IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO SAVE PERSONS AND PROPERTY IN CASE OF FIRE, WHICH MACHINERY MAY ALSO BE APPLIED FOR THE PURPOSE OF RAISING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS OF ANY KIND, ALSO FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPRESSION, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1853

page_text: with the application for Letters Patent was not given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Edmund Green
and John Bayliss at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 3rd December 1858.
We, CHARLES EDMUND GREEN, of 18, Blandford Street, Portman
Square, London, Merchant, and JOHN BAYLISS, of 34, Parliament
St., Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO SAVE PERSONS
AND PROPERTY IN CASE OF FIRE, WHICH MACHINERY MAY ALSO BE APPLIED
FOR THE PURPOSE OF RAISING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS OF ANY KIND, ALSO
FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPRESSION, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," to
be as follows:—
It consists principally in the use and application of what we term
telescopic screws," and the principle cannot be better illustrated or
more readily understood, than by taking an ordinary telescope when
closed, and placing it in a vertical position upon a table, so that the

page_text: "object-glass end" may form the base; then take hold of the "eye-
glass end," and by raising the hand vertically, the sliding tubes will
be drawn out one after the other until the telescope is completely
extended.
We adopt the same telescopic principle for our screws.
It must bo obvious, however, that in doing so (and as we use screws
instead of sliding tubes), the motion to obtain the "vertical" result
must be totally different.
We obtain it by means of "bevel geåring."
The rough Sketches attached to this Specification will shew the
principle feature of our Invention more clearly than any written
description, and the whole will perhaps be better understood by the
written description, having reference (by letters) to the Sketches.
Figure 1, is a vertical section through one set of screws when
closed or down. (a) is a bed plate, to which is attached the cylinder
or pedestal (6), made of cast iron or other suitable metal or material.
At the top of this cylinder is an internal collar (c), to receive the
hollow screw (d), which it will be observed is screwed externally the
whole length. At the top of the screw (d) is an internal collar (e), to
receive the hollow screw (f), which also has internal collar (9) to
receive the hollow or solid screw (h). On the top of this last screw
the platform is fixed, together with the "bevel gearing" for raising or
lowering the platform as occasion may require.
Fig. 2, shews the set of screws fully extended, and the platform
raised to its greatest height.
The parts-lettered in Figure 2, represent the same parts as similarly
lettered in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2, the parts are shewn, however, in eleva-
tion instead of section.
To prevent the screws (d, f, h,) passing the collars (c, e, g,) when
being raised by the gearing, stop pieces, or collars (i, i, i,) will be fixed
at the bottom of each screw.
Having explained the principal feature of our Invention, ire proceed
(briefly) to shew its application to one or two purposes, presuming that
it is not necessary to specify and describe herein every purpose to which
it may be applied.

page_text: 1st. For a fire escape. If to be moved by horse power, we would
have a bed plate upon 4 wheels, in the centre of which we should
place a set of the screws, having (connected with the small or top
screw) a platform, and gearing to raise it, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2;
and as the platform when raised to a great height, would have a
tendency (from its great leverage) to upset if connected only with the
bed plate or base of the machine by one telescopic pillar of screws, we
propose to have at opposite points of the platform (or other points as
may appear desirable) two or more telescopic pillars of sliding tubos, in
length precisely the same as the screws (and of regular gradation in
size), the base of which tubes will be fixed to the bed plate, and the
top part to the platform so as to rise and fall with the screws. This
will ensure the necessary security and stability of the platform.
We shall have an arrangement, so that a horizontal or slanting
passage or platform may be projected from the main platform in any
case when the machine cannot be placed sufficiently near a building
to enable persons to step on to the main platform.
There are other matters of detail, which we purpose explaining more
fully in the next Specification.
It will be obvious that a similar application of the principle will
make what we term a "fireman's platform," to be attached to an
ordinary fire engine or made as a separate machine, the object being
to enable a fireman to raise himself and the hose to a level with the
conflagration; and we think the advantage of such an arrangement
can scarcely be overrated, as the water, instead of being thrown at
random on the building, may be brought to bear at once upon the
part actually on fire.
Machines for saving property in the event of fire and for raising and
lowering weights of any kind will be of somewhat similar construction,
modified, however, to meet the various requirements of each case.
For instance, when required to raise or lower very heavy bodies (and
especially in any machine for compression), we may use two or more
sets of screws; and for simply raising or lowering heavy weights, we
may have an arrangement of ratchet wheels in connection with the
sliding tubes, so that they may be made to take a portion of the

page_text: weight; but considering the great attrition or friction that takes
place in a screw, and which not only retains it in any state to which it
is brought, but continues the effect after the power is removed, such
nuxiliaries are not likely to be required.
We propose to employ the principle in such a manner that it will in
many instances supersede the use of expensive scaffolding, and for other
purposes to be enumerated in the general Specification.
When great power is required, or great resistance to be overcome,
we should havo two or more sets of screws, all working together (from
the same bevel gearing) by means of spur wheels and pinions. The
sizes of the wheels, the pitch and diameter of the screws, as also the
length and number of screws and sliding tubes in each pillar will
vary according to the circumstances, and be regulated entirely by the
nature of the result to be obtained.