Patent ID: 7686135

Claim:
An escape device comprising: a cable; a rotatable cable dispensing assembly from which said cable is dispensed under load; a braking mechanism operatively connected to said rotatable cable dispensing assembly; and wherein said braking mechanism is a centrifugal braking mechanism in which a brake spinner frame having one or more braking elements attached thereto is operatively connected to the cable dispensing assembly, and wherein each of said braking elements has a first end and a second end; and the first end is pivotally mounted to said brake spinner frame and a spring element extends between the brake spinner frame and a region of the braking element proximate the first end thereof, and the first end of each of said braking elements is biased into contact with a braking surface and the second end thereof is spaced a distance from the braking surface when the braking mechanism is in a rest position; and said braking element pivots from the rest position into a braking position under the influence of centrifugal force as an output shaft rotates bringing the braking element progressively into contact with the braking surface with the second end of the braking element being brought into abutting contact with the braking surface; whereby a braking response of the braking mechanism is proportional to the rate at which cable is dispensed from the rotatable cable dispensing assembly.