US582426A

US582426A - Fire-escape

Info

Publication number: US582426A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1914-05-11

Description

(No Model.) I

H. JACOBS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 582,426. Patented May 11, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE,

- HOMER JACOBS, OE GEORGETOWN, SOUTH CAROLINA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,426, dated May 11, 1897. Application filed August 18, 1896. Serial No. 603,114. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that -I,HOMER J AOOBS,a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Georgetown, in the county of Georgetown and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever found in both views.

This invention relates to fire-escapes; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is simple in construction and operation, while being well adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional side view of my improved fire-escape, showing the method of its operation; and Fig. 2, a plan .view thereof.

In the practice of my invention I provide two segmental jaws 5 and 6, each of which is provided with a downwardly and outwardly directed arm 7, and said jaws are connected at their upper ends by side links 8, two of which are employed, said side links being connected with the opposite sides of the jaws by pivotal bolts or pins 9.

The inner or adjacent surfaces of the convex sides of the jaws 5 and 6 are longitudinally grooved, as shown at 10, and the lower ends of the arms 7 of said jaws are connected by a rope, cord, or chain 11, which is passed through holes 12, and mounted on said rope, cord, or chain 11 is ahook or similar device 13.

Each of the jaws 5 and 6 is provided centrally thereof with transverse openings 14, in each of which is mounted a roller 15, said rollers being .mounted on shafts 16, and one of said shafts is projected at one side and provided with a crank 17 having a handle 18.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof.

A suitable rope 19 is suspended from any suitable support, such as the frame of a window or from the cornice of a building, and the end thereof is passed through the fire-escape or between the jaws 5 and 6, as shown in Fig. 1, and a basket or other device may be suspended from the hook 13, and all that is necessary in order for a person to lower himself from a window or other elevated position is to step into said basket, which is suspended on the rope 19, and the jaws will slide down said rope until they reach the ground. In order to produce this result, the crank 17 must be turned in the direction of the arrow, and it will be apparent that the rollers 15 constitute the chief bearing upon said rope, and as the crank 17 is turned these rollers will be turned also, and the operation will be readily understood, the jaws 5 and 6 moving downwardly along the rope 19 as the crank 17 is turned.

The weight of the party upon the rope, cord, or chain 11 will be such as to draw the lower ends of the jaws 5 and 6 together so tightly that they would not descend on the rope if it were not for the crank 17, and the speed with which the device descends on the rope may therefore be regulated as desired or is entirely under the control of the party in the basket or other support.

My invention is not limited to any particular means for suspending a person from the rope, cord, or chain 11, and an ordinary waistband connected with the hook 13 will serve for this purpose.

This device is simple in construction and operation, while being perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it is evident that changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent- In a fire-escape two segmental jaws pivotally connected at their upper ends in such a manner that the convex sides thereof are directed inwardly, each of said jaws being longitudinally grooved on its inner side, a grooved roller journaled centrally in each of the said jaws, a crank connection with the shaft of one my invention I have signed my name, in presof said rollers and said jaws being provided ence of the subscribing witnesses, this 1st day at their lower end with outwardly-curved of August, 1896. arms, a chain connecting said curved arms, 5 and a rope on which the jaws are adjustably Witnesses:

suspended, as set forth. HERMAN BRYAN,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 1 JOHN CHARLES TAM'PLET.

HOMER JACOBS.