US1141716A

US1141716A - Combined fire-escape and alarm.

Info

Publication number: US1141716A
Application number: US83924614A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles Rickard Kjellstrom
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1914-05-18
Filing date: 1914-05-18
Publication date: 1915-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 1932-06-01

Description

C. R. KJELLSTROM.

COMBINED FIRE ESCAPE AND ALARM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1914.

1 1 4 1 ,7 l 6. Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

jwucwlo'zwihqcoom C HHRLES R. mam-mom W \m MW- v I a l roman 5 THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTG-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. c.

C. R. KJELLSTROM.

COMBINED FIRE ESCAPE AND ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAYl8p l9l4.

Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES R. KJeLLs-rRom Mommas c D, N m C m H n W O. m u m o H P w s R s r E P B R R a N s H CHARLES RICKARD KJELLSTROM, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED FIRE-ESCAPE AND ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

7 Application filed May 18, 1914. Serial No. 839,246.

certain new and useful Improvements in.

Combined Fire-Escapes and Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a combined fire escape and alarm, and one object of the invention is to provide a fire escape, which is normally positioned so as not to obstruct the view from the windows, which in ordinary fire escapes, makes them very unsightly.

Another object is to make it operable from any floor and to lock it in a position conveniently situated with regard to all the windows in the same vertical line.

Still another object is, that itgives automatically an alarm in all the floors simultaneously as soon as a person descends on the ladder to escape fire in any one of the floors, when the ladder is swung to, or, with the ladder in normal or inoperative position, if a person attempts to run up the ladder from below.

In the accompanying drawings, is 1llustrated one embodiment of this invention, and,.Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a part of a house wall with the fire escape in open or inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of'Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is ayview similar to Fig. 2 with the fire escape in operative position. Fig. 4 is a vertical section in larger scale of a portion of one of the rungs in the ladder and the side bar. Fig. 5 is a section along linen- 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section of a portion of the center post'of the ladder showing an electric contact. "Fig. 7 is a se'ctionalong line 77'of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a supporting bracket with latch, partly in section. .Fig. 9 is a side view of the bracket on a portion of the main post.

In a'bottom bracket 20 preferably provided with ball bearings, is mounted to turn, the main post 21, which'I prefer to make tubular. The main post is kept in upright position by other bearing-brackets 22, se-

cured by bolts onthe face of the housewall.

The top bracket 23' may form aclosing cap for the upper end of the main post 21. Arms 24 extend sidewise-at certain intervals from the main post 2l, being fixedly secured thereon and provided each with a fixed handle, conveniently situated to be reached by a person in the room. The handle has a downward extension 26 which is suitably shaped to engage with a springlatch. 27, projecting through the side of each bearing bracket 22, and hold the ladder rigid in its operative position slightly away from the window, as shown in Fig. 3, the latch being best illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9.

On the back of each arm 24 is provided a heel 28 which abuts against the face of the bracket 22, when the ladder stands in its normally open position, as indicated in Fig. 2. The outer end of each of the arms 24 has a cylindrical bearing portion 29 which fits closely around the central post 30 of the ladder. As shown, this central post is also tubular. Through the cylindrical portion 29 of each arm runs a rung 31 horizontally. The rungs, as here shown, are made of gas pipe and corresponding cuts are made for them in the center post in order to key the parts together. If found necessary, the intermediate rungs may be similarly secured in brackets fitting snugly on the center post 30. The ends of the rungs are connected by side bars 33 and Ts 34.

' As will be seen from the plan views, Figs. 2 and 3, the ladder stands parallel to the wall, when in inoperative position, and slightly at an angle when in use, and the arms 24 are bent in horizontal direction, so as to leave the side bars free in order to have no obstructions for a persons hands. At least one, 35, of the rungs is given a slight vertical play in its bearings, having its ends supported on springs 36. Suitably insulated contacts 37 and 38 are provided on the under side of the rung 35 at its middle and the corresponding bearing portion 29. The contacts are in the circuit 40, of a battery 39 and connected with an alarm 41 on each floor. A latch, preferably in the shape of a bent spring 43 is mounted near the middle of the rung35, so as to lock it in contacting position directly it has been depressed. A releasing member 44 extends outward so that on pulling. on the member 44, the rung will be raised by the springs 36. Directly the rung 35 is pressed down by anyone descending or ascending the ladder, all the alarms 41 will consequently, start going.

1 At the bottom of the ladder is shown a short ladder 42, which is hung so that it may be folded upward. between the main ladder and the wall, when the fire escape is not in from the bottom of the ladder.

use. This is done to, make the fire escape less accessible from the ground except when in use, when the extension portion 42 falls down by its own weight whilethe'fi're escape.

is being swung into position.

InFig'. 1 is 'shownan attachment for facilitating the hoisting of the fire hose to the. upper floors. 7 most one of the arms 24 is a tackle with pul- Suspended from the upperleys '45 and rope or chain 46, which is long enough to'be -reached from the ground or The; operation and use or the device is evident fromthe above description, and needs no further explanation,

lVhat, I'claim as new is lL-I n a fireescape including a ladder having a movable rung, opposing electric contaetson said rung and said. ladder respectively, for closing an electric circuit, said contacts being inserted in said circuit whereby tli'ecircuit will be closed on the moving of the rung. '7 I In a escape including aladder hav-' ing"a"movable' rung, opposing electric contactson said 'rung and said ladderrrespectively, bearings inthe ladder. for said rung,

said'bearings'having longitudinal: slots allowing slight vertical movement of said rung, said contacts being inserted in a circuitwhereby'the circuit will be closed on the moving of the rung.

V In a fire escape including a ladder having' a movable rung, opposing electric contacts on said rung';-and said ladder respectively, bearings nthe ladder for said rung,

said bearings'having longitudinal slots lowing slight vertical movement of said rung, and springs normally holding the rung in its uppermost position, said contacts. be-

ing inserted in a circuit whereby the circuit will be closed on the moving of the rung.

4 Ina fire'escape including a ladder having'a movable rung, opposing contacts on said rung and said ladder'respectively, bearings in the ladder for said rung, said bearings having longitudinal slotsallowing ingmovable rung, opposing contactson @slight 'verticalmovement of said rung, springs normally holding the rung in its uppermost position, a lockingmeinber retaining. the rung in its lowermostposition,

said contacts being inserted in a" circuit 'Wherebvthe circuit will be closed on the moving of the rung. r

5. Ina fire escapeincluding aladder havsaid rung and said ladder respectively, for

closing an electric circuit, said contac'tsbeinginserted-in said circuit whereby the circuit will be closed onthe moving of the rung, a centralpost from which the ladder is suspended, a hinge device for swinging the ladderhorizontally frominoperative' to the ladder in the latter position.

, e a i ry operative position, and means for securing 6, fire escape comprising a ladder having a movable rung, opposing contacts on said rungs and said ladder respectively,

for closing an electric circuit, said contacts" being inserted in 'sai'dgcircuit whereby the is suspended, a hinge-device for swinging the ladder horizontally from inoperative to operative position, means for securingthe ladder inthe latter position, said hinge dee-I vice having a main post, bearings for the V,

and means for thus turningthe ladden 7. Ina fireescape including a ladder having a movable rung, opposingcontactson' main post permitting the turning-j of the ladder from-one extreme position to another, 7

saidrung and said'ladder respectively, for

, closing an electric circuit, said contacts being inserted in said circuit whereby-the cirrung,-a central post from which the ladder 7 is suspended, a hingedevice fOIKSWlIlQ'lIlQ,

theladder horizontally from inoperative to operative position, means for, securing'the ladder in the latter position, said liinge device having; a main post, bearings for the main ipost permitting. the turning of the ladder iron one extreme position to another, and-sidew se extending arms from sa d main post, said central post be ng carried by said,

ing a movable rung, opposing contacts "on said rung and said ladder respectively, for

closing an electric circuit, said contacts being inserted in said circuit whereby the cir- 8." In a fireescape includinga ladder l1av f cuitwill be closed on" the moving of'the rung, a central postfr'om which the ladder isfsuspended, a hinge-device for, swinging the ladder horizontally from inoperative to operative position, means for securing the ladder in the latterposition-i at a slightly 7 oblique z'uiglerelative to thehouse wallfand abutment members on said-hinge-device limiting-the turning of the ladder in one direction' so as to hold it parallel to thehouse M 9..In' a fire escape ladderhaw a ing a movable rung, opposing contacts on said; rung and; said ladder respectively, for" closing: an electriccircuit, said contactsabeing inserted in said-circuit wherebythe cir-f;

cuit will {be closed on the moving'of thej rung, a central post' gfr om which the ladder aiid 'a'mernber constructed to- 'engage-with I tively. p 10. In a fire escape including a ladder said plunger. situated in the imoviable and f parts ofthehinge-devioe re'spec- 'ZG circuit will be closed on the moving of the rung, a central post Vfrom'which the ladder V 5 cuit ;will be closed on the moving, of the having a movable rung, opposing contacts on said rung and said ladder respectively,

for closing an electric circuit, said contacts being inserted in said circuit whereby the circuit will be closed on the moving of the rung, a central post from which the ladder is suspended, a hinge-device for swinging the ladder horizontally from inoperative to operative position, means for securing the ladder in the latter position, said hingedevice having a main post, bearings for the main post permitting .the turning of the ladder from one extreme position to another, and sidewise extending arms from said main post, said central post being carried by said arms, said turning means comprising a handle on one of said arms, said handle forming a stop for the turning of the ladder when in n its operative position.

v In a fire escape including a ladder having a movable rung, opposing contacts on said rung and said ladder respectively, for closing an electric circuit, said contacts being inserted in said circuit whereby the circuit will be closed onthe moving of the rung, a central post from which the ladder is suspended, a hinge-device for swinging the ladder horizontally from inoperative to operative position, and means for securing the ladder in the latter position.

12. In a fire escape, including a ladder having a movable rung, opposing contacts on said rung and said ladder respectively, for closing an electric circuit, said contacts being inserted in said circuit whereby the circuit will be closed on the moving of the rung, a central post from which the ladder is suspended, a hinge-device for swinging the ladder horizontally, said central post being carried by said hinge-device.

13. In a fire escape including a ladder having a movable rung, opposing electric contacts on said rung and said ladder respectively, bearings in the ladder for said rung, means for holding the rung out of contact and means to lock said rung in contacting position.

14. In 'a fire escape including a ladder having a movable rung, opposing electric contacts on said rung and said ladder respectively, bearings in the ladder for said rung, means for holding the rung out of contact and means to lock said rung in contacting position, and means for releasing said locking means.

15. In a fire escape including a ladder having a movable rung, opposing electric contacts on said rung and said ladder respectively, for closing an electric circuit,

said contacts being inserted in said circuit whereby the circuit will be closed on the moving of the rung independent of what position the ladder may have, a central 'post from which the ladder is suspended, a hinge-device for swinging the ladder horizontally between two extreme positions.

16. In a fire escape including a ladder having a movable rung, opposing electric contacts on said rung and said ladder respectively, for closing an electric circuit, said contacts being inserted in said circuit whereby the circuit will be closed on the moving of the rung, a central post from which the ladder is suspended, a hinge-device for swinging the ladder horizontally from a position flat against the wall to a position in front of a window.

In testimony whereof I aifiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES RICKARD KJELLSTROM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G."