Improvements in Vans or Tenders for the Conveyance of Fire Escapes, Men, Hose, and other Articles of Fire Brigade Equipment.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 22nd May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vans or Tenders for the Conveyance of Fire
Escapes, Men, Hose, and other Articles of Fire Brigade
Equipment.
I, EDWARD HODSON BAYLEY, of 42 Newington Causeway, London, Gentleman
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in vans or tenders whereby fire escapes,
men, hose, and other articles of fire brigade equipment can be conveyed from place
to place with facility and dispatch.
According to my invention the van or tender is constructed so as to form a
combined fire-escape van, and hose tender. It is formed with a platform at the
rear end, preferably raised only a short distance above the ground. This platform
is provided with two sides but is open at the back, and to the rear of this platform
are hinged, one on each side, tail pieces which can be lowered so that their outer
ends rest on the ground, and they form inclined planes up which the fire escape can
be run on its own road wheels in order to be deposited upon and carried by the
van or tender. The tail pieces are connected by chains or cords to winch gear
fixed in a convenient and suitable position on the van or tender, whereby the said
tail pieces can be turned up on their hinges so as to hold the fire escape in position
on the van or tender. On each side of the rear part of the van or tender is fixed
a fork, and on each side of the 'under carriage of the fire escape is fixed a pivot,
which takes into its corresponding fork on the van or tender when the fire escape
is in its proper position on the latter. The aforesaid pivots are preferably arranged
so that they can be adjusted longitudinally on the under carriage of the fire escape
to suit the position of the forks on the van or tender. And, if desired, the forks
may be arranged so that they can be adjusted on the sides of the van or tender to
suit the position of the pivots on the under carriage of the fire escape.
The abovementioned forks carry part of the weight of the fire-escape, by the
pivots on the latter resting in them, and they also prevent lateral movement of the
fire escape. The front or upper part of the ladders of the fire-escape rests on a
gallows at the front part of the van or tender. The whole weight of the fire-
escape is thus supported on the van or tender, and there is consequently no wear
and tear of the wheels and other parts of the escape when it is being moved from
place to place.
In some cases I provide winch gear for drawing the escape into the van or tender
by chains or cords the ends of which are provided with hooked or other suitable.
means of attachment to the axle or other convenient part of the escape, by which
means the latter is not only drawn into the van or tender, but is also retained in place
therein.
The van or tender is provided with a locking carriage in front, and two hind
wheels on an axle that passes through the sides and over the top of the rear
platform. It is also provided with a box to contain hose, and at each side of this
box are arranged other boxes to contain tools, stand pipes or other articles. These
boxes are preferably so arranged that the lid of the hose box forms a seat, and the
lids of the side boxes foot rests for men. The hose box may be provided with an.
opening at the back through which the hose can be drawn out without opening the.

page_text: lid of the box;. and this opening may he provided with friction rollers at its lower
edge for the hose to pass over, these friction rollers being preferably rounded or of
barrel shape on the face.
The van or tender may be provided in front with a driver's seat on one side, and
with a similar seat on the other side for the officer in charge.
The platform at the rear of the van or tender may be used for carrying coal or
other heavy stores.
It will be understood that the van or tender is mainly intended for carrying fire-
escapes from place to place; but, as above described, it may also be used, whether
carrying a fire escape or not, for the conveyance of men, hose, tools, coal, and
other articles. The chief advantages obtained by the improvements above
described are that wear and tear of the fire-escape when being conveyed from one
place to another is avoided, that the fire-escape can be easily loaded on .to and
unloaded from the van or tender, and that the latter can be used independently of
the fire-escape for carrying men, hose, or any other articles as may be required.
Dated this 18th day of June 1896.
E. H. BAYLEY,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.
Improvements in Vans or Tenders for the Conveyance of Fire
Escapes, Men, Hose, and other Articles of Fire Brigade
Equipment.
1, EDWARD HODSON BAYLEY, of 42 Newington Causeway, London, Gentleman,
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:-
This invention relates to improvements in vans or tenders whereby fire-escapes,
men, hose, and other articles of fire-brigade equipment can be conveyed from place
to place with facility and dispatch.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
describe the same with the aid of the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a van or tender constructed in accordance with
my invention showing the lower part of a fire-escape in position thereon, Figure 2
is a rear elevation of the same but with no other parts of the fire-escape shown
than the road wheels and axle, the other parts being supposed to be removed for.
the sake of clearness, and Figure 3 is a plan also showing no other parts of the
fire-escape than the road wheels and axle.
According to my invention the van or tender A is constructed so as to form a
combined fire-escape van and hose tender carried on two pairs of wheels B and C.
It is formed with a platform D at the rear end preferably raised only a short
distance above the ground. This platform D is provided with two sides E, but is
open at the back; and to the rear of this platform, are hinged, one on each side,
tail-pieces F which can be lowered so that their outer ends rest on the ground, as
shown by. dotted lines in Figure 1, and they form inclined planes up which the
fire-escape G can be run on its own road wheels H in order to be deposited upon
and carried by the van or tender. The tail-pieces F are connected by chains,
wire ropes, or cords F¹, to a winch drum I the axis of which rotates in bearings I

page_text: fixed on the sides E, or other suitable part of the van or tender. This winch
drum I carries a spur wheel K with which gears a pinion L on a counter shaft M
1otating in bearings M fixed to the van or tender. Rotatory motion can be
imparted to the winch drum I by means of crank handles such as N applied to the
ends of the countershaft M. A ratchet wheel O' and pawl P. prevent the winch
gear from turning backwards, in the usual way. The chains or cords F¹ are
provided at Q with hooks which can be hooked into eyes R on the axle S of the
fire-escape.
It will now be understood that when it is desired to place the fire-escape G on
the van or tender in the position shown in Figure 1, it is run on its own road
wheels H to the foot of the tail-pieces F which have been previously lowered into
the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, and the front end of the ladders of
the escape is lowered so as to rest on the rollers T of the gallows T. The hooks. Q
on the chains or cords F' are then hooked into the eyes R on the axle S of the
escape and the winch gear is set in motion; the chains or cords F are wound on to
the winch drum 1 and the escape is drawn forward so that its wheels H roll up the
tail-pieces F and take the position shown in the drawings on the parts D¹ of the
platform D (which parts extend laterally beyond the sides. E) so as to stand
between the said sides E and the rear road wheels C of the van or tender. But as
the wheels H of the escape ascend on the tail-pieces F the parts of the chains or
cords F between the hooks Q and the points of attachment to the tail-pieces F
become taut and as the upward movement of the wheels H continues the tail-
pieces are turned up on their hinges after them, so that by the time the wheels H
have reached the position shown in the drawings the tail-pieces have been raised
into the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 so as to hold the fire-escape in
position on the van or tender. When it is desired to remove the fire-escape from
the van or tender the pawl P is released from the ratchet wheel O, and the drum I
is turned backwards, the chains or cords F are slackened out, the tail-pieces F aré
lowered and turn on their hinges until they again take the position shown in dotted
lines in Figure 1, and the wheels H descend on them until they again reach the
ground, when the hooks Q can be unhooked from the eyes R and the escape is then
free to be moved away on its own wheels as may be required.
The tail-pieces F and the lateral extensions D' of the platform D may be
provided with guides F2 and D2 respectively to guide the wheels H into their
proper positions, and staples or forks V may be fixed to the sides E for the same
purpose, and to prevent lateral movement of the said wheels when the van or
tender is in motion..
In the above described arrangements the whole weight of the fire-escape is
supported on the van or tender, and there is consequently no wear and tear of the
wheels and other parts of the escape when it is being moved from place to place.
The van or tender is provided with a locking carriage in front, and with two
hind wheels C on an axle C¹ that passes through the sides E and over the top of
the rear platform D. It is also provided with a box W to contain hose, and at each
side of this box are arranged other boxes W' to contain tools, stand pipes, or other
articles. These boxes are preferably so arranged that the lid of the hose-box W
forms a seat, and the lids of the side boxes W₁ foot rests for men. The hose-
box W may be provided with an opening W' at the back (see Figure 2) through
which the hose can be drawn out without opening the lid of the box; and this
opening may be provided with friction rollers W at its lower edge for the hose to
pass over, these friction rollers being preferably rounded or of barrel shape ou the
face as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
The van or tender may be provided in front with a driver's seat X on one side,
and with a similar seat X on the other side for the officer in charge.
It will be understood that the van or tender is mainly intended for carrying fire-
escapes from place to place; but, as above described, it may also be used, whether
carrying a fire-escape or not, for the conveyance of, men, hose, tools, coal and other
articles. The chief advantages obtained by the improvements above described

page_text: are that wear and tear of the fire-escape when being conveyed from one place to
another are avoided, that the fire-escape can be easily loaded on to and unloaded
from the van or tender, and that the latter can be used independently of the fire-
escape for carrying men, hose, or any other articles as may be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A combined fire-escape van or tender and hose tender, constructed and
-arranged substantially as described.
Second. A van or tender constructed with a rear platform adapted to receive and
carry a fire-escape, tail-pieces forming on the one hand inclined planes up which
the fire-escape can be rolled in order to place it on the van or tender, and on the
other hand means for holding the fire-escape in position when placed on the van or
tender, and winch gear for raising the fire-escape and tail-pieces simultaneously
into position, substantially as described.
Third. In a fire-escape van or tender the use in connection with the winch gear
for drawing the fire-escape on to the van or tender of chains or cords connected at
-one end to the winch drum, and at the other end to the tail-pieces, and provided at
an intermediate point with a hook adapted to take into an eye on the axle or other
suitable part of the fire-escape substantially as described, and for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. In a van or tender for carrying a fire-escape from place to place so
constructing and arranging a hose box and tool boxes that the lid of the former
serves as a seat and the lids of the latter as foot rests for men, substantially as
-described.
. Fifth. In connection with the hose box of a fire-escape van or tender the use of
barrel-shaped friction rollers at the opening thereof through which the hose is to
be drawn out, substantially as described.
Sixth. A van or tender for the conveyance of a fire-escape men, hose, and other
articles of fire brigade equipment, constructed and operated substantially as
described.
Dated this 15th day of April 1897.