US976861A - Fire-escape. - Google Patents

Description

L. H. FIRESTONE.

FIRE ESCAPE. 'APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 16. 1909.

976,861 r Patented Nov. 29, 1910 LL V El 7 I .I 19 i5 ME 5 LOUIS H. FIRESTONE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application filed September 16, 1909. Serial No. 5182093.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS H. FIRESTONE,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FireEscapes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the numbers of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of fire escapes adapted for individual use and to afford means adapted to be installed in each room of a building to permit the occupant to escape in case of fire.

It is also an object of the invention to afford a comparatively light, yet strong, construction, capable of being carried by travelers.

The object of the invention is to afford an exceedingly light, strong and durable device adapted to utilize a small non-combustible cable and provided with a controlling device whereby the descent may be perfectly regulated by the user without the necessity of manually engaging the cable, thus avoiding injury to the hands and insuring more efiicient action.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a sectional detail of the controlling device. Fig. 2 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 1, with parts omitted. Fig. 3 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings: a controller consisting, as shown, of a circular metallic holder 13, having an interior central recess in which are adjustably secured the co-acting clamping jaws 14, which as shown on their adjacent faces are grooved longitudinally to receive therebetween, and fit to, the cable 2, which extends diametrically through the casing 13, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Each of said clamping jaws, as shown, is provided with a plurallty of pins 15, which extends outwardly through the wall of said shell at a right angle with the cable and are there secured to a movable collar 16, one on each side of a central threaded shaft 17, which is integral, as shown, with the casing. Said collar is provided with an internally recessed flange 18, in which is engaged a fillet 19, on the wheeled nut 20, whereby the clamping jaws may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly as required to regulate the grip on the cable 2.

Integral with the casing on the lower side thereof are metallic lips 21, and extended therethrough are straps 23, one on each side of the controller, one end of each of which is adapted to be rigidly secured on a belt, and the other end of which extends upwardly through said loop on the controller and thence is led downwardly and engaged to a buckle on said belt.

The operation is as follows: In the event of fire or any contingency making it desirable to escape immediately from the room, the operator secures one end of the cable 2 within the room raises the lower sash of the window and after adjusting the controller by setting the clamping jaws rather tightly on the cable or rod (which is usually of small size) the operator swings off and retaining his hold upon the hand wheels, regulates the rapidity of his descent by varying the pressure exerted on the cable by said clamp.-

Of course, the harness may vary through a wide range and any suitable means for supporting the person upon the cable may be used. W'hatever harness may be employed, however, it is important that an eflicient controller be employed to regulate the descent and this is the more important owing to the small size of the cable that usually may be as small as one eighth of an inch in diameter.

Of course, numerous details of the construction may be varied. I therefore do not purpose limiting this application for patent otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A controlling device for fire escapes comprising a casing, a plurality of clamping jaws therein, threaded shafts rigidly secured to opposite sides of the casings and hand wheels threaded on said shafts and connected with the clamping jaws.

2. A controlling device for fire escapes comprising a casing having a passage therethrough to receive a cable, clamping jaws in the casing, threaded shafts secured to the casing, pins secured to each clamping jaw and pro ecting through the casing, one on each side of the respective shafts, collars,

one secured to, each set of pins; and hand wheels, threaded 'on the shafts and having swiveled connection with the collars.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a cable of a casing through which the same runs, oppositely movable clamping jaws in the casing adapted to grip the cable therebet-ween, oppositely directed threaded shafts on the outer side of said casing, a nut engaged on each of said threaded shafts and connected with one of. the clamping jaws, and. permitting regulation of the pressure thereof, and an adjustable harness, for the. operator supported on said controller.

4;. In a device of the class described a cable, a casing having a passagetheret-hrough to receive the, cable, clamping blocks, one on each side of the cable and concave to fit partly around the cable, a collar connected with each clamping block, threaded shafts secured to the casing and a hand wheel threaded on each threaded shaft and having a swivel connection with the collars adapted when rotated on the shafts to reciprocate the clamping blocks to grip or release the cable.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS H. FIRESTONE.

Witnesses:

CHAR ES W. HILLs, K. E. HANNAH.

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