Escape device

An escape device comprising a housing, a drum journaled in said housing, a cable coiled about said drum and having a free end means for securement to a building part, a body support means for the escape device user carried by said housing, brake means carried by said housing and associated with said drum for retarding rotation of the drum during descent of the housing and the uncoiling of said cable from the drum with the free end means of the cable being secured to said building part and said body support carrying said user, said brake means including actuator means by which said user can selectively retard rotation of said drum during descent of the housing, said actuator means including a pivoted handle journaled to said housing, friction brake material, means for urging said brake material into contact with said drum upon movement of the handle to retard rotation of the drum, said drum including an annular braking surface, a band extending about said braking surface and having first and second ends, said brake material carried by said band adjacent said braking surface, said band having its first end anchored to said housing, said brake material urging means extending between said handle and band secured end to draw said band constrictively about said drum with said brake material contacting said braking surface when said handle is moved, said brake material urging means including a lever, means pivotally connecting said lever at a location intermediate the ends of the lever to said housing, one end of said lever connected to said band second end, connecting means extending between said lever other end and said handle, said housing including spaced side plates journaling said drum therebetween with said drum being rotatable about an axis, said handle extending between said side plates, means journaling the ends of said handle in said side plates for rotative movement of the handle about an axis generally paralleling the axis of rotation of said drum, said connecting means constituting flexible means having one end secured to said lever other end and having its opposite end secured to said handle offset from the axis of rotation of the handle for providing a pull on said lever during handle rotation to draw said band constrictively about said drum.