Improvements in and connected with Fire-escapes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1896
Improvements in and connected with Fire-escapes.
I, FRIEDRICH SCHAFER, Workmaster of Duisburg Hochfeld in the province of
Rhineland and kingdom of Prussia, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to an apparatus which is intended to remove
persons, furniture etc. from the house in case of fire, especially when a burning
staircase or ascending smoke do not permit of the building being vacated in the
usual manner.
The apparatus is especially adapted for buildings which are inhabited by many
persons e.g. barracks, hotels infirmaries etc. but may of course be set up also in
private houses. The annexed drawing represents the apparatus in its different
parts in Figs. 1 to 3; in Figs. 4 and 5 the apparatus is shown fitted up ready for
use in a building.
The apparatus is fitted up in highest part of the house in such a manner that
the suspended chain passes by those windows which are accessible to the different
corridors and thus to every inhabitant of the house.
On the inner side of the house there is a cast-iron plate A (Fig. 1) on which
four air-cylinders C are mounted on a slide. Through this plate there passes an
axle H, bearing a cam F the circumference of which has a swallow-tail shaped
niche. In this niche there are four slides E which are connected with the cross-
head, piston-rod D and the piston of the air-cylinders G. At each of the back-
parts of the cylinders there is an adjustable valve I, carrying an alarm
mechanism (pipe or the like) K. On the outside of the building there is also a
cast-iron plate B (Fig. 2) which passes through the continuation of the axle. The
latter carries a grooved chain-wheel and is again mounted at the outer end for a
support. To the cast-iron piece B there are screwed on T-irons U U, serving on
the one hand to support and secure the outer bearing and on the other to bear the
stays Y which are to prevent a possible running down of the chain.
Both the plates A and B are covered by protecting hoods and all moveable
parts are made out of non-rusting metal. .
Below or immediately at the side of the apparatus there is, as will be seen from
Figs. 4 and 5, a box O, moveable on hinges and provided on the outside and the
inside with valves. This box is intended to contain the endless chain M hanging
on the chain-wheel when not in use. In the masonry of the building there are
boxes R, let into the outside wall in which are bent-levers S, the outer arm of
which is connected with a rod Q. The upper end of the rod catches into a slide P,
which shuts off the box O on the outside.
The other arm of the lever which reaches through the wall into the corridor
bears a handle which is enclosed by a box having a pane of glass, If the chain

page_text: is to be placed--when not in use in the box Q, the latter is brought into a
horizontal position by being turned about its hinges, the slide P is pulled down.
and the chain put in, where upon the outer valve is closed and the box again
moved into the slanting position. Owing to this the chain will be inclined to
slide on the incline and press against the valve P.
If fire is discovered in any storey, it is only necessary to break the pane of
glass of the box R and to pull the handle of the lever S, whereupon the valve is
pushed back by pressure of the chain and the chain falls out of the box O.
If one or more persons hang on to the handle of the chain or if suitable objects
are hung on it, the chain-wheel will turn and with it the axle H with the cam F.
By this rotation of the cam F the pistons are one after the other slowly moved in
the cylinder, causing the air to be gradually forced out of the cylinder through
the valve I, while on the other hand air is again sucked into the cylinders which
have been already exhausted.
The air which is present in the cylinder acts like a brake, so that the load on
the chain slides downwards quite slowly and without danger.
In order to prevent any abuse of the apparatus, it is advisable to provide the
outlet valves with an alarum (pipe or the like) or the apparatus may be connected
with electric bells which are rung when the apparatus is improperly used.
Dated this 9th day of November 1896.
For FRIEDRICH SCHAFER,
Bernhard Brockhues.
I, FRIEDRICH SCHAFER, Workmaster of Duisburg Hochfeld, 113 Hochfeldstreet,
in the province of Rhineland and kingdom of Prussia, 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 present invention relates to an apparatus which is intended to remove
persons, furniture etc. from the house in case of a fire, especially when a burning
staircase or ascending smoke do not permit of the building being vacated in the
usual manner.
The apparatus is especially adapted for buildings which are inhabited by many
persons e.g. barracks, hotels, infirmaries etc. but may of course be set up also in
private houses.
The drawing filed with the provisional specification represents the apparatus in
its different parts in Figs. 1 to 3; in Figs. 4 and 5 the apparatus is shown fitted
up ready for use in a building.
The apparatus is fitted up in the highest part of the house in such a manner
that the suspended chain passes by those windows which are accessible to the
different corridors and thus to every inhabitant of the house.
On the inner side of the house there is a cast-iron plate A (Fig. 1) on which
four air-cylinders C are mounted on a slide.
Through this plate there passes an axle H, bearing a cam 1 the circumference
of which has a swallow-tail shaped niche.
In this niche there are four slides E which are connected with the cross-head,
piston-rod D and the piston of the air-cylinders C. At each of the back-parts of
the cylinders there is an adjustable valve J carrying an alarm mechanism (pipe or
the like) K. On the outside of the building there is also a cast-iron plate 13

page_text: (Fig. 2) which passes through the continuation of the axle. The latter carries a
grooved chain-wheel and is again mounted at the outer end for a support.
To the cast-iron piece B there are screwed on T-irons U U, serving on the one
hand to support and secure the outer bearing and on the other to bear the stays V
which are to prevent a possible running down of the chain.
Both the plates A and B are covered by protecting hoods and all moveable
perta are made out of non-rusting me:al.
Below or immediately at the side of the apparatus there is, as will be seen from
Figs. 4 and 5, a box O, moveable on hinges and provided on the outside and the
inside with valves.
This box is intended to contain the endless chain M hanging on the chain-
wheel, as far as the chain-wheel when not in use.
In the masonry of the building there are boxes It, let into the outside wall in
tiers, in which are bent-levers S, the outer arm of which is connected with a
rod Q.
The upper end of the rod catches into a slide P, which shuts off the box O on
the outside.
The outer arm of the lever which reaches through the wall into the corridor
bears a handle which is enclosed by a box having a pane of glass.
If the chain is to be placed-when not in use in the box 0, the latter is
brought into a horizontal position by being turned about its hinges, the slide Pis
pulled down and the chain put in whereupon the outer valve is closed and the
box again moved chain will be inclined to slide on the incline and press against
the valve P.
If fire is discovered in any storey, it is only necessary to break the pane of
glass of the box R and to pull the handle of the lever S, whereupon the valve is
pushed back by the pressure of the chain and the chain falls out of the box O.
If one of more persons hang on to the handle of the chain or if suitable objects
are hung on it the chain-wheel will turn and with it the axle H with the cam F.
By this rotation of the cam F the pistons are one after the other slowly moved
in the cylinder, causing the air to be gradually forced out of the cylinder through
the valve J while on the other hand air is again sucked into the cylinders which
have been already exhausted.
The air which is present in the cylinder acts like a brake, so that the load on
the chain slides downwards quite slowly and without danger.
In order to prevent any abuse of the apparatus, it is advisable to provide the
outlet valves with an alarum (pipe or the like) or the apparatus may he connected
with electric bells which are rung when the apparatus is improperly used.
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:
1. A fire-escape, thereby distinguished that an endless chain provided with
handles and carried about a chain-wheel fitted up outside the house, is set in
motion on a person or object hanging on to it by a pneumatic brake situated.
inside the house and actuated by a cam rotating uniformly with the chain-wheel,
thereby causing the person who is holding on to reach the ground slowly and
without danger.
2. In the apparatus as distinguished under 1 the brake distinguished by the
arrangement of several air-cylinders (C) mounted radially to the driving shaft (H)
and provided with air-valves (J) the cross-heads (E) of those cylinders being of
swallow-tail like transverse section and connected with the piston-rods (D) and
sliding in the similarly shaped groove in the circumference of a cam (F) in such
a manner that on the cam rotating, pistons of the air-cylinders are pushed one
after the other into the latter thereby driving out the air from them and putting
a brake on the cam shaft and on the chain-wheel on the latter.
3. In the apparatus as distinguished under 1, the arrangement of a box (0)

page_text: moving on hinges for the reception of a chain (M) and situated in the wall, its
valve leading towards the outside being closed by a bolt which can be pushed back
on every storey by means of bent-levers (S) in order to let the chain out of the box.
.
Dated this 11th day of August 1897
For FRIEDRICH SCHÄFER,
Bernhard Brockhues.