EP2142410B1

EP2142410B1 - Fire barrier

Info

Publication number: EP2142410B1
Application number: EP08749184A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jeremy Delahaye; Baudewijn Van Gucht
Original assignee: Microtherm NV
Current assignee: Microtherm NV
Priority date: 2007-05-03
Filing date: 2008-04-28
Publication date: 2010-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-28
Also published as: JP2010525974A; DE602008003114D1; KR20100015536A; CN101678838A; EP2142410A1; ATE485206T1; ES2353451T3; CN101678838B; GB0708545D0; WO2008135190A1

Abstract

A fire barrier is provided for a structure including a substantially planar member (1) having secured thereto an elongate substantially C-shaped member (3) having a longitudinal slot (5) formed therein, the C-shaped member having longitudinally-extending flanges (7) protruding laterally therefrom in a plane substantially parallel to the planar member. The fire barrier includes a plurality of panels (9) of fire-resistant material supported adjacent to the planar member (1) and extending between the planar member and one of the lateral flanges (7). A sheet of intumescent material (13) covers the elongate slot (5) of the C- shaped member (3), and resilient retaining means (15) extends partially around the C-shaped member (3) and engages behind the flanges (7) thereof so as to support the sheet of intumescent material (13) and the panels (9) of fire-resistant material.

Description

This invention relates to a fire barrier and, more particularly but not exclusively, to an underfloor fire barrier for an aluminium or steel train structure. The term "train structure" as used herein includes train, tram, metro and like structures. An example of such a fire barrier is known from EP-A-O 063 214 .
Aluminium and steel train structures are conventionally provided with elongate substantially C-shaped members which have a downwardly facing elongate slots (generally referred to as "C-slots"). The C-slots are provided to facilitate mounting and securing substantially all the underfloor equipment for the train structure. Consequently access to the C-slots is required at all times during assembly of the train structure.
In order to comply with Regulation EN45.545 and other national regulations with regard to fire protection, it is necessary, at least with aluminium train structures, to provide an underfloor passive fire protection system which protects both the floor and the C-slots of the train structure.
Providing fire protection for the C-slots, in particular, is very time-consuming and costly and also restricts the flexibility of the layout of the underfloor equipment. Generally the fire protection is installed with bolts and/or rivets and with brackets and installation requires the train structure to be inverted.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fire barrier which overcomes or at least ameliorates the above disadvantages.
According to the present invention there is provided a fire barrier for a structure including a substantially planar member having secured thereto an elongate substantially C-shaped member having a longitudinal slot formed therein, the C-shaped member having longitudinally-extending flanges protruding laterally therefrom in a plane substantially parallel to the planar member, the fire barrier comprising:

a plurality of panels of fire-resistant material supported adjacent to the planar member and extending between the planar member and one of the lateral flanges;
a sheet of intumescent material covering the elongate slot of the C-shaped member; and
resilient retaining means extending partially around the C-shaped member and engaging behind the flanges thereof so as to support the sheet of intumescent material and the panels of fire-resistant material.

The panel may comprise a thermal insulating material, for example microporous thermal insulating material. The panel may be contained within an envelope, for example of glass fibre fabric and/or aluminium foil.
The panel may be secured to the planar member by means of an adhesive, such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a thermally-activated adhesive. The adhesive may be provided between the planar member and the panel.
The intumescent material may be mounted on a tape. The tape carrying the intumescent material may be self-adhesive. The intumescent material may cover the sides of the C-shaped member and a face of the flange.
The resilient retaining means may comprise a sheet-form spring member. The spring member may include curved portions which extend around the free ends of the flanges to retain the spring member in position. The curved portions may also serve to retain the intumescent material against the flanges. A lateral gap may be provided between the free end of the flange and the curved portion so as to provide an extension portion supporting the panel. The spring member may include laterally extending portions which are biased against the panel to support the same. The spring member may include a substantially V-shaped portion extending over the C-shaped member. Alternatively, the spring member may include a cap portion which extends across the C-shaped member and is joined to the curved portions by outwardly inclined portions.
A weatherproof cover, for example of metal, may be provided for the panels.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of a train structure provided with one embodiment of a fire barrier according to the present invention, the fire barrier being partly cut away for clarity;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic cross-section view corresponding to Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of a train structure provided with another embodiment of a fire barrier according to the present invention, the fire barrier being partly cut away for clarity; and
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic cross-section view corresponding to Figure 3.
The train structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 is shown inverted for convenience. However, it is significant that the fire barrier according to the present invention does not require the train structure to be inverted for installation.
Figures 1 and 2 show a part of a train structure including a floor 1 having secured thereto, for example by welding, an elongate C-shaped member 3 which is provided with an elongate downwardly-facing slot 5 for mounting and securing underfloor equipment (not shown) of the train structure. A longitudinally-extending flange 7 is provided along each side of the C-shaped member and protrudes laterally from the C-shaped member. The flanges 7 may be secured to the C-shaped member by welding or the flanges may be formed integrally with the C-shaped member by extrusion. Alternatively, the floor 1, C-shaped member 3 and flanges 7 may be formed together as a single extrusion. As illustrated, the flange 7 is positioned about midway along the length of a side of the C-shaped member 3, but in practice the flange can be located at any convenient position along the side of the C-shaped member. In practice, a plurality of laterally spaced-apart C-shaped members are provided, although for convenience only a single C-shaped member is shown.
The fire barrier includes panels 9 of fire-resistant, thermal insulation material which are self-supporting and are arranged between the C-shaped members 3. For example, the panels may comprise microporous silica-based thermal insulation material compressed and contained within an envelope comprising one or more of glass fibre, other suitable fabric material and aluminium foil. Alternatively, the compressed microporous thermal insulation material may have no covering. The panels may have a thickness of, for example, 3 to 25 mm.
The panels 9 are supported at opposing edges by the flanges 7 provided on the C-shaped members and are secured to the train floor 1 by means of an adhesive film 11, for example based on a pressure-sensitive silicone adhesive effective at temperatures up to about 250 degrees Celsius, which has substantially the same area as the panel 9. The adhesive film is positioned between the panel 9 and the train floor 1 and serves to adhere the panel to the floor thus providing additional support beyond the flanges 7. The adhesive film 11 may be laminated to the panel 9 in a preliminary step by passing the components through heated rollers and the resulting combination may then be secured to the train floor 1.
The slot 5 in the C-shaped members 3 is closed by means of a self-adhesive tape 13 which carries an intumescent material. The tape may have any suitable width for covering the slots 3, for example from 20 to 100 mm, which is applied in strips to the lower surface of the C-shaped member 3 between items of underfloor equipment. As can be seen from Figure 2, the intumescent tape 13 extends entirely across the lower surface of the C-shaped member 3, including the slot 5, and over the side walls and the flanges 7, terminating at the free ends of the flanges 7. The advantages of the use of strips of self-adhesive intumescent tape are that the tape can be applied to the C-shaped members 3 at any convenient time during assembly of the train structure and the location of the tape 13 can be adapted to the location of the underfloor equipment thereby facilitating modification of the underfloor equipment. In the event of a fire, the intumescent material swells to fill and close the slots 5 and the C-shaped member 3 so as to inhibit the penetration of fire along the C-shaped member.
In order to ensure the integrity of the fire barrier, the barrier further includes a plurality of retaining spring members 15 which serve to retain both the intumescent tape 13 and the panels 9 in position.
The retaining spring member 15 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is made of a sheet-form material and includes a V-shaped portion 17 which envelopes the flanges 7, the intumescent tape 13 and the base of the C-shaped member 3. At each of the free ends of the V-shaped portion 17 there are two further portions, a curved portion 19 which engages around the free end of the flange 7 and against the opposite side thereof so as to retain the intumescent tape 13 against the free end of the flange, and an outwardly extending portion 21 which is biased at the free end thereof against the panel 9. The spring member 15 may extend, for example, in the longitudinal direction of the C-shaped member 3 for a distance of some 10 to 50 mm (spring width), the curved portion 19 may have a length of some 10 to 50 mm, as may the outwardly extending portion 21. The spring member 15 is made of any suitable high-temperature resilient material, such as spring steel, and can be installed and removed manually by clipping or unclipping it over the C-shaped member 3, that is without the use of any tools. The use of such a spring member significantly speeds up the installation of the fire barrier, reduces weight, and eliminates the need for additional fastenings, such as bolts and/or rivets. Moreover, there is no need to invert the train structure in order to install or remove the fire barrier, again reducing the installation time for the fire barrier.
Although not shown, the external surface of the panels 9 may be provided with a weatherproof coating or cover, such as a metal sheet, if desired.
The embodiment of Figures 3 and 4 differs from that of Figures 1 and 2 only in the configuration of the retaining spring member 15. The retaining spring member 15 of Figures 3 and 4 has a lower profile and includes a cap portion 23 which extends across the lower (in use) side of the C-shaped member 3, an outwardly inclined portion 25 which extends to the lower (in use) side of each flange 7 and a curved portion 27 which extends along the lower side of the flange, around the free end of the flange at a distance beyond the free end so as to provide support for the panel 9, and along the upper (in use) side of the flange between the flange and the panel 9. The width of the spring and the length of the curved portion may be substantially the same as that in Figures 1 and 2.
Clearly the retaining spring member may have other configurations provided it serves to maintain the intumescent tape 13 and the panel 9 in place.

Claims

A fire barrier for a structure including a substantially planar member (1) having secured thereto an elongate substantially C-shaped member (3) having a longitudinal slot (5) formed therein, the C-shaped member having longitudinally-extending flanges (7) protruding laterally therefrom in a plane substantially parallel to the planar member,
a plurality of panels (9) of fire-resistant material supported adjacent to the planar member (1) and extending between the planar member and one of the lateral flanges (7) and
resilient retaining means (15) extending partially around the C-shaped member (3), characterised by:
a sheet of intumescent material (13) covering the elongate slot (5) of the C-shaped member (3); and

the resilient retaining means (15) engaging behind the flanges (7) of the C-shaped member so as to support the sheet of intumescent material (13) and the panels (9) of fire-resistant material.
A fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the panel (9) comprises a thermal insulating material.
A fire barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the panel (9) is contained within an envelope.
A fire barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the panel (9) is secured to the planar member (1) by means of an adhesive (11).
A fire barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the intumescent material (13) is mounted on a tape.
A fire barrier as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the tape (13) carrying the intumescent material is self-adhesive.
A fire barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the intumescent material (13) covers the sides of the C-shaped member (3) and a face of the flange (7).
A fire barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the resilient retaining means (15) comprises a sheet-form spring member.
A fire barrier as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the spring member (15) includes curved portions (19, 27) which extend around the free ends of the flanges (7) to retain the spring member in position.
A fire barrier as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the curved portions (19, 27) serve to retain the intumescent material (13) against the flanges (7).
A fire barrier as claimed in claim 9 or 10, characterised in that a lateral gap is provided between the free end of the flange (7) and the curved portion so as to provide an extension portion (27) supporting the panel (9).
A fire barrier as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, characterised in that the spring member (15) includes laterally extending portions (21) which are biased against the panel (9) to support the same.
Afire barrier as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that the spring member (15) includes a substantially V-shaped portion (17) extending over the C-shaped member (3).
A fire barrier as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that the spring member (15) includes a cap portion (23) which extends across the C-shaped member (3) and is joined to the curved portions (19) by outwardly inclined portions (25).
A fire barrier as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that a weatherproof cover is provided for the panels (9).