323 ^^^^ rscApE. 



The machine is at Mr. Jarties Bevan's mahogany-yard. 

 City road, where it shall be exhibited to a committee ap- 

 pointed by the society whenever they please, 



I am, Sir, 



Your obedient humble servant, 



JOHN DAVIS. 



No 7, John Street, Spitalfielis^ 

 Jan. 10, 1809. 



Reference to the Engraving of Mr. John Davis''s Fire- 

 Escape, PL IX. 



Description of The plan of my fire-escape is calculated for the use of a 

 tiie machine, parish ; its.principle consists in three ladders, ABC, applied 

 to each other by four clasp irons on the top of each of the 

 two lowermost, which are so contrived that each ladder 

 may slide into the one beneath it; on the top of the lower- 

 most ladder A two pullies are fixed on the inside, over 

 which two ropes a a pass, and situate between the lower 

 kdder A, and the middle one B. The ropes are made fast 

 to the bottom of the middle one on each side in a proper 

 direction with the pullies on the top. The upper la^ldcr C 

 is attached to the middle one in the .same manner, and on 

 the top it carries two horn pieces, D, made of iron, and 

 turned off at each end similar to two horns, which are four 

 feet wide; their ends are sharp to pitch on each side of a 

 Avindow, and with its points hold the ladders steady. The 

 three ladders when shut down are about fifteen feet in 

 height. They are placed perpendicularly in the middle of a 

 ^framed carriage, EF, of nine feet six inches long, and five 

 feet six inches wide, mounted upon four wheels F. On 

 each side of the carriage a windlass is placed ; that marked 

 G on the right side of the carriage is for the four ropes « a 

 and b b, fixed two to each ladder AB. By turning this 

 \v indlass the ladders may be wound out from their standing 

 height of fifteen feet to forty. Over this windlass is a screw 

 turned hy the winch </, by turning which the ladders may 

 be inclined against the house with all imaginable ease. On 

 the top of the upper ladder C on the outside, are two pullies, 

 oyer which two chains are conducted to the windlass H on 



the 



