USRE10726E - hofele - Google Patents

Description

6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I'. W. HOFELE,

Assignor to E. S. ALLEN. FOLDING FIRE ESGAPF LADDER.

ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2. I'. W. HOPELE,

Assignpr to E. S. ALLEN. FOLDING FIRE ESGAPE LADDER.

i126- Reissued May 1 i n 4' T n at@ Q ATTORNEYS` INVENTR f4/@Mdm *BY v l l ,l m

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. W. HOPELE,

Assignor to E. S. ALLEN. FOLDING FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

A i A Ef #E WITNBSSES: l INVENTOR 2f Jy/ y@ 5M 13%@ @an ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet P. W. HOPELE,

, Assignor to E. S. ALLEN.

FOLDING PIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

No. 10,726. I Reissued Mayl, 1886.

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Assignor to E. S. ALLEN. FOLDING PIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

WITNESSES I I INVETOR f Mya/J? 52M y@ E MMM ATTORNEYS.

, 6 Sheets-Sheet'. I'. W. HOFELE,

Assignor to E. S. ALLEN. FOLDING FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

A TTU/UVEK?.

FllRDINAl) \V. HOFELE, OF NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EBEN S.

PATENTy OFFICE.

AIILEN, or

LARCHMONT, N. Y.

FOLDING F'lRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Reissued Letters Patent No. 10,726, dated May 18, 1886.

Original No. 294,319, dated February 26, 1884. Application for reissue tiled A pril 15, 18S-l. Serial No. 128,023.

To (1N whom. jt may concer/L:

Beit known that LFERDINAND XV. HOFELE, ofthe cit-y,county,and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Fire-Escape Ladders; and I do hereby declare the following is a full, clear,

' and exact description.

rljhisinvention has reference to an improved folding fire-escape ladder which is permanently connected to the building and adapted to rest closely against the same when not in use, but which is set at some distance therefrom when lowered, so as to furnish a convenient and safe escape for the occupants of the building and a convenient means of access for the firemen to the building.

The invention consists of a vertical tire-escape ladder that is connected by folding platforms with the building, and adapted to be folded up closely thereto or set at a suitable distance from the building when lowered. The entire fire-escape ladder and its folding platformsare counterbalanced by weights that hold the ladder in folded position close to the building, but admit the lowering of the same when the locking springhook is released therefrom. The connterbalancing-weights are hung to chains which pass from the upper end ot' the ladder over pulleys arranged in extension-casings of the wall. The platforms are provided with openings next adjoining the ladder to permit the descent of persons at the inside of the ladder. Folding guard-rails are arranged at both .sides of the platforms and adapted to fold up with the ladder and platforms against the building or set themselves in raised position when the same is lowered. One side post ofthe ladder is formed of a water-supply pipe that is provided with couplings at the lower end and at the different stories for attaching the hose.

The invention consists, further,of certain details of construction, which will be more fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claims.

`In the accompanying drawings, Figures l and 2 represent front elevations of my improved folding fire-escape ladder. showing the Same respectively in lowered and raised positions. Figs. 3 andf 4 are Vertical transverse sections of' a building, showing the fire-escape ladder respectively lowered and raised. Figs.

5, 6, 7, and 8 are detail front views of the ladder, showing different constructions of the same and of the stand-pipe forming one of the 5 5 side posts of the ladder. Figs. 9, l0, l1, and l2 are horizontal sections of the di'erent'constructions of the ladder shown in Figs. 5 to 8. Figs. 18 and 14 are a detail side view and a plan of the escape-platform with its side rail- 6o ing. Fgs.- 15, 16, 17, and 18 are details of the eye plates by' which the platforms are' hinged to the window-sills or Wall ofthe building. Figs. 19 and 20 are a side view and a front view of the curved and braced top part 65 of the ladder. Figs. 21 to 2-1 are details of the pulleys for the counterbalancing-chains and their extension-casings. Figs. 25 and 26 are detail front and sideA views of the bars or rungs arranged in the wall, to be used in con- 7o nection with the fire-escape. Fig. 27 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of the guide-pulley and its extension-casing. Figs. 28, 29, and 30 are details of the bottom of the ladder and its hose-coupling. Fig. 31 is a de- 75 tail side view of one of the counter-weights. Figs. 32 and 33 are detail side and front views of the locking-hook by which the fire escape is secured to the building when not in use, and its unhitching mechanism; and Figs. 34 8o and 35 show aside view and plan of the guidecasing for counter-weights.-

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a vertical ladder, which is arranged at a snitable distance from the building, and constructed either of side posts made of pipe or of iron of suitable crosssection, so as to give the required strength to the ladder. The ladder 9o A may be made with` a stand-pipe, B, at one side, which latter is provided with a valved coupling, C, for each floor, to which the hose may be coupled, so as to supply water for each story when needed. The stand-pipe B is further provided at or near its lower part with a coupling, H, to make connection with the hose of the engine. The upright ladder A is vconnected by folding platforms D, one for each floor, with the wall of the building, the platforms D being pivoted tothe side posts of the ladder and hinged to eyes G, that are anchored 45 t ladder by thevside braces, YV W, which are '2y n l 10,726

'to the windowlsins or to the wan of the bunning. The platforms D are floored over with sheet-iron or with iron in any form required,

- which flooring` is riveted to'the side rails of tion of the escape.

the platforms. The floors of the platforms D extend only to such a distance from the ladder that sufficient space is left. for the descent of the persons between the ladder and the platforms, as shown clearly in Fig. 14. A guardrailing is arranged at each side of the platforms and formed of upright posts E, which are pivoted to the side rails of the platforms, and of horizontal rails F F, pivoted to the upper ends of the posts B and to the sideposts of the ladder. 'The guard-railings give the required safety for persons passing over the platforms to the ladder. The posts E are arranged at suchya distance from the wall that persons can readily step from the windowsills to the platforms.

To the upper end of the ladder A are attached the connterweight chains S S, which pass over wall-pulleys 1t R, that are arranged in extension-casings It, connected by bolts R. The extension-casings R of the pulleys R can be fitted to any thickness of wall and protect the pulleys against rain or snow.

To the ends of the chains S S, at the inside of .the wall, are applied heavy weights Q Q, that counterbalance the lire-escape ladder A and platforms D.- These weights are inclosed in iron boxes or pipes T, arranged at the inside of the wall, so that the countcrweights cannot be interfered with by driving nails into the wall, or by other obstructions.

The upper curved end of the ladder A is stiffened' by braces V, so as to give strength .in case anything has 'to be hoisted or lowered.

A'pulley, Z, is arranged at the upper end of the ladder, and an endless chain, X, having a hook, X', passedover the pulley for hoisting or lowering things, as shown in Figs. 19 and 20. VAs there will bc ,considerable side strain from the counter-weights Q Q, an extra stiffness is imparted 'to the upper .end of the fastened to the upper rangs andthe side posts, as shown in Fig. 20.

vihen, the ladder i's folded up in raised position `against theA wall, it is locked thereto by a laddenhook, J, hinged to the wall and acted upon by a spring, J. This hook' locks the reescape ladder close to the wall of the building and keeps it in place. To the outer end of the hook is fastened a chain, K, which first passes upward and over a pulley, L, and then down to the box M. The lower end of the chain K is provided with ahandle, h, so that when wanted the handle can be 'reached from vthe ground by any person. r

The ladder-hook J can' be placed at anysec- The box M, securing the handle and and 0f the chain, 1is made of light'material, so thati'n case of the loss ofthe key the box may be ,-quickly opened to lower the chainand lad-- der, as required. w

Between thewindows of the'building are arranged horizontal wall rungs or bars O and P, as shown in Figs. l, 25, and 2G, by which means the reescape can be readily reached from any window of the building.

The lower ends ofthe side posts of the ladder are provided with enlarged feet or rests, H', having points I at their under side that fit into holes of the sidewalk or ground, to relieve the strain when under pressure of water or otherwise, and to give extra security.`

The' tire-escape ladder is operated as follows: When it is folded in normal position against the wall ofthe building and retained in place by the ladder-hook J,the platforms D and their.

thereby released from the ladder, the tireescape will drop by its own weight in outward direction away from the building, the counterweights balancing it in such a manner that the lowering takes place slowly and without falling too heavily on the ground. When the ladder arrives on the ground, so that its feet rest on the ground or street-surface, the platforms assume a horizontal position and the guardrailings a vertical position at both sides of the platforms, so that persons can pass from the building over the platforms and descend at the inside of the ladder, while the remen mount the ladder at the outside andconnect their hose to the coupling at the lower end of Ico 4 t-hestand-pipe B and at any intermediate point of the same, so as to bring the water to any required floor. 'When the lire-escape ladder is no longer required for use and the building is not destroyed, it is put back in its` normal Y `as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a folding tire-escape connected permanently to abuilding, a continuous upright lad# der constructed to restv closely against the building when not in use, and to be shifted bodily to some distance therefrom when it is to be used', substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination of avertical fire-escape ladder with folding platforms leading from the building to the ladder, said ladder being adapted to be folded against or ,set at a distance from the building, substantially as set forth. A

3. rIhe combination, with a vertical fire-es cape ladder, offol ding platforms connecting the ladder to the building, said platforms having guard-railings which are adapted to be folded with the platforms and ladder against the building, or set "automatically in upright po siti'on when the ladder is 1owered,`substan tially as set forth. 1

4;.' The combination of an upright fire-escape ladder, folding platforms connecting theladder IlO ISO

to the building, and means whereby the ladder is counterbalanced, so as to be shifted to a distance from the building or set closely against lsaid building, substantially as set forth.

rvenient access to the same from the windows of the building, substantially' as setforth.

7 A fire-escape composed of a vertical ladder, A, folding platforms D, uprights E, and hand-rails F, substantially as set forth. y

8. A iire-escape composed of a vertical ladder and folding platforms connecting the ladder to the wall :of the building, one side post of the ladder being formed of a water-supply pipe, substantially as set forth.

9. A fire-escape consisting of a vertical ladder one side postof which is formed of a water-supply pipe, folding platforms, and fold ing guardirailings composed of uprights and hand-rails pivoted,respectively,to each other,

to the platforms', and to the ladder, substantially as set forth. y

10. The combination of a vertical reescape ladder and folding platforms connecting the ladder with the building, said plat-forms having openings adjoining the ladder of sufficient size to admit the descent of persons, substantially as described.

11. In a'folding fire-escape ladder, the combination of a vertical ladder, folding platforms connecting the' ladder with the building, counterbalancing-weights connected by chains with the upper end of the', ladder, guide-pulleysfor said chains, and extension-casings set into the wall and inclosing said pulleys, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination of a vertical ladder,

the ladder is locked in normal position close to lthe building, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of a' vertical ladder, folding platforms connecting the ladder with the building, means for counterbalancing the ladder, means for locking the same close to the building, and means for releasing the ladder when it is desired to lower the same, substantially as described.

14. The combination of a vertical fire-escape ladder, A, folding platforms D, connecting the ladder with the building, a spring hook, J, hinged to the building and adapted to lock the ladder when placed close to the wall, and a chain, K, connected to thelocking-hook and passed over a pulley for releasing the hook from the ladder, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of a vertical Jlil-eescape ladder, A, folding'platforms D, connecting the ladder with the building, and eyebolts G, secured to the wall, the platforms being hinged to said eyebolts, substantially as set forth.

16. In a folding-platform fire-escape, a vertical ladder, one side post of which is formed of a stand-pipe,the lower end of which is provided with a coupling device for connecting the fire hose with said stand pipe, substantially as set forth.

17. In a folding fire-escape ladder, a vertical ladder one side post of which is formed of a stand-pipe having a coupling for the firehose at the lower end, and additional couplings above the same for the different stories,

substantially as set forth.

18. In a folding-platform fireesca'pe, a vertical ladder, A, the side posts of which are provided with enlarged feet or rests having points at their under side, substantially as set forth.

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

.FERDINAND W. HOFELE. Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, SIDNEY'MANN.

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