Improvements in Fire Escapes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Escapes.
We, JOHN THOMAS PITT, of 223, Stafford Street, Walsall, General Dealer, and
JAMES WILLIAM BROOKS, of 6, Caldmore Road, Walsall, both in the County of
Stafford, Coal Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be
as follows:-
Our invention has for its object improvements in fire escapes which are particu-
larly applicable to domestic and portable purposes and are suitable for placing in
any private bed room or in the bed rooms of hotels and boarding houses as also for
offices and other rooms above the ground floor.
I construct a frame or side cheeks for holding two pulleys or drums upon which
two distinct wire or other cords. or bands are wound by which the escape is sustained
the ends of each cord or other attachment finishing with loops or hooks so as to be
easily fastened to a table leg or bedstead or hook or eye fastened in the floor of the
room or to the side or other part of the window or building.
The two side checks or frame are hinged together at the top part or a pin giving
a certain amount of liberty may pass through. Then the two drums are hung upon
a centre pin which is provided with a wheel or mut outside the cheek which may be
operated by the hand. The centre flange of each drum is made large a soft washer of
leather or other material is placed between the flanges so that when the cheeks are
forced together by the screw great friction is caused and the drums prevented from
revolving. To the bottom part of each cheek through suitable holes we pass
through a piece of very strong webbing or other material to fasten round the body.
One end of this webbing holds both ends of the cheeks and the other end hooks
on to a ring after passing around the body so that the one end of the
webbing always tends to draw the cheeks together upon their top pivot and so
press the flanges of the drums together thus acting like a brake and either hand
may assist this pressure or the screw may be used when descending from any
building. The screw brake is specially intended for use when it is required to
lower more than one person or when the person requires to stop at a window to take
down a second person with them.
Dated this 27th February 1891.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colinore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Escapes.
We, JOHN THOMAS PITT, of 223, Stafford Street, Walsall, General Dealer, and
JAMES WILLIAM BROOKS, of 6, Caldmore Road, Walsall, Coal Merchant, both
in the County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement: -
Our invention has for its object improvements in fire escapes which are particu-
larly applicable to domestic and portable purposes and are suitable for placing in
any private bedroom or bedrooms of hotels and boarding houses as also for offices
and other rooms above the ground-floor.
We construct a frame or side cheeks for holding two pulleys or drums upon which
two distinct wires or other cords or bands are wound by which the escape is sustained
the ends of each cord or other attachment finishing with loops or hooks so as to be

page_text: easily fastened to a table leg or bedstead or hook or eye fastened in the floor of the
room or to the side or other part of the window or building.
The two side checks or frame are hinged together at the top part or a pin giving
a certain amount of liberty may pass through. Then the two drums are hung upon
a centre pin which is provided with a wheel or nut outside the cheek which may be
operated by hand. The centre flange of each drum is made large, a soft washer of
leather or other material is placed between the flanges so that when the cheeks are
forced together by the screw, great friction is caused and the drums prevented
from revolving. To the bottom part of each cheek through suitable holes we pass
through a piece of very strong webbing or other material to fasten round the body.
One end of this webbing holds both ends of the cheeks and the other end hooks on
to a ring after passing around the body so that the one end of the webbing always
tends to draw the cheeks together upon their top pivot and so press the flanges of
the drums together thus acting like a brake and either hand may assist this pressure
or the screw may be used when descending from any building. The screw brake is
specially intended for use when it is required to lower more than one person or
when the person requires to stop at a window to take down a second person with
them.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice we have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which we have
fully illustrated the nature of our said improvements.
Figure 1, is a front elevation of one of our fire escapes.
Figure 2, is a side elevation of same.
Figure 3, is a vertical section through same.
The frame or side cheeks A. and A' are constructed to hold the two pullies or
drums B and B upon which the two distinct wire or other cords or bands D and D'
are wound in reverse directions by which means the escape is sustained.
The ends
of each cord or other attachment is provided with the hooks E and E' which are
provided with the sliding spring bolts and e³ so that the ends of the cords may be
easily and safely made into a loop and attached around the table leg or bedstead or
to a hook or eye fastened in the floor of the room or to the side of the building
or window.
The two side cheeks or frame A and A' are hinged together at the top so
as to be capable of slightly opening apart or the pin a², giving a certain amount of
liberty, may pass through. The two drums B and B are mounted upon the centre
pin F and this pin is provided with the nut f¹ outside the cheek A¹ which may be
operated by the hand. The centre flanges and 13 of each drum is made of large
diameter and a soft washer of leather or other material is placed between the
flanges and 3 so that when the cheeks are forced together by the screw nut, great
friction is caused and the drums prevented from revolving. To the bottom parts of
the cheeks A. and A' through holes a³ and a' which are rounded so as not to cut the
piece of very strong webbing or other material H to fasten round the waist or other
convenient part of the body. The loop at one end of this webbing embraces both
ends of the cheeks A and A' the other end being provided with the hook h³ for
attachment to the ring after passing round the body so that the end of the
webbing always tends to draw the cheeks A and A' together upon their top hinge
or pivot and so press the flanges and 3 of the drums B and B' together thus
acting like a brake and either hand of the person may assist this pressure, or the
screw may be used when descending from any building. The screw brake fis
specially intended for use when it is required to lower more than one person or when
the person requires to stop at a window to take down a second person with him,
small cotters 2 & 3 are provided at each end of the pin F to prevent the nut
coming off or the pin F coming out.
We do not confine ourselves to the exact details as we may have a screw wheel M
with a milled edge in place of the nut f¹ as shewn in Figure 4 and we may
attach both cords or wires to the one hook E.
In Figure 4 an important modification is shewn in which the nose piece is

page_text: dispensed with the clutches A and A' being hinged together at K which may
be effected by a pin similar to a² or in this, or in any of the cases the two
cheeks may be hinged together as shewn by P at Figure 5.
We may dispense with the milled wheel or thumb-screw and depend entirely
upon the weight upon the band H for drawing the cheeks together and thereby
causing the friction or we may connect the band to any other suitable part of
the escape and provide two projecting handles N and N by which the cheeks
could be pressed together by hand to cause the required amount of friction while
descending as shewn by Figure 6.
The checks may be formed of cast or stamped metal and shaped and orna-
mented to any degree.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
:
First The improvements in fire escapes: substantially as herein-before set forth
and shown upon the drawings.
Second The improvements in fire escapes consisting of two pulleys or drums
mounted upon a spindle in two sheaths or cheeks upon which wire or its equivalent
is wound in reverse directions the cheeks being operated by a band, cord, or its
equivalent and by a hand wheel: substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
Third: In fire escapes, two cheeks mounted upon a pivot or hinge and carrying
drums upon which wire or cord is wound in opposite directions the escape being
attached to the body and operated entirely by the friction wheel: substantially as
herein set forth.
Fourth In fire escapes two cheeks and two drums mounted together as herein-
before shown and explained, with the cheeks operated upon the drum, flanges to
form a brake by the cord or strap without any hand wheel substantially as
described.
Fifth In fire escapes, two cheeks and two drums mounted together as herein-
before set forth the checks being operated by the hand levers: substantially as
herein described.
:
Sixth In fire escapes the centre pin upon which the drums are hung mounted in
the cheeks with end cotters or their equivalents in such a manner as to give liberty
to the said cheeks to open a limited distance as and for the purpose herein set
forth and shown.
:
:
Seventh In fire escapes the formation of two cheeks for causing the drums as
hereinbefore described with two guide holes for the wire or cord to pass through in
an upward direction to prevent entanglement whether there is a nose piece or not:
as herein set forth.
Dated this 13th day of March 1801
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.