Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 13th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1900
I, JAMES E. YOUNG, of Hayland, in the State of New York, the United States
of America, Inventor, 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:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes and pertains to a
mechanism involving a revolving cylinder carrying a piston or disc fitting tightly
therein and a supporting shaft for the cylinder, which is screw threaded to
receive the disc, the cylinder being filled with oil or other liquid, whereby the
descent of the person escaping is regulated by the movement of the disc or piston
against the fluid pressure within the cylinder, all of which will be fully described
hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the invention, showing it attached to a window.
Figure 2, is a detached end perspective view of the cylinder, showing the disc
or piston near one end thereof.
Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view.
Fig. 4, is a detached perspective view of the piston or disc.
Referring now to the drawings, A indicates a revolving cylinder, through
which passes a supporting shaft B. This supporting shaft B has its ends D made
angular and fitting in corresponding openings formed in the brackets E, which
are attached to opposite sides of the window frame F, as illustrated. This
cylinder A is provided with three peripheral flanges C, which form the cylinder A
into two reels G and H, around which the escape ropes I and K are wound.
These ropes I and K are wound around the reels G and H in opposite directions,
whereby one rope is being drawn downward by the weight of a person escaping
the other rope is being drawn upward and wound around the other reel for the
use of another person desiring to escape from the burning building.
The shaft B is provided with a longitudinally arranged screw thread J, extend-
ing throughout the length of the cylinder A, and placed within and fitting
tightly the cylinder is a disc or piston L. This piston or disc L is provided with a
central internally screw threaded opening M, which received the screw threaded
portion J of the shaft B.
The cylinder is provided with a longitudinal internally arranged groove N,
into which a fin or projection P upon the disc or piston L extends for the purpose

page_text: of causing the disc or piston to revolve with the cylinder. This disc or piston is
provided with a passage-way R for the escape of the liquid S, situated within
the cylinder A, through this opening and to either side of the piston as it is being
forced endwise within the cylinder A.
The openings Q in the ends of the cylinder, through which the shaft B passes,
are preferably provided with stuffing boxes T¹ of the usual form to constitute a
perfectly tight joint between the shaft and the said openings to prevent the escape
of the oil or other liquid S.
'
In operation when the cylnder A is revolved by pulling downward upon either
of the ropes I or K the disc or piston L is correspondingly revolved owing to the
projection P fitting within the groove N of the cylinder, and owing to the screw
threaded portion J of the stationary shaft B the disc or piston L is moved end-
wise within the cylinder, as will be readily understood and the movement of
the piston, and consequently the revolution of the cylinder A and the speed of
the descent of the escaping person, is regulated by the liquid within the
cylinder A, which is being compressed by the piston or disc L and which is allowed
to escape through the passage-way R within the disc.
It will be readily understood that the speed at which the cylinder A, and
consequently at which the escaping person; shall descend is regulated by the
passage-way R and that this passage-way R has both of its ends freely open for
the passage of liquid in opposite directions, whereby when the piston or disc has
been forced to one end of the cylinder by the unwinding of one of the ropes
around one of the reels. G or H it will be moved to the opposite end of the
cylinder by the drawing downward of the other rope, and thus effecting a
continuous fire escape, whereby the escaping of one person winds up the rope
for the escaping of another person.
While I prefer to use a piston or disc which fits tightly within the cylinder,
and this is provided with an escape opening, it will be readily understood that
instead of having an escape opening the disc or piston could be made sufficiently
loose within the cylinder to afford the proper escape of the liquid therearound
instead of through a passage, as R, formed directly through the piston or disc L.
An escape of this construction is simple and effective and is practically a
continuous escape, in that the escape of one person sets it for the escape of
another.
The escape ropes, which are wound around the reel of the cylinder, will be
covered with a winding asbestos and then cross wound with small wires, making
the ropes thoroughly and perfectly fire proof, whereby they will not be burned
by flame from the building or windows thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. An improved fire escape comprising a non-rotatable shaft, a cylinder sur-
rounding and supported by the said shaft, the cylinder provided with projecting
flanges forming reels, ropes wound around the said cylinder, a piston or disc
within the cylinder and longitudinally movable therein but held against relative
rotation in respect thereto, the shaft having a screw-threaded portion engaging
the said disc for moving it within the cylinder as the cylinder is being revolved,
substantially as described.
2. A fire escape comprising a non-rotatable supporting shaft, a cylinder sur-
rounding and supported by the shaft, a liquid practically filling the said cylinder,
the shaft provided with a longitudinally arranged screw threaded portion within
the cylinder, a piston or dise having a concentric screw threaded opening for the
screw threaded portion of the shaft and longitudinally movable upon, the cylinder,
the disc and cylinder having respectively a projection and a groove to prevent
relative rotation of the disc and cylinder, the parts adapted to operate sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: 3. A fire escape comprising a revolving cylinder, a non-rotatable supporting
shaft therefor, the cylinder provided with a plurality of rope spaces, ropes wound
in opposite directions upon said spaces and constituting reels, the shaft having
an intermediate screw threaded portion extending from end to end within the
cylinder, a liquid within the cylinder, a piston fitting the cylinder and having a
central opening to receive the screw threaded portion of the shaft, the piston
and the cylinder having respectively a groove and a projection to prevent relative
rotation thereof, substantially as described.
4. A fire escape comprising a non-rotatable supporting shaft, a cylinder sur-
rounding and supported thereby, the shaft having a screw threaded portion from
end to end of the cylinder, a rope wound around the cylinder, a piston or disc
within the cylinder and having a central opening receiving the screw threaded
portion of said shaft, the cylinder provided with a longitudinal groove and the
piston with a projection fitting the said groove, the piston constructed to allow a
slight escape of the liquid thereby as it is being moved longitudinally within
the cylinder, substantially as described.
5. A fire escape comprising a non-rotatable supporting shaft, a cylinder inclosing
and supported by the said shaft, the shaft having a longitudinally arranged
screw threaded portion within the cylinder and extending practically from end
to end thereof, a piston or disc fitting tightly the said cylinder, and having a
central opening receiving the screw threaded portion of the shaft, the cylinder
having a longitudinal groove and the piston or disc a projection fitting therein,
the piston having a pressure escape opening extending therethrough and through
which the liquid may freely escape in opposite directions, and ropes wound
around the cylinder in opposite directions the parts constructed and arranged to
operate, substantially as described.
G. A fire escape. substantially as herein shown and described
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.