US514802A - Fire-escape - Google Patents

Description

.(NofMpdeL) 1 W. AVWOODKZ E. ROSS.

FIRE ESCAPE}.

" No. 514,802; Patented 61). 13; "1894."

WITNESSES WEBSTER A. WOOD ANDYEBENEZER ROSS, OF NORTHVILLE, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,802, dated February 13, 1 894.

Application filed July 17, 1893. Serial No. 480,697. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that We, WEBSTER A. WOOD and EBENEZER Ross citizens of the United States, residing at Northville, in the county of parts as fully hereinafter set forth, the essential features of which being pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a portable device of this character, that may be conveniently carried, and by the employment of which a speedy and safe escape from a burning building may be effected; This object is attained by the mechanism illustrated.

in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved device; Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through Fig. 2. Referring to the letters of reference,A and B designate semi-circular frames, respectively, which are provided with the handles 17 at one end, and at the other end with the opposed jaws d, d, all of which parts are formed integral with their respective frames. The extreme ends of said jaws are hinged together by means of a pin a passing through the extended ears e of jaw d, and through the end of jaw d which is embraced by said ears,the adjacent faces of said jaws being provided with registering undulations formed of transverse elevations and depressions, adapted to mesh or fit one into the other, as said jaws are brought together by the contraction of the handles b.

O designates a spool or reel embraced by said semi-circular frames,'and adapted to contain the wire or metallic cable a which is wound thereon, said spool being fast on a shaft D, journaled at each end in the curved cross-pieces f secured to the frame A, whereby said spool is adapted to freely revolve within said frames. The cable from said spool passes outward between the jaws d, d and is adapted to be engaged by the opposed undulative surfaces thereof as said jaws .are brought together, to place the required tension upon said cable.

E designates a strap which is adapted to pass around the body of a person and by means of which, they are supported in the act of descending, the ends of said strap being attached to the frames A, B.

In the employment of this device in efiecb ing an escape from a burning building, or in making a descent from an elevation, the hook it on the free end of the cable is securely fastened to a fixed object and the strap E placed around the body just below the arms. This brings the device in front of the operator, so that the handles b may be readily grasped by the hands and the descent perfectly regulated by forcing the jaws together, so' as to cramp the cable between the undulative faces thereof, as shown by stipple lines in Fig. 3, thereby placing such tension on the cable as to enable the operator to descend at any desired speed and with perfect safety. The ends of the supporting strap E being fastened to the hinged frames, the tendency thereof when supporting a weight will be to draw said frames together and thereby contract the jaws upon the cable, so that, should a person in descendin g become too frightened to operate the handles b, the weight upon the strap will cause said jaws to grip the cable with such force as to prevent too rapid a descent.

Whenit is desired to lower a number of persons with one device, the strap E is at tached to the Window frame or other fixed object, and the hook it on the cable secured to a rope or other suitable support around the person to be lowered, the device being operated from above to control the descent. After a descent has been made, the cable is rewound onto the spool by means of a crank adapted to receive the square end of the spoolshaft, so as to enable another descent being made, and so on until all have been lowered,

the last person descending in the ordinary way.

Having thus fully set forth our invention, what we claim as new,.and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire escape, the combination of the reel, the cable wound thereon, the semi-circular frames in which said reel is journaled, said frames having the opposed extended jaws between which said cable passes and which are hinged together at their upper ends, and the depending handles formed integral with said frames for contracting said jaws upon the cable.

2. In a fire escape, the combination of the reel, the cable wound thereon, the frames in which said reel is journaled, said frames having the opposed extended jaws pivoted together at their upper ends and provided with the meshing undnlated faces between which said cable passes and the integral handles extending from said frames for contracting said jaws upon said cable.

3. In a fire escape, the combination of the reel, the cable wound thereon, the hinged semi-circular frames in which said reel is j ournaled, said frames. having the opposed jaws between which said cable passes, the handles for contracting said jaws and the strap attached at its ends to the outer face of said frames.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WEBSTER A. WOOD. EBENEZER ROSS.

I Witnesses:

E. S. HORTON, GRACE F. LoWDEN.

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