56 Description of the Fire- Escape 



P. S. Mr. James Decker, No. 321, Strand, an ingenious 

 mechanic, who some years ago ascended with an air-balloon 

 of his own construction, now undertakes to make these fire- 

 escapes, also the hoop-topped fire-sacks above mentioned, 

 when ordered ; and I hope and believe he may be trusted for 

 executing them with great security. The price will vary ac- 

 cording to the length of the rope required. The separate ar- 

 ticles of that of which I send you the figure amounted to 

 ll. 8s. 5d.; more than half of which cost was the rope 

 {26 yards). What a tradesman may think a reasonable profit 

 I am not able to say. 



Description and Method of iising the Machine called a 

 Slixg Fire-Escape. 



The principal parts of this machine are the following: 



1. The suspension iron A (Plate II.), which is formed 

 like a ramhead commonly used for slinging goods from 

 warehouses, with this difference, the bottom hooks are 

 turned up close to the upright part, to form two close 

 rings or eyes : the length of this iron is about four inches 

 and a half, thickness of the iron out of which it is ham- 

 mered is about half an inch. 



2. l~he rope B. This is made of flax, and platted in a 

 peculiar manner, for which there was a patent taken out. 

 It is sold by Armstrong, St. John's-square, Clerkenwell, 

 and measures about three-eighths of zn inch in diameter. 

 The rope must be in length somewhat more than twice the 

 height of the window from the ground. 



3. The regulator C. This is an oblong piece of beach 

 wood, six inches and a half in length, three inches and a 

 quarter broad, and about seven-eighths of an inch thick : in 

 this there are four holes pierced for the rope to pass through ; 

 one of these i« open at the side : there is also a notch at thfl 

 lop of this piece of wood, and an oblong hole about seven- 

 eighths (»f an inch from the bottom. 



4. The upper belt D is a stout leathern strap, about four 

 feet three inches long and one and a half broad, with a 

 buckle to it. 



5. The lower belt E is a strap of the same sort as the 



o'thcr ; 



