US2321248A - Safety apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 8, 1943. w. E. ROSE ETAL SAFETY APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15," 1941 M m e wue n r05 r m w. n P.

m m rMW m ,CW v 5? June 8, 1943. SE AL 2,321,248

- SAFETY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 13, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fla. 4

lnyentons:

Clare/2c: W, Rose Walter A. Rose 5y W/uta/zead Vay/ Per &.

filter/ways Y June 8, 1943.

w. E. ROSE EI'AL SAFETY AFPARATUS- Filed Feb. 13,1941

7 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,0, 6 6w 6 w 5 z 4 w w I: /k a 5. 8 4 4 1 x 3 63 k 9 a Mr Inventors: Clare/ace h". IP03;-

.By Mama M Walter 6 Poae Yay/ fltfo'rwera 7 Sheets-Sh'et 4 a \8 t mveo tars Clare nee W. Race W. E. ROSE ETAL SAFETY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 13, 1941 June 8, 1943.

Walter L. Pose 8y Whitehead 4' l/ogl Per I Attorney;

June 8, 1943.

w. E. Rosa 1- AL SAFETY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 13, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fla l2 7 7 e 5 $690 wp m W t a. m HW 0 e 46 Ver +0 M ek A fe mm a 0 QWW yw p M 7 J 5 J/ m w t! June 8, 1943. E, ROSE AL 2,321,248

SAFETY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 13, 1941 7 Sheets- S1196? 6 [rave/atoms: Clarence I/V/Pase Wa/te/ 5. Rose By Whiteheaa'g! Vayl June 8, 1943. w E j- I 2,321,248

SAFETY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 13, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 lnven tors: Clarence W /?0se Walter 1 Rose By Whitehead d l/og/ Per M Attorne s Patented June 8, 1943 SAFETY APPARATUS Walter E. Rose and Clarence W. Rosa, Denver, Colo.-

Appiication February 13, 1941, Serial Nb. 378,710

17 Claims.

This invention relates to safety apparatus and especially to that class of safety apparatus which will carry a person from a position of danger to a position of safety.

The invention is peculiarly, but not exclusively, adapted for use in connection with oilderricks, the preferred embodiment now illustrated and described being designed to transport a workman, working upon such derrick, away from the derrick to a safe position distant therefrom whenever a dangerous condition occurs at the derrick, such, for example, as fire, which is frequently started as a result of the blowing of a well. Accordingly, the illustration in the accompanying drawings and the description in the following specification is in terms of application of the invention to oil derricks.

Objects of the. invention are to provide an apparatus which will automatically be set in operation by a workman jumping or falling from his working position and will automatically carry suchperson to a position of safety, distant from such working position; to provide in such an apparatus for the attachment of the apparatus to the. workman at all times while he is at work and in such a manner that the attachment of the apparatus will be of assistance rather than hindrance to him in the performance of his work; to provide, in such apparatus, suitable means for absorbing or lessening the shock which would otherwise result from stopping the rapid movement of the workman attached to such apparatus while in operation; to provide convenience in the attachment and assembling of such apparatus; to provide a simple, inexpensive and durable apparatus of the class de scribed, of comparatively little weight. but ample strength, to insure safety.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which will more fully appear in the fol lowing specification, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed, the preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of an oil derrick with our safety appliance installed.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the structure illustrated at Fig. 1, looking down from line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the'trolley assembly.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragment on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the lock, partly in section, and partly in elevation, taken approximately on line 66 of Fig. 3, but on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 7 is a detail view on line ll of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6, partly in section, on line 3'-8, of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a view the same as'Fig- 6 but showing the parts of the lock in open position.

Fig. 10 is a plan of the stop assembly.

Fig. 11 is a section on line. Il,-ljl of. Fig; 10.

Fig. 12 is. an elevation of the. left end of the stop assembly as shown in Figs. 10 and 11'.

Fig. 13 is a section on line 13-43 in.Fig; 11.

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the fragment of the stop assembly containingv the. cable-gripping jaws and associated parts.

Fig. 15 is a bottom view of the grip portion shown at Fig. 14; 1

Fig. 16 is a front elevation of the rope guide and trolley retaining and releasing'assembly with parts broken away to show construction.

Figs. 17, 18 and 19. are fragmentary. sections. taken respectively on lines, Ill-I1; lit-I8 and l9l9 of Fig. 16.

The derrick is shown diagrammaticallyand is indicated generally by D andhas' the usual. corner posts 20 andthe usual. angle iron girts 21, see Figs. 1,2, 16,18 and 19. The usual work.- ing platform, supported by the girts, and called the board, is indicated. at 22. Cable 23 is attached to-derrick D in. any suitable manner and at a. suitable. point above the board 22; as at 24, whence it inclines to a, suitable anchoragefl25. at such a distance from the base of the derrick as to give. the desired inclination to. cable 23,, as, illustratedat Fig. 1.

Four (4) main elements associated with the derrick and the cable and operating interrelar tively, though not all. simultaneously, constitute the apparatus which automatically assures safety, namely, the trolley assembly, generally indicated at T, Figs. 1 and 2, and. shown. in detail at Figs. 3 to 9, the safety-belt rope R (Figs. 1, 3, r, 5, 16- and 18) thecombined rope-guide, trolley retainer and release indicated at. G. at Figs.- land 2, and shown ind'etail. at Figs. 16 to 19, and the releasable stop assembly indicated at S at Figs. 1- and 2 and shownin detail at-Figs. 10 told.

The present invention liesin. the combination of these elements and also in the structure. and. arrangement of the trolley assembly 'I., therope guide G and the stop assembly Se 1 The trolley assembly, hereinafter referred to asthe t y. Wi'llbe first described. 7

The trolley comprises a housing 26 in which sheave 21 is rotatably mounted by means of axle 28, the ends of hub 21a of the sheave 21 preferably extending laterally beyond the balance of sheave 21 and bearing against the inner walls of housing 26 to definitely center sheave 21, while confining within the area of the ends of hub 21a, the rotational friction between sheave 21 and the housing, all as clearly illustrated at Fig. 4.

The trolley assembly must be adapted to suspend the man who is to be carried to safety and, in order to be convenient, economical and efiicient, should be adapted to admit the cable through the side of the housing so as to avoid the necessity of threading the cable through the trolley. Also, the securing of the trolley assembly in operative position upon the cable is necessary. These important functions are provided for by the structure shown at the lower part of Figs. 3 and 4, details being shown at Figs. 6 to 9.

It is preferable to suspend the man by and through a suitable shock absorber such, for ex ample, as one of the type disclosed in our United States Letters Patent No. 2,175,571, and such a shock absorber is conventionally indicated at 29,

provided with a lug 30, having an eye 3| adapted The rope R, attached to the safety belt on the I man, as later described, runsthrough the shock absorber 29 and is gripped and held thereby, except when subjected to excessive pull, as by the falling of the man attached thereto, under which conditions, it slips through the absorber sufficiently to ease the shock. All this is hereinafter more fully described.

'As shown at the right at Fig. 4, the trolley assembly includes a carrier for a reserve supply of the rope R, which carrier will be later described.

The rope R runs from the carrier through hanger 32 and down over the top of lug 30 and through the shock absorber and, to afford a smooth surface for the rope, lug 30 isrounded at the top as at.30a, all as clearly shown at the bottom of Figs. 3 and 4. r

' Links 33 and 34 are carried by yoke-35 journaled 'in the lower portion of the long or closed side of housing 26. The journaling is convenwardly against the housing 26, furnishing reinforcement for the seating of axle 28, as at 28c. and is then bent outwardly to form a hanger 31 for the rope carrier which will be later described.

Links 33 and 34 are preferably V shaped, carrying, on their free tips, hooks 33a and 34a adapted for insertion through slots 38 of eyelets 39 and to engage the bottoms of the eyelets and be locked thereto as later described.

Eyelets 39 are carried by yoke 49 journaled in the lower part of the shorter or cable-receiving side of the housing 26 which journaling is conveniently accomplished by folding an extension 261) of housing 26 upon said shorter side of the housing and journalingyoke 49 in a part of the fold asat 4|. Extension 26b extends upwardly against housing 26, furnishing reinforcement for the seating of axle 28 as at 281).

Portions 260 of extension 251) are bent away from the body of the extension and cut away or notched as at 26d to receive the bent ends. 4,2 of

forked springs 43, the bases 01' yokes of which are swingingly mounted in the ends of shafts 44 as indicated at 45.

Shafts 44 are rotatable in the enlarged circular portions 38a of slots 38 in eyelets 39 and on the inner side of eyelets 39 the shafts are provided with lugs 43 adapted to contact the bases of hooks 33a and 34a and lock the hooks in position when they are hooked through slots 38 as clearly shown at Figs. 4, 6 and 8.

The reserve rope carrier suspended from hanger 31 is illustrated at the right in Fig. 4

V absorber 29.

and a fragment thereof at Fig. 5. It is designed to carry a considerable length of rope in such a manner as to prevent tangles and still readily release the necessary length of rope when excessive pull causes rope R to slip through shock A convenient structure for thus carrying and, when required, paying out the rope, comprises a plurality of slats or fins 41, suspended from the hanger 31, in parallel, interrelatively spaced relation, the rope being looped at the top of each side of each fin and thus releasably held by a rubber band 48 or other suitable means adapted to suspend the weight of the rope itself by engagement with the loop thereof in the manner illustrated, but adapted to release the rope when strongly pulled, the release resulting from the stretching of band 48 or from compression of the loop or both. Fins 41 are illustrated as converging at their tops to a supporting pintle 49 carried by hanger 31,.but any structure for supporting the fins from hanger 31 may be used.

In order to automatically assure safety to .the man suspended from the trolley T rolling down cabl 23, it is necessary to provide means for bringing the trolley to a stop before the man strikes the ground or the anchorage 25. This stopping point, however, must be far. enough downcable 23 to be out of the area of danger created by the fire or other condition existing at the derrick. 7 Keeping in mind that the man suspended from the trolley is traveling at a high rate of speed by the time he is clear of the danger area around the derrick, it will be obvious that a sudden stop would probably kill or at least injure the man. Accordingly, trolley-stopping means are provided on the cable 23, beyond the danger zone around the derrick, which means are adapted to ease the trolley, with its suspended man, gradually to a stop before the man contacts the ground or the anchorage 25. It is desirable that, from such stopping point. the man be eased down cable 23 to a point at which he can reach the ground.

The releasable stop assembly S, referred to generally as stop S, is provided to meet these requirements and is illustrated at Figs. 10 and 11 and in parts at Figs. 12 to 15. It has an inverted U shaped housing 50, the sides of which are recessed as at 5|, the bottoms of the recesses 5| being further recessed as at 52 for purposes later described.

A topplate 53 is secured to the housing 50 by bolt 54 and extends considerably beyond housing 59 on both sides, as clearly shown at Figs. 10 and 12. A bottom plate 55, generally coterminous with plate 53 but notched at the corners as at 56. in order to seat in recesses 5|, plate 53 by tie bolts 51.

Seated in the top of housing 59 and lying in cable 23 is upper jaw 58 of the cable grip, composed'of bronze or other suitable material. .Pins and (bolts, later described and passing through is attached to the upper jaw 53 as clearly seen. at Fig. 11, hold the jaw in place in housing 55. The lower jaw 59, of the grip, V grooved as at 60, on its cable contacting side, and channelled, asat 6|, on its under side, is vertically slidably positioned in the housing along the underside of cable 23' beneath jaw 53. Jaw 59 is likewise composed of bronze or other material suitable for a friction grip.

Trough 92 rests on plate 55 and is suitably attached thereto as by bolt 63. A row of coiled compression springs 54 is seated in trough-.62 and capped by channel BI and retained in position longitudinally of the trough and channel by bolts 65 connecting the trough 62 and jaw 59 through the two end coiled springs 54, as clearly shown at Figs. 11 and 12.

In order to release the grip of jaw 59 on cable 23, jaw 59 must be moved downwardly, and, in order to permit this downward movement, bolts 65 may slide down through trough 62 (when jaw 59 is depressed), or the heads 56 of bolts 65 may be slidably seated in jaw 59 so that the jaw 59 may slide downwardly with reference to said heads 65.

Arms 51 secured to the sides of the housing 59' by bolts I58 passing through the housing. and upper jaw 58, extend generally in line with cable 23 and carry shaft 69 at their outer ends, sheave I9 being rotatably mounted on shaft 69 and adapted to roll on cabl 23 and being enclosed by inverted U shaped housing II, the lower tips of the sides of which housing converge, as at T2, to less than the diameter of cable 23 so as to normally retain the cable within the housing II. The sides of housing II may, however, be sprung apart suili'cient-ly to permit removal of the housing from the cable by passing the cable between tips 12.

Fulcrumed to housing. 55, as by bolt T3, is a duplex lever having arms I4 extendingbeyond housing TI and preferably converging as at I and carrying between their converged ends a pin or b'olt IE to which is attached the release rope Tl.

Pin 78 extends through lower jaw 59 and projects therebeyond on both sides. The ends of pin i8 project through and beyond housing 50, and are vertically reciprocable in recesses 52. The ends of pin 18 which project beyond the housing 55 are engaged by notched fingers I9, pivoted to lever 14 as at 80, whereby, when lever arms H! are pulled down by rope 'I'I, fingers T9 will depress pin 18 and press jaw 59 downward, compressing springs 64 and lessening or releasing the grip on cable 23.

Fire and other dangerous situations at oil derricks occur so suddenly as to usually allow no time or opportunity for any intelligent action on the part of the man working on the derrick. Frequently the man is rendered unconscious or otherwise incapacitated from taking any action in his own behalf except jumping, rolling or falling from the board on which he is working.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a wholly automatic safety system requiring no action on the part of the person in danger except his falling or jumping from the board on the derrick, until after he has been eased to a safe stop at a point beyond the danger zone.

Our safety apparatus, therefore, includes means by which the workman on the derrick is at all times attached to the safety apparatus in such a manner that it will not simply not interfere with his carrying on his work on the board. butt-on: the contrary, will actually secure and. facilitate.- him in such movements and also in such manner and by-such means that his jumping or falling from the board will automatically trip or release the apparatus and, likewise, automatically carry him to the predetermined point fora safestop.

The rope guide, trolley retainer and release assembly illustrated at Fig; 16 and insections and details at Figs. 17 to 19, meets these re-;

quirementsand will now be described.

The assembly will. be referred to as guide; G.

The operative mechanism of this assembly is suspended from a base plate 8i, clamped to a girt 2I- by tie bolts 82, positioned in front of and behind girt" H with their lower ends engaging the plate 81 as at 82a and their upper ends engaging. top plate 83 as at 8%, the rear of plate 83 resting on the upper edge of girt H as at 83a (Fig. 19) and the front of the plate 83 being supported by channeled spacers 84 resting, on the forward edge of the girt, the front tie bolts 82 passing through the flanges 85 of the spacers. Such a structure may be clamped to any girt' without tools or appliances other than a wrench to tighten the tie boltnuts.

A shield 86-, to protect, from the weather, most of the. working parts, is preferably provided and may be attached toor formed integral with the basev plate 81 and the flanges 81 and 88 next described.

Flanges 8-1 and 88 depend from plate 3I and have ears 81a and 88a. Bolts 89 and 90, with heads countersunk in plate 8| as at 890. and 90a project downwardly through ears 81a and 88a and carry, rotatable thereon, rollers 9| and 9i a spaced apart a suitable distance for the operation of the rope-R and the ring thereon as later described.

Frame 92 depends from plate 8i and top shaft 93 is seated in and extends through flanges 81 and 8B and the wall of frame 92 the shaft 93' being conveniently in form of a bolt with head 93a resting against flange B1 and nut 93b resting against the wall of frame 92. Top roller 94 is rotatably mounted on shaft 93 between flanges 91 and 89.

Sleeve 95 is rotatably mounted on shaft 93 between flange 88 and the wall of frame 92 and carries, aifixed thereto, trip arm 95 and catch 91.

Frame 92 has a flange or car 99 projecting therefrom and shaft 99 is mounted at 0ne'end in ear 98 and at the other end in flange 88; Bellcrank lever I09 is fulcrumed on shaft 99, being mounted thereon by spacer sleeve I9 I. The lower end, of. bell-crank I09 terminates in a hook or seat I02. for the bottom shaft later described. The upper arm. of bell-crank I09 has at its terminus a notch I03 to receive catch 91 for normally holding the bell-crank I00 in position, as at Figs. 16 and 19, and a finger H34 adapted to contact-shield 86- and limit the movement of the bell-crank when catch 91' is withdrawn from notch I03.

Bottom shaft I55 has eyelet I96, linked into U bolt IIlEa, depending from frame 92 and normally rests in seat I02 of the bell-crank and lies in notches 81b. and 88b of flanges 81 and 83 and carries bottom roller I91, rotatable thereon,

by eyelets III and H2 and bifurcated cam H3 is rotatably mounted on shaft I95 straddling eyelet H2. The two sides of cam H3 are provided with a series of paired holes 'I I4 whereby trip pin H5 may be positioned in any one pair of holes.

In the position of the partsas illustrated at Fig. 17 the pin H5 supports one arm of trip .bar II I] at an angle, the arms of trip bar I I bein illustrated at the same angle in Figs. 18 and 19, this being approximately the preferabl angle for the trip or releasing operation hereinafter described. To make sure that the normal pressure of trip bar III] on pin H'will not move catch 91 out of notch I03, suitable means, such as leaf spring I I B, are provided for holding catch 91 in notch I03 against any normal pressure of trip bar I I 9 upon pin I I5 but spring I I 6 must not be strong enough to hold catch 91 against excessive pressure of bar I I 0 on pin I I5 such as will be exerted when the man falls or jumps from the board, as later described.

Rope R is provided with suitable means to normally limit the movement of the rope through the rollers toward the trolley. Such means are illustrated at FigsQlG and 18 as ring II! of sponge rubber or other suitable material, which will grip the rope and will normally overlie rollers 9I and 9Ia and stop the movement of rope R to the right (referring to Fig. 18) when ring IIl contacts the rollers as illustrated at Fig. 18, except when excessive pressures or pulls are exerted in which case ring II! will, by such excessive force. be compressed or distorted and pass with rope R, between the rollers as hereinafter described;

The operation of the apparatus will now be described, starting with the various parts in position as generally indicated at Fig. 1, wherein the rope R is shown as extending from the trolley T through the guide G to a point above the board- The end of the rope above the board 22 is to- 22. be attached to a safety belt of any suitable construction worn by the workman standing upon the board 22. The rope is adjusted so that its length from the trolley to the workman on board 22 is just sufficient to allow the workman to move on the board to the extent required by the usual operations, but short enough to prevent his going off of the board at any point except on the side beneath the guide G.

The rope extends from the trolley through the space between the four rollers, 9I, 9Ia, 94 and I61. The ring I I! has a friction grip on the rope and overlies the rollers 9| and 9 la and thus holds the trolley at the desired point on cable 23, as illustrated at Fig. 1, even when the workman on board 22 moves toward the guide G and thus slackens the part of the rope between the workman and the ring II]. Accordingly, so long as the workman is on board 22, the trolley is held in its upper position but the rope in no Way interferes with the activities of the worker but on the contrary tends to make his position safer by preventing his going beyond the board in any direction except on the side beneaththe guide G.

If the workman jumps or falls off the board 22 on the side beneath the guide G, the rope, being attached to him, will strike the trip bar H0 and move the same against the trip pin I I5 and this action will rotate the cam I I3 causing it to move the trip arm 96 which will lift the catch 91 out of the notch I03. The weight of shaft I05 with its roller I81 and the trip bar H0, all of which is supported in seat I02 of bell crank I00, will swin the bell crank downwardly as soon as catch 97.18 removed from the seat I 93. Before the bell crank hasmoved downwardly sufficiently to cause finger I04 to contact the shield 86, shaft I05 will have pped off seat I22 and the shaft with its roller Ill! and the trip bar H0 and cam H3 willall swing downwardly below the U bolt IUBa. Rope R will then be free to pass outwardly from the derrick between rollers 9| and 9Ia except for the resistance of ring I I1 and this ring being of sponge rubber, or other suitable material or structure, will be compressed or distorted o released by the pull exerted on the rope resulting from the weight of the man suspended thereon so that the ring will pass between or become disengaged from the rollers and the man will then be suspended directly from the trolley which will immediately and automatically start downwardly on cable 23.

It will be understood that all of the above operation is practically instantaneous and that t all takes place automatically as a result of the man jumping or falling from the board 22. If by reason of the gradualness of the incline of cable 23, or for any other reason, the trolley does not move down thecable with sufficient rapidity to ease the shock resulting from the man falling to the end of the rope, the rope will, to the necessary extent in order to ease this shock, slide through shock absorber 29, using the reserve supply in the carrier so far as necessary for this purpose. Ordinarily, however, the freedom of the trolley to move downwardly on cable 23 will prevent any serious shock at this stage of the operation and the shock absorber 29 will not usually be called into play at this stage.

The trolley, with the man suspended therefrom, rolls down cable 23 until it contacts stop assembly 3 Which is gr pped to cable 23 between the jaws 58 and 59 and when the trolley strikes the stop S,

two shock absorbing elements will be brought into ,play. The first is the grip of the stop on the cable 23, which is a resilient friction grip maintained by the springs 64 and which grip will obvi-,

ously permit the stop to slide on the cable to some extent, depending on the force of the impact of g the trolley and the forward momentum of the man suspended therefrom relative to the strength of the springs 64. Cooperating with this shock absorbing feature is the shock absorber 29. If the grip of the stop S on the cable is so strong that the stop will not slide on the cable sufliciently, the extra pull of the man on the rope R, resulting from the contact of the trolley with the stop S and the swinging forward of the man on rope R will cause the rope R to slide through shock absorber 29 and thus further ease the stopping of the man. In other words, the resilient grip of the jaws 58 and 59 on the cable and the shock absorber 29 cooperate and complement each other in absorbing the shock and bringing the man to a safe and eas stop. Either of these elements alone will ease the man to a stop more or less satisfactorily according to the exactness of its construction and adjustment but a satisfactory stop 1s better assured by the cooperative action of the two elements. Y

When the man has been brought to a stop as above described, he will be suspended on rope R from trolley T beneath stop assembly S. It will then .be necessary for him to reach a place lower down on the cable 23 from which he can reach the ground or the anchorage at the end of the cable. In order to do this, he has only to reach out and grasp the rope IT, a downward pull on which will lessen the grip of jaw 59 on cable 23 and permit the assembly to slide down the cable to the desired final stopping place.

Should the man .be unconscious, hewill remain suspended until some other person pulls the rope l1 and permits .the assembly to slide down the cable to the desired point, at which the man can be removed from the safety belt by which he is suspended on rope R.

In assembling the apparatus ready for the operation above described, it will be obvious that the stop assembly and the trolley can both be positioned on cable 23 without threading the cabetween the lever arms 14 so thatthe extremities of the lever arms 14 may be .passed downwardly on either side of cable 23 .to the position illustrated in Fig. 11. At the same time, the sides of housing H are sprungapart so that thishousing may be moved down straddling the cablel23 and allowing sheave 10 to seat upon the cable. Pin 16 with rope .11 attached thereto islthen replaced between the lever arms 14. The part of the assembly comprising lower plate .55, trough 62, springs 64, lower jaw 59 and pin 18 is then inserted in the position as illustrated in Figs. l1, l2 and 14 and the tie bolts are adjusted to tie the ,lowerplate 55 130 the upper plate 53 asillustrated most clearly in Fig. 12. The stop assembly is then ready forlpositioningoncable'23 and it may be slid on cable 23 to desired position by pulling on rope l'lthus releasing the grip.

The attachment of the guide assembly G to a girt 21 has already been described.

To attach the trolley T to the cable, the springs 43 are compressedsothat their ends 42 may be withdrawn from the notches 26d and the springs 43 may be used as a handle to rotate shaft 44 and turn lugs 46 upwardly to the position illustrated at Fig. 9 so that hooks 33a and 34a may be withdrawn from eyelets 39 as illustrated at Fig. 9. The eyelets 39 may be swung upwardly on yoke 40 in journal 4!, permitting the cable 23 to enter the housing beneath the journal 4|, whereupon the trolley assembly is dropped so the sheave 2! will seat on the cable 23 as clearly illustrated at Figs. 3 and 4. Thereupon, eyelets 39 are dropped to normal position, hooks 33a. and 34a are inserted through the eyelets. Shafts 44 are rotated by the springs 43 so as to cause lugs 46 to lock the hooks 33a and 34a in the eyelets in position illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 8, and the hooks 43 are then compressed and the ends inserted through the notches 26d, whereupon, the ends 42 of the springs 43 will engage portions 260 of the housing and hold the assembly in the position as illustrated at Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 8 and ready for operation.

Rope R is then passed between rollers SI and am and shaft I with its roller I01, trip bar I I8 and cam H3 are swung into position as illustrated at Fig. 16 and the shaft lll5'is seated in seat I02 as illustrated at Fig. 19. The ring H1 is adjusted on rope R so that it will lie against rollers 9| and Bid, holding the trolley at the desired point. The free end of rope R is then attached to the safety belt worn by the worker 9n board 22 and the apparatus is ready, in case of blow out or fire .or other danger, for the automatic operation first above described.

While we have illustrated anddescfib d many details of construction, equivalent alternatives will .be obvious to t ose skilled in the art bu su equivalent alternatives will be wi hin the spi i and scopeof the illustration, the specificationand the appended claims, and we are not to be bound by the details of either illustration or specification.

We claim;

1. In an escape apparatus for structures, the combination comprising ,a cable inclined downwardly from the structure, a ,trolley on and adapted normally to move down the cable, a rope depending from the trolley and adapted for attachment to a person on the structure and to suspend such person from the trolley when not supported by the structure, rope-guiding means on the structure and means responsive to a downward .pull on the rope to release the rope from the guiding means.

2. In an escape apparatus as defined in claim 1 the rope-guiding means including trolley retaining means adapted to normally engage the rope and thereby'reta'in the trolleyuntil the rope is releasedfro'm the guide by a downward pull onthe rope.

3. In an escape apparatus for structures, the combination comprising a cable inclined downwardly from the structure, 'a. trolley .onand adapted to move down the cable, a rope depending from the trolley and adapted for attachment to a person on the structure and to suspend such personfrom thetrolley when unsu'ppiortediby' the structure, rope-guiding means on the structure releasable "by downward pull on the rope and means attached to the cable distant Lirom the structure'and adapted, automatically upon contact of the trolleywith saidmeansto decelerate the downward movement of thetrolley'and of the person suspended therefrom.

4. In combination with an escape apparatus as defined in claim 3, means associated with the decelerating and stopping means adapted to permit movement of the stopping means down the cable after the stop.

5. In combination with an escape apparatus as defined in claim 3, means associated with the decelerating and stopping means adapted, by manual operation thereof, to permit movement of the stopping means down the cable after the stop.

6. In combination with an escape apparatus as defined in claim 3, means carried by the decelerating and stopping means and adapted to be reached by a person suspended from the trolley and adapted to be operated by such person and, upon such operation, to permit movement of the stopping means down thecable.

'7. In an escape apparatus as defined in claim 3, the decelerating means including a member frictionally gripping the cable and adapted, by said friction grip, to yield to the impact of the trolley with its suspended person and slide on the cable.

8. In an escape apparatus including an inclined cable and a person-carrying trolley thereon, trolley-decelerating means on the cable including a member frictionally gripping the cable and adapted, by said friction grip, to yield to the impact of the trolley with its suspended person and slide on the cable but to normally decelerate the movement of the trolley to a stop and means to lessen the grip of the member whereby to permit further movement of the trolley down the cable.

9. In an escape apparatus as defined in claim 8, the decelerating means including manually operable means to lessen the grip of the member whereby to permit further movement of the trolley down the cable.

10. In an escape apparatus as defined in claim 8, the decelerating means including manually operable means to lessen the grip of the member whereby to permit further movement of the trolley down the cable, said grip-lessening means being carried by the decelerating means within reach of a person suspended from the trolley.

11. In an escape apparatus for structures having a cable inclined downwardly from the structure, the combination comprising a trolley adapted to move on said cable, a rope carried by the trolley and adapted to normally suspend the dead weight of a person and means engaging the rope and adapted to deceleratingly pay out additional rope automatically responsive to a pull on the rope in excess of the dead weight of such person.

. 12. In a trolley assembly adapted to move on a cable and including a housing,.means for opening the housing for admission, of, the cable thereinto and for thereafter closing and locking the housing comprising eyelets swingingly attached to one side of the housing and hooks linked to the other side of the housing and adapted to engage the eyelets, shafts rotatable in theeyelets and carrying lugs adapted, upon rotation of the shafts, to engage and lock the hooks when in interengagement, with the eyelets and shaft locking means comprising forked springs journaledin the shafts and having ends adapted to engage a portion of the assembly which is fixed relative to the shaft.

.13. In a safety apparatus for structures having a cable inclined downwardly therefrom and a trolley on the cable, a decelerating assembly comprising, in combination jaws, adapted to yieldingly grip the cable and, upon impact of the trolley againstthe stop, to resistingly slide on the cable and automatically decelerate the movement of the trolley.

14. In combination with a decelerating 'assembly as defined in Claim 13, the jaws being carried in a housing and a sheave afiixed to the housing and adapted to ride the cable and align the jaws therewith.

15. In combination witha decelerating assembly as defined in claim 13, manually operable means carried by the assembly within reach of a person suspended from the trolley and adapted to move the jaws apart.

16. In a stop assembly as defined in claim 13, upper and lower jaws carried in an inverted U- shaped housing having a bottom plate, a resilient structure between the lower jaw and bottom plate and the assembly comprising the lower jaw, bottom plate and resilient structure being adapted to be. removed as a unit from the housing whereby to admit the cable within the housing.

17. In an escape apparatus for structures including a cable inclined downwardly from the structure and a trolley adapted to move along the cable and a rope carried by the trolley adapted for attachment to a person on the structure and rope-engaging means comprising a guide adapted to normally prevent substantial movement of the rope'laterallybut to permit free longitudinal movement of the rope therethrou'gh, a stop on the rope adapted to enga'gethe guide and limit the longitudinal movement of the rope toward the pulley and a trip assembly associated withthe guide and'adapted, by downward pull on the rope, to trip. and open the lower side of the guide and release the. rope therethrough.

WALTER E; ROSE. CLARENCE w. ROSE.

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