US508684A

US508684A - Fire-escape

Info

Publication number: US508684A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1910-11-14

Description

E. A. COUCH. FIRE ESCAPE.

(No Model.)

gwmull Patented Nov. 14

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EDWIN A. COUQH, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

' FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,684, dated November 14, 1893.

Application filed May 22, 1893. Serial No. 474,995- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. COUCH, a citizenof the United States, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

Ropes have been made use of and friction clamps by which a person can regulate the descent from a Window or balcony in case of fire, but such escapes have not been well adapted to prevent injury to such person by contact with the surface of the building.

In the present invention I employ a ladder upon which two or more persons, especially children, can stand and hold on firmly While being lowered, and the rope passes through a tube extending centrally along the ladder, and there is a clamp at or near the upper end of the tube by which the friction upon the rope can be regulated at will for controlling the speed of the ladder as the same descends.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section representing a-part of a building and the ladderfire-escape in position for use. Fig. 2 is a front view of the ladder. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same. Fig. 4.- is a section in larger size of a clamp that may be made use of for applying friction to the rope, and Fig. 5 is a section of said clamp at the line a; m, Fig. 4.

The rope A is usually of metal and its upper end is to be firmly secured, preferably by means of a lag screwB passing into the floor .or other wood-work; and it is to be understood that this rope may pass in any convenient direction out of a window orfrom a balcony or other place of attachment.

The ladder O is of suitable size and preferably of metal, containing several rails or rungs 2 and the side pieces 3, and there are skids 4 with, curved or inclined lower ends adapted to glide over the sills or other projections upon the building, as the ladder is lowered, and there is a tube 5 passing centrally through the ladder and through or behind the rungs or rails thereof, the parts being firmly connected together in any suitable manner, and at the upper end of the tube 5 there is a clamp D acting upon the rope A. This clamp may be of any desired character, but I prefer to make the said clamp as represented in Figs. 4 and 5, with a clamping block 6 concave on its face and resting against therope and having steady pins 7 passing through the tube, and a screw 8 with a handle or wheel 9 by means of which the screw is made to press the clamps upon the rope with greater or less force, and thus regulate the friction and the speed of descent of the ladder-fire-escape upon the fixed rope A. It will be apparent that this rope A should be long enough to reach a place of safety and that it should be kept coiled in aconvenient manner, so that it can be thrown out and ready for use and the ladder will always remain in position over the rope so that it can be placed outside a window in a convenient position for the person to lower himself upon the ladder at the desired speed in reaching the place of safety.

A strap may be attached to the ladder as at 10 to pass around and secure the person to the ladder.

I claim as my invention- I l. The combination with a fixed rope, of a ladder-fireescape having a central tube permanently connected with the ladder and through which the rope passes, and a clamp acting upon said rope to regulate the speed of descent of the fire escape, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a rope secured at its upper end, of a tube sliding upon such rope, a ladder connected with the tube, and skids at the back of the ladder adapted to slide against the building as the ladder descends,and a clamp acting upon the rope to regulate the speed of movement, substantially as setforth.

Signed by me this 13th day of May, 1893.

E. A. COUCH.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, A. M. OLIVER.