IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Payne at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th March
1863.
I, JAMES PAYNE, of Kirkcudbright, in the County of Kirkcudbright, North
Britain, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of fire escapes,
especially suitable for use in ordinary dwelling houses, although generally
applicable in all situations where such apparatus may be thought to be
desirable.
Under one modification the improved fire escape consists of a simple open
rectangular framework to be placed inside the window of the house. This
frame, which may be constructed so as to have the appearance of a piece of
furniture, a settee or ottoman, for instance. On this frame is disposed, in end
bearings, a horizontal chain or rope barrel, cylinder, or, winding drum, the
spindle of which is fitted with ratchet gearing and pawls. Attached to and
wound upon or over this cylinder or barrel is a chain or rope ladder, the loose free
end of which it fitted with a transverse or cross bar, having a hook or clipping
holding piece at each end for attachment to any suitable fixture in the street
or road outside the house. In this way, or by these means, whenever a fire
occurs the chain or rope ladder can bo wound off the cylinder or barrel from
within, and the ladder can thus be let down from the window so as to reach
the ground outside the house. When peoplo are below, and when there is a
convenient curb stone, such as is always met with in the streets of towns, the
hooks or holders are attached thereto, and the parties in the house are
enabled to tighten the ladder stiffly up by taking hold of the end flanges of

page_text: the barrel, and turning it round so as to wind up the slack, the ratchet gearing
meanwhile retaining all the length of the chain or rope ladder which is wound
on the barrel; thus the flexible ladder can be hauled up so as to be almost
as rigid as a wooden ladder. It is not absolutely necessary to hook or attach
the bottom or loose end of the ladder, as where there is no proper means of
fixing, or in cases of great emergency, the inhabitants of the house can easily
descend by it when simply hanging loose.
A fire escape of this class is cheap in first cost, easily kept in order, and is
always at hand for direct use, and it is obvious, that whenever the ladder is
lowered from a window or other aperture of escape, it not only supplies the
means of getting out to the parties inside, but it also furnishes the means of
obtaining assistance from the road or street. The pawl or detent arrangement
for setting up and retaining the rope or chain ladder barrel, and consequently
determining the length of unwound ladder, and its tautness, if fixed at the
bottom end, is actuated by a horizontal bar carried in end bearings on the
inner or house side of the framing of the apparatus. This bar is cranked in
the middle, so as to enable the user to turn it easily in its bearings by hand.
Each end of this bar is formed eccentrically or with a flat face on one side,
and these eccentric or flat faced portions occupy positions immediately beneath
two ratchet detent levers hinged at their back ends to the top of the framing;
these ratchet detents are formed with detent hooks on their free forward ends,
which hooks are above and govern the teeth of a pair of ratchet wheels carried
outside each flange of the barrel. Blade springs may also be attached to the
stationary framing, the free ends of which springs are formed with open eyes
to grasp the bar; hence, in turning the bar and raising the pawls or detent
levers, the latter would be kept up as required by the spring action. Knee
pieces of iron are also attached to the frame for keeping the detent levers in
their line of action; and instead of a flexible ladder, stout canvass may be
used to enable timid and aged people and children to descend without fear.
For street use the whole apparatus is mounted on small wheels so that it
can be rapidly run from place to place as required. In such case the ladder
has a cord fitted to its loose end, which cord can be elevated by a long rod in
joints to the window, to which the inmates could then haul it up.
Being portable, this improved apparatus can be moved with facility to any
room of a house.