Patent ID: 7703576

Claim:
A fire escape apparatus comprising a main elongated hollow tubular member having an elongated slot opening through a side wall substantially throughout a length of the main tubular member, said tubular member being adapted for mounting vertically on a building exterior wall adjacent at least one of a door or window opening above a ground floor and extending from one of the door or window openings to the ground, at least one short hollow auxiliary tubular member having opposite ends open and a slot opening through a side wall of the auxiliary tubular member, said auxiliary tubular member being adapted for mounting on the building exterior wall with one end adjacent one of said door and window openings a second end adjacent an upper end of the main tubular member, an intermediate portion of the auxiliary tubular member being declined downwardly from the door or window to the main tubular member, the main tubular member having an opening at an upper end communicating with an interior of the auxiliary tubular member at a lower end of the auxiliary tubular member and the slots of the auxiliary and main tubular members also communicating, an upper end of the auxiliary member being within reach of an occupant of the building attempting to escape through the door or window opening, both the main and auxiliary tubular members having first braking means comprising a series of gradually arcuate spring members in opposing pairs on opposite interior surfaces of the auxiliary and main tubular members substantially throughout the length of the main tubular member and a length of the auxiliary tubular member, a second braking means co-operable with the first braking means where the second braking means is also disposed within the auxiliary or main tubular members, the second braking means taking the form of a size adjustable spherical member dimensioned to engage and to be frictionally restrained in passage between the spring members while the second braking means is in downward movement at a predetermined safe rate of speed, a connecting device extending from the second braking means outwardly through the auxiliary or main tubular member slots and connecting to an occupant of the building enabling the occupant to activate the two braking means and slowly and safely descend to the ground in a smooth linear path of downward movement.