Abstract: A horizontal force resisting building structure having a steel building framework, a bearing wall member being placed outside the building framework so as to face a suitable structure plane of the framework, and an attachment for attaching the wall member to the framework. The attachment has less resistance to plastic deformation than the wall member, and may include a bracket and a connector for connecting the bracket to the wall member.

Abstract: A removable step for climbing a storage rack which supports pallets in a warehouse or the like. The step comprises a U-shaped rod, the free ends or legs of which are bent at a right angle to the closed portion of the U, which portion provides a step. The legs fit into a first pair of openings in the face of a column comprising part of the rack. The column has many pairs of openings spaced along its length. The legs terminate in hooks which hook over a second pair of openings below said first pair to keep the step from tilting under the load of the climber's foot.

Abstract: According to the invention, the system comprises a movable support holding the steering wheel and comprised of a four link articulated quadrilateral mechanism having a base link, two crank links, one link being adjustable longitudinally and the other link being slope adjustable and a rod link hinged to said crank links and supporting the steering wheel.

Abstract: The boom of a crane carries a pivot bearing for a second bearing which guides an elongated column. The upper or the lower end of the column supports a gallery which is turnable about its axis. The second bearing is pivotable about the horizontal axis of the pivot bearing by a cylinder-piston unit and the column is movable lengthwise with respect to the second bearing by means of the crane cable.

Abstract: A tree step having an integral angle bracket with an obtuse angle forming a foot-supporting portion and a projecting tree-engaging leg with a projecting supporting arm connected pivotally and lockably to the angle bracket intermediate its ends with the free end of the projecting supporting arm having a tree-securing means thereon at the free end. The free end of the projecting tree-engaging leg of the angle bracket forms the hypotenuse of a right triangle when the tree step supporting arm is secured to a tree trunk with the tree trunk and the projecting tree-engaging leg forming the legs of a right triangle. The foot-supporting portion of the bracket projects outwardly from the supporting arm and upwardly from the tree-engaging leg.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for escaping from buildings in case of fires or other emergencies. The device enables persons to be rescued to leave the building by descending vertically along the external building walls. The device is made up of a closed casing provided with a hook to hook the same to an anchorage provided therefor near the upper windows or openings of the building. Inside the closed casing is a steel cable coiled on a reel that is connected, through an overgear, to a dynamic brake. A harness or safety belt is provided for being hooked to the free end of the steel cable that projects outwardly from the closed casing, and by means of this harness or safety belt the persons to be rescued leave the building by descending vertically.

Abstract: The ladder includes two separate ladder elements, which are pivotable and slidable relative to each other and can also be completely separated from each other. It can be used as a step-ladder and as a leaning type ladder. The ladder element is equipped with wheels, in order to simplify the transport of the collapsed ladder. In addition, an outwardly pivotable support plate is arranged between the wheels, so that the ladder element can serve as a hand truck, whereby the bent ends of the side beams serve as hand grips. The ladder has a simple construction and can be used in many ways in household use and in commercial operations.

Abstract: A fire escape device in the form of an elongated flexible member adapted to be mounted at its upper end to a building structure, or the like and a slide mounted on the flexible member having a sling attached thereto by which a person occupying the building may safely lower himself along the exterior surface of the building in the event of a fire or other emergency situation with the length of the flexible member being sufficient to enable such a person to reach ground level or some other lower level by which the person may safely escape. The slide includes a pair of hingedly attached plate members having a unique hinge connection with a loop on one end thereof to which the sling is connected and an adjustable screw threaded member interconnecting the opposite side edges of the plate members to enable variation in the frictional gripping engagement between the plate members and the flexible member, thereby enabling a person to vary their rate of descent along the flexible member.

Abstract: A rappel harness for lowering a person from a building by rope having an oversized waist strap secured to the sides of the harness which support the person by means of a direct connection preferably to each leg strap and wherein the belly and leg straps are adjustable in girth so that the person can be safely, comfortably and without rearward toppling due to the center of gravity of the person being virtually in the same vertical plane as the supporting force of the lowering rope.

Abstract: A shock absorber has been provided for absorbing the kinetic energy of a falling body wherein a series of variable length shock absorbing straps made of undrawn nylon are attached to a longer back-up strap made of non-stretchable material and are folded back and forth upon themselves and contained within an abrasive resistant package. The energy absorbing straps can be treated with ethylene glycol to prevent freezing and can be covered with petroleum jelly to prevent both the escape and entry of moisture and to prevent the evaporation of the ethylene glycol. In addition, a plastic liner can be placed around the assembly and the covering for the assembly can be provided with a waterproof coating to further minimize the evaporation of moisture and ethylene glycol within the strap assembly and to prevent entry of additional moisture.

Abstract: A rotating device for a drill mast of a roof bolting mining machine has a pair of hydraulic cylinders respectively connected to appropriate ends of a lever arm. The hydraulic cylinders are connected at their respective other ends to the mast and to the mining machine. Full contraction of one cylinder rotates the lever arm which rotates the mast up to 45 degrees. Additional contraction of the other cylinder rotates the mast an additional 45 degrees.

Abstract: A window assembly including a storable fire escape ladder is described including a first frame mounted in the wall of the building and having a window support frame positioned therein with the window support frame being pivotally connected at its upper end to the first frame to enable the support frame to be pivotally moved from a closed position outwardly to an escape or open position. The first frame includes a storage compartment at its lower end in which the fire escape ladder is stored. A panel member extends downwardly from the window in the window support frame and normally closes or covers the open outer end of the storage compartment when the window support frame is in its closed position.

Abstract: A fitting for a ladder including a pair of brackets releasably attached to the ladder legs and including a pair of downwardly directed hook portions and associated parts that are sized to be seated in a gutter. The brackets are connected by a crossbar and in a second mode of operation a non-skid, resilient faced member is attached to the crossbar. Thus the resilient faced member can be used against aluminum siding and the like to distribute the weight and thus avoid damage to the exterior wall of the building.

Abstract: Door, window, and partition casing arrangements for dry wall partitioning in which a basic casing member is provided to line and mask the opening made in the dry wall partitioning for the purpose of providing door and window or the like installations in the wall structure provided by the partition, with the casing member having a basic generic arrangement in the form of an elongated plate having a longitudinally extending web portion which lines and masks a portion of the partition opening itself. This basic casing member may take a number of specific forms for specific applications. For doorways, the sides or jambs and head of the doorway may be framed with two such members for each end of the doorway, and two similar casing members may be employed for the doorway head.

Abstract: A removable construction device for use in a building under construction is disclosed. The device is partially positioned inside the building and locked to the building and is partially cantilevered outside of the building. The device has a movable platform section that may be positioned inside or outside of the building on the device. Construction materials may thereby be moved into the building or may be removed from the building by use of the device associated with an outside lifting crane.

Abstract: Rescue apparatus is described for use in the rescue of persons from high rise and other buildings which includes an inflatable funnel of fabric carried by a bracket which is secured to an interior portion of a building, the funnel preferably being located below a window from which an escape is to be made, the funnel having a chute or conduit connected to its lower end through which the person jumping into the funnel slides to and through a window located below the funnel.

Abstract: An escape device for allowing an endangered person to be safely lowered from a drilling tower or other elevated structure includes an automatic brake which controls the descent of a trolley assembly downwardly along an escape cable extending from the elevated structure to a ground level anchor remote from the structure. The automatic brake includes a reel rotatably secured to the elevated structure and a brake cable wound about the reel and attached at one end to the trolley assembly. A fluid pump coupled to the reel causes the reel to rotate at a constant speed when the trolley assembly descends the escape cable. The effective diameter of the reel decreases as the brake cable is unwound therefrom, thereby slowing the rate of descent of the trolley assembly as it approaches the lower end of the escape cable. The escape device is adapted to be used with both the upper and lower stations of a derrick or similar elevated structure.

Abstract: A collapsible ladder which includes a plurality of platforms suspended from several rope segments. The rope segments are placed in open-ended notches disposed in the platforms and are clamped thereto by a plurality of clamp means, the clamp means being divided in half, each half engaging one notch and the rope therein and being clamped by an elongated fastener to the other half of the clamp means which engages another notch and the rope therein. As a result of this configuration, the elongated platforms, if damaged, can be changed individually without necessity of removal of other than the damaged platform.

Abstract: A cable hanger bracket is provided for hanging a swinging scaffold from a walkway grating comprising vertical parallel side walls, a connected bottom wall and U-type oppositely extending bends for overlapping the grating of a steel grating walkway. A softener member device is secured between the parallel side walls and the connecting bottom wall and is designed to prevent cutting or chafing of a loop of cable about the softener member and between the parallel side walls. The cable hanger has U-bends and downwardly extending walls which overlap the grating and bind thereto in the event of overloading of a platform supported by cables and the hanger bracket.

Abstract: Disclosed is a delayed deployment platform or racking board for use on oil well derricks or the like. The automatic system for delayed deployment allows the derrick rack to be utilized with very tall pump jacks or the like. The delayed deployment system does not lower the racking board until the derrick has extended sufficiently for the board to clear tall pump jacks and the like.