US358125A - lpittman - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

G. 1. PITTMAN. FIR-E mung.

No. 358,125; Patented-Feb. 22, 1887.,

INVENTOR W1 TNESSES: waa BY ATTORNEYS.

N, PETERS FhMtrLflhogmPhur. Washingiun. n.0,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O I. PITTMAN.

FIRE ESCAPE. No. 358,125. I B Patented Feb; 22, 1887.

jzya I IWITNESSES': I INYENTOR ATTORNEYS N PETERS. Plwl rlflhugraplmr. Washington, in;

Unrrno STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES IN GLIS PITTMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE PITTMAN FIRE ESCAPE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

Fl RE ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,125, dated February 22, 1887.

Application filed July 2, 1886. Serial No. 206,918. (No model.)

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to fire escapes; and it consists in certain improvements, hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, on the fire-escape shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 297,843, issued to me April 29, 1884'.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is aside elevation of one form of fireescape embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of a detached portion thereof, hereinafter referred to,and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a form of the escape adapted for family use.

In the drawings, A designates the rope upon which the descent from the window of abuilding may be made, the said rope being provided with a hook or claw, B, at its upper end, and thence extending downward to the earth. The suspensory sling for sustaining the person leaving the building,and which is adapted to move on the rope A, consists of the hori- 3o zontal friction-block C, band D, and brake E.

The block 0 will preferably be of wood, and is provided with three vertical apertures, lettered, respectively, a, b, and a, through which the rope A is passed, the rope being first inserted downward through the aperture 6, and thence upward through the aperture a, from which it is carried to and passed downward through the aperture 0, thence through brake E, as shown. The band D consists of a strap 40 or rope secured at its ends to the ends of the block 0, and being of sufficient length to form a loop of suitable size to permit a person to sit in it while descending on the rope A. Upon one side of the band D is applied the brake E above mentioned, which, in the present instance, consists of the plate (1, having an aperture or recess, (2, and the lever f, pivotally secured at its upper end between the ears h, and having aprojection, g, on its inner face adapted 5'0 to enter and bend the rope A into the recess 6 when the lever is folded toward the plate d,

as shown in Fig. 2. The rope A, after leaving the aperture 6 in the friction-block 0, passes downward between the ears h, along the face of the plate d, and through the eye m at the lower end of said plate.

The escape shown in Fig. 3 is'similar in all essential respects to that illustrated in Fig. 1, except that in the former abag orsack is provided at the lower end of the sling, andasupplemental rope, 12, applied to the friction-block O, to be used for lowering the sack when occu pied by women, children, or invalids, and also for redrawing said block upward over the rope A in position to permit the escape of additional 6 occupants from the building. The supple-' mental return-rope it could be applied to the friction-block of the escape shown in Fig. 1, if desired; but this would not be preferable in many instances, since the said escape is in- 0 tended to have the simplest and most compact form possible consistent with safety, in order that it may be carried in a travelers satchel without inconvenience.

\Vhen the escape is not in use, the frictionblock 0 will be permitted to remain adjacent to the hook B, and the rope A will be coiled into a compact bundle or roll. Upon an occasion arising for the use of the escape the hook B will be caught upon the upper inside window-casing, or other suitable holding means, and the roll of rope A thrown out of the window,whereupon the occupant of the room may pass one leg into the sling, at the same time closing the brake against the rope and safely lower himself to the ground. The speed of the descent may be regulated at will by the degree of pressure applied to the brake, and this, com-- bined with the friction created by the rope passing through the apertures a b c, renders 0 the escape entirely safe and effective, and adapts it for persons of varying weight.

The escape shown in Fig. 3 maybe put into condition for use in the same manner as the simpler form illustrated in Fig. 1, except that in the former the supplemental rope n will be permitted to remain in the room in position to gradually unwind itself as the sling and bag are lowered. When the sling has reached the ground, the lower end of the rope A-may be held by the person who has descended, while the remaining occupant, drawing on the rope n, returns the sling to the window in suitable position to be used again.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire-escape, the horizontal frictionblock 0, the band D, secured at its ends to the ends of saidblock,and the hand-brake E, firmly affixed to one side of the band D, combined with the descent-rope A, passing through said block and brake, and provided with a holding means on its upper end, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the horizontal frictionblock 0, provided with vertical apertures a, b, and c, the band D, secured at its ends to the ends of said block, and the hand-brake E, firmly affixed to one side 01' the band 1), c0mbined with the descent-rope A, passingthrough 20 said apertures a b c and the brake E, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 26th day of June, A. D. 1886.

CHARLES INGLIS PITTMAN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. GILL, WILLIAM B. ELLIsoN.

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