Improvements in and connected with Fire-escapes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1894-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
COMPLEID
Improvements in and connected with Fire-escapes.
We, WILLIAM ROSE and OTTO FREDERICK VOLLHARD, both of the
Metropolitan Works, Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Fire-escape Manu-
facturers, 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:-
'
"
type, and has been
This invention relates to fire-escapes of the "curricle
designed with the objects of enabling the ladders to be more easily raised, to be
more conveniently and securely held in the raised position, and to enable them to
be more readily detached from the cart when required. It has also for another of
its objects to enable the wheels to be quickly and easily scotched when the cart is
brought into the working position. The attainment of these objects permits the
escape to be brought more expeditiously into operation than at present and with
less labour.
We will describe our improvements with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which :-
Figure 1 shews the escape in side elevation, the full lines representing it just
before the ladders are raised, and the dotted lines as it appears after the raising of
the ladders..
Figure 2 représents a front elevation.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the scotching device.
A is the hose and implement box, which is mounted upon the springs and wheels
in the usual manner. The ladders B are mounted or carried upon four brackets or
supports D D' firmly secured to the box A as shewn by Figures 1 and 2. The two
brackets D' nearer to the top of the ladders are plain supports, whilst those, D,
nearer to the foot of the ladders, have forked bearings in their upper ends in which
bearings the ladders are supported by means of a pin or spindle C, passing
transversely through the main ladder. To one side of each of these forked bearings
where is pinned pivoted or hinged a movable cap preferably of the form illustrated
on a larger scale by the detail drawing Figure 4. In this case the cap is in the
form of a pivoted hook E, which is shewn in the open position by the full lines
and closed by the dotted lines. It will be seen that when the ladders are in the
horizontal position on the cart, and the transverse pin C is in the forked bearings
on the arms E it will be necessary only to put the caps into the open position,
whereupon the ladders may be at once lifted off the cart, whilst if the caps are
closed over the pins or spindle C, the ladders will be securely held in position and
cannot be jumped out of the bearings whilst the escape is being hurried along the
road. It will be understood that instead of the transverse spindle or pin C,
equivalent studs or the like fixed upon the main ladder sides may be
employed.
We do not in connection with this invention limit ourselves to, nor do we claim
any particular means for extending the ladders but we prefer to employ a winch F
provided with two winch handles ff and treble purchase lifting tackle operated
thereby.
For the purpose of holding the ladders in an elevated position in connection with
the cart, we employ the catch G, shewn in elevation on a larger scale by the detail
drawing Figure 5. This catch may have and preferably has more than one hook g
adapted to engage a pin or projection I, fixed in a corresponding position on the
there should
side of the main ladder. This catch may be duplicated, that is to say,
be one on each side of the ladder with corresponding pins 1, in which case the two

page_text: catches may be fixed at opposite ends of the transverse spindle H, carried in
bearings h, fixed upon the cart ends of the shafts as shewn. Normally the catches
are pivoted so as to occupy the position shewn by the full lines Figure 1, and to
lift sufficiently when the ladders are being elevated to enable the engaging pin or
pins I to pass freely beneath the hooks. When the catch is constructed with three
of the hooks for example the ladder pin I will engage with the first second or
third according to the angle of elevation.
.
For the purpose of scotching the wheels of the cart when in use or at rest, we
employ, preferably with each wheel, the scotchés. K K which are carried on the
lower ends of the rods L L pivoted at their upper ends excentrically to the wheel
axle as shewn by Figure 3.
The rods L L are caused to rise and fall as may be
desired by means of the cords or chains m which pass over the pulley's M M and
thence to the pulleys N N to which they are secured in opposite directions, so that
when the pulleys N N are rotated both of the cords will be wound up or the
reverse. As shewn by the drawings, the scotches being applied to both wheels,
the cords and pulleys are in duplicate, one set to each wheel. The pulleys N are
fixed upon the transverse shaft O upon one end of which is also fixed the pulley P
around which the cord or chain R is wound. The two ends of this cord or chain
are respectively fixed secured at rr¹ to the handle bar T as shewn in elevation and
plan respectively Figures 6 and 7. When therefore, this handle bar is pulled
forward or pushed backward, the scotches will be brought into or lifted out of use,
as the case may be. Instead of the rope R and its pulleys P, a rack and pinion
may be employed, the rack being formed or secured upon the underside of the
handle bar and gearing into the teeth of the pinion fixed upon the shaft O.
If it be desired to provide for the more secure engagement of the ladders with
the catch or catches G, when being elevated, the catch or the spindle H upon which
the catches are mounted may have a dependent arm U, connected by a spiral spring
with the bracket W fixed on the under side of the cart.
Having now particularly described and ascertained' the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a fire-escape, a pivotal connection between the ladders and the cart, the
bearings of which have a hinged or pivoted cap, constructed and arranged substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein before described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a fire-escape a catch or catches capable of engagement with a pin or pins
fixed upon the ladder side or sides, when the ladder is elevated, constructed and
arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In a fire-escape, scotches arranged on the lower ends of rods pivoted
excentrically to the wheel axles and adapted to be raised and lowered substantially
as and by the means hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 21st day of June A.D. 1894.