US1518318A - Fire escape - Google Patents

Description

Patented Een. 9, i924,

NETED STATES PATENT lOFFIC.`

ANNA LAW FLETCHER, NOW BY MARRIAGE ANNA L. EVILSON, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Application filed December G, 1923.

To all whom t may cof/tecra.'

lie it known that l, ANNA L. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at tian .frntonim in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented new and useful improvements .in Fire Escapes, of which the :following is a` specification.

rllhis invention relates to lire escapes.

The object is to provide simple means for the escape of persons from burning buildings, through the windows or other openings thereof, said means being easily and quickly applied in position at the bottom of a window to receive the persons to be lowered in safety to the ground.

Another object is to provide a lire escape comprising a minimum number of parts, or elements that would get o-ut of order and become inoperable at crucial moments during the excitement attendant on the rescue of persons from such buildings.

it final object is to provide a relatively small, compact device of this character which may be detached and stored in small space, either in the building or to be carried by the fire-fighting apparatus, the same havingv means whereby the occupants of the rescue car or basket may lower themselves to the ground, or be lowered by the firemen on the ground, while at the same time the descent of said basket may be controlled by other firemen, who may also, as when the basket is full, guide the same outwardly and away from the wall of the building to prevent frantic persons in lower windows from entering or endeavoriiig to enter the descending basket.

full and complete understandingl of thc invention may be obtained froma consideration of the following` detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical. form of the invention, the latter is not to be confined to strict conform-` ity with the showing thereof, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure .from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings. in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im: prox/ed tire escape in use Serial No. 678,928.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the basket and its connections with the guide cables or ropes and the hoisting cable.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective of the hanger.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a hanger l formed of a metal rod of a size and construction to withstand the relatively great strain to which the same may be subjected .in supporting the weight of one or more persons. At each end, the said rod bent upwardly, as at 2, thence inwardly at right angles, as at 3, and the terminals l are then bent downwardly to form hooks, spaced apart a distance to easily lit between the side members of a window frame of the average dimensions.

rlfhe body portion l of the hanger is pro vided with a central eye 6 formed by turn ing the said rod downwardly into a circular loop, and at the points of intersection with the angularly bent, upstanding arms 2, the rod is similarly bent to form outer, spaced eyes 7, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4f. of the drawing.

When the hanger is applied in position, as shown in `Figure l, the downturned terminals et are adapted to bear against the' inner face of the wall. while the arms 23 rest upon the window sill 8 and securely support the hanger in position to sustain the weight of the parts about to be. described, as well as the weight of the persons being rescued.

)i rar or basket l) is adapted to be used in eonibination with the aforesaid hanger, and said basket may comprise any suitable form of receptacle mounted on any suitable kind of frame to maintain the same in its proper form, that shown in the drawing being rectangular and comprising a rigid, metal frame (not shown) covered with some suitable, light. strong and durable 'tire-proof material, and having a front and a back wall, end walls and a bottom wall, the said bottom wall being preferably of rigid formation to stand the" weight of the occupants of the basket.

The top and bottom :frame members of the basket carry, on the rear side, upper and lower eyes 10 and ll respectively, adJacent to the end walls of the basket, and the vertical pairs thus formed are in alinement with each other and are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance betwn the eyes 7 of 'one end to the eyes 7 of the hanger, and i the aforesaid hanger. The top "frame member of said basket is further provided, ou the rear side, with a centrally disposed eye l2, and it should be noted that the eyes l0, l1 and l2 carried by the basket are horizontally disposed, that is to say, they have vertically disposed passageways therethrough, ivhile the eyes carried by the hanger are vertical with horizontal passageivays.

Guide ropes or cables 13 are attached at downwardly through the alined eyes l0 and l1 at each side edge of the basket and have their other ends reaching` the ground.

A hoisting cable le has one end connected to the central eye l2 at the top ot the rear side oi the basket, and the said cable extends upwardly and is passed through the central eye G of the hanger, and is then passed doivn to the ground, the length ot said hoisting` cable being necessarily enough to reach from` the ground, when the basket is resting thereon, up to the hanger and down to the ground again, as Will be understood.

Assuming that a buildingl is equipped with the improved fire escape apparatus, it vrill be readily seen that the occupants ot a room may easily and quickly apply the hanger in position on the Window-sill as shown and described, and with the ropes or cables already applied properly to the sev eral eyes', the guide cables and the hoisting` cable are allowed to fall to the ground. A fireman then grasps each of the guide cables and holds the same rigidly to form guides for the basket to descendj While one or more firemen having hold of the hoisting` cable. pays out the same9 after the persons to lie rescued have entered the basket.

rl`he firemen or others holding the guide cables 13 may easily retard the downward movement oli the basket under great load, i'l desired. by simply moving away Ylirou each other to cause said cables` to bind in the lower eyes ll oi the basket, as illustrated in Figur l. and f2 of the drawing; and7 iu the event the has.A Yt is filled with persons to its capacity and the saine is to be lowered doivn past other windows, in which there may be other persons endeavoring to enter the same, the said iiremen or others holding the guide cables may move aivay from the building so as to cause the basket to be out of reach as it is lowered.

israele lv on thc v.f frouiul. the Y.' il .rfi-N .u nnn to die i usnui ivindoivj without chung lliu hanjiijcr. hr means olf the hoist if); :ind lowering rope ocahle, and the guides muv llc manipulanI accordingly. as has been dcf-icrihed.

il 'dlifld persons be trapped in a roem ot :i lun-nini' building' and nithout the aid o'l :i lire lc-- partinent or other help. the): ma): atturli the apparatus in position :iul lon'er theinscl rc1. to the g'roun d by means ol" the calde il.

In the event the lnuldimiis not equipped with such apparatus but the lircnicn 11i-c sup plied ivi-th the same the usual method ol sie curing` the escape in position is to lire suine sort oll proiec'iilc into i 'finden where cri-- trapilied persons are located. und liy hauling in on un attached cord er rope. die device may be elevated to the Window and applied in position., :is before described.

From the toregroin i` it ivill be secu that :i simple. cheaply mauulictured. strong :'n'l durable lire escape apparatus has heen provided. which may he easily applied in posi tion for and that persons may he easily rescued thereby tlirousljh the :iid olc firemen or others. and that it is comparatively easy' for persons to successfully reach salut'.- throup'h their ovvn el'forl's by the use ol" the device.

That is claimed isz-- lu a. fire escape` the combination nfitli :i hanger constructed ol a sinnjlc piece nl' niclnl and bent to provide hooks lier attfuluncul to the sill ot a Window. spaced cud eres. and :i central eye. ot a passengrinncurryinig luis-:het including); ay trame. pairs oi vertically :iline'l eyes carried at the rear` side of the haslrcit :it the top and hotti'ini thereoil. guide cables su pendcd from the end eyes el. the hanger and travers-ting;Y the vertical l :dined eyes on thc basket and extending; to the `ojround. and a hoisting` and lowering; cable culcui'liingj lroin the ground upwardly and llirunii'h lln. ich tral clve olY lhc hangin; and liarinp' ils npprr end .'i'umected to tlu top ruil nl thc l'rnme of the basket. said cables being; adapted lo lui secured at their lower ends or fo lie held l hand and separated to act :is :i hralrr :il/ rainst the dovfnivard movement ot the liasltct.

lu testimony, that l claim the 'oreooimi' as my oivin l have hereto allirqcd my surnature.

ANNA liyillil Fl'iE'lWTllCll till lll()

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