A New or Improved Fire Escape.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct.. 1594
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1895-Accepted, 29th June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Fire Escape.
1, JOHN ERNEST SEARY of 230 Ashmore Road, Harrow Road Loudon
Compositor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a new or improved fire escape which owing to its
portable construction and simplicity in working is intended for use in all households
and other buildings.
It consists of an elliptical shaped metal plate having fixed to one side three
metal projecting pins in such a manner that one is lower than the other two, for
the purpose of acting as axles to a like number of pulley wheels groved for the
purpose of carrying a metal or other rope. These wheels will be made to run
easily upon the axles and being kept thereon by any desired means.
At a certain required distance from each of the said projecting pins I pivot a
movable clip so that when turned it is capable of resting upon the end of the
axle and so to provide a guard to prevent the possibility of the rope escaping
from the groved pulley wheels. To either side of the metal plate and below
the pulleys I securely attach a hook to receive the side ropes of a suitable seat
which I provide so that the said seat will be hung upon the said plate. In
using my apparatus one end of the rope is passed over the first, under the second
and then over the third pulley wheel so that the metal plate will run along the
said rope if sufficiently inclined by means of the pulley wheels carrying with it
the seat and any person seated thereon. Thus if one end of the said rope is
securely attached to the inside of any room from which escape is required and
the other end is attached to any secure object on the ground, or held securely,
the plate and seat will travel evenly to the ground bringing safely with it the
person seated thereon. By hauling the rope tightly from the lower end the speed
of the travelling can be easily regulated. I may also if found desirable provide
for the non-turning of one or more pulley wheels in certain cases if necessary.
As my improvements are capable of some modification without departing from
the principle thereof 1 do not restrict myself to the precise form or placement of
the several parts thereof.
Dated this 18th day of October 1894.
A New or Improved Fire Escape.
I JOHN ERNEST SEARY of 230, Ashmore Road, Harrow Road London,
Compositor 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved fire-escape of portable construction adapted
to be used at, and fitted to the windows of, households or other buildings.
According to my invention I provide a device formed of two plates between

page_text: which are mounted loosely, upon pins or axes, three grooved wheels or pulleys, one
of which is below and between the other two.
Around these pulleys is threaded or coiled a metal or other rope, the whole
device forming a kind of friction block or carrier whose travel along the rope is
regulated by the tension of the said rope. To the aforesaid two plates are
attached chains or hooks carrying a strap or seat for supporting the person wishing
to descend the rope.
One end of this rope is provided with a hook for attachment to another rope or
chain carried by a bent bar secured to one of the upper corners of a window frame
inside the room, the other end of this latter rope or chain being secured to a hook
or catch when the apparatus is in use, whilst the lower end of the carrier rope is
held or attached to some fixed object in the road beneath the window at any angle
therewith.
We also provide two handles extending one on either side of the two plates of
the carrier for the person supported by the latter to catch hold of.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating my invention in which like
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
Figure shows the top corner of the inside of a window frame with the short
cord or chain permanently attached thereto, and
Figure 2 is a cross section of the window frame with our improved device fitted
thereto as when in operation.
Figures 3 & 4 are side and end views, to a larger scale, of the carrier for
supporting the person descending the rope.
a a' are the two plates forming the sides of the carrier and connected together
by the three pins bb and forming the axes of the three grooved pulleys c c
and the lower one e' being situated below and between the upper ones c and c¹.
This carrier is threaded by the rope d, the latter passing around the inner side of
the pulley.c, underneath the pulley ' and over the pulley c¹ the whole constituting
a friction block or device, which is caused to travel along the said rope with more
or less speed according to the greater or lesser angle at which the rope is held or
the tension of the said rope.
The said carrier is provided with two handles e e and two chains ƒƒ carrying snap
hooks and to these latter is attached a strap g for passing around the body of
the person desiring to descend the rope, or a seat may be suspended from the
chains upon which the person sits.
The rope d is provided at its upper end with a hook d¹ for attaching it to the
loop of the rope or chain h the latter being passed over the curved bar or elbow i
secured to the upper corner of the window frame k.
The other end of the rope h is also provided with a loop or ring h² these two
loops or rings preventing the rope being pulled through the opening formed
between the bar or elbow and the window frame. The said rope when not in use
is attached by its rings to a hook / fastened to the inside of the window frame k as
shown in Figure 1. The rope d is preferably threaded with several of the
aforesaid carriers and is stowed away in any convenient position within a room or
building, and in order that the carriers may occupy as little room as possible the
handles e may be hinged to the plates a a¹ so as to fold upwards in a line with the
latter.
In using my improved fire-escape the rings are detached from the hook
and the ring secured to the hook or catch m. The upper sash of the window is
then lowered and the other end of the rope h thrown out, the sashes are then raised
and the hook d' of the rope d attached to the ring h', the rope d is then thrown
out of the window and is held by a person in the road beneath or attached to some
fixed object at or towards the other side of the road.
The person desiring to descend from the window then passes the strap g around
his body hooking himself to the carrier and catches hold of the handles e; he
then starts from the window-sill being suspended by the carrier and descends
gradually and safely down the rope to the road beneath.

page_text: If another person wishes to descend from the same window he catches hold of
the next carrier threaded on the rope d and descends in a similar manner to that
just described.
It is evident that the shape and size of the plates a a' forming the carrier, and
also the positions of the pulleys may be varied, for instance the pulley may be
placed almost on a level with the pulleys c and c and the rope d be threaded
underneath c over and under c', this being especially applicable where the said
rope has to be held below a considerable distance from the house or building. In
this case the handles would be placed below the pulley, or they may form the
axis of the said pulley and the attachment for the chains ff.
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;-
་་
1. The improved fire escape comprising a friction block or carrier constructed of
two plates connected together by three pins or bolts serving as axes whereon are
loosely mounted three pulleys, each of the said plates being provided with a handle
and a hook or chain serving to support a strap or seat for carrying the person
descending from a building, the said device being actuated by a rope passing
around the three pulleys and attached to another rope or chain fixed permanently
to the top part of a window frame substantially as described and for the purposes
specified.
2. The improved fire-escape substantially as described and shown in the accom-
panying sheet of drawings.
Dated this outh 1
1008
J. B. FLEURET,
5 Hatton Garden, London, Agent for the Applicant.