A FIRE ESCAPE APPLICABLE TO CLEANING AND PAINTING WINDOWS
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM THOMAS DAVY of 21 Valentine Place in the County of Surrey
Carpenter do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for A FIRE ESCAPE
APPLICABLE TO CLEANING AND PAINTING WINDOWS to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a wrought iron frame made to size to pass through the
opening of sash frame when the bottom sash is up or if casements, open.
The front and two sides of frame are made of flat iron about one inch wide by
, inch thick edge ways or according to size and strength of machine required the
back is of round iron about 5/ths of an inch diameter rivetted through the sides
of frame, on the back bar are two iron wheels 5 inches in diameter I inch thick
and close to the ends so as to take the pressure off the frame against the wall, also
to clear the machine of all projections window cills cornices stringing courses &
also to protect the persons the bag may contain from injury by being dragged
down the wall.
the
In the centre of sides of frame is a loop made of round iron about ³/h of an
inch in diameter these are called side loops 1½ inch inside cach way they aro
flattened out hooked under and rivetted through the sides of flat iron frame, on
ench of front corners is another loop same size and fixing as the side loops
called corner loops, in the centre of front of frame is another loop same size called
the front loop. On the inside of front of frame on flat is fixed a cleet with bow
in centre made of the round iron the lugs about 4 in long standing out 1%, inches
from iron frame thus the front loop and bow cleet are rivetted through the front
of iron frame-the centre loop outside the bow cleet inside the flat iron frame in
centre thus firmly holding all together.
Beneath and attached to this iron frame by strong lashing through brass cyclet
holes hangs a strong sail cloth bag 4 foot 6 in deep straight in front wedge shape
at back so as to clear all projections in its descent in the front of bag is a taper
slot in centre 12 inches long 24" wide at top to nothing at bottom called the hand
slot through which passes the descending lines.

page_text: then passed through the end loops from the inside to the out then through the
corner loops then through the front loop through the bow of bow cleet through
the hand slot of sail cloth bag into the street the machine to be tightened up with
the wheels under the outside of window cill, take one turn of line on the cleet and
it is ready for use, and impossible to be moved without taking the lines off the
cleet by some one either at the window or in the machine, if in the bag by letting
the lines run through the hand it will be under control and checked instantly by
the slightest tightening of the lines so the person descending can stop at any
window to take in property or persons who may bo in danger, this is in case there
is no assistance from the street, one person alone could save a number of lives, if it
should be children to be saved and only one adult in the house they can be dropt
into the machine two or three at one time the hitch taken off the cleet the lines
let run through the hand of the person in the room and they will descend in safety
it can be pulled up to the window again and repeated. Showing that this
apparatus is independent of outside assistance. Should there be outside assistance
a person from below by holding the lines has the same control over the machine as
a person inside, so the persona being rescued are not required to render any
assistance for their own escape.
Should there be two persons below the lines can be taken out of all the loops
except the side loops then by each taking a line and running in opposite directions
the machine will ascend and by running towards each other the machine will
descend thereby saving persons almost as quick as counting. When out of use it
is out of sight being fitted into the well of a portable dressing table the machine
having been tightened up under outside of window sill should be turned back into
the table folded up, the lines laid on top of machine-the top put on and it is out
of sight and always ready for use.
The sail cloth bag being 4 ft 6 in deep reaches to the breast of an ordinary
person and would hold 4 or 5 children being-impossible.to.turn-over or fall out.
The sail cloth having been prepared with a solution has been rendered as fire
proof as possible and will pass through a considerable amount of fire from under
windows without injury to persons the bag may contain, the lines also having been
prepared with solution are as fire proof as possible.
As a painting or window cleaning machine it would be found useful doing away
with the danger of ladders or standing on window sills-the table for packing
being portable the legs being fitted inside the box thus persons leaving home for
the sea side or hotel could take the apparatus with them taking up little room in
travelling and can be fixed in 5 minutes.
Dated this Twelfth day of January 1884.

page_text: Should there he outside assistance a person from below by holding the lines has
the same control over the machine as a person inside, so the persons being rescued
are not required to render any assistance for their own escape.
Should there be two persons below or two just descended the lines can be taken
out of all but the side loops and by cach taking a line and running in opposite
directions the machine will ascend, or by running towards cach other the machine
will descend, by this means numbers of lives may be saved in a short space of
timo.
When out of use it is out of sight being fitted into the well of a portablo
dressing table or folded up against the wall under the window, the machine having
been tightened up under outside of window cill it should be turned back into the
table folded up, the lines laid on top of machine the table top put on and it is out
of sight and always ready for use.
The sail cloth bag being 4 ft. 6 ins. deep reaches to the breast of an ordinary
person and would hold at least two adults or four or five children being impossible
to turn over or fall out.
The sail cloth bag having been prepared with a solution has been rendered as
fire proof as possible, and will therefore pass through a considerable amount of
fire from under windows without injury to the persons the bag may contain.
The lines also having been prepared with solution are as fire proof as possible.
As a painting or window cleaning machine it will be found useful in many cases
doing away with ladders or standing on window cills.
The table for packing being portable the legs and stand made to fit inside the
box, thus persons leaving home for the sea side or hotel could take the apparatus
with them taking little room in packing and can be fixed in a few minutes.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. is a plan of frame. a. a. the wheels. b, the back round bar rivetted through
sides of frame on which the friction whicels run. c, c, c, c, the side and corner loops.
d, the front centre loop and bow cleet bolted or rivetted through the front of
frame.
Fig. 2. showing the machine thrown out of the window with the wheels below
window cill with sail cloth bag attached ready for descent showing also front and
corner loops.
Fig. 3 showing side of machine thrown out of window with wheels below eill
with sail cloth bag attached ready for descent, showing also side and corner loops
manner of fixing the lines and portable table for packing.
Fig. 4. showing front of the five loops viz. two side loops front and two corner
loops, the corner loops are bent to fit the bar.
Fig. 5. showing side of loops turned under and fixed through frame.
Fig. 6. showing bow cleet and front loop fixed through front of frame.
Having particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
A frame made of suitable material with loops, bow cleet, wheels & with sail
cloth bag attached as described and illustrated in my Specification and
Drawings.
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