US503572A - Life-saving vehicle - Google Patents

Description

( No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. B. B-EAL.

LIFE SAVING VEHICLE.

Patented Aug. 22, 1893.

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QN@ Mode.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. B. BEAL.

LIFE SAVING VEHICLE.

No. 503,572. Patented Aug. 22, 1893. y y

17E- 4- WTN 55555 lNvi-:NTER:

Uurrnn lVELCOME B. BEAL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LlFE-SAVING VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,572, dated August 22, 1893.

Application tiled February 27, 1893. Serial No. 463,824. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that LVVELGOME B. BEAL, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in life saving vehicles for use of fire departments in catching persons jumping or falling from burning buildings, the object being to provide a vehicle which will receive a falling body without injury tothe saine, and which will also serve as an ambulance for conveying disabled persons.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a construction by which the invention may be carried out.

Figure l shows a side elevation of the vehicle. Fig. 2 shows an end view of the same. Fig. 3 shows a top view. Fig. 4 shows a crosssection with the netsupports'spread. Fig. 5 shows a similar view with the net supports standing vertically.

A suitable frame, 0 constituting the bed of the vehicle is mounted on wheels, d', in any suitable manner and a number of standards, b, are pivoted between side-bars of the frame in bearings, b', supported on said side-bars. These standards are pivoted so as to move in the direction of width of the vehicle, and an equal number of them are placed on each side of the vehicle, and they support sheets of flexible material shown in the present instance as nets, c, and, c. The net, c, is attached to the upper ends of the standards and extends across between the same, while the net, c', is similarly supported by the standards below the net, o. The standards extend below their pivots and their lower ends are connected by chains, d, or other iiexible connections with a shaft, e, extending lengthwise of the vehicle and supported in bearings, e', on the under side of the bed, o. A crank, f, is connected with the said shaft, e, through gearing, f', f2, and upon turning said crank the shaft is turned. The turning of the shaft will cause the chains, d, to wind drawn taut. Vhen thus adj usted the vehicle may be brought into a position to receive a falling body, and the net, c, will aord a yielding receptacle for such body so that no injury will be sustained thereby. Should the falling body break through the net, c, it will be caught by the net, c.

It will be evident that the apparatus could be used to great advantage at fires, in saving lives of persons jumping or falling from burning buildings.

Ledges, g, are suitably supported on the outer sides of the standards, and afford footing for firemen or other attendants as illustrated in Fig. l.

Upon turning back the crank, f, the standards may be brought to a vertical position as illustrated in Fig. 5, and secured in such position by chains, h, or other suitable devices, by which the standards may be connected together to prevent outward movement. When the standards are thus held in a vertical position, the nets, c, and o', sag and may be employed as stretchers on which to convey persons, the vehicle thus answering the purpose of an ambulance.

Another advantage of the pivoted standards is that they allow of a contraction in width of the vehicle so that it occupies less space, and is less likely to encounter obstructions in transit.

Havingthus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A life-saving vehicle comprising Vin its construction, a bed or base-frame, standards pivotally connected with said bed and movable in the direction of width of the vehicle, a sheet of IieXible material extending from side to side of the vehicle and the length thereof and supported by the standards, and means for spreading and contracting the latter, substantially as described.

2. A life-saving vehicle comprising in its construction, a bed or base-frame, standards pivotally connected with said bed and movable in the direction of width of the vehicle, a sheet of fiexible material extending from side to side of the vehicle and the length thereof and supported by the standards, aro- IOO tatable shaft located between the standards, and flexible connections between the latter and said shaft, Yand arranged to wind on the shaft.

5 3. A life-saving Vehicle comprising in its construction, a bed or base-frame, standards pivotally connected with-said bed and movable in the direction of Width of the Vehicle, ledges supported in the outer sides of said Io standards, a sheet of flexible material sup`

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