US1206910A - Fire-escape. - Google Patents

Description

F. PFEIL.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1916.

1,206,910. Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

J8 if 5 mam do z F. PFEIL.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a. 1916.

1,206,910. Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3 nua'nfoz FRANK PFEIL, 0F STAUNTON, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ESCAPE. Y

Specification of iietters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Application filed March 8, 1916. Serial No. 82,797.

l'0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK PFEIL, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Staunton, in the county of Macoupin and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for the rapid and safe descent of persons from the roof, windows or other openings of buildings, to the ground, and has forone of its objects, the provlsion of means whereby such descent may be accomplished in a novel manner, through the weight of the person using the devlce, the weight also controlling the speed of the descent.v Another object is to provide a curtain whereby the persons using the apparatus are materially shielded fromthe effects of heat from the building in case of conflagration during their passage.

Still another ob ect isv to provide an apparatus that is capable of being folded into small compass, as for storage, or extended for use in an instants time.

These and other objects, such as extreme simplicity, and low cost of manufacture, are attained by the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereafter descr bed and shown in the accompanylng drawings forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a partial front elevation'of a building showing the appllcation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a perspective view shows in the apparatus in position for use Flg. 3 1s a side elevation of the same. Flg. 4 IS a fragmental front viewshowing the w nding and brake construction. Fig. 5 1s a perspective view showing the cha1n and rung construction, and Fig. 1s a broken perspective view of the curtain and its engaging means. 1

In attaching the apparatus to the roof or such openings as windows and the like, a pair of hooks 10 are preferably used, the same being provided with sharp polnts 11, adapted to engage with any stationary flat surface, as a window sill, the points entering into the material of which it is made, so as not to slip from their position. These hooks are placed so that the bar portion will rest against the exterior of the window sill, and are further provided with out wardly turned elements 12, which are engaged by hinges 14 with bars 15; these bars have at their'outer extremities, enlarged hubs 16 adapted to be mounted upon the ends of a shaft 18, which passes laterally through them, and is formed with a square portion 19 to which is fitted a crank handle 20, in such manner that the handle can be removed when not required for use. Also mounted on the shaft 18, adj acently interior to the hubs 16, are similar shaped hubs 22, having arms 24 which carry at their extreme outer ends another shaft 25, on which are sprocket wheels 26, and adapted to engage with the sprocket wheels are chains 28, the upper ends ofwhich are secured to the shaft 18, on which are rigidly mounted close to the hubs 22 a pair of disks 32 between which the chains 28 may be wound on the shaft by operating the handle 20. i

In order to provide against an excessive rapid action of the chain when the weight of a person is suspended by it as they stand upon the rungs 33, a braking device is provided consisting of arms 35, formed integral with the hubs 22 and carrying at heir ends fixed pins 36, to which one end of a brake band 38 is secured, the other end of the brake band being fastened to fixed pins 39, rigidly set in the bars 15, in such manner that the brake bands cover approximately three fourths of the periphery of the disks 22. Thus, when the weight of a person is sustained by the rungs 33, the arms 35 tend to move around the shaft 18, which tendency is resisted by the spring brake-band 38, causing it to'bear tightly upon the disks, retarding their free movement, and by reason of their engagement prevent the chains from an excessive rapid unwinding.

Attached to the chains 28, upon their inner side, is a: covering 40, made of asbestos, or other non-inflammable -material, and secured to the chain rungs by means of hooks 41 disposed upon either side, and in such manner that they may be removed readily if it be desired.

In operation, a person may pass out of the window, the lower sash being raised as shown in Fig. 1, their feet coming in contact with the rungs 33, which will start to unreel by the weight of the person, the rapidity of the unrolling or unwinding,

and hence the descent, being under control i.

of the brake band, and dependent upon the weight on the rungs.

If the chains are in an extended or lowcred position, then the descent is accomplished by using the rungs in the manner of a ladder, the heat being intercepted by the curtain 40, which will shield a person from the flames or effects of the heat in passing the'walls or openings in the Walls of the building.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding fire escape, a pair of hooks adapted to fold laterally inward toward each other, a frame to which said hooks are pivoted, a shaft revolubly mounted in said frame, brake disks rigidly engaged on said shaft, a pair of chains adapted to be Wound upon said shaft, a pair of bell-crank levers freely pivoted upon said shaft exteriorly of said disks, said levers having nornaoaeao v mally horizontal and vertical arms, and

means engaged with the vertical arms of said levers for making frictional contact with said brake disks relatively variable according to the weight carried by said chains.

2. In a folding fire escape, the combina tion with a pair of sharply pointed hooks, a frame hingedly engaged with said hooks, a shaft mounted in said frame, disks rigidly engagedon said shaft, a braking means for said disks, a pair of chains adapted to Wind upon said shaft, brackets pivotally mount ed on said shaft, and sprockets for guid-" ing said chains, 'said sprockets being'rey 1 olubly mounted in said brackets, said braking means being operatively engaged with said brake, and actuated by said track ets under the influence of said chains, Signed at Staunton, in the countyof Macoupin and State of Illinois, this 15th day of February, 1916. v

FRANK PFEIL,

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