Fire-escape.

Application filed April 19, 1909. Serial ϊ*Γο. 490,944.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, John P. Smith, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county d'f New Haven and 5 State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in . Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the numerals of reference 10 marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which , said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in—

Figure 1 a plan view of a portion of a lad15 der shown as attached to a building. Fig. 2 a side view of a portion of the same. Fig. 3 a side view showing one means of securing one end of the ladder. Fig. 4 a similar view showing another means of securing the same. 20 Fig. 5 a side view of a portion of a ladder showing the links folded together.

This invention relates to an improvement in fire escapes, and particularly to the so called portable fire escapes formed from 25 wire, the object of the invention being a simple construction which may be. folded into small space and which will form a convenient ladder when in place; and the in vention consists in the. construction hereinafter 30 described and particularly recited in the claims.

. The ladder is formed from a series of links 2, 3, more or less in number. The links 2 are of U-shape the sides 4, 5, being35 bowed transversely and at the center of the sides are preferably inset as at 6. Secured to the sides at the insets are rounds 7 which are formed from strips-of metal the ends of which are bent around the sides of the links 40 2 at the inset 6, and the central portion of the rounds are turned into a plane at right angles to the ends so as to form a Hat tread. The ends 8 of the links 2 are bent around an end bar 9 of the links 3 and the ends 10 of 45 the links 3 are bent around' the end bars 11 of the links 2, the links 2 being slightly narrower than the links 3 so that the links 2 will pass through the links 3. These links are of such a length that the rounds 7 will when the device is open, occur once in about 50 twelve inches..

. In use the bars 9 or 11 may be engaged with ho^ks 12 secured to the floor adjacent to a whitlow, or the hook ends of the links 2 or 10 of the links 3 may be engaged with 55 eyes 13 secured in the floor or other convenient point.

When the escape is in position the ends of the links 2 will rest against the wall so as to offset the treads from the wall and thus 60 provide sufficient foot room.

When the device is not in use, it may be folded into small space as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the links 2 as before stated folding into the links 3. _ 65This chain-like ladder may be made in indefinite lengths and carried by the trade as a regular article of commerce.