US565458A - Fire-escape - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

H. HOFFMANN. FIRE ESCAPE No. 565,458. Patented Aug. 11, 1896.

W12 Zneu'er.

UNITED Y STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY HOFFMANN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,458, dated August 11, 1896.

Application filed April 9, 1896. Serial No. 586 ,829.. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY HOFFMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and vState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FireEscapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved fire-escape.

To this end my invention comprises the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of my invention, which will now be described in detail.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 indicates my improved fire-escape in side elevation, the clamping-bars of the same being shown as released from their bite on the cable, so that the carriage is free to move. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, except that the clamping-bars are shown as clamped onto the cable, so that the carriage will be held stationary. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing the clamping-bars opened up and adapted for application to or removal from the cable; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the carriage shown in the above figures, some parts being broken away and others removed.

a indicates a flexible cable or strand, which is suspended by its upper end from the buildin g or other support from which it is desired to descend. This cable will preferably be in the form of a wire rope, but of course might be any other kind of rope or even a single wire strand.

Z) 1) indicate a pair of clamping-bars, which are bent on corresponding wave-lines, and are provided with cooperating groove clampingsurfaces, respectively, b and 12 which run longitudinally of said clamping-bars, and between which the cable a Works. At their lower ends these clamping-bars b b are connected together by means of a pair of interlocked links 19 formed, one on each of said clamping-bars,v on the same side of the longitudinal center of said bars. This link engagement b will permit both angular and lateral pivotal movements of said bars I) and b with respect to each other, and also a limited longitudinal sliding motion of the same with respect to each other. The bar I) is provided with a laterally-projecting finger b at its lower end, which is adapted to be engaged with a cooperating hook portion 1) on the lower end of the bar b when said bars are closed on the cable a. The clamping-bar b has pivoted thereto, at two different points, indicated at 6 parallel pairs of levers Z2 The rearwardly-projecting ends of these parallel levers b are recessed, as shown at b", and are provided with pivoted lock-dogs 1) subject to the action of springs I) at their inner ends. The clamping-bar I) is provided with laterally-projecting pins I), located at points thereon, which adapt the pins one for cooperation with each of the pairs of lookdogs I2 carried by said levers Z2 After the cable has been placed between the link connection 6 and the pin-and-hook connection b I), said hook b will be e11- gaged with said hook I), and the clampinggrooves b b of the clamping-bars b I), respectively, may be closed onto the cable by forcing the clamping-bar 12 into the position shown in Fig. 1. In thus forcing the bar 1) from the position shown in Fig. 3 into the po sition shown in Fig. 1 the pins Z2 carried thereby, will engage the inner endsof the cooperating lock-dogs 6 and will force the same outward to permit said pins to pass the same. When the pins I) reach the position shown in Fig. 4, the lock-dogs 19 will be thrown in front of said pins by the action of the springs 1;, thereby locking said pins 1) into the recesses of the levers Z2 I 0 indicates a pair of slipper-like supports connected by a pair of transverse rods 0. As shown, the slipper-like supports 0 are carried by a pair of crossed levers 0 0 Of these levers the lever c is formed by a pair of parallel bars, which pivotally connect the forward member of the transverse shafts c with the rear end of the lower member of the levers b while the lever c pivotally connects the rear member of the transverse shaft 0' with the forward ends of both of the levers 19 In the use of my improved device as a fireescape the cable a will, as already indicated,

be secured to the building and suspended in such position that it may be easily reached from a window or other opening or openings in the building. Usually one of my improved devices would be hung on the rope ready for use. A number of extra carriages or fire-escapes may be hung on the adjacent wall, or in any other place, where they are accessible in case of fire. These carriages may be quickly applied to the cable by opening the clampingbars, as shown in Fig. 3, and then clamping the same onto the cable, as shown in Fig. 1, by an operation which has been described above. The person desiring to descend may then step into the slippers c and may hold himself in position by taking hold of the cable.

The rider standing in the slippers 0 may control the downward movement of the carriage as follows: By throwing his weight onto his toes the parallel levers b will, through the connections 0 0 be so moved as to cause the clamping-bars b b to be loosened on the cable, as shown in Fig. 1. This will, of course, permit said clamping-bars to slip over the ca ble and the carriage, together with the person carried thereby, to descend. By throwing the weight of the rider onto the heel portions of the slippers c the reverse movements of the levers b and connections 0 0 will be given, and the clamping-bars b i) will be clamped onto the cable, as shown in Fig. 2.

From the above it must be obvious that the rider may, by throwing more or less of his weight onto the toe or heel portions of the slippers, vary the fractional bite or clamping action of the clamping-bars on the cable, so as to vary the speed at which the device will descend at will or to bring the car to a stop at any point on the cable. After the person has descended to the ground the carriage may be readily removed from the cable by pressing the outer ends of the pairs of lock-dogs b together, so as to release the pins Z1 and permit the clamping-bar b to be swung outward into the position shown in Fig. 3. In virtue of the fact that the rocking support on which the rider stands is made in the form of a pair of slippers, the rider is given better control over the clamping action of the clamping-bars b I). This follows from the fact that when he throws his weight onto his heels he may also positively lift on the toe ends of the slippers by lifting upward with his toes.

It will be understood, of course, that the wave-like form of the clamping-bars is very important, as it causes the cable to take a winding course in passing between the frictional surfaces of the same, thereby increasing the slipping friction between said frictional surfaces and said cable. It should also be understood that while I prefer to provide a number of my improved fire-escapes for each cable, yet that a single device might be used over and over, so as to carry many persons from a burning building. This, of

course, might be done by leaving the device clamped to the lower end of the rope after one person has descended, then pulling the device up by means of the suspended rope, and then using the device over again, in the manner already set forth.

My invention, while especially designed as a fire-escape, may be used for many other purposes where it is desired to lower persons from an elevation. It will also be understood that various alterations may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a fire-escape or similar device, the combination with a flexible cable or strand suspended from its upper end, of a carriage movable on said cable, comprising a pair of clamping-bars bent on wave-lin es and having grooved clamping-surfaces between which the cable works, a rocking support in the form of a pair of slippers, on which a person may stand, and lever connections between said clamping-bars and said slippers, whereby the bite of said clamping-bars on said cable may be varied by the rocking movement of said slippers, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a flexible cable or strand suspended from its upper end, of a pair of clamping-bars connected by a hingejoint that permits said bars to be moved angularly with respect to each other and to be opened sidewise for application to said cable, a pair of rocking slippers on which a person may stand, and lever connections between said clamping-bars and said slippers, whereby the bite of said clamping-bars on said cable may be varied, by the rocking movement of said slippers, substantially as described.

The combination with a flexible cable or strand suspended from its upper end, of the pair of grooved clamping-bars b b bent on a wave-line, the pair of slippers 0 connected by the pair of rods 0, the pair of parallel levers b pivotally connectin g the clam pin g-bars I) 7), and the crossed lever connections 0 0 connccting the cross-rods c with said levers I), substantially as described.

4. In a fire-escape, the combination with the clamping-bars Z) I) connected at their lower ends by means of the links I) finger U and hook I)", one or more pins Z7 carried by said bar I), one or more pairs of levers b pivoted to said bar I) and provided at their rear ends with recesses I) and spring-held lock-dogs Z2 the pair of slippers 0 connected by rods 0, and the crossed connections 0 connecting said rods 0 with the opposite ends of said lever If, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY I-IOFFMANN. 'itnesscs:

Gnonen E. LA CLAIR, O. L. BILLINGS.

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