US375107A - Nickolas thelef - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

N. THELEN.

FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

Dec. 20, 1887.

N. PETERS. Photokithogmphw. Wzshingtan. D. Q

vertical wall of the building.

and the wall.

escape ladder that may be utilized to afford UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICKOLAS THELEN, OF SGHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,107, dated December 20, 1887.

Application filed August 5,1887.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NIOKOLAS THELEN, of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escape Ladders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-escape ladders.

The nature and object of my present invention are to provide a portable fire-proof ladder that can be placed in an elevated room of a building and secured below a window of the room, it being rolled upon a spool or reel in such a relative position to the window, below which one end of the ladder is secured to the floor or side of the room, that when the reeled ladder is thrown from the window it will unroll and in its downward passage automatically adjust itself in position against the The manner of construction of the device causes the ladder.- rungs to be held away from the wall sufficiently to allow a space between the ladder The novel devices .by which the ladder is removed from the wall also hold it in secure position, preventing side sway and rendering it available for use on both the in ner side next the wall and the outer side, as well, thus affording a safe avenue of escape from a burning building, that willJoe available for use for the most timid female or children.

A further object is to produce a cheap firean escape from'a tier of windows in a building when a ladder is thrown from an upperstory ,window and hangs in secured position a short distance projected in front of the several windows of avertical tier or row that are provided on different floors of ahigh structure.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, that will be hereinafter shown, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings making a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in position upon a liouse wall. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one of the rungs Serial No. 246,214. (No model.)

of the ladder with its hinged folding bracketarms extended, or in the position they will assume when the ladder is in use. Fig. 3 is a View of a ladder-rung with the bracket-arms in folded adjustment. Fig. 4 is the reel upon which the ladder is rolled between its flanges.

The essential features of this invention consist in the peculiarities of construction of the rungs of the ladder and their connection with two wire ropes-one at each end-to form the sides of the ladder, the rungs being arranged at spaced intervals; and as the construction of each one of the series of rungs is identically the same a detailed description of one rung and its adjuncts will answer for the entire ladder.

A represents a rung of the fireescape lad der, preferably made of wood of a tough strong quality, to afford the necessary lightness and stability that should be embodied in a device of the character under consideration; but, if desired, in order to render the ladder capable of withstanding long continued exposure to heat or fire, it mayin some cases be preferred to use pieces of iron tubing of proper diameter for the rungs of the ladder.

In case wood is employed for the manufac ture of the rungs, on account of its comparative lightness and low cost, a socket-piece or ferrule, a, is secured upon each end of a rung, the ends of the rung being preferably reduced to fit with shoulders against the adjacent edges of the ferrules; and for general uses thelength of the rungs and attachments should be such as to pass squarely through thefrazne of an ordinary window. The ferrules a. have their outer ends provided with lips a, that when manufactured are cast to extend outwardly; but when the rungs are to be affixed rigidly are bent down upon the ropes and driven forcibly in contact with the ropes, to have their edges slightly embedded, and thus beheld edges of the flanges, upon the inner opposite sides. Into the grooves c c a metallic capplate, (Z, is tightly driven to form a rectangular box, 6, which is open at each end and receives the slide-boltf, which is of similar form in cross-section and fits loosely in the box, so as to slide freely back and forth, when not designedly prevented, in a manner and for apurpose that will be hereinafter shown. Upon the inner ends of the slide-boltsf lugs or short flanges f are formed on the sides of the bolts, that bear against the inner edges of the capplates (Z, which contact will prevent the slideboltsffrom leaving the sockets in which they slide. Y

The inner portions of the vertical flanges b I), formed upon the side of the ferrules A, are rounded on the corners, and the metallic bracket arms O O are secured between them by bolts or pivot-rods i, inserted through holes made in the flattened ends of the arms, and also through the embracing walls or flanges b b, to permit the bracket-arms O O to be vibrated or folded upon these joints as hinges.

The bracket-arms O O are each provided .with an offset-shoulder, g, which extends toward the outer end of 1 the ferrule and rests upon the top edges of the flanges b b when the arms are extended, these shoulders g checking the outward projection of the arms when they are located at right angles to the rung to which they are attached, and when they are thus extended they will be parallel to each other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In order to cause the bracketarms O O to automatically project from a folded contact with the rung A and be held firmly at right angles to the body of the rang, the elastic wire springs H are employed. Each spring consistsof a piece of wire bent toproduce a loop, h, which is but little wider between its two side bars than the tapered body of the arms 0, and is given aform that coincides with the taper of these arms. The sidepieces ofthe loops h are each bent into a coil around the pivotbolts 2', and have their ends 70 extended down- 0 wardly, to be inwardly bent and enter the holes is, made in the side walls of the ferrules, and hold tightly coiled the springs which encircle the pivot-bolts The reel G consists of a shaft, G, and two flanges, G which are secured to the ends of the shaft, the diameter of these flanges being more than equal to that of the roll which the ladder will make when it is rolled upon the shaft of the reel between the flanges G and it is necessary that,the space between these flanges shall be just suffieient to permit the easy rolling of the flexible ladder upon it.

The wire ropes B are connected by one of their ends to the shaft G of the reel G. When the ladder is placed upon the reel, the bracketarms 0 O are folded down closely and the slide-bolts f are made to abut with their inner ends against the adjacent fiat heels 8 of the rule-joints or hinges of the arms. The outer or free ends of the slidebolts are thus made to come in contact with the near surface of the flanges G which will prevent them from sliding outwardly, the arms being held closely folded, while these slidebolts are locked by their engagement with the flanges, as stated.

A fire escape-ladder of the construction just described is preferably placed, when rolled upon its reel, in a suitable box, which should be firmly secured below the easement of a window in a room where it is desirable to locate the device, and the ends of the wire rope of the ladder, which is to be retained in the room, are secured firmly to the inside of the box.

NVhen the ladder is in requisition to afford a means of escape from theapartmentin which it is placed, by reason offire in the bullding, or other causes, the window is opened that is above theladder, and the reeled ladder 1s re moved from its box and thrown squarely therefrom. It willunroll as it falls downward, and each rung, as it leaves the reel, will have its bracket-arms projected from it at a r1ght angle, these latter engaging the wall with the r outer ends, so as to secure the ladder 1 n position,it being held away from the wall a dlstance equal to the length of the bracket-arms O O, which will allow theladder to he stepped upon by any person who sits upon the sill of the Window; audit is advisable,in the construction of the ladder, that the length of the arms 0 G be -so proportioned that the ladder will be retained ata convenient distance outside of the Window to afford a ready grasp for the hands and engagement of the feet of a person about to escape from the window by its means.

It will be apparent that my improved fireescape ladder will, as constructed, afford a safe avenue for escape from a burning build ing, and one that will be so convenient and stable that it will give nerve and'contidence to' the most timid woman who may need to use the ladder in an emergency.

The compact form in which the ladder can be rolled and stowed away in the position best suited for instant use is another feature of great advantage.

The ladder, from the materials and form of construction employed, may be cheaply produced and afforded for general use at a moderate price. v

Slight changes might be made in the forms of constructioii of several of the details to answer the same purposes and still be within the scope of my invention; hence I do not desire to confine myself to the precise method of construction herein shown; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with two strands of flexible incombustible material forming the sides of the ladder, of several rungs secured to the side strands at spaced intervals, a set of two bracket-arms for each rung, and springs to project these rungs when the ladder is unrolled, substantially as set forth.

, 2. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with two strands of flexible material, of a series of cross-pieces or rungs secured to the strands at spaced intervals, two bracket-arms, a spring for each bracket-arm, and a reel to hold the ladder as a bundle, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with two wire ropes or chains, of a series of rungs, and two spring-actuated pivoted bracket-arms for each rung, the said bracket-arms adapted to be turned outward at a right angle with the rung when the ladder is unrolled,

' substantially as set forth.

4. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with a rung, of two arms hinged to ferrules at the ends of the rung, and coiled wire springs that are adapted to throw out the arms when the ladder is unrolled from a reel, substantially as set forth.

5. In a fire-escape ladder, the combination,

2: with a rung, of two arms hinged to fold upon the rung, and a spring for each arm adapted to project the arms at the same time, so as to stand at right angles to the rung when the.

ladder is unrolled, substantially as set forth.

6.v In a fire-escape ladder, the combination, with a rung, two ferrules secured to the ends of the rung, slide-bolts in the ends of the ferrules, and two hinged bracket-arms, of a spring for each bracket-arm that will project the arms to stand at right angles to the rung, and two flanges mounted on the ends of a shaft to hold the slide-bolts and prevent the arms from opening until the rungs are cleared from the reel when the ladder is being unrolled, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NIOKOLAS THELEN. \Vitnesses:

MARTIN KREUZBERGER, Monrrz DORNUNG.

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