Fireman's Life Saving Machine

Although it may resemble a trampoline, this is an extremely rare fire safety net designed to catch those leaping from burning buildings. The net was patented in 1887 by Thomas F. Browder who owned the patent until the early 1900s. Orders for the net came in from all over the US and even from across the globe as this was groundbreaking technology for the time. The United States government even ordered nets for all fire departments in Washington D.C. This is an incredibly early version which is over 100 years old. Thomas Browder sold his patent for the Fireman's Net in 1907 to the Corey-Patterson Company out of Greenfield, Ohio where it became known as The Browder Life Saving Machine and where this particular net was made. This net bears all of the markings on its rear side from the Corey-Patterson Company. The rear reads: Corey-Patterson MFG Co. Greenfield Ohio U.S.A. T.M. Reg. Pat. OF 1 LA FRANCE. The Fireman's Net was an important fire response tool for close to a century until it was