Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1888
Specification Accepted, 24th Aug., 1888
I HENRY WILSON TIER, of Pearl House Claremont Road Fratton Portsmouth in
the County of Hants Draper, 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 relates to an improved portable domestic Fire Escape which can be
readily attached inside the window of an ordinary dwelling house.
The Invention consists of an outer frame work of wood or other suitable material
comprising a cross bar with two uprights the said cross bar being intended to be
placed horizontally across the bottom of the window inside the room, and fitted into
sockets there provided and secured by iron pins and the uprights to partially rest
against the inside of the window frame and secured thereto by thumb screws or any
other suitable device.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved fire escape looking through the window
from inside the room and before it is let down.
Fig. 2. is a side elevation of the same after it is let down.
Each upright A contains three or more pulleys B fixed therein one above the other
on horizontal axis; and three or more pins or studs C round which the rope D
carrying the cage may be wound for the purpose of regulating the friction thereof.
On to the cross bar E and between the uprights A A a triangular frame work F G H
is hinged and bolted as shewn at J and K and provided with springs L firmly secured
to the outer frame at U and to the inner triangular frame at V so that the springs L
will be under tension when the said triangular frame is let down from a vertical to a
horizontal position and projects from the window as shewn in Fig. 2. A rope or
chain W is also firmly fixed to the triangular frame by the screw bolt X the end being
passed over the pulleys B and pins (and terminating in a knot or ring Y and so
adjusted that it may assist the springs L in supporting the frame F & H. The

page_text: triangular frame is provided with a pulley M and also with two or more iron feet N
to rest upon the window sill O when the triangular frame is horizontal. The
rope D
carrying the cage is passed over the pulley M and between the pulleys B on the left
hand side of the outer frame as shewn in Fig. 1 and over and about one or more of
the pins C according to the weight which it is desired to lower with the cage and to
the proportions thereof which it is desired to balance by friction.
The cross bar E fits under two or more sockets P fastened by means of pins Q to
the wall or other suitable part of the inside of the room the uprights A being fastened
to the window frame R by means of the thumb screws S. The frame work may be
further secured to the window frame by any convenient number of thumb screws S¹
and blocks T or similar attachments.
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 :-
The construction of a portable domestic fire escape substantially as hereinbefore
set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.