US636771A

US636771A - Fire-escape.

Info

Publication number: US636771A
Application number: US72308899A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis N Duquette
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1899-07-07
Filing date: 1899-07-07
Publication date: 1899-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1916-11-14

Description

Patented Nov. [4, I899. L. N. DUQUETTE.

F l B E E S C A P E (Application filed July 7, 1899.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1,

(No Model.)

I I I II II I 1220622207" Z aaz: wily/1622 6 Mam.

No. 636,771. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

L. N. DUHUETTE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Applicafiion filed July 7, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

m: norms PETERS co, PNOTO-LXTHO.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

No. 636,77l. Patented Nov, 14, I899.

L. N. DUOUETTE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed July 7, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets$heet 3.

K? lll\lgll:::: l:; ll;f mm 6 h 7 gi'mlnn I. H

7266 6:5. a 6 Loam .flf'fiaywzk m: NORRIS PETERS (-0., maraumo. WASHINGTON, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS N. DUQUETTE, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 636,771, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed July 7,1899. Serial No. 723,088. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs N. DUQUETTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Southbridge, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact deseriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to fire-escapes, and aims to provide meansfor safely making an exit from a burning building or a compartment thereof through a window or other egressopening, and when not in use adapted to be reduced to compact form and stored in a small space, and one wherein the mechanism is simple and easily controllable to regulate the rapidity of descent by the occupant of the device.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the drawings, and its novel features defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fire-escape embodying the invention and shown arranged for use. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the seat or top removed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal Vertical section of the device on the line 00 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified construction of the device.

Like numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a box or casing having substantially closed sides and ends and bottom. Portions of the ends 2 extend above a top 3, the latter forming a seat and having hinged at the rear a foldable back 4, with supporting-straps or analogous devices 5 attached thereto and to the front 6 of the said box or casing. lVhen the back 4 is not in use, it is folded down on the top or seat 3 and lies flush with the upper projected portions of the sides 2.

Within the box or casing drums 7 are rotatably mounted and disposed transversely,

the said drums having front flanges 8 and rear limiting-flangesQ, between which the suspending ropes or cables 10 are wound upon and unwound from the said drums. The drums have bearing at opposite ends in suitable sockets or analogous devices 11 which receive the axes 12 of the said drums, and in rear of the flanges 9 the drums have

similar flanges

13 and 14. The

flanges

9 and 13 of each drum are closely arranged and provide confined bearing-surfaces for a cross-belt 15, which runs from one drum to the other and serves to preserve a uniformity of rotation of the two drumsand to make them play out the ropes or cables equally, and thereby prevent tilting of the box or casing. The ropes or cables 10 are confined between the

flanges

8 and 9, and, as just indicated, the belt 15 is held between the

flanges

9 and 13, and between the flanges l3 and 14 a braking-surface is provided on each drum and traversed by a brake strap or band 16,-preferably having a double winding around the said braking-surfaces of the drums and the free ends secured to a transverse support 17 above the said braking strap or band. This transverse support 17 is located centrally between the drums and immediately under the top or seat 3 and is exposed at the front through a central slot 18 in the latter. Pivotally hung from the said support 17 is a brake-lever 19, which projects through a vertical slot 20 in the front side 6 of the box or casing and has a flexible or strap stirrup 21 on the outer end thereof. The inner end of the said brake-lever is secured to the brake strap or band 16, and by varying the down ward movement of the said brake-lever the tension of the strap 16 will be likewise varied on the braking-surfaces of the drums. To hold the brake-lever 19 downward and institute a braking tension of the strap or band 16 on the drum in preparing to use the device and during the time that preliminary arrangements are being made for such use, a clamping-screw 22 is mounted in the frontend portion of the support 17 and bears against the outer part of the said brakinglever. This fixed braking position of the lever 19 will be maintained under ordinary circumstances at all times when the device is not in use, because it is necessary to turn the clamping-screw 22 downward through the slots 18 in the top or seat 3 to make a flush fitting and allow the foldingback to be closed down snugly on the said top or seat.

The ends 2 of the box or casing, near the bottom, have elongated slots 23 formed therein to exteriorly expose and give bearing to feed-rollers 24, which extend in planes parallel with the drums 7. These feed-rollers guide the ropes or cables at points where they leave the box or casing in an easy and free manner, and project said ropes or cables far enough outward at their points of exit to avoid binding on or frictional contact with adjacent surfaces, and also facilitate the regular play-out of the said ropes or cables from the drums on which they are wound. Above the feed-rollers 24: and secured centrally in the ends 2 are guide-eyes 25, and above and in alinement with said eyes the lower ends of flexible gripping-tubes 26 are secured by clips 27. The gripping-tubes project some distance above the top or seat of the box or casing, and the ropes or cables 10 pass up through the said eyes and gripping-tubes. The occupant of the escape can steady the device by grasping the tubes 26, and also by compressing the latter the speed of descent may be regulated independently of the operation of the brake strap or band. The upper ends of the ropes or cables are supplied with hooks or analogous fastening devices 28 for application to a window-sill or other place of engaging rest to firmly connect the upper ends of said ropes or cables with safety.

In operation the occupant rests on the top or seat 3, the hooks or analogous devices 28 having been first firmly applied to a support. The clamping-screw 22 is released, and the weight of the person on the box or casing causes the ropes or cables 10 to play off from the drums? and allows a descent to be made. During the descent the speed may be easily controlled either through the tube 26 or by pressing down on the lever 19, the latter operation being accomplished by the foot of the occupant, which is inserted in the flexible stirrup 21, and this in turn draws the brake strap or band taut on the brake-surfaces of the drums.

The device can be stopped at any window or before any opening in a building-wall over which a descent is made therewith, and the seat or top 3 can be primarily made large enough to receive a number of persons, and by means of said stopping facilities a number of persons can be accommodated and rescued from the burning building. The escape may be elevated after it is fully lowered by means of other ropes and the ropes or cables 10 rewound on the drums 7, ready for a successive descent. It is preferred in the use of the de vice that one person attend to the brake mechanism; but others at opposite sides may easily grasp the compressible tubes 26 and by proper instructions at regular intervals set up a braking friction on the ropes or cables 10. The greater the load on the escape the more rapid the descent, and the dual provision specified for regulating the rapidity of downward movement will prevent accident in the event of breakage or injury to a part of the mechanism. It is preferred that the ropes or cables be made of non-combustible material or treated in such manner as to be fireproof.

Though the preferred form of the device has been illustrated and descriptively disclosed, changes in the proportions, dimensions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without in the least departing from the nature of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of the construction, in which provision is made for returning the escape to its elevated position after it has been lowered. In this construction the winding-drums are each provided with an annular flange 7, on one side of which are wound the lowering-ropes 10. On the opposite side of each flange '7 the drum is circumferentially enlarged, and upon it is wound a rope 10 the winding of the ropes 10 being a reversal of that of the lowering-ropes 10, so that the unwinding of the lowering-ropes operates to wind the elevating-ropes 10, and by pulling on the ropes 10 the ropes 10 are wound up, thus elevating the escape.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is 1. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums arranged therein, ropes or cables wound around said drums, and adapted to play out equally therefrom, and a belt connecting said drums to institute a uniformity of rotation thereof.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums therein, suspending ropes or cables wound around said drums, and adapted to play out equally therefrom; a belt connecting said drums to insure a uniformity of rotation, a brake band or strap engaging said drums, and a brake-lever attached to said brake band or strap and movable to vary the tension of the same.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums therein, suspending ropes or cables wound around said drums; a crossed belt connecting said drums, a brake band or strap engaging said drums, a movable lever connected with said brake band or strap and projecting outwardly from the support, and a flexible stirrup attached to the outwardlyprojecting portion of the brake-lever,

i. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums therein, suspending ropes or cables wound around said drums, a crossed belt connecting the drums, a brake band or strap engaging said drums, a brake-lever movably mounted in the support and attached to the brake band or strap, and a clamping-screw to bear on said lever and adjust the same in fixed position, to institute a constant tension of the brake band or strap on the drums.

5. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums mounted therein, ropes or cables wound thereon, an equalizing crossed belt connecting the drums, and feed-rollers in the ends of the support, over which the ropes or cables have movement.

6. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums mounted therein, suspending ropes or cables passing around said drums and adapted to feed out through the opposite ends of said support or move inwardly thereinto, guides for said ropes or cables on the ends of the support, and compressible tubes secured to the ends of the support above the guides and through which the said ropes or cables pass and have free movement.

7. In a fire-escape, the combination of a LOUIS N. DUQUETTE.

Witnesses:

ALFRED ALLURD, PLAOID G. LALIBERTI.