Slow descender including fluid and mechanical braking devices

In a slow descender of the type including a frame;

• means for connecting said frame to a building or the like;
• a rope pulley, rotatably mounted on a shaft supported on said frame, and adapted to guide around a portion of the periphery thereof a load supporting rope;
• and a braking apparatus for restricting the rotational speed of said rope pulley;
• the improvement wherein said braking apparatus comprises:
• a mechanical braking means positioned on a first axial side of said rope pulley and comprising:
• a non-rotatable lining mounted on said frame and having a V-shaped friction braking surface;
• a rotatable centrifugal braking device including rotatable weights urgable by centrifugal force upon rotation into contact with said friction braking surface;
• and
• a mechanical accelerating device connecting said rope pulley and said centrifugal braking device and including a ring gear connected to said rope pulley to rotate therewith, plural intermediate planetary gears rotatably positioned on respective stationary shafts and meshing with said ring gear, and a sun gear meshing with each of said planetary gears and connected to said centrifugal braking device for rotating said weights;
• and
• an oil-hydraulic braking means positioned on a second axial side of said rope pulley and including an oil chamber sealed from the atmosphere, and a rotatable element drivably connected to said rope pulley and positioned in said oil chamber.