AU2013101381A4 - Fire crew protection system for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A combination vehicle metal roll cage and a plurality of fire resistant curtains to be used inside a fire fighting truck. The curtains are secured to the roll cage by means such as a clamp. When packed they are positioned in a stowed arrangement. A further improvement includes a first tab to pull the curtain out of the stowed arrangement and then a second tab to unfold the curtain. In addition the curtains that are positioned over the doors may extend over the windscreen to alleviate the problem of folding the sides of a typical windscreen curtain.

Description

1 Fire crew protection system for vehicles FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a system to protect the crew of a vehicle, typically a truck, during a fire. This protection is especially relevant during a bushfire where the fire may overtake the vehicle (burnover). BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION During a burnover the crew stays in the truck and deploys reflective insulating blinds (curtains) over the inside of the glass, and waits for the fire front to pass. The curtains are typically attached (not always) at the top edge, stowed rolled up or Z folded or similar, and are positioned to minimise encroachment to vision. Typically they are held in place by fabric hook-and-loop type fasteners commonly referred to as Velcro. This system of fire protection has been developed over many years and is well known in the art. A difficulty with this type of system is that roll bars and full cages are now becoming common inside the cab and it becomes difficult to attach the blinds to the cab bodywork or trim above the glass areas because in some cases the roll bar members obstruct access for tools, such as spanners and drills, and mounting points. This is exacerbated by the fact that roll cages and members cannot be drilled, welded or cut. A further problem with existing blinds is that adjacent curtains have traditionally have often overlapped or had their vertical edges fastened (again using fabric hook-and-loop type fasteners) when deployed on a pillar that exists, for example, between the windscreen and front door or rear of front door and front of crew door and so on. This often means (for example because a windscreen is wider at the bottom than the top) that the ends of the curtain have to be folded in prior to rolling up. This is not desirable since folding in the ends of the curtain before rolling up causes a double layer of material that increases the diameter of the roll at the ends, which could be in front of the driver for instance and can impede outward vision for the crew.

2 A yet further problem is that where the roll cages have a lateral member inside the cab running parallel to the top of the glass. The gap enables a curtain to just fit between the member and the glass such that it doesn't hang below the bottom of the member. However, because it may be a tight fit, the deployment in an emergency may be impeded. It is an object of the present invention to overcome at least some of the aforementioned problems or provide the public with a useful alternative. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first form of the invention there is proposed a combination vehicle metal roll cage and a plurality fire resistant curtains and a means to attach the curtains to the roll cage, the curtains adapted to be packed and placed into a stowed configuration and to be able to be unpacked when necessary to provide protection from a fire. In preference the means to attach the curtains to the roll cage includes the use of adjustable clamps. In preference the curtains are adapted to overlap each other over the inside surface of the glass in the vehicle. In preference each of the curtains has two tabs, a first tab to be able to pull out the curtains from their stowed position and a second tab adapted to enable the curtains to be unpacked to provide protection to those inside the vehicle. In a further form of the invention there is proposed a fire resistant curtain adapted to be attached to a vehicle roll cage inside a vehicle using a securing means, the curtain adapted to be packed and stowed into a position, the curtain further including a first tab to enable the curtain to be pulled out of the stowed position and a second tab to enable to curtain to be unpacked and to extend across a portion of the roll cage inside the vehicle.

3 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a typical roll cage at the front of a truck cab; Figure 2 illustrates a typical roll cage between the front and rear seats in a truck cab; Figure 3 illustrates using clamps to attach a stowed curtain bracket to a roll bar; Figure 4 illustrates a curtain that is supported by a clamp attached to a roll bar; Figure 5 illustrates a curtain in its stowed position with two sets of pull tags; and Figure 6 illustrates the curtain of Figure 5 when the first set of pull tags has been activated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration. Turning now to the drawings in detail illustrated in Figure 1 is a typical roll bar 10 at the front of a truck cab. The roll bar can be seen to follow the roof shape so as to ensure that it provides maximum protection in the event of a roll-over. Figure 2 illustrates a typical roll bar configuration extending between the front and rear seats including cross-members 12 to provide additional strength. As discussed above with the increasing use of roll bars inside cabs, and now full cages, it is difficult to attach the curtains to the cab bodywork or trim above the glass areas, because in some cases the roll bar members obstruct access for tools. In order to overcome this problem the present invention teaches as illustrated in 4 Figures 3 holding the curtain's bracket 14 to the roll cage member 16 by use of a clamp 18. Alternatively as illustrated in Figure 4 the curtain 20 may be attached to the roll bar member 22 by the use of a clamp bracket 24. It is to be understood that typically there are a plurality of curtains. Thus a curtain may cover the front windscreen, and other curtains the doors, and another curtain the rear of the cabin. A further problem identified above is that adjacent curtains traditionally have often overlapped or had their vertical edges fastened when deployed on a pillar. It is an advantage therefore to avoid folding in the ends of the curtain before rolling up, as the double layer of material increases the diameter of the roll at the ends, which could be in front of the driver for instance and can impede outward vision for the crew. Although not illustrated the present invention overcomes this problem by teaching that the curtains typically do not overlap on a pillar but rather on the glass, which means that it avoids the added bulk on the 'vision critical' curtain. Whilst normal industry practice has always been to have the front edge of the door curtain overlap the end of the windscreen curtain on a pillar, by making the door curtain continue and fold around onto the windscreen, one can make the windscreen curtain narrower in width, so it doesn't need to have its ends folded in before rolling up for stowage, and which in turn reduces the bulk of the stowed windscreen curtain, allowing the sun-visors to retract to a horizontal position, thus not reducing forward vision. A further feature of the present invention is the ability to unfold the windscreen curtain down (deploy) over the sun-visors, with the sun-visors being able to be stowed in a roughly horizontal position while curtain is stowed. It has special application in small cabs, and avoids the need to remove sun-visors. An additional problem identified above is where the curtain can just be fitted between the member and the glass, such that it doesn't hang below the bottom of the member. However, because it may be a tight fit, the deployment in an emergency may be impeded. The present invention overcomes this problem by providing for two sets of tabs. In the stowed position the two sets are illustrated in Figure 5 where the first set of tabs 30 unlatches the roll from its stowed position. A second set of tabs 32, that are not normally visible in the stowed position, can then 5 be seen in Figure 6 which are provided solely to uncurl the curtain out of its nest or slot, after the first set of tabs have moved the curtain out of its stowed position. The reader should now appreciate the advantages of the present invention. Use of clamps to either directly or indirectly attach the curtains to the roll-bars makes it easier for their installation, with previous installations requiring a lot if internal disassembly. Also teaching that the folding of the curtain occurs on the glass rather than the pillars overcomes the problems of the curtain hindering the crew. Finally the use of two tabs (there may also be groups of tabs), one to bring the curtain out of the stowed position and another to activate the curtain minimises problems of deployment in an emergency. Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in this field. In the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprising" is used in the sense of "including", i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention

Claims (5)

1. A combination vehicle metal roll cage and a plurality fire resistant curtains and a means to attach the curtains to the roll cage, the curtains adapted to be packed and placed into a stowed configuration and to be able to be unpacked when necessary to provide protection from a fire.

2. A combination vehicle metal roll cage and fire resistant curtains wherein the means to attach the curtains to the roll cage includes the use of adjustable clamps.

3. A combination vehicle metal roll cage and fire resistant curtains wherein the curtains are adapted to overlap each other over the inside surface of the glass in the vehicle.

4. A combination vehicle metal roll cage and fire resistant curtains wherein each of the curtains has two tabs, a first tab to be able to pull out the curtains from their stowed position and a second tab adapted to enable the curtains to be unpacked to provide protection to those inside the vehicle.

5. A fire resistant curtain adapted to be attached to a vehicle roll cage inside a vehicle using a securing means, the curtain adapted to be packed and stowed into a position, the curtain further including a first tab to enable the curtain to be pulled out of the stowed position and a second tab to enable to curtain to be unpacked.