Improvements in and connected with Fire-escapes and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1890-Accepted, 2nd Aug., 1890
CUDIT DELE DIEVIN RATIOA.
Improvements in and connected with Fire-escapes and Apparatus
therefor.
I, SEVERIANNO ANTONIO DE CASTILHO of 142 Rye Hill in the City and County of
Newcastle-on-Tyne, Brazilian Naval Officer 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 improvements in and connected with fire-escapes and
apparatus therefor and has for its object the provision of a simple and efficient mode
of escape from the several floors of any building on fire.
In order to fully describe my invention 1 will now refer to the accompanying
drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing my apparatus secured to a
window sill Fig. 2 being a front view of the same with the jib J removed.
Figs. 3 and 4 are end views of the parts marked respectively A and B in Figs. 1
and 2, figs. 5 and 6 being a side view and a plan of a socket arrangement hereinafter
again alluded to, and throughout this description like marks of reference in the
specification and in the drawings designate like parts.
Referring to the figures S is a vertical spindle or post the lower end of which is
arranged to fit into any suitable socket or bracket arranged on or near the-window-sill
whence escape from fire is sought. Consequently in new houses or in houses to be
built or altered I provide a simple socket arrangement such as is shown at C in side
view and in plan in Figs. 5 and 6 and I attach this in any convenient position near
the window opening for example as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 or instead of a side
socket as just described the foot of spindle S may be inserted into a socket sunk in or
near the window sill as shown at D in Fig. 2.
To adapt my invention, therefore, provision must be made for safely securing the
base of the post S either as above described or as I am now about to describe with
reference to figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
B is a metal bracket with a pair of lugs B1 B2 furnished with holes to take the
lower end of spindle S. B³ is an arm or prolongation of B of the H-section shown
in Fig. 2 and of any convenient length. E is a bar having a jaw arrangement E' at
one of its extremities to take a handle (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) secured
thereto by a bolt F¹. The arm F2 of handle F should be long enough to allow the
arm F3 in its revolutions to clear ends of lugs B' B² and the jaw arrangement E¹
should not project further beyond B than is shown in Fig. 1 in order to enable S to.
pass downwards into its place. The bar E is provided with collars where it passes
through B at either side thereof and for a suitable length (usually about 18 to
20 inches) the opposite end of bar E is screwed. A is a bracket to support this bar
the upper end of which is so formed that it can slide backwards and forwards on B³
and at the same time keep E in proper allignment while A' is a clamping piece, the
upper end of which can also slide on B³ backwards and forwards as described with
reference to A. Through A the screwed part of bar E passes and thus according to
the direction and speed with which bar E is caused to revolve by handle F so will A¹
travel inwards or outwards along the bar E and arm B³.
J is a radial jib the base of which is carried in the radial shoe J' which being
secured by bolt J between jaws J³ formed on spindle S is capable of slewing in a
horizontal plane thus allowing the jib to be slewed round.
K is a loose collar encircling spindle S with an eye formed thereon K¹ being a
bridle secured by pin and double eye to the jib so that the vertical position of the
latter can be securely maintained by a stay K³ connecting K₁ and the eye on collar K.
For this purpose a short chain may be used with an S-hook at one end thereof so that
one end of this hook can be attached to the bridle or eye while the other may be
hooked on to that link in the chain which suits the particular elevation of the jib that
may by the circumstances be required.

page_text: J is the jib pulley. P is the main winding pulley or drum fitted between
cheeks p, pl formed on and towards the upper, part of the spindle S, P1 P2 being
auxiliary friction pulleys and P³ is a light cable rope or cord with an ample factor of
safety as regards the weights to be placed thereon.
On the end of the axle 10 of pulley 1', I fix a ratchet wheel 11 with which the
paul 12 can be thrown into gear at will while on the other end 1 attach the handle 13
between which and the cheek p¹ I fix a brake device shown in side view in fig. 7.
This consists of a hinged clamp the lower half 14 of which is fixed to the cheek pl
of the pulley frame a little below the axle 10 while the upper half 15 embraces the
upper part of the axle' and thus by tightening up or slackening the set pin or
thumb screw 15" a greater or less frictional resistance is obviously placed upon
the axle.
The operation of my invention is thus as follows: A fire having broken out
bracket B B with bar and screw E and brackets A A¹ are quickly slipped over the
window sill W and according as the sill is wider or narrower, so is the distance
between B and A¹ diminished or increased by means of causing E to revolve by
handle F attached thereto as shown in the drawings. With B against one side of the
sill handle F is revolved until A' is sufficiently tightly clamped against the opposite
side and when this is accomplished handle F can be unshipped by withdrawing
holt F. Then place post S in position in the bracket lugs B1 B2 set jib J to required
vertical angle by adjustment of stay K² to requisite length and as soon as the
cable P³ has been adjusted on its pulleys as shown in Fig. 1 the apparatus is ready
for work.
The apparatus having been conveniently fixed towards one side of the window, the
jib can be slewed round over the sill; one or more persons according to the size and
strength of the apparatus can then be suspended either in a loop belt or sack formed
on or attached to the end of the rope or cable and lowered by means of pulley P and
handle 13.
During the lowering should there be a tendency for the weight to overcome the
power the thumbscrew 15ª can be tightened thus clamping the upper part 14 of
the brake device against the axle of the pulley by which means racing may be retarded
or prevented.
The paul 12 and ratchet 11 are likewise provided so that during the uphauling or
winding up of the cable the incidence of back slipping due to the weight of the cable
itself or otherwise shall be prevented by the gearing of the paul in the ratchet teeth
and also during the lowering in case the weight should so far overcome the power that
the handle and brake device became beyond control then by allowing the paul to drop
into gear with the revolving teeth the descent would be arrested. Though I make
this provision it is only as an additional safeguard and can as a rule be dispensed with.
In ordinary working the paul is held up out of gear with the ratchet wheel by a link
or other suitable connection between a lug on the back of the paul and a pin on the
side of the pulley frame.
The whole may by preference be constructed of wrought iron or steel.
Further I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific
arrangement of parts hereinabove described as modifications thereof can be easily
effected for example, the pulley P may be arranged below instead of above the jib
with an upward lead to the jib sheave nor is it necessary to use the auxiliary friction
pulleys P P although the arrangement illustrated is that which I prefer ; further the
foot of the jib may be mounted in a shoe attached in a convenient position to for
example the side of the window opening the pulley P being likewise fixed so as to have
a convenient lead to the jib sheave, the apparatus thus arranged working in a similar
manner to that hereinabove described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. For enabling persons to escape from elevated positions in houses on fire the

page_text: improved apparatus consisting of the combination with a spindle S and radial
jib J of pulley P, the several parts being arranged and operated substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. The combination with spindle S, jib J and pulley P arranged and operating as
above set forth of the means for readily obtaining a support for the same by the use
of a lugged bracket B arm B³ screw and bar E with support A and clamping piece A¹
all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein before described
and illustrated.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting improvements in
apparatus for enabling persons to escape from houses on fire substantially as herein
set forth.
A. CRAWHALL, CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent for Applicant.