Improved Fire Escape.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1891-4ccepted, 9th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Fire Escape.
I, JAMES WATSON, of 35 Highfields, Falsgrave, Scarborough, Royal Navy
Pensioner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to facilitate the escape of persons from buildings on
fire.
In carrying out the object of my invention I employ a suitable cradle, car, cage
or basket, which is made as light as possible, and which is suspended from
preferably a tackle or pulley arrangement carried on a support or projecting arm
which is adjustable and suitably affixed preferably above the top of the window or
other opening.
Connected with the said cradle, car, cage or basket is a rope (having internal
wires) or chain or the equivalent of such by which the descending person when
seated in the cradle, car, or cage can lower himself, provision being made so that
the descent of the car or cradle can be stopped at any required position.
A guide rope is also attached to the car or cradle in order to adjust or change its
position as necessary.
T
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Agent for the Applicant.
I, JAMES WATSON, of 35 Highfields, Falsgrave, Scarborough, Royal Navy
Pensioner, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to facilitate the escape of persons from burning
buildings.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, is a section through wall showing side elevation of my improved fire escape
applied.
Fig. 2, is an outside elevation.
Fig. 3, is an inside elevation.
In carrying out the said object I employ a car, cage or basket A which is made
of iron in a skeleton or lattice manner and internally lined in a similar manner with
wire work to make it as light as possible, and is suspended from a projecting arm
or beam B, above the top of the window or door C, by means of slings D, tackle or
pulley arrangement E, and chain F (Admiralty test) which passes over a grooved
pulley G at the end of the projecting arm or beam B, the said chain passes out
alongside the beam aforesaid, and is fastened at one end to a cleat F¹ within the
room, and at the other end is a ring H on to which the double block J of the said
tackle or pulley arrangement is hooked, the single block K being hooked to the
slings D of the car or cage A. L is the rope or purchase by means of which the
cor or cage A can be raised or lowered. The said rope passes around a fixed block
cr "bollard" M towards the base of the car or cage A, and a cleat N is also
provided in the cage or car A to fasten the rope or purchase to when it is required
Price 6d]

page_text: to stop the car or cage. The rope or purchase L is first taken round the
"bollard" or fixed block M, and then taken up to the cleat N, the purchase
or rope Lat this point is marked with turns of copper wire and red bunting so that
when coming to these marks the occupants will know that they are in a position
for at once descending. The said rope or purchase L is made of hemp with a steel
wire rope running through the centre of it, so that should the purchase or rope take
fire such would not prevent the escape working properly. The position of the car
or cage A with respect to different windows can be regulated by means of the
"guide". rope L'.
The sliding beam is made of iron and at the inner end are two eyebolts O with a
rope P attached to each one, the ropes P then pass over blocks R which are fixed
to the wall inside just above the window, one each side of the sliding beam B, the
said lines are to pull the sliding beam out to its place, and are then made fast to
cleats S, one on each side of the window. The cleats go through the walls and are
secured. The sliding beam works through three iron stirrups, two of the stirrups T,
provided with rollers V, are fixed to a beam W above the ceiling.
The other stirrup is rivetted through a piece of iron which lays on the lintel over
the windows.
For more readily bringing the said improved fire escape into action the windows
or doors may be hung or hinged so as to open outwards on the application of
pressure from the inside of the room, or such windows or doors may be so hung or
hinged and bolted that on the withdrawal of the bolts such doors or windows shall
be readily pushed outwards.
About two yards to the right or left of, the window or door from which the fire
escape is fixed and worked there is an iron bar (provided with a roller or pulley)
let into the ground and bedded in concrete by means of which together with
the rope the cradle can be raised or lowered, if required, in which case after
the first party has descended, he disconnects the rope from the car, cage or
basket, and connects it to the said pulley or roller, he can then let the other parties
down.
When the fire escape is not in use it may be placed in a suitable cabinet provided
in a convenient position within the room.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For facilitating the escape of persons from burning buildings the employment
of suspended cages or cars operated by tackle or arrangements of pulleys and ropes
such as shown and described.
2. The construction of purchase ropes, consisting in employing steel ropes in
combination with hempen ropes, as and for the purposes such as shown and
described.
3. The combination of the car or cage A, slings D, tackle E and sliding beam B
operating for the purposes such as shown and described.
4. The improved fire escape such as shown and described.
Dated this 11h 1
1001
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Agent for the Applicant.