US620902A - Fire-escape - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented Mar. I4, |899.

G. FABE FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application led June 11, 1898.) (No Model.)

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No. 620,902. Patented Mar. I4,` |899. s. maa.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application Bled Juno 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE EAEE, or sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,902, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed June 11,1898. Serial No. 683,198. (No model.)l

T0 all IUI/tom it may concer-71,.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE FABE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in

the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lire-escapes; and the primary object thereof is to provide a simple and effective device to be attached to a building by Ineans of which a person may readily descend in safety in the event of fire or a person ascend to any of the windows of the building for the purpose of effecting a rescue of any one imprisoned therein.

The secondary object of the invention is to provide an effective governor for regulating the speed of the person descending, so that the descent will be gradual and any injury which might be caused by a sudden or rapid descent prevented.

Vith the above objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, which will be fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claim, and clearly illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a front elevation of abuilding with my improved fire-escape in position.v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanism at the top of the building. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 4. is a vertical section taken on Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5 5 of the same iigure. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism positioned at the bottom of the building, the chain ladder being removed. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the construction of the ladder, same being illustrated in perspective.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, A designates a plate adapted to be secured at the top of the cornice of the building, from which the standards B are raised, said standards carrying at their upper ends the vertical bearing C, which is counterbored at its upper end to receive the sleeve D. This sleeve is formed with the annular groove F. to receive the inner edge of a sectional plate F, secured upon the upper end of said bearing and serving to prevent longitudinal movement of the sleeve. The upper end of said sleeve isslotted and provided with ears G, to which the governor-arms H are intermediately pivoted, the inner ends of said arms projecting into said sleeve and the outer ends carrying the balls or weights I.

A bevel-gear J is formed with a sleeve K, which is positioned in bearing C, in which it rotates, said gear resting upon an arm L, projecting from one of the standards B and perforated in line with the bore of said sleeves K and D. The bore of these sleeves is polygonal in cross-section to receive the polygonal portion M of shaft N, which is freely movable vertically in said sleeves, but rotates therewith.- This shaft projects through the perforatiOn of arm L, in which it rotates, and on its lower end carries the conical brake-block, which engages a conical shell P,threaded upon a stem or pin Q, raised from plate A. To the inner side of this shell a sheet R of frictional material is provided, and when the weighted ends of the governor-arms are raised by cen-V trifugal force their inner ends, which engage the upper end of said shaft, will be depressed, forcing said shaft downwardly and causing the brake-block to engage the frictional material upon the inner side of t-he shell, thus serving as a brake to impede the rotation of said shaft, and consequently the rotation of the beveled gear. Formed on one of said standards is a laterally-extending bearing S, in which a shaft T is j ournaled, the inner end of said shaft carrying a beveled gearU, which meshes with gear J. Sprocket-wheels V are secured upon said shaft, which projects beyond the cornice of the building, and around these sprocketwheels pass the chains W, which chains are connected together at suitableintervals by bars X, thus forming an endless ladder.

Secured tothe building, at the bottom thereof, is a plate a, carrying a bearing b and an arm c, and mounted in said bearing and arm is a shaft d, having a crank e upon its outer end and carrying the sprocket wheels f, around which said endless chains which con'- stitute the ladder pass.

The endless ladder being in close proximity to thev windows of the building, it will be readily understood that in event of fire per; sons in the various rooms may readily descend by grasping the ladder, their weight effecting the movement of the same. The governor, the operation of which will be readily understood from the foregoing description, checks and prevents any sudden and rapid movement of the ladder, so that the descent is gradual. Should firemen desire to ascend to any of the Windows, or it being desired to raise any arti ele, it is simply necessary to operate the ladder through the medium of the crank at the bottoni of the building.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a very simple and effective iire-escape Which is reliable in its operation and by means of which persons may readily descend from any of the Windows of a building in event of fire and have also provided a governor for preventing a too rapid descent, so that all danger of injury is obviated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a fire-escape, the combination With shafts mounted at the top and bottom of the building, an endless ladder carried thereby, a beveled gear carried by one of said'shafts, a beveled gear meshing therewith, a sleeve carried by the gear and revoluble in a suitable bearing, a second sleeve revoluble in said bearing, governor-arms intermediately pivoted to said sleeves and having their inner ends projecting therein, a shaft movable vertically in said sleeves but locked from independent r0- tation and engaged at its upper end by the inner ends of the governor-arms, a conical brake-block carried by said shaft, and a conical shell adapted to receive said block, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE FAB'E.

Titnessesz JOSEPH CONNELLY, B. F. HUFFT.

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