US1858256A

US1858256A - Life saving device

Info

Publication number: US1858256A
Application number: US523304A
Authority: US
Inventors: Loren A Wolfe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-03-17
Filing date: 1931-03-17
Publication date: 1932-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 1949-05-17

Description

1 1932. r 1.. A. VWOLFE 1,858,256

LIFE SAVING-DEVICE Filed March 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR.

y v LCIT'ETL Wulf'e ATTORNEYS.

May 17, 1932. L. A. WOLFE LIFE SAVING DEVI-CE F iled March 17. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5.

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. L are n A. Wcilf'e FIG. 3.

v ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 17, 1932 LOBEZN A. WOLFE, OF'BALTI'MORE, IvIAR YLAND LIFE SAVING DEVICE Application filed March 17, 1931. Serial No. 523,304.

The resent invention relates to a life saving evice and more particularly toimprovements in fire escapes. The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved fire escape in theform of a hand gripping device thru which a rope or cable is trained in a novel manner so as to create a great amount of drag upon the rope or cable as the device is moved therealong.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character whereby the descent of the person using the device is regulated by a gripping action of the hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement whereby the hand of the operator is fully protected against injury while gripping the device to regulate the speed of descent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fire escape embodying a gripper device for travel along a rope or cable and having attached thereto in a novel manner a safety belt adapted to be disposed about the body of the user. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawngs forming a part of this specification and in which drawings: V

Figure 1 is a view showing the device in use.

Figure 2 device.

Figure 3 is a further tion of the gripper.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4: 1 of Figure 3.

"Figure 5 isa longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In the drawings and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, the letter A lesignates the gripper provided with the safety beltor harness B, and C a rope adapted to be trained thru the gripper A ina manner to prevent ready movement of the gripper along the rope. The gripper A is an enlarged side View of the enlarged side elevacomprises an elongated create a drag. upon the grip block 5 which is preferably formed of wood and has the rear edge of its body por- I tion 6 slightly concaved and transversely rounded off. Formed in the grip block 5 at each end of the body portion 6. is a rounded pocket 7 which opens at the forward edge of the block. The rear portion of the block is extended slightly beyond the pockets 7 as at 8 to provide hand protecting extensions. Formed in the forward edge of the body portion 6 is a combined guide and drag groove orchannel 9 which is slightly curved thruout its length and has its ends rounding into the pockets 7. The channel 9' may be provided with a suitable number of trans- 'verse slots 10 for increasing friction and these slots if so desired may contain rosin or any other suitable substance which will rope when drawn along the channel. Secured longitudinally of the grip block 5 is a carrier frame which is preferably formed from a metal strip to provide side plates 12 joined by the rounded ends 13. The ends. of the carrier frame extend beyond the pockets? to points aligning with the ends of the guard extensions 8. The

carrier frame is attached to the grip block by means of suitable rivets or bolts 14 extended thru the grip block body portion 6 and the side plates 12.

Mounted in each pocket 7 as upon suitable pivot pins 15 is a split sheave each embodying a pair of conical sections 16 arranged with their convex surfaces in confronting relation to provide V sheaves for receiving the rope C. Each of the sheave sections 16 is reinforced at its outer or hollow side by a babbitt reinforcing collar 17 andthese collars 17 have bearing engagement with steel washers 18 which bear against the side plates 12. Each rounded end 13 of the carrier frame is provided with a rope receiving opening 19 7 whereby the rope may be trained thru the gripper about the split sheaves and along the drag channel 9. rounded end 13 is a rope guide 20 which may be formed of babbitt and these guides serve to prevent wear on the rope.

The safety belt or harness B is preferably formed from lengths of web belting having Secured inwardly of each 9 their ends 21 extended along the carrier frame side plates 12 and secured thereto by the attaching elements 14 and sheave mountings 15. The belt is preferably formed of two separate straps providing an open loop 22 having the sliding ring 23. The ends of the straps 21 are preferably crossed over the upper end of the carrier frame and reinforced by a guard piece 20 with openings provided in the strap ends and guard piece permitting passage of the rope therethru. Looped about the lower end of the carrier frame is a leather shield 24 which may be secured in place by the supporting member for the lower sheave. The shield 24 is provided with an opening thru which the rope passes and a leather washer 25 is preferably placed between the shield and rounded lower end of the carrier frame for preventing possible cutting of the rope.

Secured longitudinally of the grip block is a combined hand shield and descent regulator 40 which is preferably formed of a flexible material such as leather and has its edges stitched as at 41 to the web belting straps 21 thruout their length of attachment to the side plates of the carrier frame. The leather shield 40 forms a cover for the rope where it passes along the channel 9 and covers the sheaves 16 for preventing contact of the operators hand with the rope or the sheaves. The shield is reinforced at its inner side by a piece of leather 43 which is adapted to bear against the loop and this reinforcing piece may be stitched to the shield. The shield is attached to the straps 21 in a manner whereby the reinforcing 43 is drawn tight over the rope where it passes along the channel 9.

, Referring particularly to Figure 1, the apparatus may be normally enclosed in a suitable boX as shown at 45 mounted adjacent a window or other opening in the building affording a means of escape in the case of fire. The rope C may be provided at one end with a ring adapted to engage over an open hook 46 anchored in the wall of the building. 7

As shown in Figure 5, the rope is passed in a tortuous path longitudinally thru the gripper in a manner whereby considerable friction will be created on the rope as the gripper is moved therealong. The manner in which the rope is passed thru the gripper causes the rope to have contact with a sub tantial portion of the circumference of the sheave sections 16 and the greater the pull on the rope the greater wedging action the rope will have with the sheaves. This wedging action of the rope tends to spread the sheave ections with the result that the greater the pull be the greater the friction created.

In use, the operator first removes the coiled rope from the box 45 and throws the loose end of the coil out of the window. The loop 22 is then placed over the users head and also lowered to a position beneath the arms and after which the ring 23 is slid for closing the loop about the users body. The user then grips the gripper A. with one hand and lowers himself along the rope O at a desired degree of descent governed by the gripping action upon the gripper A.

Thusit will be seen that a novel device of this character has been provided embodying a gripper adapted to be grasped by a person in a manner whereby the speed of descent may be easily regulated thru a mere gripping action It will also be apparent that a gripping device of novel construction has been provided whereby a great amount of friction will be created upon the rope without reof the invention herein shown and described,

Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims. I claim:

1. In afire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided with a channel along its forward edge and a pocket at each end of the channel, a carrier frame secured longitudinally of the block, friction creating sheaves journaled in the carrier frame in each of said pockets, said sheaves being offset longitudinally of the gripper with respect to the channel, and a rope trained over the sheaves and along the channel.

2. In a fire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided at one edge with a rope receiving channel and a pocket formedat each end of the channel, a carrier frame secured longitudinally of the block, a friction creating sheave journaled in each end of the carrier frame and arranged in said pockets, said frame having rope guide openings in each end thereof, a rope trained thru the gripper about the sheaves and along said channel, and a shield concealing the sheaves and adapted to frictionally engage the rope in its travel along said channel.

3. In a fireescape, a gripper comprising a grip block having pockets formed at its upper and lower ends and a rope channel between the pockets, a carrier frame mounted longitudinally of the block, split sheaves journaled in the end portions of the carrier frame and arranged in the pockets. a rope trained over the split sheaves and along said channel between the sheaves. and means for creating a friction upon the rope along the channel.

4. In afire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided with a friction channel and a pocket at each end of the channel, a

split sheave journaled for rotation in each of the pockets, a rope trained over the sheaves and along the friction channel, and guide means for guiding the rope to the sheaves at the ends of the gripper.

5. In a fire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided in its front edge with a friction channel and a pocket at each end of the channel opening at the front edge of the block, a carrier frame secured longitudinallv of the block and including side plates, a split sheave journaled in the side plates in each of said pockets. a rope trained over the sheaves and along the friction channel, and means for applying additional friction upon the rope by a gripping action about the gripper.

6. In a fire escape, a gripper comprising a grip block provided along one edge with a friction channel and pocket at each end of the channel. said channel being formed with transverse slots. a sheave journaled for rotation in each pocket. a rope trained about the sheaves and along the channel. a flexible U-shaped shield extending along the channeled side of the grip block and concealing.

the sheaves. and a reinforcing piece secured to the inner side of the shield for contacting the rope along said channel.

7. In a fire escape, a gripper com rising a grip block having a friction channel along its front edge. a sheave journaled at each end of the channel. a rope trained about the sheaves and along the channel. a belt including straps secured longitudinallv along the sides of the block. and a flexible shield concealing the sheaves and channeled side of the block and having its edges secured to said straps thruout the length of the block.

8. In a fire escape. a gripper comprising a grip block including a bodv portion having a friction channel provided along its front ed e and a pocket provided at each end of the bodv portion. a carrier frame including ide plates secured to the sides of the grip block and rounded end portions connecting the side plates. said rounded ends having rope receiving openings, a split sheave journaled in the side plates in each pocket and ach embodying a pair of conical sections. a

rope guided thru the openings in said rounded ends of the carrier frame about said sheaves and along the friction channel rope protecting guides at each end of the carrier raine. a body harness embodying straps secured longitudinallv of the carrier frame and extended over the upper ends thereof. and a flexible shield secured at its edges to the straps for extending in overlying relation o the sheaves and said channel to prevent contact with the sheaves and rope when passing along the channel.

LOREN A. WOLFE.