US282478A

US282478A - Fire-escape

Info

Publication number: US282478A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1883-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 1900-07-31

Description

(N04 Model.)

s. 13.'.W00DBURY-- 4 f PIRE ESCAPE. No. 282,478. Patente-Maly 31, m83.

. USB.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

sE'rH D. wooDBUnY, or LYNN, MAssAcnUsETTs- Flea-ESCAPE.

- SPECIFICATION forming par; of Letters Patent No. 282,@78, dateagiuly 31,1883.

Application filed February 17, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y Be it known that I, SETH DODGE WOOD BURY, of- Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, `have iiivented certain new and 4useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following, taken age, to occupy little space wh'ennot in use.

The invention consists in certain details of construction, y all of which are hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents my improved fire-escape attached to the sill of an ordinary window and extending downward and outward, as it appearswhile in Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of the-same made on dotted line x w inFig. I. Fig. 3 is a section the same as Fig. 2,l but illustrates the position of the .stretcher when ready for folding.

The ribbon A is composed of canvas or a similar flexible material, and is sufficiently long to reach from the window ofthe building to the point of safety. It is provided on either side with ropes B B, to which the edges of the canvas are firmly` secured. Said ropes have their bottom ends secured to the rod C, from which extends a short rope, D, lthatserves as a means for securing that end of the escape. The opposite ends of the ropes B B, extending i over the window-sill, make fastto a suitable staple in the iioor of the room, as represented in Fig. l. At different points along this ribbon A'are placed the stretchers for keeping the ribbon4 in position while in use.

stretchers are represented more fully in Fig. 2, by reference to which it will be seen that the `parts 2 2 areconnected together by a pin or rivet, 5, in such manner as to permit of being opened, as in Fig. 2, or closed, as in Fig. 3. `Said parts 2 2, when opened as in Fig. 2, are firmly locked and held in position by means of the brace-bars 3 3.J Said bars 3 3 each `have one end vpivoted to one of the'parts 2, and is further connected with the other part 2 byv means of a suitable pin, 6, which pin 6 is made fast in the part 2 and permitted to operate in a suitable slotin the brace 3, so as to permit the parts 2 2 to be closed, as ,in Fig. 3. The springs 4 4 operate against the bars 3 3in such `manner as to keep the pins 6 6 pressed into a I notch in the barl while the stretcher is open,

and thus prevent the same from closing together again until the springs are released or reversed. The stretchers composed of said parts are placed at different points along the canvas ribbon A, and are firmly secured to the ropes B B, as shown. hold the canvas spread, while aperson, taking hold of the rope E with his hands and allowing the body to rest on the canvas, mayveasily slide downward `to the point of safety.

When not in use the stretchers areto be closed, as in Fig. 3, and the whole `may be These stretchers, when opened,

rolled up and kept in a suitable casing or box under the window inthe room from which the escape is to be made.

It will be obvious that the bottom end of the escape should be carried outward, so'as to give the greatest possible slant to the canvas, as this causes or allows the body of the descend` ing person to press more heavily on the canv as, and thereby greatlyincreases the utility of the invention.

What I claim, and desire by Letters Patent to secure, isy y y A fire-escape composed, essentially, of a ribbon, A, provided with suitable stayropes, .B B, and adapted to extend from the window of a building to some point of safety below, stretching` devices, substantially as described, for giving lateral tension tothe ribbon, and an independent lowering-rope, substantially as set forth. y I

Witness my hand this 12th day of February, A. D. 1383, in presence of two witnesses.

` SETH DODGE WOODBURY. Witnesses:

SEYMOUR RUTH, C. B. TUTTLE.