IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE IN CASE OF FIRE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR ASCENDING AND DESCENDING ELEVATED STRUCTURES GENERALLY
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES GILLINGHAM of Chard in the County of Somerset, Surgical instrument
maker, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE IN CASE OF FIRE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR ASCENDING
AND DESCENDING ELEVATED STRUCTURES GENERALLY, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a convenient, safe, light and cheap
apparatus for saving life in case of fire which apparatus is also applicable for the
use of builders' men, steeplejacks and generally wherever it is required to ascend
or descend elevated structures, and adapted or modified according to the different
requirements.
Within a strong and light wrought iron or steel frame I mount a windlass drum
suitable for coiling thereon a wire rope or other fireproof rope (or chain, or for
builders' use an ordinary rope) of the required length. On this drum or on its spindle
I fix a worm wheel into which gears a worm or endless screw. On the spindle of the
latter I fix a handwheel which I provide with an automatic brake for the purpose
of checking the descent of the apparatus. With this view I prefer to provide two
or more opposite spokes of the handwheel with sliding weights to each of. which I
connect one end of a lever, the other end of which is provided with a shoe or part
which is pressed against a boss, disc or enlarged part of the worm spindle, like a
brake for checking the speed when the sliding weights on the handwheel spindle
by the quick revolution of the latter acquire, centrifugal force and fly out towards
the circumference of the hand wheel, the action being similar to that of the ordinary
centrifugal ball governor.
To render the gear more powerful I sometimes provide intermediate tooth wheel
gearing between the windlass drum tooth wheel and the worm wheel.
The apparatus is provided with straps for fastening it round the waist of the
person using it; or it may, if desired be provided with a cage, skeleton cage,
fireproof bag, seat, cross bar or other well known means for sitting or standing on
or in, or for attaching it to the person; but I prefer the straps as, for most cases,
the simplest and readiest.
When the empty apparatus has to be hoisted up to a place (a window high up a
building, for instance, in case of fire) a rope or line connected to the apparatus
having first been thrown up to the place required, I provide the drum at one end
with a flanged capstan pulley which by pawl and spring gear connects with the
drum when turned in one direction but is disconnected therefrom when turned in
the opposite direction. The fireman standing on the ground takes hold of one end
of a rope which I call the train line and which is coiled once or twice round the
aforesaid capstan pulley, the other end being made fast to some piece of furniture

page_text: or fixed object at or near the aforesaid window, he stands out so far in the road as
to keep the line and apparatus well away from the burning building. Another
rope, the hoisting or lowering rope, is fastened to and coiled round the drum while
its other end is fixed to the upper part of framing of apparatus. A bight of this
drum is passed round a pulley arranged outside the window (or a small windlass
adapted to be clamped onto the window sill) and the person at the window pulling
at the part of the rope fixed to the apparatus hoists the same up, the fireman
meanwhile pulling the train line taut imparts revolving motion to the capstan
pulley as the apparatus is hoisted up and (by the pawl gear) revolving motion to
the drum whereby the rope is wound onto the latter so that it is ready for use
when it arrives at the window. The hoisting rope is now fixed to some part of the
window or room. The person entering the cage of the apparatus or fastening the
apparatus in front of him can now descend, the aforesaid worm wheel gearing and
automatic governor brake affording the required check to regulate the speed of
the descent, besides a slight touch on the hand wheel affords additional safety, and
facility for stopping it at any intermediate elevation if required. Or one end of
the train line being fixed to the apparatus as before is then passed up and round
the pulley at the window then down to near the ground and then up round the
capstan pulley on the apparatus and to a hook or eye fixed at the window the drum
or hoisting line being fixed to a hook or eye at the window as before, the bight of
the train rope below the capstan pulley passes through guide hooks on the apparatus,
and through a ring fixed to some part on the ground some distance from the face of
the building.
Bevil gearing may be applied to drive the worm spindle, if desired.
I prefer to attach the end of the drum and other ropes by safety spring hook.
The apparatus may also be fixed on a fire engine, or on the ground, for instance
to an area grating on the opposite side of the road to where the fire is. The
governor brake is then omitted and an ordinary brake used. The aforesaid straps
or cage are or is then attached to one end of a rope, the other end of which is by
spring hook connected to the end of the drum rope.
In general the apparatus should be kept ready and accessible for use in one of
the upper stories of the house and one window is provided with brackets for
receiving the spindle with the aforesaid pulley, or else the brackets with spindle
and pulley or the small portable windlass formed with clamps for readily attaching
it to the window sill.
Or where the apparatus is fixed on a fire engine or intended to be fixed below
in the street, all that is required for the householder is to have a length of twisting
rope having at one end straps attached and a cross bar to take hold of with the
hands, and at the other end a spring hook for connecting with an eye on the drum
hoisting rope; also a coil of rope forming the train line or serving to keep the
person descending away from the wall of the burning house.
From the foregoing it will be observed that when the machine is buckled round
the waist, the rope secured to some piece of furniture, a rafter of the roof or some
other part the person can let himself down out of the window or over the parapet;
the descent will then be safe and quick and at an adjustable speed the person
having the use of both hands which may be required for saving others in a lower
storey, (straps being provided for the purpose). Arrived below the empty.machine
may be hoisted up from below to rescue more people, if required.
The apparatus may also be used for descending wells by bridge builders and
ship builders and wherever it is required to ascend or descend any considerable
distance.
Dated in Third day of Tona 100

page_text: I JAMES GILLINGHAM of Chard in the County of Somerset, Surgical Instrument
Maker do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE IN CASE OF FIRE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR ASCENDING
AND DESCENDING ELEVATED STRUCTURES GENERALLY," and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a convenient safe light and cheap
apparatus for saving life in case of fire which apparatus is also applicable for the
use of builders men, steeple jacks and generally wherever it is required to ascend
or descend elevated structures, and adapted or modified according to the different
requirements.
•
And in order that this invention may be readily understood and carried into
effect I will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a side view of a small portable apparatus intended to be buckled
round the waist of a person or to some fixed object. Figure 2 is an end view
showing the apparatus in actual use by a man who is in the act of descending from
the open window of a house.
Figure 3 shows the same apparatus strapped on to the sash frames of a window
and actuated from within the house for letting a person down by the aid of the
apparatus, the drum rope from which is strapped to the waist of the person
descending who also takes hold of a cross bar on the rope.
Figure 4 is an end view showing a larger size apparatus suitable for large hotels
and warehouses. This apparatus is made to be secured to the pavement by means
of staples sunk into it, or it may be secured to any suitable object on the ground
or to a fire-engine and in any other suitable manner.
Figure 5 shows such an apparatus secured to and worked from the pavement the
wire or other rope from the drum of the apparatus being passed up over a loose
sheave block on the house and its end being strapped to a person in the act of
ascending.
Figure 6 shows the rope with strap and block to be kept in the house ready for
use, and then the end of the rope to be secured to the rope end on the drum of the
apparatus.
Figure 7 is a side view of an apparatus provided with bevil gear and intended
to be strapped on to the person or to which may be fixed a cradle or seat.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of an apparatus provided with intermediate spur
wheel gearing.
Within a strong and light wrought iron or steel frame A. I mount a windlass
drum B suitable for coiling thereon a wire rope or other fire proof rope C or chain
(or for builders use an ordinary rope) of the required length. On this drum or on
its spindle S I fix a worm wheel D into which gears a worm or endless screw E.
The drum spindle S is formed with a square end to receive a handle H, Figures 3, 4
and 5. On the spindle of the worm E I fix a hand wheel F which I provide with
an automatic adjustable brake for the purpose of checking the descent of the
apparatus. With this view I prefer to provide two or more opposite spokes of the
hand wheel with sliding weights G to each of which I connect one end of a lever I
which is pivotted at one of the holes I' and the other end I of which is provided
with a shoe or part which is pressed against a boss, disc or enlarged part of the
bearing 13 of the worm spindle E like a brake for checking the speed when the
sliding weights G on the spokes of the hand wheel by the quick revolution of the

page_text: latter acquire centrifugal force and fly out towards the circumference of the hand
wheel, the action being similar to that of the ordinary centrifugal ball governor.
The speed of descent or the power of the brake is rendered adjustable as required
by shifting the fulcrum pins of the levers I to one or other of the holes I. Obviously
the pitch and proportions of worm and worm wheel must be such as to prevent
actual locking of those parts which would hinder the descent of the apparatus
except when the hand wheel is worked round by hand. Or the apparatus may be
worked without the governor by keeping the hand on the hand wheel F.
The machine is also provided with ratchet wheel and pawl R, Figures 1 and 7,
situated between the worm wheel D and the end frame A, for the purpose of
keeping the windlass in gear in the descent and for throwing the worm wheel D
and worm E out of gear in coiling the rope on the drum. In the larger machines,
Figures 4 and 7, a second ratchet wheel Q and pawl P are provided for enabling
the rope to be fixed at any point by the man in the cradle or cage.
To render the gear more powerful I sometimes as shown in Figure 8 provide
intermediate tooth wheel gearing K L between the windlass drum and the worm
wheel.
The apparatus is provided with straps M for fastening it round the waist of the
person using it; or it may if desired be provided with a cage, skeleton cage, fire-
proof bag, seat, cross bar, or other well known means for sitting or standing ou or
in or for attaching it to the person, but I prefer the straps as for most cases the
simplest and readiest.
The hoisting rope C having been fixed to some part of the window or room as
shown in Figure 2 the person fastening the apparatus in front of him by the strap M
can now descend the aforesaid worm wheel gearing D E and automatic governor
brake G, I, I, I" affording the required check to regulate the speed of the descent,
besides a slight touch on the band wheel F affords additional safety and facility
for stopping it at any intermediate elevation if required. N Fig. 1 is a knob on
the end of the frame of the machine for holding on by with the left hand while
operating same with the right hand.
Where a number of persons are to be rescued the machine is inverted and fixed
to some part of the house as for instance as shown in Figure 3 where it is strapped
to the sash frames of a window. The end of the winding rope is strapped to the
waist of the person to be lowered, who may also hold on to a crossbar on the rope
as shown.
The machine is worked by another person at the window. When the
person has thus been lowered to the ground, the end of the rope is run up by
working the handle H of the machine or as I prefer it automatically by the
action of a spring coiled inside the drum B.
Bevil gearing may as shown at U Figure 7 be applied to drive the worm
spindle E if desired or a handle may be attached on the top square end E' of the
worm spindle E.
I prefer to attach the end of the drum and other ropes by safety spring hook.
The apparatus may also be fixed on a fire engine, or as shown at Figure 5 on the
ground for instance to an area grating on the opposite side of the road to where the
fire is. The governor brake may then be omitted and an ordinary brake used.
The aforesaid straps or cage are or is then attached to one end of a rope the other
end of which is by spring hook connected to the end of the drum rope.
In general the apparatus should be kept ready and accessible for use in one of
the upper stories of the house, and one window is provided with brackets as shown
in Figures 2 and 3 for receiving the spindle O with or without a pulley, or else
the brackets with spindle and pulley or the small portable windlass formed with
clamps for readily attaching it to the window sill.
Or where the apparatus is fixed on a fire engine or intended to be fixed below
in the street all that is required for the householder is to have a length of hoisting
rope having at one end straps attached and a crossbar to take hold of with the
hands, and at the other end a spring hook for connecting with an eye on the drum
hoisting rope.

page_text: From the foregoing it will be observed that when the machine is buckled round
the waist, the rope secured to some piece of furniture, a rafter of the roof or some
other part, the person can let himself down out of the window or over the parapet;
the descent will then be safe and quick and at an adjustable speed, the person
having the use of both hands which may be required for saving others in lower
stories (straps being provided for the purpose).
It must however be understood that even without taking hold of the hand-
wheel F any person may with safety descend with this apparatus as the automatic
governor brake checks the speed of descent.
The apparatus may also be used for descending wells, by bridge builders and
ship builders and wherever it is required to ascend or descend any considerable
distance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim in respect of fire escape and general ascending and descending
apparatus is:
First: The application of worm wheel gear substantially as set forth.
Second The application of centrifugal governor gear in combination with brake
gear substantially as set forth.
Third: A fire escape and general ascending and descending apparatus consisting
essentially of a hoisting drum capable of being revolved directly by a handle or
indirectly by a worm wheel, worm, and hand wheel in connection with a centri-
fugal governor and brake, all substantially as described and as shown on the
drawings.
Fourth The construction of hand wheel governor and brake described and
shown.
Dated this Third day of October 1884.