US1003105A

US1003105A - Fire-escape.

Info

Publication number: US1003105A
Application number: US62642811A
Authority: US
Inventors: Delia Heath
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1911-05-11
Filing date: 1911-05-11
Publication date: 1911-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1928-09-12

Description

1). HEATH.

FIRE ESCAPE. v APPLIUATION I'ILED M AY 11 1911.

- Patented Sept. 12,1911.

WWW:

DELIA HEATH; or New YORK, n. Y.

FiR'E-EscArE.

spaific'aaoaarieaa Patent.

PatentedSept. 12, 1911.

Application fil-ed'May- 11, 191i SeiialNb. seams;

Z '0 all whom itmag concern:-

Be it known'that I, DELIA HEATH, a ci'ti zen of the United States, and'a resident of" the borough of Manhattan, city, countyfand First: All-the fire escape apparatus isdis-j posed upon the roof of the building out of sight and yet available for-instant use from the windows of any of the floors below. Second: The apparatus is largely automatic in operation, so that no skill or experience in its manipulation is required. Third: Such number of the apparatus as are desired may be installed upon the roof ofthe building, so that in whatever part thereof the fire occurs, or other impending danger about to take place, the apparatus at a point remote therefrom may be utilized instead 'of' those' adjacent to the threatening danger. Fourth The apparatus is'simple and strong in con struction, having a life or duration approximating that of the building itself: Fifth:

After the fire has been extinguished, or other danger averted, the-apparatusmay be'readily returned to its original position upon the r roof of the building, ready for a second use and so on indefinitely.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a sectional view of a building and one of my fire escapes upon the roof thereof folded and inclosed within its protecting box or casing; Fig. 2 illustrates a view similar to Fig. 1, the apparatus having been projected ready for use; Fig. 3 illustrates a plan view of that which is shown in Fig. 1, the cover of the box or casing which contains the appara.

tus being open; Fig. 4: illustrates an elevation of a building showing the apparatus as hanging ready for use in front of one tier of windows.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the building, 2 the roof timbers, 3 the cornice, 4 the box or casing in which the apparatus is protected against the elements, 5 the lid therefor, 6 a dynamo electrically operated, 7 a gear wheel actuated by the dynamo, 8 a crank on the shaft of the

gear wheel

7, 9

anarm'connecting the crank with a.

similar crank

10, 11 represents what I call the ladderprojecting lever fa'st upon a shaft 12 to Whichthe arm 10 islikewise fixed, 13 is a support for the shaft 12, 14; the links or plates which'constitute the fire escape ladder. They are pivoted together by cross bars or 'run'gs 15 in such manner that each pair of links may be readily folded back and forth as shown-in Fig. 1. The last pair of links at the top'of the ladder as shown in Fig. 2 isprovided with a pair of anchor bars 16 rigidly fastened 'to an eye-bolt or equivalent supporting device 17 attached to the roof of the building.

18 is a roller supported upon brackets which are attached to the cornice as shown. The roller revolves upon a shaft 20. In the casings of the windows on each floor of the building, which lie immediately below the fire escape apparatus on the roof, or at such other place upon each floor of the building, as may vbe-preferred, I arrange electrical connections shown in Fig. 1, in which 21 is a circuitcloser of some suitableconstruction and 22, 23 are the circuit wires whereby current is supplied to and cut off from the dynamo 6 in a manner well understood.

In Fig. 4 I show at 24 one of the links 15 having a laterally projecting end adapted to engage with the end of the arm 11. This is a convenient method in which to engage these parts of the apparatus, because it simplifies the operation of coiling the ladder within its casing and assures the engagement of the projecting arm with the ladder at the proper place, to effect the results described.

The construction of the apparatus having been described, its method of operation is as follows: The folding ladder is made of sufficient length to reach from the cornice of the building to or nearly to the ground, or to such other point as may afford safe escape. The ladder projecting lever 11 is during the folding of the ladder within its casing 4 so disposed as that it shall lie beneath such number of the pairs of links constituting the ladder as that when they are thrown overboard, their weight will compel the remaining pairs of links likewise to go overboard, the revolving roller 18 across which the ladder is thrown aiding in this operation, so that the ladder will automatically be drawn from its casing or box 4 and de scend across the face of the building and in front of the appropriate tier of windows as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Should the fire or other casualty occur, the occupants of any floor in the building will hasten to the place where the electrical apparatus is located and then operating the push button or switch, whatever its construction may be, current will be supplied to the motor, which will be transmitted from it to the gear wheel 7 and thence through the cranks and

arms

8, 9, 10 and 11, and the upper part of the fire escape ladder will be lifted from the box and projected over the cornice, as shown in Fig. 2. The parts of the ladder which have thus been thrown overboard will have sufficient weight to compel the remainder of the ladder to follow them until finally the last pair of links will be drawn across the cornice, as shown in Fig. 2, being securely held there by the confining links 16 and eye-bolts l7 and the outwardly projecting ends thereof will be safely supported by the roller 18. The occupants of the several floors across the windows of which the ladder hangs may now readily escape by opening the windows, grasping the ladder and descending upon it. After the danger has passed, unless, as may be the case, in the event of a conflagration, the roof has been so far injured as to destroy the box or casing, etc., the fire escape ladder may be again drawn up and coiled away within the box by dropping a rope of suitable length (not shownslnce it constitutes no essential part of this invention) from the roof to or nearly to the end of the ladder, which being attached to any suitable part thereof, the ladder may be readily drawn up again and stowed away in the box ready for a second use. 7 j V I prefer to arrange the apparatus in such manner that the action of the ladder proj ecting lever will be vigorous, so as to surely project the sections of the ladder which are above it over the cornice and likewise so as to throw the lid of the casing over backward as illustrated in Fig. 2.

It will be obvious to those who are famile iar with such matters that the details of construction shown in the drawings need 7 not necessarily be followed; that is to say, the ladder may be made much narrower than as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; the special construction of the ladder projecting arms 11 and the parts co-acting therewith may be difierent; also instead of using a dynamo as the power to actuate this arm, any equivalent power, as for instance, a system of levers actuated by a lever suitably located upon the floors of the building, may be employed; also to reduce the weight of the apparatus the links 14: and the cross bars or rungs 15 may be made wholly or partly of wood suitably treated to render them noninflammable. If for any reason the electric or other ladder projecting apparatus should get out of order, any one going on the roof may throw the free end of the ladders overboard, so that they will thereafter adjust themselves in the manner described.

I claim:

1. A fire escape comprising a folding ladder made in rigid sections pivotally connected together, devices whereby one end of the ladder is permanently attached to the roof of the building, means to throw a part of the ladder from the roof over the cornice of the building, a casing for said above recited parts and means to electrically actuate said ladder projecting means from the floors below the roof.

2. A fire escape comprising a folding ladder made in rigid sections pivoted together, devices whereby one end of the ladder is permanently attached to the roof of the building, electrically operated power devices adapted to engage with the ladder when partly folded and when actuated to throw a part of the ladder over the cornice of the building, and circuit wires with appropriate circuit closing devices located on the several floors of the building, whereby said electrical power devices may be actuated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- DELIA HEATH. Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, T. M. DAUSBACH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.