An Improvement in Fire Escapes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1895-Accepted, 21st Sept.,
1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Fire Escapes.
We, ROBERT BUSTIN, Dealer in Live Stock, of 222 Britton Street, and
ROBERT KELTIE JONES, Brewer, of 182 Germain Street, both at St. John, in
the Province of New Brunswick, Dominion of Canada, 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 :-
This invention relates to fire escapes, the purpose being to provide a simple
mechanism of a size that may be conveniently carried in any ordinary valise, or
even in the pocket of an outer coat, and by means of which the owner may safely
descend from any part of a burning building, or from any considerable height,
means of extremely simple character being provided by which the rapidity of the
descent may be controlled with perfect ease by the person descending without
causing material wear to the rope.
It is one purpose of the invention, also, to provide a fire escape which shall be
capable of being used either as a means for lowering a person who has entire
control of the device, or enable such a person to use the same as a lift, or tackle,
by which he may lower, or raise, any person, or object, the apparatus being used,
in this instance, in the same way as an ordinary fall, or block and tackle; the only
change required to adapt it to this purpose being a simple adjustment of the rope
which can be made in a moment and which is so obvious that any person can
readily effect it.
The invention consists, to these ends, in the novel features of construction and
new combinations of parts which we will now describe referring to the accompanying
drawings in which :-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention arranged for use, and indicating
by dotted lines the adjustment of the rope by which it is adapted to be used as a
block and tackle.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the frame shown in Fig. 1 the section being
tuken substantially in a central plane between the parallel parts of the frame;
said figure also showing the change in adjustment whereby a person using the fire
escape, or the last one of a number using it in succession, may take the frame with
him when he descends, and thereby preserve it.
The apparatus consists of a frame having parallel sides 1-1, which are connected
together by transverse portions 2, the latter being elliptical, or nearly so, in cross-
section, as seen in Fig. 2 and being preferably, though not necessarily, cast in one
piece with the sides, their major axes being substantially in the central line thereof
and spaces being left between them of such extent as to permit the rope to pass
freely, or without such a degree of angular deflection as to cause either excessive
wear, or extreme resistance to its passage.
At the upper end of the frame is a loop 3, which is intended to afford attachment
to a snap hook 4 or other suitable fastening, to which is connected a catch hook 5.
The latter device is usually provided with a plurality of divergent prongs 6 to
adapt it to have a secure engagement with any part of a structure which is so
formed that may be engaged by one or more of said prongs, or with an article of
furniture of such weight as to afford a sufficient anchorage.
The frame of the apparatus is provided with a transverse axis 7, upon which is
inounted a pulley 8. Over this pulley is carried the rope 9 which is secured at
one end to the snap hook 10 or other attachment connecting it to a belt 12 formed

page_text: of webbing, leather, or any suitable: material. This belt is provided at one end
with two loops 13 and 14, one of which engages the device connecting it to the
rope, while the other furnishes attachment for a snap-hook 15 upon the other end
of the belt, whereby the latter may be carried around the body and quickly
fastened, or looped around the thighs to support the person using it in a sitting
posture. Handles 16 are also provided upon the exterior face of the belt, at
suitable points to afford hand-holds to persons who may be driven, by the speed
of a widespread conflagration, to seize upon any means of escape that may be
offered.
At the lower end of the frame is a loop 17, to which is linked a frame, or
loop 18, provided with a snap-hook 19, which is usually swivelled therein. This
hook furnishes the attachment for the belt 12 in those cases in which the person
using the apparatus desires to take the frame with him, as he descends, leaving
only the catch-hook. This arrangement is shown in Figure 2, the rope being
simply carried around the pulley at the top and over the alternately opposite faces
of the portions 2, by which a sufficient friction is obtained to prevent a dangerously
rapid descent.
When the apparatus is to be used by a number of persons in succession, the
frame is connected to the catch hook as shown in Fig. 1, and the belt is securel
to the end of the rope the latter being carried over the alternately opposite faces
of the transverse portions 2, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. In order to use the
apparatus as a block and tackle, or as a "fall," as it is sometimes termed, the rope
is merely drawn off the transverse portions 2 and allowed to run freely over the
pulley, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a fire escape, a rigid frame composed of two parallel portions having inter-
mediate connecting portions separated by suitable intervals and a pulley journalled
in one end of said frame, substantially as described.
2. In a fire escape, the combination with a frame composed of two substantially
parallel parts connected rigidly by separated, intermediate, transverse portions, of
a rope adapted to run over a pulley at the top of the frame and over the alternately
opposite sides of the intermediate portions, and a belt detachably connected to said
rope, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of August 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.