Improvements in Fire Escapes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
Improvements in Fire Escapes.
We, IRA LORENZO GLEASON, Mechanic, of Hutchinson, in the State of Minnesota,
and ALBERT WILLIAM POTTER, Farmer, of Boon Lake, in the State of Minnesota,
both in the United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
6.
This invention has for its object to provide an improved fire escape of that
type generally characterised as rope-grip" or friction brake," as we shall
describe referring to the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which
like characters indicate like parts.
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations, partly sectional, shewing the improved fire escape
applied to a window sill.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation with some parts broken away, shewing the controlling
device or carrier.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line of Fig. 3; and
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the grapple or hook.
1 indicates a rope arranged to support the person descending, being provided
at each end win a portion of chain 2, having a ring or link 3, to which a double
pronged hook or grapple + can be readily applied.
a indicates a body strap, provided at its ends with snap hooks a', and also
preferably provided with a loose ring a².
The body 5 of the controller frame or traveller is in the form of a long loop
having at its ends guide loops or eyes 6, and provided at its central portion with
a friction block 7, clamped in position by a boft 8, and prevented from turning by
ribs 9 on the inner sides of the bracket engaging grooves in the ends of the block 7.
A long bail 10 extends from end to end of the body 5 and on this bail is free to
move the link 11 of a chain 12 which has at its free end a link 13.
Pivotted between the sides of the body 5, on pins or rivets 14, on both sides
of the block 7, are two reversely extending brake levers 15, the free ends of
which can be embraced by the fingers of the hand, while holding the adjacent
portion or end of the body 5, the fingers or the hand being passed through the
opening between the body 5 and the bail 10. The levers 15 have openings 16,
to prevent them from becoming rapidly heated by their friction on the rope.
inner ends 17 of the levers bear against the block 7 to limit their opening move-
ments, these ends being forked as shewn in Fig. 4, so as to straddle and pass
the rope 1. as it rounds the stud 7.
The
The use of the fire escape is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 1 illustrates its
use by a person in an upper story for lowering another person to the ground.
In this case the hook 4 is applied to the end link 13 of the chain 12, and the
hook is applied to the window sill or other suitable part. The body strap a
having been placed around the person to be lowered, preferably just below the
arms, and the snap hooks a¹ having been hooked to the ring 3 at the lower end
of the rope, the descent can be controlled by a person at the upper window,

page_text: gripping the upper end of the bracket 5 and the upper brake lever 15. One
person having been lowered, another person can be lowered without drawing up
the rope, simply by reversing the bracket 5, end for end, by running the bail 10
through the link 11 of the chain 12, and then lowering the second person from
the other end of the rope.
When a person wishes to descend without the assistance of another person,
the hook 4 is attached to the link 3 at one end of the rope and the snap hooks a¹
of the body strap a are hooked to the link 13 of the chain 12. The person may
then controll his own descent by gripping the lower end of the bracket 5 and the
lower brake lever 15. This use of the fire escape is illustrated in Fig. 2. The
loose ring on the strap a can be hooked to one of the snap hooks a¹, when
it is desired to apply the body strap to a small person.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:
1. In combination with a rope a traveller having a bail extending its length,
a friction block about which the rope is turned, suitable guide channels for the
rope, and a pair of brake levers, also a body strap, substantially as described.
2. In combination with a rope the traveller 5 having the bail 10 the end guide
eyes 6, the central friction block 7, the brake levers 15 pivotted on 5, the chain
connection 12 sliding on the bail 10, and a hook or grapple and a sling or body
strap, both capable of being secured at will to the end of the rope or to the
chain connection 12, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of December 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.