US495437A

US495437A - Fire-escape

Info

Publication number: US495437A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 1910-04-11

Description

(No Mod l. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. E. STEEGMANN. FIRE ESCAPE.

- VENTOH ATTORNEY.-

' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. E. STEEGMANN.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 495,437. Patented Apr. 11,1893.

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. STEEGMANN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FlRE-E SCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,437, dated April 11, 1893.

Application filed April 16, 1892- Serial No. 429i 0 (N0 m -l T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. STEEGMANN, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fire escapes and the object of the invention is to provide a device of the class stated which will be of simple construction, economical in cost, easily operated, reliable, durable and practicable in use.

To these ends the improvement consists of the features, arrangements and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device, illustrating its use. Fig. 2 is a front view thereof showing the manner of securing the lower extremity of the ladder. In this View the brake mechanism is also illustrated. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view in detail of the life preserver, or attachment for the ladder, employed by a person descending thereon to prevent the possibility of falling. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing the manner of attaching the life preserver to the ladder. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of construction. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation showing this form in position upon the ladder.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts or elements of the mechanism in the several views.

The numeral 5 designates a pair of brackets preferably secured to the upper part of the wall 6 above the window casing 7 and located on the inside of the room. Within the outer extremities of the arms of the brackets is pivoted a roller to which is attached and upon which is wound a wire rope ladder 9,

which when in use, is unwound by the occupant of the room and passed out of the window (the lower sash 10 being raised) and lowered over a roller 12 pivoted in a pair of brackets 13 secured to the outside of the wall and of sufficient length to maintain the ladderv from contact with the outer wall of the building and all external attachments. The ladder is lowered until its free extremity reaches the ground, when it is drawn taut and secured by the use of rings 15 .or other attachments made fast to the pavement.

In lowering the ladder a crank 16 (Fig. 2)

secured to one of the spindles 8 of roller 8 and 3 it is secured to catch 21 located in the room within easy reach of the occupant. This brake mechanism is usually employed only for the purpose of controlling the descent of the ladder as it is lowered to the ground. In case of an emergency, however, a person may get on the ladder and lower himself at the same time by the use of the brake rope, which must then be long enough to reach to the ground. Or one person, as a child, may be attached to the free extremity of the ladder and lowered to the ground by another person who manipulates the brake mechanism from the room above.

In order to make the descent upon the ladder absolutely safe, I make use of the attachment shown in Fig. 4 which consists of abelt 22, suitably attached to a gripping mechanism 23, adapted to slide freely upon the ladder unless the person descending loses his hold, when the weight of his body causes the device to grip the ladder and hold the person thereon until he can be rescued from below. The belt 22 is adapted to buckle about the waist and is-provided with rings, eyes, staples or other suitable means 21 connected with bars 25 of the grip 23 by means of chains 26 or other suitable connections. These chains are attached to the upper extremities of bars which are connected by

rods

27 and 28, the latter being a grip rod located near the lower extremities of the bars. Device 23 is held in position upon the ladder by a bar 29 which is hinged at one extremity to one of the bars, while the other extremity is locked to the other bar when the ladder is in place, the ladder being then located between

rods

27 and 28 and the hinged bar as shown in Fig. 5. In using this attachment the part 23 normally slides by gravity upon the ladder as the person descends in the usual way. If, however, he

loses his hold accidentally or through fright,

as is liable to occur in the case of timid persons,during the excitement and tumult attending confiagrations, the weight of the body draws the upper extremities of bars 25 outward and forces gripping rod 28 in the opposite direction against the ladder, forming a kink therein and locking the device 23 securely upon the ladder by means of the resulting friction, and supporting the person until he can be rescued by the ascent of some one from the ground. Springs may be employed connecting the extremities of

rods

27 and 28 and engaging the ladder. Normally these springs bow outward toward bar -29,but when the ladder is in position thereon they are pressed inward to a vertical plane as shown in Fig. 5.

A modified form of grip mechanism is illus trated in Figs. 6 and 7 and consists of the curved levers 25 fulcrumed at to angle barsconnected by transverse rods 37. This angle-bar frame is locked on the ladder by the hinged bar 29", the ladder being located between said bar and rod 28 as shown in Fig. 7. This construction,like that shown in Figs. t and 5 is adapted to slide easily upon the ladder except in case of accident, in which event'the weight of the body causes the upper extremities of arms 25 to move outward and brings rod 28 in contact with the ladder and with such force as to prevent farther downward movement of the angle bar frame, thereby suspending the person until rescued.

Each room of the building should be provided with one of my improved fire escapes, including the ladder and the life-preserver attachments.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the construction and operation of the mechanism will be fully understood.

It will be observed that the device can be used or operated by any person, and that no special skill or ingenuity is required in its successful manipulation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of the body belt and a sliding frame composed of two bars to the upper extremities of which the belt is attached by suitable connections, a movable locking arm adapted to connect the two bars and a gripping rod connecting the bars and located below the locking arm and a support for the sliding frame, substantially as described.

2. In a fire escape the combination of a wire rope ladder having one extremity secured to a roller suitably supported within the building and the other extremity made fast to the tially as described.

4. In a fire escape the combination of the wire rope ladder the inner and outer brackets, means for securing the lower extremity of the ladder whereby the same may be drawn taut, the sliding frame attached to the ladder and the body belt connected with the frame Whereby the latter is adapted to grip the ladder and lock itself thereon when the weight of the person descending is thrown on the belt, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a body belt and a sliding grip frame to which the belt is attached, said frame consisting of two bars to the upper extremity of which the belt is attached, a movable locking arm adapted to connect the two bars and a gripping rod also connecting the bars and located'below the locking arm, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a body belt and a sliding grip frame composed of two bars to the upper extremity of which the belt'is attached, two transverse connecting rods carrying springs, a movable locking arm attached to the frame between said rods whereby one is adapted to form a grip rod when the weight of the body is thrown upon the frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. STEEGMANN.

Witnesses:

WM. MoCoNNELL, ZITELLA EBERT.