Vehicle for evacuating buildings

Claim 1

A vehicle for escape from multi-storied buildings during emergencies, comprising a moveable cabinet disposed adjacent to and at one side of an outer window of a building to provide free egress therefrom, a pivotal arm operatively secured to and pivotable on a vertical axis connected with said cabinet and moveable from a retracted position within said cabinet to a second position extending out of but in non-contacting relationship with said window, a storage drum within said cabinet having an elongated support line received on said drum, means forming a part of said pivotal arm and adapted for receiving said elongated support line and providing for movement from said drum through said means to effect free vertical movement in a downward direction through said window, a carriage secured to said line and adapted to be lowered with an occupant therein from the vertical position of said cabinet to ground level, motor means operatively combined with said storage drum for effecting winding and unwinding movements thereof whereby the occupant is selectively raised or lowered, and remotely operable control means for said motor means to control the raising and lowering movements of said carriage together with the occupant therein.