US836008A

US836008A - Fire-escape.

Info

Publication number: US836008A
Application number: US30734606A
Authority: US
Inventors: Abner R Bostwick; Clarence L Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1906-03-22
Filing date: 1906-03-22
Publication date: 1906-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1923-11-13

Description

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'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABNER R. BOSTWICK, OF DETROIT, AND CLARENCE L. JOHNSON, OF MARINE CITY, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed Marchv 22, 1906. Serial No. 307,346.

T0 all ich/011@ t may concern:

Be it known that we, ABNER R. Bosrwrox, residing at Detroit, Wayne county, and CLAR- ENCE L. JOHNSON, residing at Marine City,

St. Clair county, Michigan, Acitizens of the United States, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to Jrire-escapes which may be attached to the casing of a window or other opening; and the object of our improvement is to provide an escape which may be transported to the place where it is to be used, there placed in operative position in the shortest possible space of time, and after being used may be removed.

Our invention consists principally in a fastening means which may be attached to any windowcasing, to which means the hoisting mechanism may be attached.

Our invention also consists in an improved receptacle for the persons that are to be conveyed to the ground by means of our improved escape.

Our invention consists, further, in the details shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general view of our improved escape in operative position. Fig. 2 is a central cross-section of the basket. Fig. 3 is a view of a lever that may be employed to prevent too rapid descent of the basket. Fig. 4 is a view of the mechanism to attach the end of the hoisting means to the window-casing. Fig. 5 is a view of the shot that is employed to convey the end of the line used to haul up the attaching means to the place where it is to be attached.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Our improved escape is designed to be carried by some portion of the fire apparatus of the municipality or to be stored adjacent to the building where it is to be used. It will not ordinarily be secured in place, although this may be done where there is great danger of iire.

When the apparatus has been placed underneath the window where it is to be used, the persons in the window will lower a line of some kind, to the lower end of which the persons below will attach the fastening device and the attached tackle, which may then be hauled up and secured in place. The fastening device is composed of the two parts 1 and 5 5 2, pivoted to each other at 3 and each provided with a toothed bearing-plate 4.. A strap or lashing 5 engages in holes in the free ends of the parts 1 and 2, and into the strap the upper end of the tackle engages. This tackle is composed of the double block 6, the single block 7, and the line 8.

To the lower block 7 is suspended the basket 9, which is formed of an inner thickness 10, of canvas, an outer shell 12, of thin galvanized sheet metal, and a central filling 13, of asbestos. The bails 14 to the basket connect to the straps 15, that extend down to the bottom. A rod 16 extends centrally across the top of the basket and carries the lid or door 17, which lid is adapted to swing either way with the rod as a pivot, but is always returned to horizontal by means of the spring 18 on the end of the rod.

A rope 19 from the bottom of the basket permits the basket to be guided when ascending or descending.

The lbasket will be hoisted by means of the windlass 20. While being lowered to prevent the line 8 from running off the windlass too fast the operator may place the forked end of the lever 21 on the line, so that the line will slip through the groove 22. By twisting the lever so as to grip the line a greater or less extent the speed of the line may be controlled.

To release the fastening device from the window-casing, we provide one of the parts, such as 2, with a small pulley 22 and the other part with a pulley 23. lA line 24 extends around the pulleys, as shown, and when pulled upon will cause the jaws of the fastening device to open, and thus release it from the casing, the fastening device then falling to the ground. In case the persons in the Window! where the escape is to be attached are not provided with means to hoist the fastening device a light line may be carried to them by using the heavy ball 25, which is thrown up through the window, dragging with it the yline 26. In case the distance is too great 'the ball may be shot up by means of any of the well-known linethrowing devices.

As the weight of the line 8, the block 6, and the fastening devices 1 and 2 is small, there will be no difficulty for one person to haul them up and secure the fastening device in IOO proper position. The greater the load on the tackle the further the teethon'the lates g 4 will be forced into the casing. As t e lid will cover the basket when descending loaded, there is no danger to the occupants of the basket.

Many changes may be made in the details of our construction without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having now explained our improvements, what we claim as our invention, and desire' to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fire-escape, comprising a air of levers pivoted to each other, each aving engaging means at one end, a flexible connection extending across between the other ends of the levers, a two-block tackle attached to this flexible connection, a basket carried at the lower end of the tackle, a windlass for raising and lowering the basket by means ofthe tackle, and means to release the fastening means from operative position.

2. In a hre-escape, the combination of two levers pivoted to each other intermediate their ends, a toothed plate at one end of each lever, a strap attached to the other ends of both levers, a tackle attached to the strap, 1

a basket at the lower end of the tackle, pulleys secured to each of the levers, and a line assing around said ulleys whereby the toothed plates may be orced out of engaging position. f'

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a fastening device, a tackle secured thereto, a basket comprising an inner thickness of canvas, an outer shell of sheet metal, and an intermediate thickness of asbestos, bails secured to the basket and said tackle, a rod extending centrally across the top of said basket, and a lid carried by said rod and adipted to swing down on either side of the ro In testimony whereof We have signed this specification, each in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ABNER R. BOSTWICK. CLARENCE L. JOHNSON.

Witnesses to Bostwick:

ZAY SIPPERLEY, JOHN H. RUssELL.

Witnesses to Johnson: J. L`. BAIRD, ONIEs SCHARF.