US426230A - Fire-escape - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2Sheets-S1ieet 1.

A. BOETTGHER.

FIRE ES GAPEv No. 426,230. Patented Apr. 22, .1890.

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

A TTORNEYS "me mums nuns co., PNOYO-LITMCL, WASMNGTON. 04 c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. BOETTOHER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

WITNESSES A TTORNEYS 'mz mums PETER! 00., PNUYD-LIYNUH wlsmnav n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ADOLPII BOETTCIIER, OF SOUTH STILLIVAIER, MINNESOTA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,230, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed December 30, 1889. Serial No- 335,297.

To all whom, it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, ADOLPH BOETTCHER, of South Stillwater, in the county of Vashington and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to fire-escapes, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and efficient apparatus by means of which escape from a burning building may be effected, the parts being so arranged that they will be concealed when not in use.

To the ends above named the invention consists of certain novel constructions, arrangements, and combinations of elements, which will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Views.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a building, representing the same as it appears when provided with my improved fire-escape, the parts being represented as they appear when housed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fire-es* cape proper. Fig. -3is a sectionalview 011 line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig.4: is a cross-sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a detail View of the drum or reel.

Although the fire-escape forming the subject-matter of this application could be located in any convenient place, I prefer to locate it directly beneath the ridgepole, as represented in the drawings. In setting up the fire-escape I provide inclined tracks or ways 10, upon which there is mounted a truck 11. This truck 11 is of A form, and is provided with wheels 12, that ride upon the tracks 10. To the forward ends of the main timbers of the truck there is secured a panel 13, which when the truck is in the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 1 serves as a trap or cover for an opening a, that is formed in the gable. Just to the rear of the panel 13, I mount a drum 14., over which there is passed a ladder 15, such ladder being made from wire ropes or cables 17 b, that carry rounds c, a heavy weight 16 being connected (N0 model.)

to the f rce end of the ladder. From the drum 14 the ladder is led backward over a guidingdrum 17, that is mounted in bearings 18, carried by standards 19, said standards serving as supports for the inner ends of the tracks or ways 10. From the drum 17 the ladder is led downward or backward to a reel 20, such reelbeing located in any convenient position and being provided with a hand-wheel 21.

The truck 11 is normally held in the posi tion in which it is shown in Fig. 1 by bolts 22, that enter recesses (7, formed in the tracks 10. The bolts 22 are connected to bell-crank levers 23, and these levers are in turn mounted upon a rock-shaft 24:. To the vertical arm 6 of one of the levers 23 there is connected a chain 25, that is led forward over a sheave 26 and then downward to a rod 27, that is arranged as shown.

At each floor of the building I locate a lever 30, and these levers 30, I connect to the rod 27 by means of chains 31. In practice I prefer to locate the levers 30 between the windows of the house in connection with which my fire-escape is arranged, and in order that ready access to the levers maybe obtained I provide doors 32, that are arranged as shown in Fig. 3.

In operation, if any one of the levers 30 be thrown, as indicated by the arrow shown in Fig. 3, the rod 27 will be drawn downward and the bolts 22 raised, thus freeing the truck, which will move outward to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, where it will be stopped by the upturned ends of tracks 10 10, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the weight 16 being thus carried to a position such that it will be free to fall to the ground, and, in

falling, the weight will carry the ladder down ward in front of the windows of the house, thus affording a ready means of escape for the inmates. To return the escape to its normal position, the hand-wheel 21 is turned in a direction such that the ladder will be wound upon the reel 20, whereby the weight 16 will be brought to bear, so that any continued winding of the ladder upon, the drum will act to carry the truck inward to aposition such that the bolts 22 will be'in a position to enter the recesses d.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a structure having an opening in one Wall thereof and tracks leading to said opening, of a truck or carriage mounted on said tracks, provided at its front end with a panel filling said opening when the truck or carriage is in its retracted position, said carriage being constructed to project at its forward portion through said opening, a flexible Weighted ladder released by the forward movement of the truck, and alocking and releasing mechanism for the truck, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a ladder-carrying truck mounted on inclined ways, of bolts carried by the truck and arranged to engage keepers or recesses formed in the Ways, and a bolt-operatin g mechanism, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a truck mounted on inclined ways, of a drum carried thereby, a ladder arranged to pass over the drum, a reel' to which the ladder extends, a weight mounted on a shaft that is carried by the ladder, said shaft being arranged to engage shoulders formed on the truck, bolts carried by the truck and arranged to enter recesses formed in the ways, and a bolt-operating mechanism, substantially as described.

' ADOLPII BOETTOHER.

Vitnesses:

G. S. WELSHONS, H. L. IIAGERMAN.

Images