GB2105987A

GB2105987A - Smoke and fire protection screen

Info

Publication number: GB2105987A
Application number: GB08127057A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie Thomas Homer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-09-08
Filing date: 1981-09-08
Publication date: 1983-04-07
Also published as: GB2105987B

Abstract

Disclosed is a flexible smoke and fire resistant screen which may be used to close an opening, such as a corridor in a building, to provide a barrier against fire. The screen may comprise a series of tubular elements which are normally stored in a rolled up condition above the said opening and which are released to extend downwardly over the opening in response to a signal from a fire detector. The tubular elements are automatically filled with water on their release and each member is in contact with at least one adjacent member. The members are formed of a fire resistant material and may be filled with any fire resistant fluid or a granular material such as sand. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Smoke and fire protection screen The present invention relates to an improved form of smoke and fire protection screen.

There are requirements for many buildings, such as shops and offices, to include provision for closing off corridors and other internai openings against the movement of smoke in the event of fire. Usually such provision is by way of smoke or fire doors or rolier shutters which, also reduce draughts and acts as a temporary barrier against the spread of fire.

Generally such doors or shutters do not completely prevent ingress of smoke and may be resistant to fire for short periods of time only. The doors are normally swing doors which open in one direction only and are constantly urged into the closed position by springs. Doors of this nature can limit the escape of persons trapped by fire, especially in instances of panic, because they open in one direction only and because of the effort required to open them against the pressure exerted by the springs.

I have now developed a smoke and fire protection screen that is normally located in a non-protective position but which automatically assumes its protective position in the event of fire and which enables persons to pass through with the minimum of effort.

Accordingly the present invention provides a smoke and fire resistant screen suitable for extending across an area to be closed in the event of fire, for example a door frame or corridor, comprising a plurality of substantially tubular elements closed at their lowermost ends and which extend downwardly over the area to be closed, each said member being in contact with at least one adjacent member and comprising a flexible fire resistant material containing a flowable fire resistant substance thereby to provide a temporary barrier against the smoke or fire.

The said tubular members are preferably located in a container positioned above the area to be protected and are released into position in the event of fire or in the event that a smoke or fire detector senses conditions appropriate to fire. Most preferably the members are stored in a rolled up condition, as for storage of fire hoses and are automatically filled with fluid on being released into the protective position.

The flowable fire resistant substance is preferably a fluid such as water that may be stored in a header tank or may be taken, in a controlled amount, from a mains supply as required. A gaseous fire resistant fluid such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen may also be used and this may be stored in cylinders adjacent the said container and automatically released into the members as they are released into their protective positions.

Alternatively the said substance may comprise any flowable fire resistant granular material, such as sand, which may conveniently be stored in a container located above the tubular members.

If gaseous fluid are employed then the lower ends of the tubes are preferably weighted to ensure that they extend to their maximum extent.

A particular advantage of this type of fire protective screen lies in the fact that when in its protective position a person can readily pass through the screen having merely to push aside two adjacent tubular members in order to create the necessary space for passage, the said members thereafter rapidly fall back into position to close the said space.

Since the tubular members are formed from a fire resistant material and contain a fire resistant fluid, they form an effective temporary barrier against the advance of fire.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which drawing illustrates a screen of the present invention in its protective position.

Referring to the drawing, a container 1 is located above an open door frame 2 located at the end of a corridor A series of tubular members 31 . . . . . 38 extend downwardly from the container through an opening 4 so that their lowermost ends 61 . . . . . 68 are in contact with the corridor floor. As shown in the drawing there is a gap between adjacent members e.g. between 31 and 32 however in practice each tube 32 to 37 will be in contact with two adjacent tubes.

One side of tubes 31 and 38 will contact an adjacent tube and the other side will contact the side of the frame 2 to provide an effective barrier thereacross.

The top ends 71 . . . .. 78 of the tubes remain attached to a support means (not shown) located with the container and above the top of each tube is a water inlet 81 88 depending from a supply pipe 9 which takes water from a mains supply via an automatically operated on-off valve (not shown).

Normally the tubes are stored in a rolled up condition, for example as fire hoses, within the container 1 which is closed by a trap door 5. An automatic lock means (not shown) located on the trap door is operated via a smoke/fire detector device 10 located on the corridor wall adjacent the container 1. The smoke/fire detector 9 also communicates with the automatic water on/off valve so that when excessive smoke or heat is sensed by the detection device the trap door is opened permitting members 31- 38 to drop down to form a barrier across the opening 2 and, at the same time a controlled volume of water is released from the mains supply to fill the tubes thereby creating an effective smoke/fire screen.

Persons wishing to pass through the screen merely have to separate two adjacent tubes which then fall back into position under weight of the water contained therein to recreate the barrier.

1. A smoke and fire resistant screen suitable for closing an opening against smoke and/or fire, com prising a plurality of substantially tubular elements extensible downwardly over the said opening, said members being formed from a flexible fire resistant

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Smoke and fire protection screen The present invention relates to an improved form of smoke and fire protection screen. There are requirements for many buildings, such as shops and offices, to include provision for closing off corridors and other internai openings against the movement of smoke in the event of fire. Usually such provision is by way of smoke or fire doors or rolier shutters which, also reduce draughts and acts as a temporary barrier against the spread of fire. Generally such doors or shutters do not completely prevent ingress of smoke and may be resistant to fire for short periods of time only. The doors are normally swing doors which open in one direction only and are constantly urged into the closed position by springs. Doors of this nature can limit the escape of persons trapped by fire, especially in instances of panic, because they open in one direction only and because of the effort required to open them against the pressure exerted by the springs. I have now developed a smoke and fire protection screen that is normally located in a non-protective position but which automatically assumes its protective position in the event of fire and which enables persons to pass through with the minimum of effort. Accordingly the present invention provides a smoke and fire resistant screen suitable for extending across an area to be closed in the event of fire, for example a door frame or corridor, comprising a plurality of substantially tubular elements closed at their lowermost ends and which extend downwardly over the area to be closed, each said member being in contact with at least one adjacent member and comprising a flexible fire resistant material containing a flowable fire resistant substance thereby to provide a temporary barrier against the smoke or fire. The said tubular members are preferably located in a container positioned above the area to be protected and are released into position in the event of fire or in the event that a smoke or fire detector senses conditions appropriate to fire. Most preferably the members are stored in a rolled up condition, as for storage of fire hoses and are automatically filled with fluid on being released into the protective position. The flowable fire resistant substance is preferably a fluid such as water that may be stored in a header tank or may be taken, in a controlled amount, from a mains supply as required. A gaseous fire resistant fluid such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen may also be used and this may be stored in cylinders adjacent the said container and automatically released into the members as they are released into their protective positions. Alternatively the said substance may comprise any flowable fire resistant granular material, such as sand, which may conveniently be stored in a container located above the tubular members. If gaseous fluid are employed then the lower ends of the tubes are preferably weighted to ensure that they extend to their maximum extent. A particular advantage of this type of fire protective screen lies in the fact that when in its protective position a person can readily pass through the screen having merely to push aside two adjacent tubular members in order to create the necessary space for passage, the said members thereafter rapidly fall back into position to close the said space. Since the tubular members are formed from a fire resistant material and contain a fire resistant fluid, they form an effective temporary barrier against the advance of fire. One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which drawing illustrates a screen of the present invention in its protective position. Referring to the drawing, a container 1 is located above an open door frame 2 located at the end of a corridor A series of tubular members 31 . . . . . 38 extend downwardly from the container through an opening 4 so that their lowermost ends 61 . . . . . 68 are in contact with the corridor floor. As shown in the drawing there is a gap between adjacent members e.g. between 31 and 32 however in practice each tube 32 to 37 will be in contact with two adjacent tubes. One side of tubes 31 and 38 will contact an adjacent tube and the other side will contact the side of the frame 2 to provide an effective barrier thereacross. The top ends 71 . . . .. 78 of the tubes remain attached to a support means (not shown) located with the container and above the top of each tube is a water inlet 81 88 depending from a supply pipe 9 which takes water from a mains supply via an automatically operated on-off valve (not shown). Normally the tubes are stored in a rolled up condition, for example as fire hoses, within the container 1 which is closed by a trap door 5. An automatic lock means (not shown) located on the trap door is operated via a smoke/fire detector device 10 located on the corridor wall adjacent the container 1. The smoke/fire detector 9 also communicates with the automatic water on/off valve so that when excessive smoke or heat is sensed by the detection device the trap door is opened permitting members 31- 38 to drop down to form a barrier across the opening 2 and, at the same time a controlled volume of water is released from the mains supply to fill the tubes thereby creating an effective smoke/fire screen. Persons wishing to pass through the screen merely have to separate two adjacent tubes which then fall back into position under weight of the water contained therein to recreate the barrier. CLAIMS

1. A smoke and fire resistant screen suitable for closing an opening against smoke and/or fire, com prising a plurality of substantially tubular elements extensible downwardly over the said opening, said members being formed from a flexible fire resistant material containing a flowable fire resistant substance and, in their downwardly extending condition, having their lowermost ends closed and each said member contacting at least one adjacent member thereby to provide a temporary barrier against smoke or fire.

2. A screen according to claim 1 wherein the said tubular members are normally located in a container positioned above the opening to be closed and arranged to be released into their downwardly extending condition in response to a signal from a smoke or fire detector.

3. A screen according to claim 1 wherein the members are stored in an unfilled and rolled up condition within said container and are automatically filled with said flowable substance on release into their downwardly extending condition.

4. A screen according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the flowable fire resistant substance is a fluid and is stored in a header tank located adjacent the container containing the said tubular members.

5. A screen according to claim 4 wherein the fluid is water.

6. A screen according to claim 5 wherein the water introduced into the said members in a controlled amount from a mains supply provided adjacent the said container for the said members on release of the members into their downwardly extending condition.

7. A screen according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the flowable fire resistant substance is gaseous.

8. A screen according to claim 7 wherein the flowable fire resistant substance is gaseous carbon dioxide or nitrogen stored in cylinders positioned adjacent the said container and automatically introduced into the said members when released into their downwardly extending position.

9. A screen according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the flowable fire resistant substance comprises a granular material stored in a container adjacent the said tubular members and arranged to be introduced into the said members automatically when they are released into their downwardly extending condition.

10. A screen according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the lower ends of the tubes are weighted.

11. A smoke and fire resistant screen suitable for closing an opening against smoke and/or fire substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.