An Improved Fire Escape.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr.,
1894
An Improved Fire Escape.
JOHN ELLIS GRIFFITH 31 Porchester Road Bayswater London, W. Drapery
Buyer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
11
A steel jib, fixed to a steel tube, which is threaded at each end, so as to work
two similarly threaded rods, so that they will expand to fix apertures of varying
widths. From each of these rods, a steel chain is carried to nearly end of jib to
stay same. The jib is further stayed by two steel tubes or rods resting on Bill of
window.
On the end of jib is fixed a pulley through which runs a rope, the pulley being
of such construction so as not to allow the rope to run through at a dangerous speed.
The man would be secured to the rope by two strong straps, one under his arms,
the other to form a kind of a seat, the slack rcpe could be manipulated by himself,
or by others inside the window or in the street.
Dated this 20th day of June 1893.
JOHN ELLIS GRIFFITH.
An improved Fire Escape.
J, JOHN ELLIS GRIFFITH, of 31, Porchester Road, Bayswater, in the County
of London, Drapery Buyer, 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 :-
My invention relates to a fire-escape of simple strong and light c
*construction
adapted for use in any ordinary window or other opening of a building and to be
folded into a small compass.
In carrying out my invention 1 employ a tube or hollow bar in the ends of which
work screw-threaded rods so as to allow the tube to be fixed in windows or other
openings of different widths. A jib or arm is loosely attached to the said tube so
that it can be brought to extend at about a right angle therefrom or be folded
alongside the tube. The jib is provided with stays consisting of chains extending
from the outer end of the jib to the screw threaded rods, and of hollow or solid
rods or legs designed to bear upon the sill of the window or the like. To the outer
end of the jib is hinged a pulley block through which runs a rope the said block
being so constructed as to automatically check the speed of the rope when a person
suspended thereby is descending.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved fire-escape shewing it applied to a
window.
Figure 2 is a plan, and,
Figure 3 a sectional side elevation of the same.
Figure 4 is a section drawn to an enlarged scale of one end of the tube and one
of the screw-threaded rods.

page_text: a is the tube provided with a screw-threaded bushing (Figure 4) at each end
and c, care the screw-threaded rods working in the said bushings in the ends of the
tube a the threads of such rods being of opposite hands and provided with angular
grippers d, d at their outer ends so that by preventing the rods from turning and
at the same time turning the tube by its hexagonal portion e the tube can be made
to fir as shewn across windows or openings of different widths and be clamped
therein. The inner ends of the rods are provided with studs forming stops
which prevent the rods from being entirely withdrawn from the tube.
g is the jib or arm loosely attached to the tube or bar a its inner end / being for
this purpose formed angular and slotted as clearly shewn in Figure 5, so that the
jib can be folded alongside the bar as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2 when
the apparatus is not in use or extend horizontally therefrom as shewn when it is
required for use.
i, i are the chains for horizontally staying the jib g such chains being attached to
eyes j, j on the fore end of the jib and to short rods k, & hinged to eyes l. 1 on the
rods c, the said rods & serving to prevent the chains from winding upon the rods c
whilst the bar is being turned.
m, m are the rods or legs for vertically staying the jibg such rods or legs being
jointed at n, n and hinged to the jib at o, o to allow of their being folded up along-
side the bar a for removal or storage or to be placed into the position shewn so as
to bear upon the sill of the window (or other suitable place). The legs m are
curved as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 to allow space for a person to pass between
them when getting out of the window.
2 is the pulley block hinged at and carried on the outer or fore end of the jib g
the said block being fitted with three pulleys s, t and u over which passes a
rope v, in the manner shewn in Figure 3, v being the part of the rope which
carries the load and to which are advantageously attached two strong straps
designed to be placed under the arnis of the escaping person and another strap
adapted to form a kind of seat for the said person; v¹ is the slack part of the rope
which can be manipulated by the person escaping or by another person inside or
outside the building.
On the pulley are teeth w which engage a pawl z pivotted to, the block q so
that, when the load is descending and the rope is consequently travelling in the
direction of the arrows Figure 3, the pulley u will be prevented from revolving and
will therefore act like a brake and check the speed of the rope. When, on the
other hand, the rope is being hauled in the opposite direction the pulley u will
revolve so that the rope will run freely.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination of parts forming the improved fire-escape arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
100
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.