Beautiful certificate from the Davy Automatic Fire Escape Co. issued in 1912. This historic document has an ornate border around it with a vignette of an eagle and has a gold embossed corporate shield. This item is hand signed by the Company's President and Secretary and is over 83 years old.
Image of an old Davy The Davy is a safe portable automatic means of escape in case of fire. It embodies a patented centrifugally geared braking mechanism which ensures a controlled rate of descent, Irrespective of weight or height, The Davy automatic escape is easily and strongly fixed to the wall of any bedroom in the home or can be attached to high level equipment from where escape under emergency conditions can prove difficult. It provides a rapid and effective means of escape for people trapped by fire and is always ready for instant use. Since its introduction in the early 1920's tens of thousands of Davys have been supplied throughout the world. The reliability of its simple principle has been proven time and time again. The Davy comprises a patented geared centrifugal brake mechanism through which runs a continuous length of terylene covered steel cable, the length of the cable being determined by the height of the mechanism above ground level. At each end of the cable a sting is secured by means of a forged steel shackle. In the stored position the cable is wound on to a rubber storage reel. When required for use the cable reel is dropped to the ground, which unwinds the cable. The belt adjacent to the unit is secured around the body, arid the first person descends to safety at a speed of approximately 1 metre per second independent of the person's weight. Meanwhile, as the cable runs through the mechanism, the other belt ascends for the next person to escape and so on.