IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ESCAPES OR LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE-ESCAPES OR LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS." A communication from
abroad by Edward Kamin and Heinrich Egberts, botli of Bremen, and the
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th October 1880.
WILLIAM SPENCE, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-ESCAPES OR LIFE-SAVING
APPARATUS." (A communication from abroad by Edward Kamin and Heinrich
Egberts, both of Bremen, and the Firm of Kraas and Company, of Hamburg.)
This Invention consists in the construction and use of a fire-escape or life saving
apparatus, which, owing to its compactness, can be easily applied to a window sill
or other required position, and when fixed can be readily used by a person putting
on a girth or girdle fastened to the end of the rope which is wound on the drum
of the apparatus. On the drum being caused to revolve by the descending weight
(as of a person) it carries round with it a ratchet wheel fixed to the drum, and also
a stop wheel which is fitted loosely on the drum shaft, such stop wheel being locked
with the drum by means of a pawl caused by a spring to enter the teeth of the
ratchet wheel. When the drum revolves in the opposite direction the stop wheel
can be disengaged therefrom and brought to rest. During the unwinding of the
rope by the descending of the weight a rapid revolution of the drum is prevented,
and a slow and regular unwinding motion effected by the stop wheel. When this
wheel revolves with the drum in the unwinding direction one of a set of nine stops
or pins projecting from the face of the wheel is brought in contact with a reversing
stop fixed on a vertical axis or spindle, which is thereby turned, while another
reversing stop on the opposite end of the spindle is moving past the stop or pin on
the opposite side of the stop wheel, and as soon as the first mentioned stop has

page_text: moved away the said first mentioned reversing stop the last mentioned stop or pin
is caused to strike the said last mentioned reversing stop, and to turn the said
spindle or axis of the two reversing stops in the opposite direction. By the
alternate succession of these reversed movements of the spindle the too rapid
descent of the load is prevented.
The stopping action is increased by the said spindle having fitted on it a
toothed segment wheel gearing with a pinion, the movement of which is regulated
by a volute spring and a pair of governor balls applied to the axis of the
pinion.
After the descent of the load the rope can be readily wound again on the
drum, as by this movement the drum will become disengaged from the stopping
apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th April
1881.
"
WILLIAM SPENCE, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES OR LIFE-SAVING
APPARATUS." (A communication from abroad by Edward Kamin and Heinrich
Egberts, both of Bremen, and the Firm of Kraas and Company, of Hamburg.)
This Invention consists in the construction and use of a fire escape or life-saving
apparatus, which, owing to its compactness, can be easily applied to a window sill
or other required position, and when fixed can be readily used by a person putting
on a girth or girdle fastened to the end of the rope which is wound on the drum of
the apparatus. On the drum being caused to revolve by the descending weight (as
of a person) it carries round with it a ratchet wheel fixed to the drum, and also a
stop wheel which is fitted loosely on the drum shaft, such stop wheel being locked
with the drum by means of a pawl caused by a spring to enter the teeth of the
ratchet wheel. When the drum revolves in the opposite direction the stop wheel
can be disengaged therefrom and brought to rest.
During the unwinding of the rope by the descending of the weight a rapid
revolution of the drum is prevented, and a slow and .regular unwinding motion
effected by the stop wheel. When this wheel revolves with the drum in the
unwinding direction one of a set of nine stops or pins projecting from the face of
the wheel is brought in contact with a reversing stop fixed on a vertical axis or
spindle, which is thereby turned, while another reversing stop on the opposite end
of the spindle is moving past the stop or pin on the opposite side of the stop wheel,
and as soon as the first mentioned stop or pin has moved away the said first
mentioned reversing stop the last mentioned stop or pin is caused to strike the said
last mentioned reversing stop, and to turn the said spindle or axis of the two
reversing stops in the opposite direction. By the alternate succession of these
reversed movements of the spindle the too rapid descent of the load is prevented.
The stopping action is increased by the said spindle having fitted on it a
toothed segment wheel.gearing with a pinion, the movement of which is regulated
by a volute spring and a pair of governor balls applied to the axis of the
pinion.
After the descent of the load the rope can be readily wound again on the
drum, as by this movement the drum will become disengaged from the stopping
apparatus.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings, in which is represented the apparatus above
referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, in which the connecting bars x and y are omitted for
the sake of clearness; Fig. 2 is a plan or horizontal view; Fig. 3 is a vertical
section in the line A, B, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shews the stop wheel detached, Fig. 5
the ratchet wheel, and Fig. 6 the stop wheel and parts connected therewith. In

page_text: stop wheel h fits loosely on the drum shaft, so that when the drum revolves through
the strain caused in the rope by the descending person the pawl is by the spring v
engaged in the ratchet r, thereby locking the stop wheel h with the drum a. When
the drum revolves in the opposite direction the stop wheel can be disengaged from
the drum and brought to rest.
During the descending of the person, however, that is to say, during the
unwinding of the rope, the stop wheel h prevents a rapid revolution, and produces
a slow and regular unwinding motion as follows:-
When the stop wheel revolves, as shewn by the arrow, one of the nine stops or
pins g, Fig. 4 (for instance, the top one), catches the reversing stop, which stands at
an angle of 100 degrees, moves it forward, and thereby turns the said reversing
stop on its axis, while the other reversing stop is moving past the lower stop or
ping, and as soon as the top one has moved away the reversing stop t the bottom
one strikes against t', moves it on, and thereby causes the spindle or axis of the
reversing stops to revolve in the opposite direction. This operation continuing
prevents a too rapid descent of the load. This stopping action is increased by
having the axle w fitted with a segmental wheel m, gearing in a pinion k, the
movement of which is regulated by the spiral springs and the balls f
The foregoing action of the apparatus continues until the load is taken off, that
is to say, until the person saving himself has reached the ground.
Experiments have shewn that a rope of about 33 yards in length will unwind in
fifty seconds by the descent of four hundredweights. A person can therefore
descend slowly and safely from the top of the house into the street.
If more persons wish to save themselves they must wind up the rope by turning
the handle b, which can be done with three times the speed. This is caused
through the stopping gear becoming disengaged when the drum is caused to revolve
in a direction opposite to that shewn by the arrow, the drum only with the
ratchet wheel independent of the stopping gear merely overcoming the pressure of
the spring v.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, communicated to me from abroad, as aforesaid, I hereby
declare that what I claim as of the said Invention is, the application to a winding
or unwinding apparatus adapted for use as a fire escape or life-saver of the stopping
mechanism, consisting of the balls f, the spiral spring s, the pinion gearing with
the segmental wheel m, the reversing stops t and t', and the stop wheel h, with its
stops or pins g, and the pawl z engaging in the ratchet wheel for coupling
the drum a, the said mechanism acting, only in one direction, as herein before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Spence, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
aight hundred and eighty one
Witness,
FRANK REDMAN,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM SPENCE. (L.S.)