IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES
Year: 1884

page_text: 13
I THOMAS PROCTOR HALL of Toronto in the Dominion of Canada, Teacher do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE ESCAPES
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 improvements in fire escapes, the object being to
provide an apparatus by the use of which a person can, without assistance, lower
himself or herself from a window of a building or other like place, the break of the
said apparatus being self-regulating that is to say, the pressure of the break varies
with the weight to be lowered, and the speed of descent automatically decreases as
the person using the apparatus approaches the ground; the apparatus can be made
of sinall dimensions so as to be easily carried in the pocket or otherwise.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same
by reference to the accompanying drawing which represents a view of a fire escape
constructed according to my invention.
In carrying out my invention I employ a wheel or pulley a, having a deeply cut
groove and pivotted in a frame b; to the lower part of the said frame b, is pivotted a
break lever c, carrying at one end a belt or strap d; the belt or strap d, is provided
with a suitable fastening such as a hook e, to fasten the same round the waist of the
person using the apparatus. In the upper part of the frame b, works a cylindrical
metal block f. The pulley a, is wrapped or wound with wire or wire cable g, or the
like; the said wire is passed once round the block f, and its end is provided with a
snap hook h; the friction end of the break lever c, is provided with a rope or
handle i, for the purpose hereinafter described.
To make use of a fire escape of this construction it is only necessary to pass the
wire g, round any suitable object in the room from which the person wishes to
descend and to pass the snap hook h, over the wire as shewn in the drawing so as
to secure the wire to the said object. The belt or strap d, is then placed round
the person's waist and fastened by the hook e, thereof being attached to the link j.
The person then allows himself or herself to descend and his or her weight acting
upon the break lever c, will press the end c', thereof against the rim of the pulley a,
and the descent of the person will be thereby retarded. As the wire g, unwinds
from the pulley a, and the diameter of the coil is decreased the power of the wire
to turn the pulley decreases or the power of the brake c, becomes relatively greater

page_text: until the descent of the person is stopped; the descent can however be continued
if required or accelerated by pulling on the rope or handle i, so as to partially
relieve the break.
By reversing the position of the apparatus when being used it could be employed
by one person for lowering another person, the break being under the control
of the former.
Having now 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
(1). In a fire escape the arrangement of apparatus whereby the break becomes
self regulating the pressure thereof varying with the weight lowered, substantially
ns and for the purpose herein before described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
(2). In a fire escape the arrangement of apparatus whereby the speed of descent
of the person using the escape is automatically caused to gradually decrease as the
person approaches the ground substantially as hereinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying drawing.
(3). In a fire escape the pulley a, having a deeply cut groove and around which
is wrapped or wound a wire or its equivalent in combination with the break lever c,
operated by the weight of the person being lowered and under the control of the
said person all substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawing.
(4). The improved fire escape hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawing.