US2553438A

US2553438A - Safety device for use with ladders

Info

Publication number: US2553438A
Application number: US770210A
Authority: US
Inventors: John G Caduff; John B Caduff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-08-23
Filing date: 1947-08-23
Publication date: 1951-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 1968-05-15

Description

May 15, 1951 J. G. CADUFF ETAL SAFETY DEVICE FOR USE WITH mum-ms 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25, 1947 r i m0. E E. NM T H m m U W y 1951 J. G. CADUFF ETAL 2,

SAFETY DEVICE FOR USE WITH LADDERS Filed Aug. 25, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR. 3 JflH/V 5- LWDUFF BY JOHN B- mum-r EE- 8 i a W nrz;

Patented May 15, 1951 SAFETY DEVICE FOR USE WITH LADDERS John G. Caduff and John B. Caduff, Cleveland, Ohio Application August 23, 1947, Serial No. 770,210

Claims.

This invention relates in general to fire escapes and, more particularly, to stationary fire escapes of the type attached to the outside of buildings. Present day fire escapes of this type consist of light iron ladders with landings attached to the building, are high in cost and maintenance, and ugly and offensive in appearance, therefore, these fire escapes are generally arranged in inconspicuous places not well suited for their purpose.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved stationary fire escape including in combination ladder means with concealed pivotally supported folding steps and guided, shiftable supporting devices constructed to be automatically arrested when loaded in excess of predetermined loads.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved stationary fire escape including in combination ladder means with concealed pivotally supported, upwardly folding steps, means for shifting the steps into operative and inoperative positions, and supporting devices shiftably arranged in vertical guide means and constructed to be automatically locked in their guide means when loaded in excess of predetermined loads.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved stationary fire escape including in combination ladder means with concealed, pivotally supported, upwardly folding steps, shiftable supporting devices, and guiding means for said devices, the supporting devices being constructed to be automatically locked in said guiding means when the devices are loaded in excess of predetermined loads.

In addition, the invention has certain other marked superiorities which radically distinguish it from presently known structures. These improvements or superiorities embodying certain novel features of construction are clearly set forth in.the following specification and the appended claims; and a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is shown with reference to the accompanying drawing forming part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly broken away, of a stationary fire escape constructed in accordance with the invention, show ing the steps of the ladder portion of the fire escape in folded up position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1, showing the steps of the ladder portion of the fire escape in opened up position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.-

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the stationary fire escape showing the operating means for shifting the steps of the ladder portion to folded up and opened up posi-' tion.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the worm drive ar rangement actuating the operating means disclosed in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a'fragmentary cross-sectional view through the fire escape showing in elevation in its guide channel the safety supporting member.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side View, partly in section, of the fire escape showing in side elevation in its guide channel the safety supporting member in wedged in position effected by excessive load.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a skyscraper with a fire escape arrangement embodying the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view through a stationary fire escape construction with heating outlets arranged therein.

Referring now in detail to the exemplified form of the invention shown in the drawings, reference numeral 2 denotes an elongated fire escape structure provided with vertically arranged parallel front and

rear channels

3 and 4. This structure embodies two sections, one of which is assembled from oppositely arranged side panels 5 and U-shaped bracket members 5, and the other one of which consists of an elongated plate 1' and angularly shaped, flanged side members 8, the sections being secured together and to each other by rivets 9 and bolts 9. The bracket members space the side panels with respect to each other and include in their web portions [0 perforations H permitting attachment of the fire escape structure to a Wall [2 by bolts M or in any other suitable manner.

The fire escape structure 2 pivotally supports in bearings l5 secured to the inner faces of side panels 5 steps I6 which in their folded up posi tion are arranged within rear channel 4 and in their opened up position extend through slots I! in side panels 5. These steps, which are best described as lever members pivoted between their opposite ends to bearings I5, have inner end portions l8 angularly slotted at l9, and these slotted end portions are coupled with a vertically shiftable operating member 29 effecting shifting of steps l6 into opened up and closed position, when such member is shifted upwardly or downwardly. Member 20 is assembled from tubular sections 2| connected with each otherby longitudinally slotted coupling members 22 which are secured to the respective tube sections by rivets 23. Coupling members 22 are arranged opposite the steps 16 so that the slots 24 of members 22 align with the slotted end portions I8 of the steps. The end portions I 8 of steps 16 extend into the slot of the respective coupling member and are coupled with each other and said coupling members by pins 25. Slotted end portions also include lateral extensions 28 which cooperate with the side plates in arresting excessive movement of steps 16 when in opened up position.

Member 20 is shifted by a chain drive 21 including a chain 28 coupled with theupper end of member 20 and a chain 29 coupled with the lower end of said member. The chains28and'29 engage

sprocket gears

30 and 3!. and are connected to each other by a cable 32. Sprocket gear 30 is freely rotatably mounted on a shaft 33 and. sprocket gear 3|, the driver, is keyed to a drive shaft 34 which is coupled with a worm drive 35 embodyinga wormgear section as keyed to shaft 34 and a manually rotatable worm shaft 3'! engaging worm gear section 35. The .worm shaft 31 is axially extended and carries a handwheel 39 facilitating manual rotation of the worm shaft. The worm section 36 includes a peripherally slotted disc 40 which cooperates with a spring-pressed plunger 4| to lock the Worm gear section 36 and therewith operating member 29 in predetermined positions. Plunger 4| is unlocked by shifting of operating shaft 42 coupled with plunger 4| by a lever 43.

The front channel 3 of the fire escape structure 2 forms guiding means for a shiftable safety supporting device 44 safeguarding a person descending the unfolded steps 1 6 of the fire escape structure. This supporting device has attached thereto a safety belt 45 and embodies a cylindrically shaped body member 45 provided with a 'rectangularly shaped base portion 41. This base portion is dlfllEiIlSiQHEdTtOfillCl'lflllIlEl 3 when in one position and to be freely extended into or removed from said channel through slot 43 in the flanged longitudinally slotted front wall of the channel when rotated to another position.

The supporting device 4 1 supports at its outer end a swivel member 49 mounting safety belt'45 and slidably and non-rotatably supports on its cylindrical bod member 46 a collar member 5!] having laterally spaced guide plates 5! which are spaced to engage the outer faces of flanges 52 of angularly shaped members 8. The collar member is slidably and non-rotatably interlocked withsupporting device 45 by a pin 53 extended through a slot 56 in the cylindrical body member 46 and is forced toward its base portion 4! by a compression spring 55 so that-guide plates 5| of the supporting. :device when arranged in channel 3 engage the outer faces of flanges 52 :and prevent rotation of such supporting device. Removal 'of the device from front channel and extension of such device into "said channel can be effected when collar member with guide plates 5| is shifted against the tension of compression spring by means of a cross member 560m the collar'member, the cross member'forming a handgrip facilitatingsuch shifting.

The compression spring 55 is dimensioned to I draw the rectangularly shaped base portion El of supporting device 35 into engagement with the inside face of front channel 3 and permit sliding of said base portion in said channel when the supporting device is pulled downward with slight force. However, any sudden pull of substantial force on safety belt 25, such as for example effected by the weight of a person stumbling while descending the steps of the fire escape structure,

The described fire escape structure is preferably manufactured in sections readily to be secured to the wall of a building by bolts M attaching for example U-shaped bracket members 6 to anchor plates-51 in the wall of such building. A

thus constructed stationary fire escape does not interfere with the-architectural design of a building, as the steps are generally fully concealed, but will give highest efficiency as such steps are readily and easily shifted from their concealed position to working position, .andas the .shiftable safety supporting devices altov easily engaged with or disengaged from the front channel 3 of the fire escape. If climatic conditions require, the channel structure of the disclosed fire escapemay readily be heated to avoid corrosion or forming of ice in channels 3 and '4, all as indicated in Fig. 9 of the drawings showing hot air outlets 59 in rear channel 5, which are in communication through a pipe 6% with a hot air distributing system, not shown. 7

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a ladder-like fire escape a vertically-en tended, hollow guidemember of U-shaped cross section having inwardly turned edge portions to provide said member with a front wall having an elongated, vertical slot therein. an elongated supporting member having at its one end a head portion slidably arranged in said guide member, said head portion having elongated cross section dimensioned to permit in one predetermined position inserting of the head portion through said slot into said guide member and in another predetermined position retaining of said head portion in said guide member, said head portion, furthermore, having a height dimensioned to effect jamming of the head portion in said guide member when such head :portion is in its-other predetermined position and tilted with respect to said guide member, and means shiftably mounted-on said supporting memberand cooperatingwith said guide :member adapted to prevent rotation of the headportionof saidsupporting member whensuchlhead portion is placed in the said other one predetermined position.

2. In a ladder-like fire escape a vertically extended hollow guide member of U-shaped cross section having'inwardly itnrn'ed 'edge portions to to effect jamming of said head portion in said guide member when said head portion is in its other predetermined position'and tilted with respect to said'guide-member, andspringecontrolled meansslidably-mountedeonsaidsupportingmember and adapted to yieldingl-y shift said supporting member so that its head portion engages the inside face of the slotted front wall of the guide member when the head portion of said supporting member is positioned within said guide 1nember.

3. A fire escape as described in claim 2, wherein the said vertically extended guide member ineludes flanges outwardly extended from the said elon ated vertical slot, wherein said springcontrolled means are slidably mounted on said supporting member, wherein a compression spring forces said spring-controlled means toward the head portion of said supporting member, and wherein said spring-controlled means includes spaced means adapted to engag said flanges and prevent rotation of the said head portion when same is yieldingly forced into contact with the slotted front wall of said guide member.

4. A fire escape as described in claim 2, wherein said vertically extended guide member includes flanges outwardly extended from the edges of elongated vertical slot, wherein said spring-corrtrolled means on said elongated supporting member includes axially shiftable guide means yield- M ingly shifted by a compression spring mounted on said supporting member toward the head portion of said supporting member, said shiftable guide means consisting of spaced plates having a height greater than the height of said vertical flanges to effect yielding clamping engagement of the head portion of said supporting member with the inside face of the slotted front wall of the guide member.

5. In a ladder-like fire escape a vertically extended hollow guide member of U-shaped cross section having inwardly turned edge portions to provide the guide member with a front wall having an elongated vertical slot therein, an elongated supporting member removably eX- tended with its one end into said guide member and vertically shiftahly arranged with respect thereto, said guide member including at said one end a head portion of elongated, rectangular cross section, dimensioned to permit in one predetermined position free inserting of said head portion through said slot into said guide memher and in another predetermined position retaining of said head portion in said guide memher, said head portion having a height dimensioned to effect jamming of the head portion in said guide member when such head portion is in its other predetermined position and tilted with respect to said guide member, and spring-controlled shiftable means on said supporting member adapted to cooperate with the said guide member in yieldingiy shifting said supporting member so that the rear face of said head portion contacts the inside face of the slotted front wail of the guide member, and means on said shiftable means cooperating with said guide member in preventing axial rotation of the head portion of aid supporting member when its head portion is positioned to be retained in said guide member.

JOHN G. CADUFF. JOHN B. CADU'F-F.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,313,444 Witherow Aug. 19, 1919 1,916,208 Diou July 4, 1933 1,927,469 Plumpton Sept. 19, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 190,382 Switzerland July 1, 1937