US2561832A - Safety escape device - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l July 24, 1951 Filed Aprll 17 1947 F. R. WILSON SAFETY ESCAPE DEVICE Jul 24, 1951 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed April 17, 1947 wa -9 2971141 57 9 r Patented July 24, 1951 TED STATES PATENT OFFICE *SAFEIY ESCAPE DEVICE FrankrR. Wilson, Iiexington Ky. Application April 1'7, 1947, 'seriarNos'zszgoso --4L;Glaims. (Unfit-32) "lfhe invention. relates etc a device :Lfor use by ran irfdividualvescaping f-fromia building during an --emergencyand when the usual means 'or avenues ""fonexodus are inoperative or blocked.

Itis-a general object of thisiinvention to provide adeviceior use by an individualrin-escapinig i'aburning building-or th'e like which is .of 'n'ew=and iimproved construction, readily applied rand operated bythe'average:mernberof the pub- Ilic, and readily adjusted to "carry an weight individual. H h-rmore'particulartobj ectis to provide anescape device-composed of aiharn'ess and a re1-=of=stee1 defile, t the .-'speed or rrro'ta-tion of the reel being '-i-fu'i1 control *of the individual making the descent so that the speed of descent' is: governed "byitheindividudl.

hnother object is to provide an escape dev-ic'e "ofithecharacter-defined in which'the meanscontrolling the rate *of -*rotation -='of *the reel is so 'arranged that brakingpressuretending to arrest rotation (if the "reel automatically applied should the individuai-making the descent-release his grip on the controlfmeans-either voluntarily "or involuntarily, wilfully or unwi'lfi'fll-y, through Imnic forloss of' consciousness.

Mother "object "is to provide-an escape device of "the icharacter"describedhaving'two means for controlling the braking '-'pressure applied "to the reel one'rof which is provided to adjust thedevice for the weight to be "'carriedflthereby but which may also 'he employed "during descent 'to' "adjust thehrakingipressure, the "other of which control means is Temployedfprimarily to "govern theirate rofiiescent. 1

.A further:"object"is"'toL"provide"-an escape device which is :compact "and comparatively "light in weihvso "thatfit :may be conveniently "stored in :each :hotel "room or "even carried "about by "indiivfdnalsaspartof'their luggage.

."Stillaffurth'er objectisto provide an escape idev'icexwhich can :be economically manufactured,

"will remain safe'tand operative without repeated inspection or'checking, "has a cable thatis not "readily destroyed by fire, and lie .so constructed thatnailliparts-exceptthexcable descend withth'e individual making the escape .so that the major martidfllthe device is savedas an incident to the itsafe escape of "the individual 'using thesame.

..Other objects and advantages will become apmarent .Ifrom the .ifollowing detailed description taken in :connec'tion with the ..accompanying udiiawing-siin which:

.IFig. .1 ris a perspective view illustrating the devicein operation.

.'1? -i'g,.2 is .talgeneral-i elevational view of the device.

lma-=3 is :a s'diametrical :sectional "view taken approximately along the lineA-i of FigF-Z, that As en iafidiameter passing through thespeed of descent controlling lever.

jlFjg. .4..is an send ielevational tview taken from theIlettin-IFiEc3.

"=FigJ-5 is an end elevational view taken from the right in i ig. '3; Wh iie the invention is susceptibleof various modificatiensand alternative constructions, it is shown in iihe i i rawingsand will be hereinafter described in a"preferredembodiment. It is not intended, howeverjthat the invention is tobe iimited'therebyto the specific constructionshown. On' the contrary, it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in-th'e appended claims.

4 ads bcst'seenin Figs. 1 and 2, the device comprises generally a harness l0 'to' be-applied "to and "worn L by "the "individual making the escape, are'el having :a cable 12 'woundthereon, the reeihing rotatable on means attached to the harness, fiand"means l3 and M "for-controlling rotation of "the reel for governing the '"rateof descent tofan individual in'the "harness. The harness'maytakexany;one ofmany forms provideditgives suitable; secure and nonpainfulsupport to the individualto whom it is supplied while" leaving: thehands of 'theiindividual free for use. Preferably alsothe harness shouldbesimple so asto be readily; applied and should either'be "readily shed by the individual upon reaching safety. or' readily disconnected 'from the .reel '50 that the. individual may quickly depart" from the scene o'fithe disasterv and not risk the further 'hazardspof falling walls and the like.

fThe'harness'disc'losed herein by way of examplecomprisesa main straplii of'leather or "other s iitablematerial which is designed to constitute the main weightvsupporting member andffunctionsasasling suspensionseat. in whichnthe individual sits, asibestw-seen cinFig. 1. Secured to the approximate midpoint of the strap l5.fis.austrap ['6 which is intended to extend forwardly and .then upwardly between the legs of the wearer. At its .npper end, it .is intended to be .secured to 'LthetapproXimate midpoint of a strap H which .extendslhetween the parts \of .the .main..strap [5 near the ,endstthereof. .The strap .l'! .is ,pre'ferialblyapermanently secured. at one; end to 'thetstrap [5.whi1etatsthe other end. 'it-carries a .snap hook J8 which.iscsneppednintoea ring [9 .secured in fixedwposition on the opposite portion of the strap [5. The strap I6 is intendedtobefsecured'to the istrap I] ,at the approximate midpoint "thereof and his herein. shownnas carrying "on? its free end asna'pfihooktZhengaging a ring .21 .fixedly secured onttha-strap ll'l. .Preferably the harnesszis completed by a :back strap 22 which is :secured to the main strap. :at approximately the same points as ,th strap rl'lsandh-is :intendedto encircle the. hack oflthe escapee, as shownin Fig. 1, .toprevent the individual from .tilting v11::ackwardly out .of the harness.

.{Eherreel ll of c-thisdevice comprises :a .metal spook-23 having aho'llow tubular center 24 :and atcircular'disk125st each end .forming the 58nd flanges ofitheispool. #Qntthis spool is woundithe safety factor any weight that is likely to be" placed thereon. At the reel end, the cable is.

permanently secured to an eye 26 formed as an integral part of the spool, while at its free end it carries a snap hook 2'! to facilitate the securing of that end of the cable to some objector element in the room from which the (escape-is to be made. It will be understood, of course, that if the ,escapedevice forms a standard part of the furnishings of a hotel room some means, such as arr-eye, will be provided at one or more windows in the room into which the hook 21 may be snapped If, however, the escape device is not standard equipment butis carried by the occu pant of the room, the end of the cable can be secured to any one of a variety of objects, such as the radiator, the frame of the bed, etc. The spool 23 will, of course, be made of such size that there can be wound thereon considerable footage of cable and the spool, therefore, may vary in size depending upon the size of the cable andthe length of the cable. v v

The spool 23 is rotatably mounted on a shaft in; the form of a bolt 28 extending axially through the spool. Also rotatably mounted on thebolt 28 are a pair of disks 29 and 30 each disposed'opposite one of the flanges 25 of the has an apertured ear thereto of the harness l0. Preferably, for the reasons above stated, the harness is detachably connected to the disks 29 and 30 a'n'd,to thatiend, the main strap l has at each end a snap hook '32. Thus the harness is secured to'the disks 29 and 30 and hence to the reel ll by engagement of the snap hooks 32 with the ears 3|, and thus an indiv'idualhaving made the descent by aid of the escape device can, upon reaching the ground, simply and quickly unsnap the hooks and leave the scene of the disaster without. the loss of time that might otherwise be incurred in becoming disengaged from the harness. Nonspo0l"23.. Each of the disks 29 and 3i], moreover, 3| for the attachment 4 each side ,oi the lever 44 at the'por-tion 45, again through the medium of a pin 4'83 At the remaining ends, the links 41 are pivotally connected one each to upstanding ears 49 formed integrally with the disk 30 on the outer surface thereof.

rotatably secured as byriveting, gluing, or the like, to the outside surface of each of the end flanges is a'disk 33 of suitable friction material. Similarly secured to the inner surface of the disk 29 and the disk are disks 34 of friction material.

As best seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the left hand endof the bolt 28 is threaded and has threaded thereona nut 35. This nut preferably is of the wing type and herein is provided with long 'nutto be readily adjusted manually. I The'nut is also provided with an inwardly extending annular boss 31 providing a guide or seat for a compression spring- 38 interposed between the nut and the disk 29.

At its opposite endythe bolt 28 has a cap 39 1 secured thereto as by means of a pin 40 extending diametrically through the cap=and the bolt 28. interposed between this cap andthe disk 30' is a second compression spring. A pair of a cars 42 extend axially from the cap and received between the ears and pivoted therein as by a .pin 43 is one end of a lever 44. The lever has a straight portion 45 at'its pivoted end which thus extends substantially at right angles to the bolt 28. It is also formed with a, second straight portion 46 which extends generally parallel with the bolt 28 andforms a hand grip portion. A pair of links 41 are connected at one end one to slenderdiametrical extensions 36 to enable'the threaded end of the dividual'with thercabletaut and the now ready to make his descent.

It will readily be apparent that the springs 38 and 4|, beingcompression springs, will urge the friction'disks 33 and 34 into engagement with one another with varying force, depending upon the adjustment of the fffnut 35 and the position of the lever 44.. The disks 29and 3|), bein nonrotatably held, by theweight of the-individual in the harness, will act as brakes tending topree vent rotation of the reel ll, vWhat i's-more, -it will be appreciated that the nut 35 may be utilized in a dual capacity, namely, that of preadjusting the weight that has to be placed on the reelbefore the same will rotate, and adjust; ment of the braking actionduring. descent. The lever 44 is employed primarily as a control for governing the rate of descent. It willbenqted,

particularly from Fig. 3, that asthe lever v44 is swung toward the individual making the descent the spring 41 is compressed and thus the pres sure on the frictionaldisks is reducedwith con;-

sequent reduced resistance to rotation of the spool 23. Should the individual using .the dc;- yice release thelever 44, the sprin 41 will, automatically restore the lever 44 .toits nomal posi tion, shown in Fig 3, and willalso restore the full braking action for whichthe device Wasinitially adjusted so as to prevent uncontrolled descent-under those circumstances.

Preferablya locknut 50 is provided at: the bolt 2 1 .0 rev n th 19 trol nut 35 from being backed off andlthereby reduce the braking action below,aeertain desired minimum. Completing the device is a cable guide fi l secured at one end to the disk, and 7 extending longitudinally of the, reel The guide St has a slot 52 formed therein extendinglon} gitudinally thereof. and throughwhich the cable l2 ispreferably threaded. I The guide 5lfeliininates the tendency of the entire unit to'revolve, especially when the reel is held against irot'ation, and thus serves a very important functi n., Y The operation of the device is believed' readily understandable fron j the foregoing description.

Suffice it to say, therefore, thatin the-eventToffa fire in a hotel in which the device abovedescribed is available for use either because furnished/as standard equipment of the'hot'el' or brought in by the occupant or the room, the occupant would first secure the free end ofjthe c'ab'lefto some object within the room. As previously" pointed out, this might bea suitable eye located'near a window and into which the hook: ZT'mightbe snapped. If such aneyeis not providedf the occupantof the room can loop'the free snap: the cable once'or' twice about aipipelleading' to a radiator or about the frame of'the' bed and then snapthe hook 21 backover thecab'le. Next the occupant puts on the ha ness) [0, opens the window and climbs out feet'first and on his stomach, holding onto the window sill with his hands until he has lowered hirnselfso that 111s entire'body is outside of the window." -Atthis stage, the device should be supportin thein individual next releases his right hand from the; window sill and grasps the lever 44 at'the portion "48'.

He next pulls the lever 44 toward him gradually, thereby permitting rotation of the reel to unwind the cable and hence his descent. Depending upon the extent to which the individual actuates the lever 44, the descent may be made gradually or more rapidly, but is at all times under the absolute control of the individual. Should, by chance, the weight of the individual be so small as not to cause rotation of the reel even when the lever 44 is actuated to the limit of its movement, further reduction in braking action can be obtained by adjustment of the nut 35. As stated above, preferably means is provided limiting the extent to which the nut 35 may be backed off so that it is never possible to have the reel run absolutely free but a certain minimum braking action is provided even when the nut 35 is backed off to its limit and the lever 44 is actuated to its limit of brake releasing position.

It is believed that I have perfected an escape device which primarily and foremost will permit of the safe descent of an individual from above ground level floors of a building in the event of the necessity of emergency exit. The device can be adjusted to carry any weight from that of a small child to that of a large adult. Moreover, the device is so simple in operation that any member of the public, including comparatively young children, could successfully manipulate the same.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for makin an emergency descent from a building comprising, in combination, a harness to be worn by the person making the descent, a cable having an end adapted to be secured at the point of origin of the descent, a reel upon which the cable is wound, means for rotatably supporting said reel comprising a pair of disk-like elementsadapted to be attached to said harness and a bolt extending through both said elements and through said reel with said reel rotatable on said bolt and at least one of said elements movable axially of said bolt, friction material interposed between each end of said reel and the adjacent disk-like element, a compression sprin encircling a portion of said bolt projecting outwardly beyond one of said disk-like elements and bearing at one end against the adjacent one of said disk-like elements, and a nut threaded on the projecting end of said bolt form ing an abutment for the remaining end of said spring, said nut being formed with hand-engagin surfaces to facilitate manual adjustment of said nut to vary the frictional braking effect on the rotation of said reel.

2. A device for making an emergency descent from a building comprising, in combination, a harness to be worn by the person making the descent, a, cable having an end adapted to be secured at the point of origin of the descent, a reel upon which the cable is wound, means for rotatably supporting said reel comprising a pair of disk-like elements adapted to be attached to said harness and a bolt extending through both said elements and through said reel with said reel rotatable on said bolt and at least one of said elements movable axially of said bolt, friction material interposed between each end of said reel and the adjacent disk-like element, a compression spring encircling a portion of said bolt projecting outwardly beyond one of said disklike elements and bearing at one end against the adjacent one of said disk-like elements, a cap secured on the projecting end of said bolt to form an abutment for the remaining end of said spring,

a lever pivotally mounted on said cap, and a pair of links pivotally connected at one of their ends to said lever and at the other of their ends to the adjacent disk-like element whereby pivoting of harness and a bolt extending through both said elements and through said reel with said reel rotatable on said bolt and each of said disk-like elements and said reel being movable axially of said bolt, friction material interposed between each end of said reel and the adjacent one of said disk-like elements, means at one end of said reel for adjusting the device normally to support a predetermined weight suspended in said harness, and means at the other end of said reel including a lever operable to reduce the braking effect on said reel.

4.11 device for making an emergency descent from a building comprising in combination, a harness to be worn by the person making the descent, a cable having an end adapted to be secured at the point of origin of the descent, a reel upon which the cable is wound, means for rotatably supporting said reel comprising a pair of disk-like elements adapted to be attached to said harness and a bolt extending through both said elements and through said reel with said reel rotatable on said bolt and each of said disklike elements and said reel being movable axially of said bolt, friction material interposed between each end of said reel and the adjacent one of said disk-like elements, means at one end of said reel for adjusting the device normally to support a predetermined weight suspended in said harness, including a compression spring bearing at one end against one of said disk-like elements and a nut threaded on the same end of said shaft and forming a limiting abutment for the other end of said spring, and means at the other end of said reel for controlling the braking effect on said reel during descent to govern the rate of descent comprising a cap fixed on said bolt, a compression spring interposed between said cap and the adjacent one of said disk-like elements, and a lever operable to relieve to varying extents, depending upon the extent of movement of said lever, the force exerted by said last named spring to restrict the rate of rotation of said reel.

FRANK R. WILSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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