Patent ID: 6892857

Claim:
Fire escape apparatus for egress to the ground from a multi-storied building structure from an upper level thereof, including the roof, in combination with said building structure, the apparatus comprising: an upper, supporting entry ring member detachably anchored to said structure at an exit location thereof, including said roof, said entry ring member having attached to it one end of an elongate mesh tube, the mesh tube being substantially longer than the structure height from which escape is to be effected and being sufficiently long to enable extension downwardly from said exit location to the ground, said mesh tube having a lower, exit-opening support ring member attached thereto at its other end thereof, said structure having permanently attached thereto, adjacent said exit location, one end of a guide wire or cable extending from said structure at a desired angle to the ground, said cable being permanently affixed at its other end to a ground anchor on the ground, said elongate mesh tube having affixed thereto, at spaced-apart intervals along a length of said tube, a plurality of supporting blocks-and-pulleys, said pulleys of said blocks-and-pulleys engaging and riding upon said guide wire or cable, said apparatus including at least one longitudinal reinforcing cord affixed at one end thereof to said entry ring member, intertwining said mesh tube along its length thereof, and being affixed at its other end to said exit-opening, support ring, wherein at least two cords of said mesh tube connect said tube and longitudinal reinforcing cord through each supporting block of said plurality of blocks-and-pulleys at each point of connection with said tube, whereby, when needed, said tube is deployed from said upper level downwardly such that said exit-opening ring member extends to ground level and said entry ring member affords entry therethrough into said tube at said exit location, thereby permitting escape to ground level through said tube by a person entering said tube from said upper level.