Improvements in Means or Apparatus for use as a Fire-escape or like use.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1892-Accepted, 21st Jan.,
1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for use as a Fire-escape or
like use.
I, JOHN EWEN MCPHERSON of Pilgrim Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne in the
County of Northumberland, Wine and Spirit Merchant do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the production of means or apparatus applicable
for use as a fire escape, or for like use, in enabling persons to escape from the
upper floors or places to the ground with safety and ease, and also to secure that.
the apparatus shall be simple, economical in cost, and its method of employment
readily comprehensible even by those terrified by the danger of their situation.
In carrying out my invention I employ a loop or noose of rope or other suitable
material and bound or covered if so desired. This noose is made of sufficient size
to enable it to be passed around a man's body, under the shoulders. Upon the
noose runs a wooden or other suitable ball or runner which by being slidden
towards the encircled body enables the noose to be tightened thereupon, say over
the chest of the user. The ends of the noose are secured around a sheave or part
with a series of holes of approximately the diameter of a rope which is passed
therethrough from side to side. This rope is the suspender for the sheave and
thereby of the noose, and the person of the user, and therefore the upper end is
fastened to some convenient hook or means of attachment of the building to be:
descended from, whilst the other end. is grasped and payed out carefully so as to
regulate descent by either the person himself, or another person, or persons above,
or by some one, or, more below. In cases where children, or other people likely to
be incapacitated by terror or otherwise from using the apparatus alone are like to
require to be lowered a bag of fire resistent, or other material may be provided
either attached to the sheave, or to one end of the rope and the sheave loop or noose.
placed on the hook.
The ends of the rope are provided with eyes, or thimbles, or other facilities for
attachment, so that either end of the rope may be hung on the hooks, or like means
for attachment, as may be nearest to the sheave and when one user has descended,
the noose and paid out rope is hauled up and the operation resumed from the,
opposite end of the rope.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for Applican
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for use as a Fire-escape or
like use.
I JOHN EWEN MCPHERSON of Pilgrim Street Newcastle on Tyne in the
County of Northumberland Wine and Spirit Merchant do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object the production of means or apparatus applicable
for use as a fire escape, or for like use in enabling persons to escape from the upper
floors or places to the ground with safety and ease, and also to secure that the
apparatus shall be simple, economical in cost and its method of employment readily
comprehensible even by those terrified by the danger of their situation.

page_text: In carrying out my invention I employ a loop or noose of rope or other suitable
material and bound or covered if so desired. This noose is made of sufficient size
to enable it to be passed around a man's body, under the shoulders.
Upon the noose runs a wooden or other suitable ball or runner which by being
slidden towards the encircled body enables the noose to be tightened thereupon, say
over the chest of the user. The ends of the noose are secured around a sheave or
part with a series of holes of approximately the diameter of a rope which is passed
therethrough from side to side. This rope is the suspender for the sheave and
thereby of the noose, and the person of the user, and therefore the upper end is
fastened to some convenient hook or means of attachment of the building to be
descended from whilst the other end is grasped and payed out carefully so as to
regulate descent by either the person himself, or another person, or persons above,
or by some one or more below. In cases where children, or other people likely to
be incapacitated by terror or otherwise from using the apparatus alone are likely
to require to be lowered a bag of fire resistent, or other material may be provided
either attached to the sheave, or to one end of the rope and the sheave loop or noose
placed on the hook.
The ends of the rope are provided with eyes, or thimbles, or other facilities for
attachment, so that either end of the rope may be hung on the hook, or like means
for attachment, as may be nearest to the sheave and when one user has descended,
the noose and payed out rope is hauled up and the operation resumed from the
opposite end of the rope.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews front view of one form of apparatus and Fig. 2 the same in edge
view.
Fig. 3 shews by front view, corresponding to Fig. 1, a modification in the form of
sheave used and Fig. 4 shews the same in edge view.
· Fig. 5 shews by side view another modification in which a double form of the
lowering apparatus is arranged.
Fig. 6 shews a front view of the double sheave separately and Fig. 7 shews &
plan view of the same...
Referring first to Fig. 1, a is the sheave here shewn as of circular form and here
shewn pierced with three holes a', (but this number may be varied) through which
the rope b is threaded.
Upon the opposite ends of this rope 6 are secured the thimbles or eyes 61, 6 one
or other of which may be attached to the hook provided for the purpose attached
to the window frame or other part (but not shewn) or it may be attached to other
convenient point of suspension.
Around the sheave is attached and properly secured one portion of the loop c
the lower portion c¹ of this loop being designed to be passed under the arm pits of the
person to be lowered and by drawing the runner or ball d over this towards the
person the loop will be prevented from slipping from the body suspended. In case
of need such as for children or comparatively helpless persons a sack or bag or net
may be employed by attaching the strap or cord with which its mouth is provided
to the eye b¹ hanging the loop cl on the point of suspension in place of the eye 61
and then using the other end of the rope as the means for modifying the speed of
descent of the sack and its contents.
In the arrangement Fig. 3 the loop c is secured by being passed through and
secured in the block or sheave a (instead of passing around it as in Fig. 1).
The rope b also passes through the holes a¹ in the same vertical plane.
In the arrangement as herein shewn Fig. 5 the loop e is passed through the
sheave a at a thence up and around a thimble e¹ and is tied in at e² by cord
or wire.
This form of block may be arranged either with a sheave as shewn or without
same.

page_text: This eye or thimble is designed to be hung upon any suitable hook or means of
suspension.
The double sheave a is formed with a slot or recess a³ inclined to the line of the
face of the sheave and in this recess is centred the pulley upon the axis g, at each
side of the pulley from the opposite edges of the bottom of this recess lead two
grooves a, at each groove passing into a hole a³ and thence down the opposite edge
of the sheave.
The angle at which the pulley fand its axis g are set relatively to the block a
will be best seen by reference to Fig. 7.
This
The double loops for this rope are shewn in Fig. 5 and are the same as in Fig. 1.
These loops are each held by a loop in the main rope whipped at 63.
rope may have a loop 6 at one end as here shewn, or it may have a thimble as in
Fig. 1.
The other end of the rope b may have a loop and a swivel hook 6 or other loop
or catch, and thereby it may be connected to the other loop to make the com-
munication continuous as one loop c is lowered the other will be raised to the
window from whence escape is sought. This rope 6 is, passing upward from the
end having the loop 6 threaded through the one hole a and then up and over
the pulley and then down and back through the other hole a³ and down to the
swivel end b.
In use with the single sheave Figs. 1 to 4 the user ensconses himself securely in
the adjustable loop and holding the rope b firmly in his hands lowers himself
gently to the ground by slacking out the line and when he has alighted on the
ground and forced himself from the loop, the next user draws up the loop c',
sheave a and rope band attaches the opposite eye or thimble b' on the hook to
save waste of time in passing the slack back through the sheave holes.
With the double sheave as shewn (Fig. 5) the one loop having been used for a
descent the opposite side of the rope brings up the disengaged loop ready for the
next user.
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. The construction, arrangement and combination of parts of apparatus for use
as a fire escape or for like use as set forth.
2. The construction arrangement and combination of parts of apparatus for use
as a fire escape or for like use as set forth in respect of Figs. 1 and 2, and 3 and 4.
3. The construction and arrangement or combination of parts of double appa-
ratus for use as a fire escape or for like use as set forth in respect of Figs. 5 to 7.
Dated the 16th day of December 1892.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.