Improvements in and connected with Fire Escapes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Fire Escapes.
I JAMES CADOUX HUDSON of 75 Upper Ground Street Blackfriars Road London
in the County of Surrey Engineer" do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to Improvements in the construction of a light portable Fire
Escape and Hose Cart combined which can be used in narrow spaces and taken through
narrow gateways or up entries of small houses to back gardens or yards. The lighter
pattern can be run elevated and worked by one man.
The hose cart has a box body and is supported on two wheels and has at one
end a pair of wheelbarrow handles. The box has suitable door or doors on the top
of this box of the hose cart is placed a ladder of light construction and having
extending gear complete. The box is about one third of the length of the main
ladder, and one third of the main ladder overhangs at each end of the box. At
that end of the box where the handles are I connect the ladders to the box by a
hinged joint with pin or other suitable device. When the telescope ladder lays
horizontally on the box. it is balanced on the running wheels and can be pushed along
by a handle at the lower end of the main ladder. The wheel barrow handles of the
truck then clear the ground by about twelve inches.
When the escape is stationary the handles are down on the ground and form a
base with the wheels.
When the ladder is to be raised to the vertical position the handles are lowered
to the ground and by hearing down the back end of the ladder to the ground
using the hinged joint on ladder and truck as a fulcrum the ladder is inclined to
an angle of about 45 degrees. The ladder is held in this position by the fireman
and placing his foot on the handle at bottom of main ladder and on stooping down
and laying hold of the two handles of the box these are raised and consequently
the fulcrum or hinged joint and the ladder assume a vertical position. The ladder
is then fixed in that position to the truck by means of a pin passing through the
handle and across the face of the ladder. The handles can then be used to wheel
about the ladder in the vertical position or to steady it when extended. If it is
desired to use the ladder independently of the truck the ladder can be detached
by removing the pin at the hinged joint. Below the box and at the opposite end
to the handles I place a bar or bars sliding in sockets bolted to the bottom of the
box and when the ladder is about to be extended this bar or bars can be slid out
until one end touches the ground and then pinned through one socket this forms a
prop or stay to the overhanging tendency of the ladder when extended. In place of
the box of hose cart I sometimes use a framed carriage only this constructed to
suit the hinged joint and front support and the handles as also the springs. The
manner of raising from the horizontal to the vertical position is applicable to larger
escapes and ladders.
TEL: 1011
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Fire Escapes.
1 JAMES CADOUX HUDSON of 75 Upper Ground Street Blackfriars London
in the County of Surrey "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:-
My Invention relates to Improvements in the construction of a light portable Fire

page_text: Escape and Hose Cart combined which can be used in narrow spaces and taken
through narrow gateways or up entrys of small houses to back gardens or yards. The
lighter pattern can be run elevated and worked by one man.
The hose cart has a box body and is supported on two wheels and has at one end a
pair of wheelbarrow handles. The box has suitable door or doors-On the top of
this box of the hose cart is placed a ladder of light construction and having extending
gear complete. The box is about one third of the length of the main ladder and one
third of the main ladder overhangs at each end of the box. At that end of the box
where the handles are 1 connect the ladders to the box by a hinged joint with pin or
other suitable device.
•
When the telescope ladder lays horizontally on the box it is balanced on the
wheels and can be pushed along by a handle at the lower end of main ladder.
The wheelbarrow-handles of the truck then clear the ground by about twelve inches.
When the escape is stationary the handles are down on the ground and form a base
with the wheels. When the ladder is to be raised to the vertical position the handles
are lowered to the ground and by bearing down the back end of the ladder to the
ground using the hinged joint on ladder and truck as a fulcrum the ladder is inclined
to an angle of about 45 degrees.
The ladder is held in this position by the fireman placing his foot on the handle at
bottom of main ladder and on stooping down and laying hold of the two handles of
the box these are raised and consequently the fulcrum or hinged joint, and the
ladder assume a vertical position.
The ladder is then fixed in that position to the truck by means of a pin passing
through the handle and across the face of the ladder.
The handles can then be used to wheel about the ladder in the vertical position or
to steady it when extended. If it is desired to use the ladder independently of the
truck the ladder can be detached by removing the pin at the hinged joint.
Below the box and at the opposite end to the handles I place a bar or bars sliding in
sockets bolted to the bottom of the box and when the ladder is about to be extended
this bar or bars can be slid out until one end touches the ground and then pinned
through one socket this forms a prop or stay to the overhanging tendency of the
ladder when extended.
In place of the box of hose cart I sometimes use a framed carriage constructed to
suit the hinged joint and front support and the handles as also the springs.
The manner of raising from the horizontal to the vertical position, is applicable to
larger escapes and ladders.
My Invention is represented by the accompanying drawing. The same letters of
reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the escape and truck.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same.
Fig. 4 is a diagram shewing the machine at rest.
Fig. 5 diagram of machine ready for travelling.
Fig. 6 diagram of machine with ladders partly raised from truck.
Fig. 7 diagram of machine with ladders fully extended.
(A) is the Hose Cart fitted with a pair of wheels (B) an axle (C) and springs (D)
and a pair of wheel barrow-handles (E). Suitable doors are also provided at top or
end of box (F) is a light telescopic ladder with extending gear complete.
It is shewn constructed similar to the ladder Patented by me Novr. 13th 1886
No. 14728 although other designs can be used as shewn the box is about one third the
length of the ladder and the ladder overhangs at each end.
The extending gear is shewn at (G) towards the bottom of the ladder and the
handles (E) are towards that end of the ladder.
The ladder is jointed to the box at (H) by brackets on the box and ladder and a
pin (I) passes through them. The ladder rest between stops at the other end
of box.
When the ladder lays horizontally on the box as in Fig.5 it is balanced on the

page_text: wheels and can be pushed along by the handle (K) at lower end of ladder (F). The
handles (E) then clear the ground.
When the escape is stationary as in Fig. 4 the handles (E) are down on the ground
and form a base with the wheels (B).
When the ladder is to be raised to the vertical position the handles (E) are lowered
to the ground and by bearing down the back end of the ladder to the ground as in
Fig. 6 using the hinged joint (H) as a fulcrum the ladder is inclined to an angle of
about 45°
The ladder is held in this position by the fireman placing his foot on the handle (K)
at bottom of ladder (F) and on laying hold of handles (E) these are raised and
consequently the fulerum or hinged joint (H) and the ladder (F) assume a vertical
position as shewn in Fig. 7. The ladder is then fixed in that position by a pin (M)
passed through the handles (E) and across the face of ladder (F).
The handles (E) can then be used to wheel the ladder about or to steady it
when extended.
Various degrees of inclination can be given to the ladder in relation to the
truck by placing the pin (M) in holes (N) (N) through the handles (E). If it is
desired to use the ladder independently of the truck it can be detached by removing
the pin at hinged joint (H).
The bar or bars (0) below the box (A) run in sockets (P) and when the ladder
is in the vertical position can be slid out until one end touches the ground these
form a prop or stay to the overhanging tendency of the ladder when extended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. The manner of constructing a light portable escape on a cart with box or
frame with fulcrum and handles to be run horizontally and raised vertically from this
position by means of the said fulcrum and handles as described.
Second. The manner of securing the escape in that position with facilities for
altering the angle as described.
Third. The means of detaching the ladder from the cart.
Fourth. The props or stays below the box in the manner and for the purpose
described and illustrated.
Dated this 8th day of November 1889
JAMES CADOUX HUDSON.