US1839363A - Helical fire escape - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 5, 1932. L. B. WEBSTER 1,839,363

HELICAL FIRE ESCAPE Filed Aug. 16, 1928' 2 Sheets-Shet 1 INVEN TOR.

I BY I A TTORNEY.

1932! L. B. WEBSTER HELICAL FIRE ESCAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1928 mum/T012. Z. 3 WeZs'Ter ATTORNEY.

25 inc.

. lenses LAWRENCE B. WEBSTER, or OMAHA, I\TEBRASKA',.ASSTGNOR1TO c. s. coonnns HELICAL FIRE ESCAPE Application filed August 16, 1928. Serial No: 300,000.

The object of the invention is to providea fire escape so constructed as to afford a safe, easily accessible and rapid passage way for a large number of individuals and one which will permit a hurried exit, free from association with unpleasant or exciting features through the process of entering, descending or alighting therefrom. A

A further object is to provide an escape 1 of this character that will be self supported upon a substantial base and require little or no anchorage, to a sustaining frame work or building, intermediate its extremities."

A further object is to provide an escape having an enclosed helical sliding passage way with slope and curvature sufliciently reduced and straightened, adjacent the eXit, to forestall inconvenience in landing.

A further object is to provide a fire escape 29 comprising a cylindrical casing formed in sections, each section having a portion of a helical slidway therein so that the fire escape as a Whole can be shipped in sections, and assembled for use in connection with a build- With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the escape including the housing, partly in section, surrounding the same.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the escape, partly in section, including its entrance, and housing surrounding the same and attached to a building adjacent the entrance.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the escape and a portion of a building.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line t-l of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side view ofa sustaining band uniting the adjacent sections of the slideway.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the '50 pipe showing the band in plan view.

Figure-7 is a viewofone of the spring'actuatin hinges employed tov forcethe doors.

open when released;

' Figure'S' is a vertical transverse sectional View through one side of oneofthebands and port-ions of adj acent pipe sections.

' In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a base, preferably composed of concrete, which affords a foundation upon which rests a tubular helical slideway 2, which is inclosed within a metallic housing 3, and is secured thereto by means of amultiplicity of braces 4. The slide way comprises sections ofoonvenient shipping lengths which are united by means of pairs of interlocking bands 5 surrounding the adjoining seams and clamped by means of draw bolts 6 which pass through radial extensions 7 protruding outwardly from the inner member of each-pair of bands.

The said slideway, at its upper end, terminates in an entrance '8 leading from an elevated fioor 8a of an occupied building through a horizontal passage 9 flush with the said floor and verging gradually into the interior of the circular inclined portion of the slideway passage. The lower end of the inclination is gradually reduced, terminating at the exit 11 in a slight upward inclination so as to bring the velocity of an individual passing through the slideway within safe and'convenient limits.

The entrance 8, is provided with a closure comprising a pair of doors 12 normally retained in a closed position by any suitable means against the force of spring hinges 18 adapted to force the said doors open in a direction outwardly from the room into the passageway 8.

From the above it will be seen that a fire escape is provided formed from. sections which may be easily and quickly assembled for use or disassembled for shipment or storage purposes. Each helical section is carried by its casing section as a unit.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is l. A fire escape comprising a vertically disposed casing, said casing being formed from a plurality of sections, and a tubular helical slideway within the casing, said slideway lift? being formed from a plurality of sections detachably connected, said sections of the silde- Way being attached tocasing sections and carried thereby, thereby allowing shipment and 5 storage of the sections in disassembled relation, said casing sections forming sole bracing means for the helical sections when assembled and disassembled.

2. A fire escape comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical casing, said casing being formed in sections, a tubular helically shaped 1 slideway Within the casing, said slideWay bei ing formed from a plurality of sections, sect-ions of the slideway being carried by each casing section, and means for attaching the slideway sections together after the casing sections are placed in superimposed relation, said casing sections forming sole bracing means for the helical sections When assembled and disassembled.

LAWRENCE B. WEBSTER.

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