Year: 1899

page_text: I, WILLIAM BENBOW, of 3, Lucia Street, Cleveland, in the County of Cuyahoga
and State of Ohio, U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, 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 an improvement in fire-escapes, and it is embodied
in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and definitely
pointed out in the claims.
The objects of the invention, are, first, to provide a fire-escape with suitable
mechanism for retarding its downward movement gradually by employing a
longitudinally movable rotary shaft associated with a yielding resistance tend-
ing to resist the longitudinal movement with increasing effect; second, to pro-
vide a fire-escape of the character above indicated with suitable carrying devices,
and, third, to provide a fire-escape which will be simple in its various features
and combination and which will act promptly and safely in use
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn an embodiment of the inven-
tion, but desire it understood that various modifications can be made without
departing from the nature and principle of the invention.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation.
In the drawings A represents suitable uprights, which may be attached
directly to the face of the building or in any other suitable manner secured in
place and conveniently directly above a window. These uprights support a
suitable frame-work B, extending out horizontally from the lower portion
thereof, and also suitable brackets C, bolted or secured to their upper ends and
braced by diagonal braces C¹.
D represents a shaft carrying two or more pulleys E and E', which are rigidly
keyed thereto. The ends of this shaft pass through the brackets C, and one end
of the shaft is screw-threaded as at b, which portion engages a nut D¹, fixed to
the side of the bracket.
The opposite end of the shaft is plain or cylindrical and passes loosely through
the bracket.
Secured to the outer faces of the brackets are the retarding means, which are
of the following construction. Four bolts F are arranged equal distance apart,
two being below the other two, and these bolts are provided with heads f at

page_text: their outer ends, their inner ends passing through the brackets and on one side
through the nut D', their protruding ends being provided with suitable nuts f
The outer ends of the bolts carry the plates F¹, and between these plates and
the protruding ends of the shaft are secured two follower plates G, G¹, loosely
fitted on the bolts and perforated to permit the bolts to pass therethrough. The
follower plates have centrally arranged projections, over which the end coils
of the retarding spring H are sleeved and by which means the springs, which
are interposed between the plates, are held in position. Between the follower
plates G and the brackets are placed suitable washers g, so that when the shaft
is in its central normal position its end will be permitted to extend beyond the
brackets, and thereby allowing an ample amount of longitudinal movement with-
out escaping from the bearings. To adjust the tension of the springs H, I
conveniently place set screws K in the plates F, the ends impinging against
the follower plates G. The ends of the shaft D are in line with the centre of
the follower plates, and as the shaft is turned, it is, by the screw connection
with one of the brackets forced longitudinally, and by this movement the spring
is compressed, gradually increasing the friction on the end of the shaft until the
resistance is sufficiently great to practically stop the rotation of the shaft.
Mounted on the pulleys are the baskets L, the same being connected by a
flexible cable attached to the pulleys, and, there being two pulleys, the cables
are attached in reverse order, so that as the cable on one pulley unwinds that
on the opposite or companion pulley will wind up. The baskets are constructed,
preferably, of four steel arch-bars 7, connected at their top, at which point a
suitable attaching ring is secured. The bars carry a bottom piece / and a
perforated guard 73.
M designates spring holders having inclined upper faces and horizontal
holding faces or shoulders. The spring are connected to the basket conveniently
by being formed in a single piece, and bolted as at m¹, to the bottom of the
basket. The supporting shoulders of the spring project laterally beyond the
sides of the basket. This construction is intended to support the basket when
not in use, the holding shoulders of the springs projecting over beams on the
part B, as shewn in Fig. 1. When it is desired to release the basket, it is only
necessary to draw the springs in until the shoulders escape the beams.
I have found it desirable to brace the outer ends of the brackets C by con-
nection bars C³. In operation it will be appreciated that as the loaded basket
on one pulley descends the shaft will move longitudinally and be resisted in its
movements by the springs. This movement carries the other basket up where
it is ready for another occupant. It is to be understood that the pitch of the
screw-threads on the shaft can be varied as circumstances demand and the
extent of longitudinal movement likewise varied by increasing the length of
the shaft. It is also to be understood that the relative positions between the
resisting devices and the ends of the shaft can be varied be adjusting the bolts F.
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
In a fire-escape, the combination with the supporting brackets, of a shaft
mounted in the brackets, a pulley carried by the shaft, a threaded engagement
between one of the brackets and the shaft, a friction device secured to the
bracket in line with the shaft comprising a spring-pressed follower-plate with
which the end of the shaft engages, a cage and a rope connection between the
cage and pulley, substantially as described.
(2) In a fire-escape, the combination with brackets, of a longitudinally mov-
able rotatable shaft mounted in brackets having a threaded engagement with
one of the brackets, a series of bolts passing through the brackets, a plate
carried by the outer ends of the bolts, follower-plates between said other plate
and the bracket, and carried by the bolts, a spring interposed between the

page_text: plates, means for adjusting the tension of the spring, a pulley on the shaft a
cable connected with the pulley and a basket carried by the cable, substantially
as described.
(3) In a fire-escape, the combination with brackets, of a longitudinally
movable rotatable shaft mounted in the brackets having a threaded connection
with one of the brackets, spring-pressed follower-plates supported on the outer
face of the brackets, in line with the ends of the shafts, means for adjusting
the plates, two pulleys on the shaft, cables connected with the pulleys respec-
tively in reverse order and cages carried by the cables, substantially as described.
(4) In a fire-escape, the combination with lowering mechanism, a platform
adjacent thereto, of baskets carried by the lowering mechanism provided with
spring catches arranged to engage with the said platform, substantially as
described.
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