required for further use it is wound up again by
the crank handle till the terminal weight or weights hang against the lower roller.
The cover or door is now closed, so as to shield it from the weather, if outside.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Escapes for Household or other Use.
I, WALTER PAXTON HARDING of Bank House Whitefriars Chester, Dental
Surgeon 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 apparatus according to my Invention consists of a casing or container
(preferably of galvanized iron) within which is a spindle or roller upon which is
mounted a chain or wire rope ladder, with metal or wooden bars or steps, the upper
ends of the ladder are bolted through, or otherwise fixed to the roller or spindle, and
the ladder is wound up or unwound by means of a crank handle fitted at the end of
the roller, and is held, when wound up, by a ratchet and pawl, and controlled by a
spring brake at the outside of the container.
To use the escape outside a building, it is to be attached to the wall at the side or
below the window or other convenient position, by means of clasps or swivelling
bolts or other equivalent means temporarily or permanently, the weight at the end
of the ladder hanging down over a small roller so as to prevent its catching upon the
wall or sill in running out, the ends of the ladder having weights attached to form
a motive power sufficiently powerful to cause the ladder to unwind from the roller
when the catch or ratchet pawl is withdrawn by means of the lever handle being
pressed backwards.

page_text: There is an alarm gong, and electric bell attached to the casing or container, the
former fixed outside the casing, or container, and the latter inside the casing.
"
When the lever handle is pressed for the purpose of useing the apparatus, as the
ladder unwinds, it causes the gong and electric bell to ring, the former by means of
a striker fixed at the end of roller, and the latter by means of a small metal lever
fixed at the top of the casing, nearly in contact with the lever handle, so that when
the lever handle is pressed back to release the ladder, it connects the battery wire
(as in an ordinary domestic electric bell) and gives an alarm in case the escape is
being used unwarrantably, and also to call attention of people in the neighbourhood
for assistance in case of fire.
The velocity or speed of unwinding the ladder is regulated by the spring brake
at the outside of the container, which operates when the lever handle is pressed to
release the ladder for use, by tightening a steel band round an inner wheel fixed at
the end of the spindle at the side of the ratchet wheel.
The occupants can now step out and descend the ladder in safety, and if necessary,
the firemen or other people can return to the burning building to recover any
valuables.
•
When the apparatus is required (portable) for use inside a building it is fixed
temporarily under the window sill, with the face uppermost, by means of bolts, loops
& pins, or hooks & oyes; the weights are placed over the window sill, and the
ladder run out by pressing the lever handle in the same manner as for outside the
window. When not in use, the ladder is kept wound up with the terminal weights
hanging against the lower roller, the cover or door is then closed to shield it from
the weather.
The accompanying drawings show the parts of the apparatus as discribed.
A. is the outer casing or container for holding the ladder.
B. is the spindle or roller mounted axially in the casing, and provided with a crank
handle at one end, and the alarm gong striker at the other, the former for winding the
ladder, and the latter for striking the gong.
C. the crank handle (removable).
D. gong, on the outside of casing.
E. electric bell (inside casing or container).
F. the ladder.
H. terminal weights as motive power.
I. lever handle which sets the machine in motion.
J. spring brake to regulate the speed of ladder unwinding.
K. ratchet wheel of brake.
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