US569810A

US569810A - Fire-escape

Info

Publication number: US569810A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 1913-10-20

Description

.(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 1^.

W. CAREY. PIRE ESCAPE.

No. 569,810. Patented Oct. 20, 1896-.

' W '7 v .I0 9 a 9 IEE. -Il- 4 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. CAREY. PIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Oct. 20, 1896.

Jizwigf 4 Sheets-Sheet 3-.

(No Model.)

W. CAREY. PIRE BSGAPB.

No. 569,8t0. Patented Oct. 2 0, 1896a (No Model.)

W. CAREY.

FIRE ESCAPE.

4 Sheets- Sheet 4.

Patented Oct. 20, 1896.

'Wiliam `brag f tion.

'UNITED STATES PATENT Ormel-3.

vXVILLIAM CAREY, OF-VIOLA, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,810, dated October 20, 1896. Application led December 31, 1895. Serial No. 573,921. (No model.)

To all whom vit may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CAREY, a citi'- zen of the United States, residing at Viola, in the county of Mackinac and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Fire- Escape, of which the following is a specifica- The invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes; e

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of lire-escapes, and to provide a portable apparatus which Will be adapted to throw a grappling device over the top of a building in position to yengage the same-and which will form an elevator to enable persons to be quickly transferred from a burning building to thc` ground.

' Another object of the invention is to enable the apparatus to be readily detached from a building after the fire-escape has been used.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the elevator apparatus, for carrying persons and property from a building to the ground, may be readily moved around a building in order to operate readily in connection with any particular window. The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a portable nre-escape apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2is arear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4. is a transverse sectional view. Fig 5 is an-elevation illustrating the manner of anchoring the apparatus to a building. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the grappling-projectile. Fig. '7 is a similar view of the auxiliary grappling device. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective View of the ladder. Fig. 9 is a detail .view illustrating the manner of removing-the ladderfrom a building. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the V- shaped hanger.V Fig. l1 is a detail sectional View illustrating the manner of mounting the dogs of the grappling projectile. Fig. l2 is an elevation of a portion of a building, illustrating lings.

- axle.

'vation and depression of the gun.

the manner 'of mounting an elevator adapted to be transferred from one window to another. Figs. 13 and 14. are detail views of one of the brackets which support the track-wire. Figs. 15 and 1G are detail views of tile brake for controlling the elevator.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the dralw- 1 and 2 designate front and rear axles which have carrying-Wheels journaled on them, and the rear axle 2 is provided with depending arms 3hinged to a platform or base 4 ofa supporting-frame. The platform or base of the supporting-frame is provided with a contracted and tapering front portion 5, which is pivotally connected to the front axle to permit the carriage or vehicle to change its direction. The lower ends of the arms 3 are bifurcated, and are pivoted to tongues of the base or platform, and are arranged in opposite recesses of the rear end thereof.

The supporting-frame which forms the body of the carriage or vehicle consists of the said platform or base 4 and a substantially rectangular superimposed portion G, supported at opposite sides by standards 7.and by a Wind- 6ol i lass-frame 8, which is mounted on the front The sides of the top portion of the frame f orm supports and afford seats for the firemen, and the front of the top portion accommodates the driver and is pivotally connected to the said windlass-frame.

A breech-loading gunt) is mounted on the rear axle, which forms trunnions for the same to permit the muzzle of the gun to be elevated to throw a grappling projectile 10 over the roof 'of a building, and the manner of hinging the rear axle to the frame facilitates the ele- The gun is provided With sights and has its pivoted breech-block 11 secured in its closed position by a catch 12, and mounted on the outer face of the breech-block is a resilient hammer 13 and a trigger 14, and the latter is hinged at one end `to the breech-block, and is provided with an offset or shoulder to receive the hammer to hold the same drawn back preparatory to firing., The trigger is adapted tovbe4 .swung aside to release the hammer to dis'-- charge the gun. After the gun has been prop- IOO erly sighted it is retained in its adjustment by a slotted 'bar 9, supported at it-s lower end on the platform and passing through an opening of a block 9b and engaged by a set-screw.

The charge of powder for firing the gun is introduced at the breech in the usual manner, but the grappling projectile 10 is inserted at the muzzle of the gun, andis provided with pivoted spring-actuated dogs l5,extendin g ra- `as illustrated in Fig. l5. The grappling pro'- jectile is provided at its inner end with a recess 18, in which is pivoted one end of a'link 19, and the latter is provided with a dog 20, and is adapted, when the projectile is discharged from -the gun, to lie longitudinally thereof-; When the gun is loaded, the link 19 is arranged in and projects through a slot..

2l of the gun, the slot extends inward from the muzzle of the gun and is located at the lower side thereof, and a supplemental anchoring-bar 22 is connected with the link and is provided with dogs 23. The `dogs 2O and 23 are pivoted in recesses and are thrown out- -ward by springs 24, and their outward move'- ment is limited by shoulders of the recesses, and the recesses yof the grappling projectile 10 are also provided withshoulders, which are engaged by the dogs 15.

The anchoring-bar is provided at its inward end with a pulley 25, around which passes a wire rope 26, and the latter is coiled on conical posts 27. The conical posts 27 are mounted on lthe rear axle and are arranged parallel with the barrel of the gun, andwhen the projectile is fired therefrom the rope readily uncoils from the posts.4 The outer ends of the post are perforated for thereception of pins 28, which' prevent the rope 26 from accidentally uncoiling. `f

One end of .the rope 26 is secured to the main frame of the vehicle or carriage, and the other end of the ropeis secured to the ladder 29, which is provided at the upper ends of the sides with hooks 30, and which is adapted tobe drawn upward to the roof of av building and to have its vhooks engage the same, as illustrated in Fig. 5 of 'the accompanying drawings. After the ladder has been properly arranged in engagement with the roof of a' building a firm and secure support or hanger is afforded, and the ladder is provided with a pulley 31, t 65.

rungs of the ladder. The wire rope 32 passes arranged in a suitable block attached to the center of one ofthe rtrated in comprising a over the pulley of the ladder,iand has attached to it a cage 33,v which is adapted to transfer persons from. a .building to the ground. One end of the wire rope or cable.

32 is designed to be wound around a windlass of the apparatus, so that 'the cage may .be conveniently hoisted and lowered, and, if desired', a pair of cages maybe employed, as-

illustrated in Fig. 12 of the accompanying drawings, one beingsecured to each leaf or portion of the wire rope 32". The cage and the ladder are designed to' be constructed of suitable metal, and the cage is provided at1 its bottom with a perforation 34, adapted to receive a pinD or stud 35 of the iframe of the carriage', whereby the cage is detachably mounted thereon.

The ladder has its lowermost rung extended laterally to provide arms 36, to which may be connected ropes for steadying the ladder in guiding it to the top of the building as it is dra-wn upward by the rope 26, and centrally connected to the lowermost rung is a wire rope 37, which passes over a pulleyl 38 of a substantially V-shaped the hanger are provided at their upper' ends with teeth 40 for engaging the roof, and after hanger 39, and the sides of the-fire has been extinguished or it is desirable to remove the ire-escape-from thg-lmilding access is had to the roof by wayum the 1 ladder and the grappling projectile is disengaged. YThe V-shaped'hanger is then placed in position for engagement with the roof adjacent to the ladder, which is adapted to be drawn upward out of engagement with the roof b v mea-ns of the rope 37, as clearly illusings.

The platform is provided in advancewf the rearv axle with conical posts 40, adapted to have ropes coiled around them. The'platform also has mounted on it a'support 4l, which is provided'with ahook`42, adapted t0 engage an eye 43 of the muzzle of the gun to lock the gun in a horizontal position. The windlass-frame 8 is provided at each side with a windlass 44, and'it has forwardly# extending arms receiving a windlass. 45, and a roller 46 is' journaled on the Windlass-fraine in rear of the windlass 45. At the rear face of the windlass-frame are arranged cleats for `the attachmertof ropes.'

When two cages.. are employed, the wire rope or cable 32a base-plate 48 and the lever 49, pivoted at one end in an opening or bifurcation 49a of the base-plate 48, and provided at its other end with an enlargement 50, forming a treadle-or foot-piece, andhaving intermediate of its ends a groove 51, adapted to receive the wire rope or cable 32a. The wire Fig. 9 of the accompanying'draw is controlled by abrake 47,

IOO

'IIO

32 is arranged in grooves 52 of the base,l lo- 'cated at opposite sides of theopening or bifurcation, 'and the brake is'preferably'secured to the superimposed frame of the carriage at the foot piece or portion thereof in order-that it maybe readily controlled by the foot of the operator. v

The brake will enable the -elevator to be readily'controlled, and a loaded cage may be lowered as slowly as desired to avoid injury topersons or property.

irfther. The brackets are provided at their ons s with entrance-openings communicating .sith the recesses and the grooves or lVhen itis desired to transfer the elevator from one window or portion of a building to another portion thereof, a horizontally-disposed track wire rope or cable 53 is employed and preferably extends around the entire building, and the track wire rope orcable is supported by brackets 54, having a substantially V-shaped upper portion 55 and provided below the same with 'grooves or notches 56 for the reception of the track wire or cable 53.

These brackets are mounted on the exterior of the building at windows or -other convenient places and each is provided above the" grooves or notches 56 with a substantially inverted-U-shaped(recessv or'opening 57, in which is arranged a horizontally-disposed shield 58. n

The shield 58 is inverted- U -shaped in crosssection and is constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material, 'and it forms a shed to protect the track Wire`or cable from the notches, and the track wire or cable may be readily lifted out of the groove or notch of anyfone'of the brackets and disengaged therefrom'to permit the yelevator to pass the bracket, and the wire or cable 32a passes over a lower'pulle of a hanger 59. The hanger 59 is provided with upper and lower pulleys or 'mlrr' The upper pulley or roller is arranged on the track wire or cable, and the 'lower pulley or roller receives the said wire orcable 32".

The elevator may be operated either by.

means of a windlass or by hand, as may be found necessary or desirable, and the car- 'riage is preferably provided at, its top-with windlasses 60 for facilitating the operation of the elevator. f

'It will be seen that the fire-escape issimple and comparatively inexpensive in construc-A tion, that it is positive and reliable in operation, and that it will enable the inmates of a building to be quickly removed.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principleA or sacricing-any advantages of the invention.

What I claim is- 1. In a lire-escape, the combination of aV gun provided with a longitudinal slot extend- .inginward from the muzzle, a projectile pro- ,vided with a pivoted linkadapted to extend through the-slot, and a supplemental anchoring-bar connected with the link, substantially as described.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a gun provided with a longitudinal slot, a grappling'prcjectile having'a recess and provided with spring-actuated dogs, a link pivotedin the recess and adapted to extend longitudinally of the projectile, and also to project outward from the slot of the gun and provided with a dog, and a supplementalanchoringbar connected with the link and4 provided with dogs and adapted to carry a rope, substantially as described.

4. Ina nre-escape, a ladder composed of sides having their upper ends curved and forming hooks for engaging a roof, and rungs or steps connecting the sides, the lowermost rung being extended beyond both sides ofthe ladder and forming laterally-projecting arms 36 adapted to receive' ropes for guiding the ladder, substantially as described.

5. Thecombination with a ladder provided with hooks for engaging la roof, of means for removingthe ladder from a roof and lower- .ing' the same to the ground, said means comprising a substantially V-shaped hanger provided at the upper ends of .its sides with teeth for detachably engaging a roof, a pulley arranged at the apex or lower end of the hanger, and a ,rope or cable arranged on the pulley and having one end attached to the bottom of the ladder, substantially as described.

. `6. -In a; nre-escape, the combination of a lframe, a front axle connected therewith, a rear axle providedwith depending arms hinged to the frame, carrying-wheels mounted on the axles a gun mountedvon the rear axle,` and conical posts mounted 0n the rear axle and qarran ged substantially parallel, substantially as described.

,7. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame comprising a base, a top, and posts supporting the top, a front axle pivotally connected with the base,a windlass-frame mount-A ed on the. front axle and supporting the top of the frame, a rear axle hinged to the platform, carrying-wheels mounted. on the axles and a gunv mounted on the rear axle, substantially as described.

8. In a nre-escape, the combination ofa frame comprising a platform, and a top having opposite sides and provided with a front connecting the sides, a front axle, a rear axle hinged to the frame, carrying-wheels mounted on the axles a gun mounted on the rear axle, 'and a fastening device arranged at the'front of the platform and adapted to lock the gun in a horizontal position, substantially as described. 1

9. In a fire-escape, the combination of va frame, a cable carried by the frame, a baseplate having a longitudinal opening and provided with grooves at opposite sides of the AIco IIO

opening to receive the cable, and a lever fulcrurned at one end in the opening, provided.'

intermediate of-its ends with a groove to receive the cable and having at its other end a substantially as described.

y 10. In' a fire-escape, the combination with a track Wire or cable, of a series of brackets provided with grooves or notches 56 receiving the track wire or cable., said brackets being provided above the' grooves or notches with inverted-U,shaped recesses and having entrance-openings at their outer-sides communicating with the recesses or grooves and the notches, to permit the track wire or cable to be disengaged from the bracket, and a shield substantially U-shaped incross-section arranged in the recesses ofthe brackets and disposed over the track Wire or cable, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

Vitn'esscs M. IIOBAN, C. W, BERTCH.

YVILLIAM CAREY.