Improvement in Fire Escapes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec, 1886
Complete Left, 31st Aug., 1887
Complete Accepted, 4th Nov., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Fire Escapes.
I EDWIN ROBERT WETHERED of 100 Herbert Road Woolwich Kent, Lieutenant-
Colonel do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE
ESCAPES" to be as follows:
I take two pieces of flat metal about of an inch thick, 1 wide, and 7 inches long,
to form the cheeks of a friction block, at about equal distances between these two
cheeks, I place 5 sheaves, or pulley wheels, and rivet four of them to the cheeks by
means of metal pins. I then take a flat metal shakle having at one end a ring or eye,
and pivot the other end outside the cheeks of the block, by means of a pin or bolt
passing through a 'hole in centre of block and the central sheave, a rope being run in
and out through the sheeves. I place about the middle of the shakle, another sheeve or
block in such a position, that the weight of the person descending, causes the sheave
or block in shakle to nip the rope passing over the sheaves in block. I also construct
a hook and ring or eye for belt in such manner that the hook can only enter or be
withdrawn from the eye or ring at one point.

page_text: Improvement in Fire Escapes.
I EDWIN ROBERT WETHERED Licut.-Colonel, of 100 Herbert Road Woolwich
in the County of Kent do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENT IN FIRE ESCAPES" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention is fully described in my Provisional Specification No. 15707-
1st December 1886, and in my subsequent letter, submitting drawing called for by
the Comptroller General under date 23rd Dec. 1886 No. 1570780.
The object of this invention is to provide a friction pulley block, with other attach-
ments suitable for a Fire Escape, the pulley block being constructed to act universally
and automatically, so that either end of the rope can be used alternately for lowering;
the rope rove through the block being pressed or nipped between one or other of the
pulley wheels, and block of shackel, by the weight of person descending, such pressure
being increased or diminished by holding the end of rope hanging down, more or less
firmly with one hand; rendering any mechanical break unnecessary, and avoiding the
necessity of having to pull the rope through the block to continue lowering.
To rescue persons from the window of an adjoining house, where a wall hook has
previously been provided, midway between the upper windows of each dwelling, I
simply prolong the shackle at the pivot end, to admit of a ferrule being fitted to
receive a rod for the purpose of hanging the friction block up to the wall hook, by the
ring of shackle.
I now refer to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1, shews the fire Escape friction pulley block, with rope and hooks in the
position it would occupy when suspended to a wall nail, or the rope thrown around
both sashes for the purpose of self lowering-A is the pulley block, shewing by dotted
lines the position of the pulley wheels, and how the rope is rove through the block-
B is the shackle secured to the block, by a rivetted pin, passing through the plates,
and centre pulley wheel-C. is the block in shackle which nips the rope-D. is the
eye or ring at end of shackle to hang the block up, for lowering others, or to affix the
belt for lowering self-end of which is shewn at F. E. is a hook, (one being attached to
each end of rope) this hook has two eyes, the lower one for attaching the rope to, the other
for hanging the block up by, to the wall hook, or for attaching the hook of belt to for
lowering persons. H, H, are the grooves by which alone the point of belt hook, can
enter or be withdrawn from the eyes, or rings of rope hook and shackle.
Fig. 2, is a similar block, having only four pulley wheels, the letters A. B. C. D.
refer to corresponding parts. The shackle is pivoted at H. through the second pulley
wheel this shackle being prolonged at the opposite end G. and fitted with a ferule, to
receive a rod for hanging the block up, as described for rescuing persons from an
adjoining house.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1st. The construction of a friction pulley block, with universal, and, automatic
action, which shall by means of the weight of the person being lowered, cause the
rope rove through it, to become nipped between one or other of the pulley wheels, and
the block or other arrangement on the shackle, substantially as described.
2nd. The application to a similar friction pulley block of a ferrule to receive a rod
for the purpose of hanging up the block to any hook or fixture out of reach of the
hand substantially described.
3rd. A combine rope and belt hook, so constructed that the point of hook can only
enter, or be withdrawn from the eye of hook or ring, at one point substantially as
described.