An Improved Combined Fire Escape or Scaling Ladder and Hose Cart.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 5th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Combined Fire Escape or Scaling Ladder and
Hose Cart.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM MELVIN, Secretary and Manager to Rose, Bray and
Company, Limited, of Deptford Green, Deptford, in the County of Kent, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
My invention relates to an improved means of combining a fire escape, or scaling
ladder, with a hose reel, and to certain improvements in the arrangement of the
ladder itself.
The invention is more particularly applicable to small fire escapes, or scaling
ladders, of the class described in the Specifications of the Letters Patent granted to
George Bray, No. 306 of 1887 and No. 1907 of 1889, and in the Specification of
my application for Letters Patent No. 3810 of 1891, but certain parts of my
invention are also applicable to escapes, or scaling ladders of large size.
In combined fire escapes, or scaling ladders and hose carts, as heretofore
constructed, the hose has been contained in a box, or boxes, carried on any
convenient part of the apparatus, but, according to my present arrangement,
I mount a hose reel, of any suitable construction, upon the axle-tree, or other
convenient part of the ladder carriage, which is found in practice to be a better
method of carrying hose than placing it in a box. This part of my invention
is applicable to fire escapes, or scaling ladders, of either small or large size, and
in some cases, two, or more hose reels may be provided, placed side by side, or
otherwise, as may be found convenient.
The improvements in the arrangement of the ladder, are more specially
applicable to small fire escapes, or scaling ladders of the same, or any similar
class, as that described in the above recited Specifications.
In this case, instead of arranging. the main ladder to slide upon the framing
of the carriage, I hinge it thereto, so that it can be readily turned up when
required to be erected for use, and for securing the ladder in such erected
position, I further connect it to the framing by a pair of jointed struts, which,
when the ladder is turned up, open out, and automatically lock it.
As it is frequently convenient to detach ladders of this class from the carriage,
I provide means for readily uncoupling the hinges and the aforesaid struts, the
ladder then becomes an independent ladder, while the carriage, with the hose
reel, or reels attached, becomes an independent hose cart, and can be taken
elsewhere, as required, at the scene of operation.
Dated this 4th day of January 1892.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Combined Fire Escape or Scaling Ladder and
Hose Cart.
1, GEORGE WILLIAM MELVIN, Secretary and Manager to Rose Bray &
Company, Limited, of Deptford Green, Deptford, in the County of Kent, 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 an improved means of combining a fire escape, or scaling

page_text: ladder, with a hose reel, and to certain improvements in the arrangement of the
ladder itself.
My invention is more particularly applicable to small fire escapes, or scaling
ladders of the class described in the Specifications of the Letters Patent.granted to
George Bray, No. 306 of 1887 and No. 1907 of 1889, and in the Specification of
the Letters Patent granted to me No. 3810 of 1891, but certain parts of my
invention are also applicable to escapes, or scaling ladders of large size.
In combined fire escapes, or scaling ladders and hose carts, as heretofore
constructed, the hose has been contained in a box, or boxes, carried on any con-
venient part of the apparatus, but according to my present arrangement, 1 mount a
hose reel of any suitable construction, upon the axle-tree or other convenient part
of the ladder carriage, which is found in practice to be a better method of carrying
hose than placing it in a box. This part of my invention is applicable to fire
escapes, or scaling ladders of either small or large size, and, in some cases, two or
more hose reels may be placed side by side, or otherwise, as may be found convenient.
The improvements in the arrangement of the ladder, are more specially
applicable to small fire escapes, or scaling ladders of the same, or any similar class,
as that described in the above recited Specifications.
In this case, as it is frequently convenient to detach ladders of this class from
the carriage and use them independently, I provide improved means as hereinafter
described for attaching them to, and readily removing them from, the said carriage.
The ladder when 30 removed becomes an independent ladder, while the carriage,
with the hose reel or reels attached, becomes an independent hose cart, and either
can then be taken where required at the scene of operation.
In the accompanying seven sheets of drawings, which form part of this
Specification,
Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation, and
Fig. 2 is an end elevation, partly in section, through the line 2, 2, in Fig. 1, of a
small escape constructed in accordance with the Specification of my aforesaid Letters
Patent, No. 3810 of 1891, and having a single hose reel combined therewith.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation,
Fig. 4 is a plan, and
Fig. 5 is an end elevation, partly in section through the line 3, 3, in Fig. 3, of a
small combined escape and hose cart, with a single hose reel and a detachable
ladder.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 7 is an end elevation, partly in section, through the line. 4, 4, in Fig. 6, of a
small combined escape and hose cart, with two detachable hose reels and a
detachable ladder.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figs. 1 & 2, it may be mentioned that the complete details of the ladder
construction are not shewn, nor will it be necessary to describe such construction,
or the mode of operating the ladders, this being fully explained in my aforesaid
prior Specification, No. 3810 of 1891. In the side elevation Fig. 1, the near wheel
and spring are omitted in order more clearly to shew the construction of the hose
reel. (This wheel and spring are, for the same reason, omitted in Figs. 3 and 6.)
The hose reel is carried on the axle B between the springs F, F. As shewn each
end of the said reel, consists of four arms a, radiating from a central plate or hub b,
which is capable of rotation upon the axle B, these arms have concentric flat
rings c and d riveted to them, and the two inner rings c c are connected by rods e
upon which the hose is wound. The projecting ends of the. arms a forma. convenient
means for rotating the reel when it is required to wind up the hose, and when the
hose is wound, its end may be attached by a strap and buckle, or other suitable
device to one of the said arms, to secure it in place.
I do not confine myself to the specific mode above described, of constructing, the
hose reel, as such reel may.be formed in any other suitable manner.
In the machine shewn in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a hose reel similar in construction to

page_text: that above described, having arms a, rings c and d and rods e, is carried on the
axle B. The machine is provided with two boxes f,, open at the outer side, as
shewn most clearly in Fig. 5, for carrying hose nozzles, tools and other desired
articles. The telescopic ladders H, H' are not arranged to slide on the carriage;
the main ladder H rests upon the cross-bearers, and four studs are provided,
which bear against the ladder rounds, and so prevent any sliding motion.
The ladders are further secured to the carriage by two flat bars i pivoted at j
and fastened by a thumb nut k, screwing on a fixed stud. The end of the bar is
slotted out as shewn at 1, so that when the nuts are slackened the bars can be swung
round into the position shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 4, clear of the ladders.
The said ladders can then be lifted off and used independently, and the carriage
with its hose reel becomes an independent hose cart. A handle m is provided
at each end of the carriage for convenience in running it when the ladders are
removed.
The machine shewn in Figs. 6 & 7 is similar in general design to that in the
preceding Figures 3, 4 and 5, with the exception that two hose reels of the same
construction as before, are provided. These reels are carried by hangers n fastened
under the tool boxes. By removing the small thumb screws p, the reels can be
lifted out of their bearings in the hangers n, and removed from the machine, whereas
in the previous examples, where the reels are carried on the axle, they are
necessarily a fixture. The tool boxes f, f, are closed all round, access being had to
their interior by means of the hinged lids q.
As these boxes are carried up higher than in the previous machine, the upper
surface of the ladders is kept flush with the top of the boxes. The mode of
securing and fixing the ladders is the same as before. In this and the previous
machine legs r, are provided at each end of the boxes f to rest on the ground when
the machine is standing, so that it can be tipped in either direction.
The above three machines are given as examples of the application of my
invention, but I do not confine myself to the specific details of design and
construction therein shewn and described.
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 :-
1. In a fire escape, or scaling ladder, the combination with the axle-tree, or other
convenient part of the ladder carriage, of one or two hose reels, substantially as
described.
2. In a fire escape, or scaling ladder, of the class described in the Specifications
of Letters Patent No. 306 of 1887, No. 1907 of 1889 and No. 3810 of 1891, the
combination with the axle-tree B of a hose reel, carried by said axle-tree between
the wheels and capable of rotating thereon, substantially as described with reference
o Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a fire escape, or scaling ladder, a carriage supported by a pair of wheels, a
hose reel carried by and capable of rotating upon the axle-tree B of said wheels,
emovable ladders H H¹, studs h, pivoted bars and nuts k for securing said ladders
o carriage, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the
ccompanying drawings.
4. In a fire escape, or scaling ladder, a carriage supported by a pair of wheels, a
ose reel carried in hangers n at each end of said carriage and capable of removal
herefrom, removable ladders H H³, studs h, pivoted bars i and nuts k for securing
aid ladders to carriage, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 6 & 7
f the accompanying drawings.
-1
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.