US204473A - Improvement in fire-escapes - Google Patents

Description

J. AMESS. Fire-Escape.

No. 204,473. Patented June 4,1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

JAMES AMESS, OF ROSEMOUNT, ONTARIO, CANADA.

IM PROVEMENT lN Fl RE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,473, dated June 4, 1878 application filed January 16, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES AMEss, of the village of Rosemount, in the county of Simcoe and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Fire-Escape; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The object of my invention is to produce a portable lire-escape,bywhich persons can safely descend from a burning building upon a single rope attached and hung out of the window.

My invention consists of two hinged clamps, joined together by a chain or cord, one of said clamps being provided with a stirrup for the foot and the other with a handle. Into the center of these hinged clamps are placed three rollers, two on one half of the clamp and one on theother half. Between these rollers passes the rope upon which the clamps slide, and which they are intended to grasp.

In order to more fully describe my invention, I refer to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows my fire-escape hanging from a window of a building. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the clamps and rope. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of one of the clamps.

B and G are two clamps, made of any suitable material and formed in two parts, flanged, as shown in Fig. 3, and hinged together at the top, at a, so that one half will fit into the other half when the two parts are closed.

The clamps B and O are connected together by a cord or chain, H, so that the weight is conveyed from the lower clamp C to the upper clamp B.

Into the interior of the clamps B and O are fitted three friction-rollers, F F and G. The rollers F F are attached to one half, and the roller G is attached to the other half, (see Fig. 2,) and in such a relative position that when the two halves are closed together the roller G fits between the rollers F F, and by acting against the rope A, which passes between them, (see Fig. 2,) the friction produced causes the clamp to gripe the rope A and prevent it sliding thereon faster than desired. After one end of the rope A has been attached to some fixture in the room, slip the clamps B and 0 over the rope.

The person about to use the escape places his foot into the stirrup E on the clamp O, and with his hand seizes hold of the other clamp, B, the handle D of which affords a support. The weight placed upon the clamp 0 through the stirrup E closes it, which movement pinches the rope A between the rollers G and F F. The other clamp, B, being held by the hand, can be regulated so as to produce more or less gripe upon the rope A, as may be necessary, to enable the party makmg use thereof to slide down the rope with safety.

Having thus described my invention, 1 desire to claim The clamps B and O, joined together by rope or cord H H, and formed each in two flanged halves, pivoted together at the top, and provided with three friction-rollers, placed as shown, in combination with the rope A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

This specification signed this 28th day of December, A. D. 1877.

JAMES AMESS.

Witnesses ISAAC B. RoUsE, SAMUEL NOBLE.

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