Improvements in Fire-escapes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 19th July, 1890-Accepted, 23rd Aug.,
1990
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire-escapes.
WALTER PARKER SMITH Civil and Mechanical Engineer 16 Tunstall Road, Brixton,
Surrey ROBERT MAYNARD Gentleman 58 Trinity Square, Borough, Surrey do bereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists of improvements in fire escapes, and has reference more
particularly to mechanical arrangement for obtaining automatic action. We are
aware that many fire escapes have been patented, but they are not automatic that is to
say, normally the rope employed is more or less free to pass through the apparatus.
When a stop has to be made, or speed reduced friction is applied.
With our apparatus friction is normally "on" sufficient to produce a stop, or to
permit the rope to pass at a required speed.
Friction may be reduced at will thereby permitting the rope to pass at greater
speed.
We prefer to construct the apparatus as follows:-
One end of a rope enters a channel formed in a light casing and leaves it at an
adjacent part.
This channel is not continuous. Where it is broken a bar is placed, which is guided
by the casing and is free to slide in either direction for a certain distance transversely
to the rope. To this bar the weight is suspended. A lever or its equivalent is used
for lifting this bar. The rope is threaded through a hole, formed in this bar, ample
space being provided on either side between it and the broken ends of the channel for
the rope.
In one position of the bar, the hole is in line with the centre of channel the ropo
being then free to pass. When the bar is placed in other positions, say with the hole
either above or below the centre of channel, the rope is bent, producing friction
between it and the bar. The amount of friction being governed by their relative
positions.
Guide pulleys or studs may be used instead of the channel.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the weight to be lowered is suspended to the bar, it draws it down in the
casing so that the rope is bent sufficient to prevent it passing through the bar, or if
desired to permit it passing at any required speed.
If the bar is raised so as to reduce the bend in the rope friction is reduced, and the
speed of the rope increased.
Another arrangement is to attach the weight directly to a brake block arranged to
press against the rope, or a lever of the first order may be used having the weight
suspended from one of its arms. The brake block is fitted to the other arm, which
may be used as a handle for lifting the weight, and removing the brake block from
the rope.
Datal thin 10th day of December 1889.
WALTER PARKER SMITH.
ROBERT MAYNARD.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire-escapes.
We, WALTER PARKER SMITH, Civil and Mechanical Engineer, 16 Taustall Road,
Brixton, Surrey, ROBERT MAYNARD, Gentleman, 58 Trinity Square, Borough, Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is to bo
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
Our Invention relates to means whereby a person, while being lowered along a rope,
as for example in order to escape from a fire, can with great facility regulate the speed
of descent or arrest it altogether. We shall describe apparatus according to our
Invention referring to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section. Figure 2 a section on a plane at right angles to that
of Figure 1 of lowering gear according to our Invention, and Figure 3 is a side view
of the link hereinafter referred to.
A. A' are two side checks with lips at the periphery and with projecting ribs a
forming distance pieces keeping the checks somewhat apart when they are held
together by a number of bolts b which form axes for a pair of pullies B at the top-a
pair B above the centre and a pair B below the centre of the cheeks. The bolt b¹
forms the pivot for a lever C, the short arm of which engages in a slot d of a link D.
This link has a hole d' near the top and a hole d³ near the bottom. Through the lower
hole is passed the rope or chain E which holds the descending person. Through
the upper hole d¹ is passed the rope F which has its upper end fixed at a high part of
a building or elsewhere and its lower end hanging free as partly shewn at f, but which
is passed over and between the pullies B B under the pair BI and above the pair B
and through the hole d¹ of the link D. The weight of the person suspended by E
would draw down the link D bending the rope F downwards between the pullies B³ B
and producing such flexure and friction that the rope F could not slip, and consequently
the person suspended by E would not descend. But, by applying his hand to pull
down the lover C he can cause the link D to ascend towards the position shewn in
Figure 1, in which position it allows the rope F to slip freely through the hole d' and
therefore the person can descend quickly. By moving up or down the lever (the
person can produce more or less flexure and friction of the rope F and can thus
regulate the speed of his descent as he may desire.
Obviously, instead of the pullies B. B₁ B³, more studs might be employed, or the rope
may be led along a channel following the course shewn in Figure 1, but it is preferable
to employ guide pullies as shewn so as to lessen wear of the rope.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
Lowering gear for fire escapes and like purposes consisting of two checks between
which are mounted guide pullies for a hanging rope, between the pullies, a link through
a hole of which the rope is passed and from which the descending person is suspendod,
in combination with a lever engaging the link and in position to be manipulated by
the descending person so as to bend more or less the rope between a pair of the pullics
and thus cause more or less friction and consequent retardation of the descending body
substantially as herein described.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for tho Applicants.