US123066A - Improvement in fire-escapes - Google Patents

Description

4 W. MQ WATSON'.

Improvement in Fire Escape. No. 123,066, r Parentedlan.zs,1e72.

v Ifc'p/ UNITED STATES OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,066, dated January 23, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. M. WATSON, of Tonica, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Fire-Escape 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this speciiication and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawing is a representation of a front view and .partial section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view, showing modification.

This invention has relation to tire-escapes; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of an apparatus to be used in assisting the escape of persons from the upper stories of burning buildings.

The nature of this invention is such as to provide means by which persons about to desoend from high windows may avoid the dames escaping from windows below and on a line with the one from which the person is escaping. The means devised for this purpose consist of movable trucks provided with rollers, and drawn along a rod runnin g the entire width of the building, the escape-ladder, car, or basket being supported by means of said trucks, they being moved as desired through the medium of ropes within reach of those on the ground below.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A represents a strong iron rod, extending horizontally in front of a building, near the roof, and supported at each end by means of brackets B. C C designate trucks provided with grooved wheels d ol, jonrnaled above and below the rod A, on which the wheels d rest and roll. The under roller d is important7 and prevents accidental displacement of the truck, which is apt to occur both on account of the excitement which exists at such times and the fact that the truck is apt to be inclined by the persons at the guide-ropes, who may be forced to stand off from the building by the flames. D represents fire-proof ropes attached to the trucks C G for the purpose of allowing them to be moved along the rod A by persons standing on the ground below. E indicates a ladder, attached by its upper end to the truck'O, and made of rope, chain, or in any other suitably'flexible manner. F indicates a stirrup at tached to the truck C', and provided with a pulley-wheel, G, over which passes a fire-proof rope, H, attached to a basket or car, I. By means of said rope and pulley the basket I may be readily raised and lowered.

The ladder and basket are designed for the purpose of giving means of escape to persons eonlined in the upper stories of burning buildings, the ladder' or basket being brought in front of the proper window, by moving the truck to which either is attached. Now, if, as often happens, the iire should be pouring out from the windows or doors below that from which the escape is being made, the truck is moved, after the person escaping has obtained a footing on the ladder or basket, to a clear space, through which a safe descent may be made. The ladder and basket may both be used together, or one only.

By the use of the basket property may be saved, as it may be constructed of any desirable capacity.

When not in use the ropes, ladder, and basket may be drawn up out ofthe way, and kept inside the uppermost story of the building, or on the roof.

The rod A and brackets B are designed for a fire-escape apparatus forming a permanent fixture of a building.

I claim as my invention- The lire-escape apparatus, consisting of the rod A, basket I, ropes D H, and truck C, hav ing the bearing-rollers d d, the safety-roller d under the rod, stirrup F, and pulley G, all constructed and operating substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MEDD WATSON.

Witnesses:

J. S. UNDERHILL, JAMES A. UNDERHLLL.

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