Year: 1894

page_text: being date of first Foreign Application (in
United States of America),
400 IPIN WOS
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 27th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 27th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, EUGENE IRVING BLOUNT of Gardner, in the County of Worcester and
State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to fire escapes.
The improved device comprises a reel or drum with a line or cord attached
thereto and adapted to be wound thereon. The reel or drum is loosely mounted on
a shaft journalled in suitable bearings. Around this shaft are arranged circular
series of cylinders provided with pistons. These cylinders are conveniently
arranged with their axes parallel to the shaft. Each cylinder is in free communi-
cation at one end with a centrally located inclosed fluid chamber and at the other
end communicates with said chamber by means of a restricted passage which may
if desired be provided with a suitable non-return valve. The pistons which are
adapted to operate upon liquid from the said chamber are provided with valved
ports or passages extending through the same and with springs arranged between
the said pistons and the ends of the cylinders.
The pistons are successively reciprocated in the cylinders by means of a rotary
cam having sections for engagement with the said pistons on the side opposite to
that on which the aforesaid springs act, the said cam being operated by the reel or
drum through the medium of an internal ratchet wheel secured to the shaft, and
gravity pawls on the reel or drum. When the pistons are so reciprocated the
liquid is drawn from the fluid chamber and returned thereto through the restricted
passage before mentioned,
The reel or drum is provided with a suitable re-winding spring.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Fire Escapes.
1, EUGENE IRVING BLOUNT, of Gardner, in the County of Worcester and
O State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 has relation to that class or kind of fire-escapes in which a fluid,

page_text: such as a liquid, air, or other gas is employed as the means for retarding the
descent of the user of the device, the invention being designed to be employed
either by permanently or temporarily attaching it to a building or structure of any
kind.
The invention contemplates the employment of a fire-escaping contrivance, such
as a tape, rope, or other equivalent device, which is adapted to be restrictedly
unwound or moved to enable the user to gradually descend from a window or other
place of escape from a burning building, the said tape or rope to be automatically
rewound so as to return it, and in this way provide for the use of the device, if
need be, again and again.
To these ends, the invention consists of the improvements which I will now
proceed to describe in detail and point out with particularity in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the annexed drawings and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, forming a part of this Specification, the same letters desiguating
the same parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.
In the drawings-
Figure 1 is a side or end view of my improved fire escape in position for use.
Figure 2 is a front view of the same.
Figure 3 is a view of the side opposite to that shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 4.
Figure 8 is a view looking down on the device as represented in Figure 4, with
the cap of the casing removed.
Figure 9 is a front view, partially in section, showing the construction of the
interior of the liquid chamber.
Figure 10 is a sectional detail view drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figures 11 and 12 are detail views showing a modified form of means for
operating the pistons.
In the form of the invention herein shown, which I have chosen to illustrate my
improvements, there are three principal members, namely, a reel or wheel a for the
tape b; a closed liquid chamber c; and a chamber d for the re-winding spring e.
It will appear obvious, however, from the subsequent description, that the said
parts need not be of the form and arrangement here shown, and that in some
instances the re-winding spring and its chamber may be dispensed with.
The tape-reel a is arranged to turn on a shaft f, and has its periphery so
constructed as to receive and have wound thereon the tape b or other equivalent
device.
Fixed upon the shaft f is a disk g provided in one side with an annular groove h
on the edge of which are ratchet-teeth i adapted as the reel a is moved in one
direction to be engaged by the free ends of the pawls j suitably pivoted on the side
of the reel a and so turn the shaft.
The liquid chamber is provided with a plurality of cylinders k, which may
form an integral part of or be otherwise connected with the cap or head-piece l.
m designates pistons adapted to be reciprocated in the cylinders k, each of the
said pistons being provided with a port n controlled by a suitable valve herein
shown to be a ball-valve o.
The inner end of each cylinder is provided with a port p which communicates
between the cylinder and the liquid chamber outside of the said cylinder. As is
herein shown, each port p extends from the cylinder to the centre of the chamber
head, as at 9, where all of the ports p converge and have a communication with
the interior of the liquid chamber by means of a port r controlled from the exterior
of the chamber by a screw-valve s or other suitable means.
controlled by a valve t, as shown, but this is not essential.
The ports p may be
Between the inner end of each of the cylinders k and its piston m, there is
a spring u constructed and arranged to press the piston inward to normal position.

page_text: A plate or disk o is secured to the shaft in the liquid chamber and is provided
on or near its edge with a flange to which is formed into a number of inclines
or cams which are arranged to move in slots y formed in the inner ends of the
cylinders and to act upon the pistons to move them outward against the stress of
the springs .
Various other forms of means inay be provided for operating the pistons.
For example, instead of employing the inclines or cams x and the springs u,
the flange may be provided with an irregular groove y¹, and the pistons may
have stems z arranged to engage the said grooves, as shown in Figures 11 and 12,
so that as the flange is revolved it will reciprocate the pistons in a positive
manner.
The hub of the reel a is provided with a sleeve a¹ which extends into the spring
chamber d, where the re-winding spring e is made fast at one of its ends to the said
sleeve and at the other end to the casing d.
In the use of the invention, the tape b will be normally wound upon the reel a,
and said tape may be provided at its outer or free end with any suitable contrivance
to enable a person to take firm hold of it, or have it secured around or otherwise
connected with the body, or it may be provided at the said end with a basket or
other similar receptacle. The contrivance will be so adjusted that the weight of a
person on the tape b will cause the reel a to slowly rotate, and said tape to be in
like manner unwound.
10
As the reel is rotated by the unwinding of the tape b, the pawls j pivoted upon
the said reel will engage the ratchet-teeth i of the disk g which is attached to the
shaft and rotate the latter, and consequently also the plate or disk v, the flange
of which acts, as before described, on the pistons. The liquid in the cylinders will
be slowly forced through the ports p and q, back into the liquid chamber, and will
resist the action of the flange wo to the extent of the opening of the port q regulated
by the valve s, or it may be to the extent of the openings of the ports p, all as will
be readily understood without further description.
The cylinders and means for actuating the pistons are arranged so that certain
of the pistons will be in course of depression while others will be under releasing
action, and in this way a regular and even resistance will be offered to the revolution
of the reel while the tape a is being unwound.
As the tape unwinds, the spring e will be wound and put under tension, so that
when the tape is released it will be re-wound on the reel by the unwinding of the
spring e, the pawls slipping over the ratchet-teeth i without turning the disk 7,
shaft f, or plate or disk v.
Of course, in place of the tape, a cord or rope may be used, the instrumentalities
being suited thereto.
I have not explained in detail the form of some of the parts and features of the
invention, as this is unnecessary to a clear and perfect understanding of the
same, and my improvements are not limited thereto, it being within the limits
of the skill of any mechanic having knowledge of the art to which the invention
appertains to vary the same without departing from the nature or spirit of the
improvements.
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. A fire escape comprising in its construction a reel, a line connected therewith,
a plurality of cylinders, a centrally located enclosed fluid chamber having free
communication with all the cylinders at one end thereof, restricted passages
connecting said chamber with the cylinders at the other end, pistons in the
cylinders, and means operated by the reel for moving the pistons longitudinally of
the cylinders.
2. A fire escape comprising in its construction a reel, a line attached thereto,

page_text: a fluid chamber, a cylinder and piston, said cylinder having restricted commu-
nication with the fluid-chamber on one side of the piston and free communication
on the other side of the piston, and the piston having a valved port extending
through it, and means for reciprocating the piston under rotation of the reel.
3. A fire escape comprising in its construction a reel, a line attached thereto, a
cylinder and piston with restrictive means of escape for the fluid on one side of the
piston, a rotary cam engaging the piston and adapted to move the same endwise of
the cylinder, means for rotatively connecting the reel and eam, and a spring acting
against the piston.
4. A fire escape comprising in its construction a shaft journalled in suitable
bearings and carrying affixed to it an internal ratchet-wheel, a reel loosely mounted
on said shaft and carrying pivotal gravity pawls engaging said ratchet-wheel, a
cylinder and piston with restrictive means of escape for fluid on one side of the
piston, means for reciprocating the piston under rotation of the reel in one direction,
and a re-winding spring connected with the reel.
5. A fire escape comprising in its construction a liquid chamber, a series of
circularly arranged cylinders and pistons adapted to operate upon liquid from the
chamber, a rotary device for acting successively upon the said pistons, a shaft to
which the said rotary device is secured, a reel connected to the said shaft, and a
tape on the reel to rotate the same and the shaft.
6. A fire escape comprising in its construction a circular series of cylinders and
pistons with restrictive means of escape for fluid on one side of the pistons, a reel,
a line attached thereto, a rotary cam having sections for engagement with the
pistons, respectively, to move the same end wise of the cylinders, and means for
rotatively connecting the said cam and the reel.
7. A fire escape comprising in its construction a circular series of cylinders and
pistons, a fluid chamber common to all the said cylinders, restricting passages
connecting the chamber with the cylinders respectively, a reel, a line attached
thereto, a rotary cam for acting on the pistons, and means for rotatively connecting
the said cam and the reel.
DAEGU BITI day of Octobe HOCH.
1
EUGENE IRVING BLOUNT.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.