#633: Downpipe

Many buildings are visually spoiled by having a giant fire escape bolted to their exterior. This is especially true of ‘listed’ buildings, which are supposed to be preserved with minimal changes to their appearance.

Today’s invention is a fire escape ladder which folds out from a drainpipe. It would unfold, rather like a vertical tierack, as shown. The mechanism would be held in place at the top by a catch release, so that thieves couldn’t deploy it from ground level.

This could either be a faux downpipe, placed there purely to camouflage the escape or an adaptation to an existing pipe. In either case, the pipe/ladder could be suitably adorned with ‘in-keeping’ plumbing furniture, paintwork and casting details.