US530863A

US530863A - Fire-escape

Info

Publication number: US530863A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1894-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1911-12-11

Description

(No Model.)

W. D. THAC KSTON.

- FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Dec. 1 1, 1894.

TvvevOTm. 77K

mm W Mese I #UNETED STATES PATENT OFFIcE. I

WILLIAM D. THAOK STON, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO JOSIAH O.

BENNETT, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS. I

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,863, dated December 11, 1894.

I Application filed May 26,1893. Serial No. 475,662- (No model.)

To asZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. THAOKS TON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to produce a fluid friction bralie, adapted for fire escapes and similar devices, as required to slowly lower a person or Weight from an elevation, and my invention consists in an eccentrically pivoted cylinder adapted to contain fluid and a diaphragm in the cylinder and an axle extending through the cylinder ashereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which--' Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete device. Fig. 2 is g a vertical section taken through the line x a: of Fig. 1 the dotted lines showing the position of the cylinder and diaphragm, after a half revolution of the drum has been completed. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, showing one of the compartments of the cylinder contracted, and arrows indicating the manner in which the fluid escapes to the opposite compartment and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the line a: so of Fig. 2.

A represents a metal frame by which the device may be grasped by the hand or attached to a weight and at its upper ends are angular openings A B represents an axle firmly fixed in the angular opening A of the frame, and having longitudinal slot B extending through its center, said slot being adapted to admit a re ciprocating diaphragm C which has perforations 0 adapted to allow fluids to pass through.

D represents a drum adapted to rotate on the stationary axle B to which it is concentrically pivoted and having angular flanges D at its ends, as required to retain within proper bounds a wire or rope wound thereon. Attached to the inside of the said drum, and encircling the stationary axle B and the reciprocating diaphragm O is an eccentric cylinder Fwhich may, be circular or slightly elliptical in shape and adapted to contain a fluid, having .stuffing boxes at its ends encircling the stationary axle B to prevent leakage.

J are rods passing through the drum D to aid in binding the heads to the ends of the cylinder F.

In the practical operation of my invention I fill the cylinder F with a liquid, preferably a lubricant, known as castor-oil, and attach the wire or rope on the drum to an elevated object and attach a weight to the frame A.

It will readily be seen that as the concentrically pivoted drum is rotated by the descent of said weight the eccentric cylinder F will be alternately transposed from the top 6 5 to the bottom of the drum and as the reciprocating diaphragm G is thus operated the two compartments of the cylinder formed by the said diaphragm will be alternately enlarged and contracted thereby forcing the fluid through the diaphragm at the points of ingress and egress C as required to produce friction and slowly lower a weight.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A friction brake for fire escapes c. consistin g of a cylinder adapted to contain a fluid, connected eccentrically with an axle and a diaphragm adapted for allowing ingress and 80 egress of fluids between the opposite compartments of the cylinder said cylinder and diaphragm adapted to operate substantially as shown and described to operate in the manner set forth. 8

2. A fire escape consisting of a frame A, stationary axle B, a reciprocating diaphragm O, a rotatable drum D, having annular flanges D a cylinder eccentrically pivoted to the axle and adapted to rotate thereon, con- 0 structed and combined substantially as shown and described to operate in the manner set forth.

3. A governing-brake for fire escapes 850. comprising a frame an axle fixed to the frame, a drum having a chamber extending eccentrically relative to the'axis of the drum partment to the other, arranged and comand the axle extended through said chambined as and for the purposes stated. her, and a diaphragm extending parallel with the axle and adapted to move laterally WILLIAM THAOKSTON' 5 relative to the axle to produce two transform- \Vitnesses:

able compartments within the chamber in C. M. HAMILTON,

the drum and to force fluid from one com- J. Q. ADAMS.