Improvements in Fire-escapes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire-escapes.
I, WILLIAM MATHEWS TAYLOR, of Gourleston, near Yarmouth, in the County
of Norfolk, Carpenter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to Fire Escapes for use in private residences, warehouses,
hotels, and other places, where, in the event of a fire, it is of importance that an
appliance should be at band whereby persons can be safely lowered from a window.
My invention consists of a metal or other drum or pulley round which is wound
a cord or wire having attached to one of its ends a strap or belt for the purpose
of being passed round the body of the person to be lowered. The other end of
the cord is secured to the drum, and the latter is fixed upon an axle revolving
in suitable bearings. One end of this axle is extended in length and is arranged
so as, by suitable gearing, to compress one or more springs as the drum with its
axle are caused to revolve by the action of the cord which is unwound from the
drum by the weight of the person who is being lowered.
Attached to or forming part of the drum first described is a brake pulley which is
operated by means of a cord arranged in the following manner. To the top of the
frame, or case in which the whole apparatus may be contained, and directly above the
brake wheel is fixed a staple or ring to which one end of the brake cord is firmly
fastened, and the latter is then passed round the brake wheel and its other end con-
tinued to any desired length, so that the brake can be applied to the revolving drum
either by the person himself who is being lowered or by an assistant from below.
In order that the friction of the brake cord upon the brake wheel should not impede
the action of the spring or springs which return (by rewinding) the lowering cord to
its position upon the drum first described, I arrange a light supporting spring above
the brake wheel having a hook or ring attached to it and I pass the loose end of the
brake cord through this hook or ring. By this means when there is no strain upon
the cord it is raised from the brake pulley and the life saving cord can be rewound
upon its drum by the action of the springs as already described.
The apparatus may be contained in a box or case having two or more strong
attachments by which it can be suspended to corresponding hooks or supports over
the frame of the window where it is to be used.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The person who is desirous of being
lowered from the window, first attaches the apparatus to the supporting hooks
described, and having passed the strap at the end of the lowering cord round his
body and fastened it in position (by any suitable means such as a buckle) he
firmly holds the brake cord and regulates the speed of his descent by the rate at
which he allows the latter to pass through his bands. As he descends and the cord
or wire to which he is attached is consequently unwound from the druin or cylinder,
the springs are compressed by the action of the revolution of the drum and its axle.
Having reached the end of his descent the person who has been lowered unfastens
the strap from his body and, still holding the brake cord, allows the life saving
cord to return to its original position. Children or invalid persons may be lowered
by the person having charge of the brake cord.
Should the brake cord be too heavy to allow the springs to rewind the cord upon the
drum, then if the brake cord be released, the spring described, over the brake wheel
will raise the brake cord and the drum will revolve and rewind the card.

page_text: The apparatus may be made of a size to suit varying circumstances and I do not
confine myself to any particular form of springs for rewinding the lowering cord.
An electric or other alarin may.be attached to the apparatus.
J
Dated this and dow of T1 1000
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings; London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Escapes.
I, WILLIAM MATHEWS TAYLOR, of Gourleston, near Yarmouth, in the County of
Norfolk, Carpenter, 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, and accompanying drawing (that is to say) :-
My invention relates to Fire Escapes for use in private residences, warehouses,
hotels, and other places, where, in the event of a fire, it is of importance that an
appliance should be at hand whereby persons can be safely lowered from a window.
It consists of a metal or other drum or pulley round which is wound a cord or
wire rope having attached to one of its ends a strap or belt for the purpose of
being passed round and secured to the body of the person to be lowered. The
other end of the cord is secured to the drum, and the latter is fixed upon an axle
revolving in suitable bearings. One end of this axle is extended in length and is
arranged so as by suitable gearing, to compress one or more springs as the drum
with its axle are caused to revolve by the action of the cord which is unwound
from the drum by the weight of the person who is being lowered.
Attached to or forming part of the drum first described is a brake pulley which is
acted upon by means of a cord arranged in the following manner. To the top of the
frame, or case in which the whole apparatus is contained, and directly above the
brake wheel or pulley, is fixed a staple or ring to which one end of the brake cord is
firmly fastened, and the latter is then passed round the brake wheel and its other end
continued to any desired length, so that the brake can be applied to the revolving
drum either by the person himself who is being lowered or by an assistant from
below.
In order that the friction of the brake cord upon the brake wheel should not impede
the action of the spring or springs which return (by rewinding) the lowering cord to
its position upon the drum first described when the weight of the person lowered is
removed, 1 arrange a light supporting spring above the brake wheel having a book or
ring attached to it and I pass the loose end of the brake cord through this book or
ring. By this means when there is no strain upon the cord it is raised from the brake
pulley and the life saving cord can be rewound upon its drum by the action of the
springs as already described.
The apparatus may be contained in a frame, box, or case, having two or more strong
attachments by which it can be suspended to corresponding hooks or supports over
the frame of the window where it is to be used.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, Figure 1 being a
front view of the apparatus suspended from a window frame, figure
an end view of
the same, and figure 3 a view of the parts of the apparatus which are contained in
the frame or case. a is the drum or pulley round which the lowering cord c is wound
and to. which it is attached, and d is the belt or fastening by which the person to be
lowered is secured. is a strong plate. or partition in the frame or case, the axle of
the drum a passing through this plate and turning in bearings at the ends of the
frame.. e, e, represent a sufficient number of spring boxes fixed to the frame or
plate b, and containing sufficiently. strong spiral springs, fixed to the axles of the
toothed wheels i, i..

page_text: These toothed wheels gear with a corresponding toothed pinion ¹ upon the axle of
the drum a, so that when the latter is turned by the uncoiling of the rope c, the
springs are coiled or wound up. is the brake wheel or pulley attached to the
drum a, and h is the brake rope or strap passed round the pulley and attached to
the staple or fastening g, its other end being long enough to reach the ground. s is a
spring connected to a hook or ring passed freely round the rope h.
The whole apparatus is suspended at t to strong books or fastenings in the window
frame.
'-
The action of the apparatus is as follows -The person who is desirous of being
lowered from the window, first attaches the apparatus to the supporting hooks at t, and
having passed the strap d at the end of the lowering cord e round his body and
fastened it in position (by any suitable means such as a buckle) he firmly holds the
brake cord h and regulates the speed of his descent by the rate at which he allows the
latter to pass through his hands.
As he descends and the cord or wire e to which he is attached is consequently
unwound from the drum or cylinder a, the springs in e are compressed or wound
up by the revolution of the drum and its axle and of the toothed wheels and
pinions i, i, i.
Having reached the end of his descent the person who has been lowered unfastens
the strap d and, still holding the brake cord h, allows the life saving cord c to return
to its original position by the action of the springs.
Children or invalid persons may be lowered by the person having charge of the
brake cord, upon the ground or at the window.
Should the brake cord be too heavy to allow the springs to rewind the cord a
upon the drum, then if the brake cord / be released, the spring s described, over the
brake wheel, will raise the brake cord and the drum a will revolve and rewind the
cord c.
The apparatus may be made of a size to suit varying circumstances and I do not
confine myself to any particular form of springs for rewinding the lowering cord. An
electric or other alarm may be attached to the apparatus, so that when set in action it
calls the attention of passers by.
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
claim is :--
C
1. The fire-escape, consisting of a frame carrying the drum a, lowering cord c and
belt d, brake wheel 1, and brake cord or strap h, springs at e e, and toothed wheels and
pinions i, i,, all arranged and operating substantially as described and shewn in the
drawing.
2. The springs, and ring or hook round the cord or strap h, for lifting the latter
from the brake pulley 1, substantially as described and shewn in figure 3.
Dated this 14th day of August 1889
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Patentee.