US1704361A - Fire escape - Google Patents

Description

1929- A. E. JOHNSEN 1,704,361

' FIRE ESCAPE Fild Sept. 29, 1927 2 heats-Sheet 1 'March 5, 1929. A. E. JOHNSEN FIRE ESCAPE Filed Sept. 29, 192'! ets-5heet 2 Jar/612702 a J075/2ZZE70fi/a5en Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

ANTON E. JOHNSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Application filed September 29, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in fire escapes by means of which persons may descend with safety from an elevated position, down a rope, one end of which is anchored, the rope passing through a friction block and the speed of descent being controlled by the descending person or by another person, by grasping the rope and allowing it to slip through the friction block at will, under the stress of the weight of the descending person.

A further ob 'ect is to provide improved means whereby the apparatus may be installed, embodying a receptacle or container within which the apparatus may be entirely concealed when not in use, and from which container the apparatus may be readily removed and thrown out of the window to be in position and ready for use without consuming any time for arranging or hooking up the apparatus when it is necessary or desirable to use the same, at the same time the container will not cause an unsightly appearance in the room.

To the attainmentof these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a view partly in vertical section taken on line 1-1, Figure 2, partly in elevation and partly broken away of an apparatus of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly broken away and with parts omitted of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation, artly broken away and partly in section, s owing the method of installing the apparatus in a newly constructed building.

Figure l is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the method of installing the apparatus in an old building.

Figure 5 is a view partly in elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, showing the method of using the apparatus.

The apparatus consists essentially of a friction block which is of any desired size and configuration, but is preferably formed of an elongated body comparatively small in Serial No. 222,701.

cross section. One end of the body is preferably reduced as at 11 and through which reduced portion an eye 12 passes to receive a hook or supporting device 13 for suspending. or supporting the friction block when the apparatus is in use.

The block 10 is provided with an a erture let therethrough preferably adjacent t e lower end thereof, and is also provided with similar apertures 15-16, which latter aper t tres are preferably disposed in comparatively close proximity to each other and are substantially parallel with each otherl.

A. rope 17, preferably provided with a flexible metallic core 18, is secured by one end to the friction block lOpreferably by passing the end 19 of the rope through the aperture 14 and then forming a knot 20 in the end of the rope so as to prevent the rope from beng pulled out of the aperture 14. A loop 21 is then formed in the rope and the rope is then passed through the opening 15 in the friction block from one side of the block, thence along the opposite face of the block as at 22 and then through the opening 16 as at 23 to the side of the block opposite to the side where the portion 22 of the rope is located.

The loop portion 21 of therope passes loosely through an opening 24 in a suspension member 25, which latter is provided wit an eye 26. i

A suspension strap 27 is connected by one end with the eye 26, preferably by means of a loop or element 28 which passesthrough the eye 26 and is secured as at 29 to one end of the strap 27. i

Secured to the other end of the strap 27 is a snap hook 30 which is also adapted to detachably engage the eye 26 of the member 25. i The strap may be of any desired widthand length suitable forsupporting a person.

hen the friction block 10 is secured to the supporting member 13, and a person as sumes a position within the strap 27 as shown in Figure 5, and the free end of the rope 17 is thrown out of the window, the person will descend, causing the member 25 to slip upon the rope 17 within the loop portion 21 and the rope itself to slip through the eyes or openings 15 and 16, the latter causing friction upon the rope to retard the descent of the person by his own weight. The speed of descent is controlled by grasping the free portion of the rope 17, thereby controlling the friction exerted upon the rope as it passes through the openings 15-16.

This control of the descent may be accomplished by the person descending or by another person at a lower elevation through the medium. of the manipulation of the free end of the rope 17.

The apparatus thus constructed is adapted to be stored within a receptacle or container 31 and this container 81, in. a new building, as shown in Figure 3, will be concealed within the wall 32 of the building preferably adjacent the window frame 33, the latter being cut away at PA- to permit the insertion of the receptacle or container 31.

The support or anchoring device 13 may be connected with one of the walls of the container and when the apparatus is folded and placed within the container 31 a closure is adapted to he brought into position to close the container and. tl'ierehy conceal the entire apparatus from View from within the room. In use, however, the closure may be readily opened and swung to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, to permit the member 25and the rope together with the strap 27 to be thrown out of the window and in position for use.

In Figure t the receptacle or container 31 is adapted to be secured to the outer surface of the window frame 33 and will not present an unsightly appearance from the inside of the room as all of the portions of the fire e cape will. be placed within and concealed by the container.

By the use of a rope 17 having a. flexible metallic core 18, the rope will have a longer life and will be prevented from deterioration should the same be stored in the container or receptacle for any undue length of time, and at the same time the covering for the core will facilitate in the frictional co-operation of the rope and the portions of the friction block 10.

VVit-h this improved apparatus it will he manifest that there will be provided a si1nple, durable, cheap and compact tire escape which may be readily placed in condition for service and no time will he lost in anchoring the rope when it is desired to use the same. Furthermore the descent of the person using the apparatus may be controlled by either the person himself or someone else, and the apparatus requires no thought in operation as the weight of the person will cause the same to automatically operate and at the same time the friction will be controlled by the manipulation of the rope itself and there is no mechanism or gripping devices necessary with this construction, the use of which gripping devices or attachments would tend to confuse the user.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to he understood that various changes may he made in the details ot construction and in the cmi'lbination and arrangement of the sevoral parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this in Vention.

hat is claimed as new is l. A lire escape embodying a. friction block, means for swingingly anchoring said block by one end, a rope secured by one end to the other end of the block, a plurality of apertures in the bloclr, said rope being threaded through said apertures to form a loop below the block, the other end of the rope being free, a suspension member having an aperture theret-hrough through which the said loop portion of the rope freely passes, and a suspension strap connected with said suspension member.

2. A tire escape embodying a friction block, means for swingingly anchoring said block by one end, a rope secured by one end to the other end of the block, a plurality of apertures in the block, said rope being threaded through said apertures to form a loop below the block, the other end of the rope being free, a suspension member independent of the said block, said suspension member having an aperture therethrough through which the said loop portion of the rope freely passes, said suspension member being swingingly supported by said looped portion of the rope, an additional. opening in said suspension member, a suspension strap, and means connected with the end of said strap and engaging in the said additional openin in the said suspension member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, on this Q'Tth day of September, A. D. 1927.

ANTON E. JOl'lNl-llfihl.

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