US920956A

US920956A - Portable fire-escape.

Info

Publication number: US920956A
Application number: US44074008A
Authority: US
Inventors: John William Jeffries
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1908-06-27
Filing date: 1908-06-27
Publication date: 1909-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1926-05-11

Description

J. JBFFRIES. ronTAiLz FIRE ESCAPE. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 27, 1908.

920,956. Patented May11,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

rm: Royals Psrn's cot, wnmucmu. p. c.

J. w. JEFFRIES. PORTABLE FIRE ESGAPE. APPLIOATIONIILED JUNBZZ'IQOS.

Patented May 11, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- Witnesses JOHN WILLIAMJEFFRIESQF PATTONSBURG, MISSOURI.

ron'rABLn FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11,1909.

Application filed June '27, 1908. Serial No. MOJY IO.

To all whom it may concern: I I

Be it known that I, JOHNWIL IAM JEF- FRIES, a citizen of the-United States, residing at Pattonsburg, in the county of Daviess and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fire- Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My present invention relates to improve ments in portable fire escapes, the main object of my invention, being theprovision of a portable frame-work, which is kept readily accessible within a room of abuilding, and which can be quickly placed at awindow or proper exit inthe wall, and project a flexible ladder, whereby the occupants may safely leave the burning or endangered buildmg.

To attain these objects, the invention consists ]primarily of a frame-work having adjusta ly mounted near its up er end a pair of brackets, in which is journa ed the flexible ladder and its retaining drum, while in the lower end of the frame work, I provide a sill engaging means, which'holds the frame work in rigid position when inuse;

To more clearly illustrate my invention, attention is invited to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete fire-escape, the ladder beingupon its drum. Fig. 2 shows the escape in use at a window. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the ladder supporting bracket and drum, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the sill engaging hooks. Referring to the drawings:The numeral 1 designates the two long vertical strips or bars, which are spaced and held apart at the top by the transverse strip 2, which extends beyond each strip 1, and at the bottom by means of the round rods or rungs 3 and the two cross-bars 4. When this frame is out of use, it is adapted to standvertically upon its rollers or casters 5, and lean against the wall within the room, and accessible to a window or other opening in the wall. 7

Secured adjustably by means of the bolts 6, to the strips or bars 1, and projecting upon one side thereof, areithe two brackets 7, which have j ournaled in their outer ends 8, the shaft 9, of the drum 10, which carries the flexible ladder 11. In order to wind the ladder upon the drum, I employ thehandle or crank 12, and to hold the drum at any desired position; I employ the pawl and ratchet l3. construction, and'by examining Fig. 2, it will be seen that the frame remains upon the inside of the window, While the drum and ladder are projected exteriorly of the same, so that theladder will pass down in front of the window, and the windows directly below, so that occupants may ste upon the rungs 3, through the window an upon the ladder, and with their back to the building can very readily descend safely.

In order-to hold the frame against slippin I employ the two pivotally and adjustalfly mounted sill engaging hooks or arms 14, which are secured to the strips 1, so that their hooked ends will engage the outer face of the window sill or wall, and thus prevent the lower end of the frame, when weight is placed upon the ladder and brackets, from sliding back into the building and thus precipitating the escape through the window.

By this construction of a portable fire-escape, it will be seen that one may be kept in either ofthe top story rooms, or in each room of a building, and that by reason of its simplicity, the occupants may quickly place the frame in position at the window and let the ladder down upon the exterior of the wall. Thus I produce a simple, durable and inexpensive portable fire-escape, which is thoroughly efflcient and practlcal.

What I claim, as new, is

1. In a portable fire-escape, the combination of a frame adapted to parallel the inner wall of a building and project above and below an opening or window therein, brackets window, a drum j ournaled in said brackets, a

flexible ladder mounted upon said drum and adapted to parallel the exterior of the building, and means carried by the frame and adapted to engage the lower edge of the opening or window, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a portable fire-escape, the combination of a frame adapted to parallel the inner wall of a building and project above and below an opening'or window therein, brackets carrying a drum and a flexible ladder carried by said frame and adapted to be projected through said 0 ening or Window, and a pair of pivoted hoo s-connected to the frame and 5 adapted to engage the sill or the opening or Window and hold the frame in parallel position.

4. A portable fire-escape, comprising two parallel vertical strips, a transverse strip at 10 the top projecting beyond the vertical strips,

eross bars securing the lower ends of the vertical strips, two rungs mounted in the lower