Hydraulic telescopic fire-escape.

(Application filed Aug. X, 1900.)

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. O. C. '

No. 670,548. Patented Man 26, I90L

W. H. SLIGER.

HYDRAULIC TELESCOPIC FIRE ESCAPE (Application filed Aug. 1, 1900.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheets,

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO, WASHINGTON. D. C.

United States Patent Office.

' ..

WILLIAM H. SLIGER, OF MCMINNVILLE, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL A. MANNING, OF SAME PLACE.

HYDRAULIC TELESCOPIC FIRE-ESCAPE.

Patent No. 670,548, dated March 26, 1901.

Serial No, 25,583. (No model,)

SPECIFICATION· forming part of Letters

Application filed August 1,1900.

To cM whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, William H. Sliger, a citizen of the United States, residing at McMinnville, in the county of Yamhill and State 5 of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Hydraulic Telescopic Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a hydraulic tower and extension-ladder, and aims to provide a io portable structure which can be extended by hydraulic pressure and utilized as a fire-escape or hose-tower and for raising weights.

One object of the invention is the provision of a structure which will be bracingly sup15 ported from all sides and which can be weighted when in use to prevent its toppling over by water derived from the same source as that for extending the sections of the tower, to provide a univergal support for the tower 20 to tilt upon in any direction and positive means for adjusting the same to plumb the tower when extended in any direction, and, lastly, to provide a structure which will be simple and efficient for the purposes designed 25 and which can be readily extended and lowered when required in a comparatively short space of time.

Another object of the invention is to enable the tank or base to be filled for weighting the 30 structure without affecting the pressure of the water in the sections, so that the water may be supplied to the tank before or after the tower is raised.

Other objects and advantages will appear 35 .from the following description and the subjoined claims when taken in connection with the drawings hereto attached, in which—

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a structure embodying the invention, showing the tower 40 extended, as also the ladders, the tower or pipe sections, the base, and the supply and drain pipes being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1, showing the tower lowered and the flexible ladders 45 reeled. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lower platform.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The truck 1 may be of any desired construction and is adapted to support the im proved structure and is provided at a central point with a semispherical bearing 2, firmly attached thereto and forming the lower member of a ball-and-socket bearing provided to 55 sustain the structure. A socket 3 forms the opposite member of the universal bearing and is adapted to move upon the convex bearing 2 and is attached to the lower side of a base or platform 4, which supports the operating 60 parts of the indention.

The platform 4 may be of any desired formation and is provided at each corner with an adjusting-screw 5, by means of which it is properly adjusted to level the same and bring 65 the tower in a perpendicular position, and these adjusting-screws 3 operate in conjunction with' internally-threaded plates 5^a, securely bolted to the platform, whereby the desired result is attained. The lower ends of 70 the screws 5 obtain a purchase in seats provided in the upper side of the truck-bed and serve to prevent lateral displacement of the platform 4, and these adjusting-screws 5 are adapted to be rotated in any convenient man- 75 ner and, as shown, are provided with upwardly-extending handles 5^b, located at the opposite ends of a cross-head provided at the upper end of each adjusting-screw.

The tower comprises a series of telescopic 80 sections, the lower section 12 being provided with an outwardly-extending flange, which is bolted or otherwise firmly secured to the platform 4, and this section 12 has an inner annular shoulder 13 a short distance above its 85 lower end to form a rest for the lower end of the first movable section 16 when the latter is at rest. A similar inner annular shoulder 14 is located near the upper end of the section 12 and is adapted to limit the upward 90 movement of the section 16 by engagement with an annular shoulder 17 at the lower end of the said section 16. A packing-gland 15 is adapted to screw into the upper threaded end of the section 12 and confine a packing 95 between its lower end and the said shoulder 14 to provide a water-tight joint between the sections 12 and 16.

The first movable section 16 is provided with an inner annular shoulder 20 in proxi- 100 mate relation to its lower end to provide a support and rest for the second movable sec2

670,848 tion 21 when the latter is at its lowest position and is adapted to engage with a flange at the lower end of the said section 21. An annular shoulder 18, near the upper end of the 5 section 16 and within the latter, is adapted to engage with the lower flanged end of the section 21 and limits the upper movement of the latter and at the same time forms a support for a packing which is confined between io the said shoulder 18 and and a packinggland 19, screwed into the upper end of the section 16.

The section 21 is similar in construction to the section 16 and has an annular shoulder 15 32 near its lower end to form a support for the third movable section 25 when the latter isatits lowest position. The said section 21 is provided near its upper end with an inner annular shoulder 23 to engage with the lower 20 flanged end of the section 25 and limit the upward movement of the same, and a gland 24, screwing into the upper end of the section 21, confines a packing between its lower encl and the shoulder 23, whereby a water25 tight joint is secured between the sections 25 and 21. A platform 28 is mounted upon the top end of the section 25 and is braced by brackets 27, secured to the side of the section 25 and bearing at their upper ends against 30 the lower side of the platform 28. A circular railing 30 is located at a proper distance above the platform 28 and has attachment therewith by means of rods or bars 31, which are firmly secured at their respective ends to 35 the platform and railing. The railing 30, together with the bars 31, forms a guard and inclosure in which a person can stand without fear of being thrown from the tower when the latter is extended by means of any sud40 den lurch or movement of the same. A bar 29 is secured to the platform 28 and extends laterally in opposite directions and curves upwardly and inwardly and is attached at its ends to the railing 30, and this bar forms a 45 support for the upper ends of four flexible ladders 32, which are attached thereto, said ladders being adapted to be wound upon reels 33, mounted upon a lower platform 35, located near the upper end of the lower sec50 tion 12.

The lower platform 35 is surmounted by a railing 36, which has attachment therewith by rods or braces 37 and is designed to form a support for the persons operating the reels 55 and for other objects. There will be four reels 33, and these are arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the platform 35, and each is journaled at its outer end in a standard 38, projecting vertically from the platform 35, 60 and obtains a bearing at its inner end in a suitable support provided on the side of a hollow base or tank 6. It will be understood that there will be four standards 38, one for the outer end of each reel, and that the same 65 will be constructed at their upper ends to provide bearing for the reel-shafts. The reels are adapted to be rotated in any convenient | manner and, as shown, are provided with cranks 34, applied to the outer ends of their shafts for this purpose, and said reels are 70 held from unwinding by means of a ratehetand-pawl connection 39 of ordinary construction provided between the reel-shafts and their supporting-standards 38.

The hollow base or tank 6 is conically shaped 75 and encircles the lower section 12 and is formed at its upper end with an outwardlyextending flange 41, which is bolted to a corresponding flange 40, firmly attached to the upper portion of the tower-section 12, and by 80 this means a positive and firm attachment is had between the base or tank 6 and the section 12. This tank or base is firmly attached to the platform 4 and its sloping sides form a series of braces to strengthen and stay the 85 tower from all directions and prevent undue strain upon the fastenings between the section 12 and the platform 4. In the operation of the invention this base or tank is to be filled with water, thereby weighting the struc- 90 ture and providing a counterbalance, which will give stability thereto. A pipe' 9, communicating with a main pipe 7, is connected with the base or tank to supply the latter with water and has a controlling-valve 9^a, by 95 means of which the supply of water to the tank or base is shut off when the same has been filled or when it is not required to supply the said tank or base with water. A drain-pipe 11 communicates with the lower 100 portion of the base or tank and is adapted to draw off the water contained therein when the device is not in use, and this drain-pipe is provided with a valve to close the same to prevent the escape of the water from the tank 105 when the latter is filled and performing the function of counterbalancing the tower.

The main pipe 7 communicates with the lower portion of the tower-section 12 at a point below the annular shoulder 13 and is no provided with a valve 42 for controlling the supply of water to the tower and to the base or tank 6. A branch pipe 8, provided with an independent valve, has connection with the main pipe 7 and is adapted to have.a line 115 of hose-pipe attached thereto for use in an emergency, and this branch pipe 8 is located exterior to the valve 42, so as to be in communication with the main pipe at all times.

The main pipe 7 is adapted to have connec- 120 tion with a suitable source of water-supply, which in cities may be the service-pipe, or an engine may be provided to pump water from a pond or cistern and force the same into the section 12 with sufficient force to 125 extend the several sections comprising the tower, as will be readily understood.

A drain-pipe 10 has communication with the main pipe 7 at a point between the valve 42 and the tank or base 6 and is provided with 130 a valve 43, by means of which it can be opened or closed, according as it is required to provide for the escape of the water from the tower-section or shut off such escape. It will

670,548 be seen that the drain-pipe 10 may be used for drawing the water from the upper portion of the base or tank 6 by opening the valves 43 and 9^a.

In order to enable the conical tank or base 6 to be filled when the sections of the tower are raised, the main pipe 7 is provided at a point between the said base or tank 6 and the pipes 9 and 10 with a valve or cut-off 7^C, and ro when this valve or cut-off is closed it will prevent any of the pressure of the water within the telescopic section from being communicated to the contents of the base or tank or the other pipes. By this construction the 15 tower may be held in an elevated position while the base or tank is being filled or emptied.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the same pipe 7 is utilized to supply water for 20 extending the telescopic tower-sections, for filling the base or tank 6, and for supplying a stream of water to a line of hose-pipe, thereby providing a simple and compact arrangement of parts. The flexible ladders 32 per25 form the double office of providing means for reaching the upper platform 28and forbracing and strengthening the tower when extended, and these ladders are tightened by turning the reels 33 until a sufficient tension 30 has been obtained thereon, said reels being prevented from turning to unwind the ladders 32 by reason of the ratchet-and-pawl connections 39, previously referred to.

The precise disposition of the parts herein 35 set forth is not essential to the essence of the invention, and it must be understood that in adapting the same to fill various needs changes in the form, proportion,and the minor details of construction may be resorted to 40 without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advamtages of this invention. The lower platform 35 is reached from the platform 4 by means of a ladder 39^a or in any convenient manner, and this ladder 39^a45 is secured at its upper end to the platform 35 and at its lower end to the platform 4.

It must be understood that the tower may comprise as many sections as necessary to reach the desired altitude, and the sections 50 may be of any required length, and those comprised between the topmost and lowermost sections will be of similar construction and of graduated sizes, so as to telescope the one with the other, as will be readily under55 stood.