GB1100621A - Improvements relating to escape hatches - Google Patents

Abstract

1,100,621. Emergency exits. HALLAM, SLEIGH & CHESTON Ltd. 19 April, 1966 [20 April, 1965], No. 16431/65. Heading B7B. [Also in Divisions E2 and F4] A roof escape hatch device for a building or a vehicle comprises an escape hatch panel 3 which is adapted to be mounted over an escape aperture 4 in the roof and which is associated with means for releasably retaining it against opening, said means comprising one or more members 9, 10 connected to said panel and releasably carried by one or more stationary attachment parts 11, 12 securable to the roof, the or each releasable member being engageable with a fastening part 15 for retaining said plate in place on the or the respective stationary attachment part, the said fastening part 15 being mounted on axially movable shaft 17 which is biased by spring means 26 towards an axially displaced position in which said shaft is disengaged from the bolting part, the shaft being normally retained against axial movement of said displaced position by a retaining element 21 which engages the shaft, said retaining element being, however, releasable from said engagement to cause the shaft to be quickly moved by the said spring means to its aforesaid displaced position whereby the fastening part is freed from the shaft and no longer retains the or the respective releasable member in place on the or the respective attachment part. In the construction shown there are two members, attachment parts, fastening parts and movable shafts and each shaft 17 in addition to being movable axially is also rotatable by means of a hand lever 19 to manually disengage the fastening part 15 from an aperture 16 in the respective member 9 or 10; each fastening part 15 has a square hole near one end by which it is engaged with a square section of the shaft 17. The retaining element 21 for each part 15 is pivoted near its inner end by a rivet 22 to the middle of the part 15 and has a hook-shaped outer end portion 21a which engages with a necked portion 17b of the lower end portion of the shaft 17 and so retains the part 15 in engagement with the square section of the shaft 17. Each element 21 is horizontally swingable out of retaining engagement with the shaft 17 by means of a cable 23 connected through a pivoted shackle 24 to the hook end portion 21a of the element; one cable is used for both elements 21 so that a pull on the cable releases both of the parts 21. When only one fastening part 15 is provided, the escape hatch is hinged at one end portion instead of being completely detachable as shown. As shown, casings 7, 8 are rigidly carried by the members 9, 10 and each casing contains a screw mechanism which is connected through front and rear linkages 5 and 6 to the escape hatch so that by operating the screw mechanism the panel 3 can be raised and lowered to enable it to serve as an adjustable ventilator.