GB2168668A - Fire-escape apparatus for high building - Google Patents

Abstract

A fire-escape apparatus comprising a mounting frame (1) adapted to being attached to a support in a building, a double reel device (11) rotatably installed in the mounting frame (1) with a pair of flexible lines (11A, 11B) wound in opposite directions for fire-escape purpose, and a hydraulic retarding mechanism (12) coupled with the double reel device (11) and the mounting frame (1). The hydraulic retarding mechanism (12) is combined with a rotary control device rotatably disposed therein for controlling the circulation of the hydraulic according to the pressure applied thereto, and a bilateral flow control device communicatively connected thereto and associated with the rotary control device for governing the revolving speed of the latter so that a uniform lowering speed can be maintained independent of the weight of the descending object. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved fire-escape for high buildings This invention relates to an improved fire-escape apparatus for high building, and is particularly dealt with a novel hydraulic retarding mechanism for effectively controlling the flow of the hydraulic in opposite directions so as to safely ensuring a permanent lowering speed during fire escaping operations.

As a result of rapid increase of pupolation, office and residential buildings are constructed higher and higher in the densely resided area the world over. In order to meet the requirement of emergency escape from the high building, such as fire or the like, some types of fire-escape or descending devices have been introduced for a long time.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 374,596 issued to Gray et al on 13th December 1887; 530,863 issued to Thackston on 11th December 1894; 531,567 issued to Roper on 25th December 1894; 628,736 issued to Young on 11th July 1899; 625,274 issued to Wright et al on 18th March 1913; 1,122,566 issued to Bailey on 29th December 1914; 2,091,418 issued to Schoene on 31st August 1937; 2,502,896 issued to Sherbrook et al on 4th April 1950; 2,873,055 issued to Hill on 10th February 1959; and a U.K. Pat. No. 750,587 issued to Svensson on 20th June 1956.

Moreover, most of these prior art devices have not met with mass appeal or production simply because they share a common defect that the lowering speed of the devices cannot be safely ensured against different weights of the moving load to be descended therewith.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved fire-escape apparatus that overcomes the foregoing defect associated with the prior art fire-escape devices.

With the above and other objects in mind, the present invention provides an improved fire-escape apparatus including a mounting frame adapted to being attached to a support, a double reel device rotatably installed in the mounting frame with a pair of flexible ropes or cables wound in opposite directions for personnel escape purpose, and an improved hydraulic retarding mechanism coupled between the double reel device and the mounting frame, wherein said retarding mechanism is characterized by a rotary control device movably installed in a housing structuree of the hydraulic retarding mechanism for controlling the circulation of the hydraulic in accordance with the pressure applied by the descending load from the reel device, and a bilateral flow control device communicatively connected to the housing structure of the hydraulic retarding mechanism and functionally associated with the rotary control device for automatically governing the revolving speed of the rotary control device according to the hydraulic pressure applied thereto so that a permanent lowering speed of the fire escape apparatus can be safely maintained therewith.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of an improved fire-escape apparatus in an assembled condition according to this invention; Figure 2 is a perspective and exploded view of a preferred embodiment of an improved hydraulic retarding mechnaism installed in the mounting frame shown in Fig. 1 for governing the descending movement of the double reel device according to this invention; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hydraulic retarding mechanism shown in Fig. 2, illustrating the hydraulic flowing condition along with the rotation of the double reel device in fire escape operations;; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the hydraulic retarding mechanism shown in Fig. 2 combined with the mounting frame and the double reel device; and Figure 5 is an enlarged partial cut-away view of a preferred embodiment of a bilateral flow control device installed in the hydraulic retarding mechanism shown in Fig. 2 according to this invention.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 4, there is shown a preferred embodiment of an improved fire-escape apparatus for high building according to this invention. The apparatus includes in combination: a mounting frame 1 with a normal structure being adaptable to being attached to a support available in the building such as windows, balcony wall, etc., with two side members 2 and 4 fixed in a casing structure and an L-shaped supporting member 3 movably installed between the two side members 2 and 4 at one end for mounting purpose; a double reel device 11 having a pair of flexible ropes or cables 11 A and 11B reslpectively mounted in opposite directions around a double reel theretof rotatably installed in the mounting frame 1 in the casing structure defined by the two side members 2 and 4 through a shaft 110 (as shown in Fig.

4); and an improved hydraulic retarding mechanism 12 with hydraulic contained therein installed on the side member 2 and mechanically coupled with the reel shaft 110 for governing the rotation of the double reel device 11 in both directions thereat.

Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the preferred embodiment of the hydraulic retarding mechanism 12 according to this invention comprises a combination of an annular housing structure 12B rigidly fixed on the side member 2 of the mounting frame 1 and a bilateral flow control device 1 2A at one end.The housing structure 1 2B includes: an open hollow section 120 with a plurality of screw holes 123 formed in the circumferential edger defining the hollow section 120; an oil seal 124 provided on the surface of the circumferential edge; an eccentric chamber 122 formed in the bottom of the hollow section 120, wherein the diameter of the eccentric chamber 122 is larger than the radius of the hollow section 120; an opening 1250 formed in the bottom side 125 of the eccentric chamber 122 for being engaged with the shaft 110 of the double reel device 11 through a journal 111 fixdedly connected to the shaft 110; an annual groove 126 formed in the bottom surface of the open hollow section 120 of the housing structure 12B; an annular ball bearing 51 matched with the journal 111 within the bottom portion of the eccentric chamber 122; and an oil seal 52 closely provided on the front side of the ball bearing 51.

A rotary control structure 6 which is formed by an annular middle part 63 with a through slot 631 in the middle, a coupling head 61 with an annular flange at the rear part, and a front portion 64 with a spindle 65 on the center and extending therefrom, and combined with a pair of oil scavengers 66 and 67, each of which has a notched portion 661, 671 at one end for being matched with a pair of compression springs 611 and 621, a tapered portion at the other end, and a sliding protrusion 663, 673 at one end of the longitudinal side 662, 672, opposingly installed in the through slot 631, is rotatably disposed in the hollow section 120 of the housing structure 1 2B by movably engaging the coupling head 61 with the journal 111 in the opening 1250 of the eccentric chamber 122 throughj the ball bearing 51 and the oil seal 52 for making a synchronous rotation with the reel shaft 110 of the double reel device 11 without causing the oil thereof to leak into the eccentric chamber 122.As the axial height of the coupling head 61 together with the flange 62 is designed to be equally matched with the depth of the eccentric chamber 122, when the rotary control structure 6 is movably installed in the hollow section 120, the front surface 630 of the middle part 63 is on a level with the bottom surface of the hollow section 120 and the sliding protrusion; 663, 673 of the oil scarvengers 66, 67 are respectively engaged in the annular groove 126 with a part of the longitudinal sides 662 and 672 also in slight touch with the bottom surface of the hollow section 120. In the meantime, the surface of the front portion 64 having a spindle 65 extending at the center is also on the level with the circumferential edge of the annular housing structure 12B, and an annular ball bearing 68 is fitfully installed around the the spindle 65.

Finally, a front cover 69 including an annular hollow protuberance dent 691 whose internal diameter is the same as that of the ball bearing 68 formed in the rear side and a plurality of screw holes 690 provided therein, is fastened on the housing structure 1 2B through a plurality of screws 693.

It shall be appreciated that, after the rotary control structure 6 is installed in the hollow section 120 of the housing structure 12B, the two tapered ends of the oil scavengers 66 and 67 will be kept in slight contact with the inner wall surface defining the hollow section 120 of the housing structure 1 2B through the compression springs 611 and 621 matched therein. in addition, after the fixing of the front cover 69 is done on the housing structure 12B, the sliding protrusions 663, 673 of the oil scavengers 66 and 67 are movably located in the annular groove 126, so that, even if the compression springs 611 and 621 are out of function, the sliding movement of the oil scavengers 66 and 67 along with the rotation of the rotary control structure 6 in oil scraping operation can be effectively regulated therein around the annular groove 126.

Referring to Figures 2, 4 and 5, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the bilateral flow control device 12A of the hydraulic retarding mechanism 12 and the operational relationship between the rotary control structure 6 and the flow control device 12A. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the peripheral surface of the rotary control structure 6 is in tangential contact with the front portion of the bilateral flow control device 1 2A communicatively provided thereto.The embodiment of the bilateral flow control device 1 2A comprises: a closed casing body 121 (shown in Fig. 5); a pair of main oil passages 70 and 80 formed in both sides at one end portion with openings thereof leading to the hollow section 120 of the housing structure 12B; two pairs of oil subsidiary passages 7A, 7B, and 8A, 8B respectively linked to the main passages 70 and 80 at one end; an accommodating space 91 respectively formed in the end portions of the subsidiary passages 7B and 8B; relay passage 9 horizontally connected with the other ends of the subsidiary passages 7A, 7B and 8A, 8B through the accommodating space 91 in communication with the main passages 70 and 80; a pair of flow control pistons 701 and 801 each having an upper portion corresponding to the subsidiary passages 7B and 8B, and a lower portion matched with a spring 90 at both sides thereof, movably received in the accommodating spaces 91 with the upper portions separately protruding into the subsidiary passages 7B and 8B, and the lower portions respectively extendable across the relay passage 9 through the hydraulic pressure applied thereto at the upper portion. The bilateral flow control device 1 2A with hydraulic oil closedly contained in the casing body 121 for self-circulation therein is fixedly connected to the housing structure 1 2b with the main oil passages 70 and 80 in flow communication with the hollow section 120 for hydraulic flowing in either direction.Operational conditions of the bilateral flow control device 1 2A are as follows: 1). As shown in Fig. 3, when the rotary control structure 6 rotates clockwise along with the double reel device 11 during a fireescape descending from the rope 11 A, ther main oil passage 70 in the right side of the casing body 121 becomes the oil outlet while the main oil passage 80 in the left side acts as the oil inlet thereat, the hydraulic thereof flows in the direction as shown by the arrowheads in the drawing.If the hydraulic which flows around the main passages 70 and 80 through the oil subsidiary passages 7A, 8A and the relay passage 9 is heavily drawn under the pressure of the rotary control structure 6 through the oil scavengers 66 and 67 along with the double reel device 11 due to the heavy moving load from the rope 11A, the same pressure of the hydraulic will also be applied to the subsidiary passage 7B to press the piston 701 downward therefrom. As the piston 701 is being pressed down, the front end thereof will project into the relay passage 9, imposing a blockade to the flow of the hydraulic therein under the condition that the higher the pressure applies therefrom, the greater the block resistance will be present to the relay passage 9.Therefore, the high draining pressure of the hydraulic thereof is offset by the piston 701, and a balanced condition between the rotary control structure 6 and the bilateral flow control device 1 2A can be effectively maintained without being affected by the weight of the moving load from the rope 11.

In this way, the bilateral flow control device 12A functions as a valve for regulating the revolving speed of the rotary control structure 6. As an example, when a 40kg moving load and a 60kg moving load to be respectively lowered down through the double reel device 11, the different weight thereof may apply an internal different pressure coefficient to the hydraulic retarding mechanism 12; however, owing to the fact that the blocking resistance of the bilateral flow control device 12A is proportional to the flowing pressure of the hydraulic as well as that the rotation speed of the rotary control structure 6f is proportional to the weight of the moving load, the hydraulic flow in the retarding mechanism 12 is maintained at a constant condition, e.g. the rotary control body 6 is always kept at a uniform speed along with the double reel device 11 no matter how different the weight of the moving load thereof is.

2). On the other hand, when the rotary control structure 6 rotates counterclockwise along with the double reel device 11 by which an escapee is descending from the other rope 11B after the rope 11 A has been lowered down to the ground, the main oil passage 80 in the left side becomes the oil outlet while the main oil passage 70 is the oil inlet, and the hydraulic flows in the direction as shown by the dotted arrowheads in Fig. 3. The remaining working relationship of the hydraulic pressure, the blocking resistance of the piston 801 and the lowering condition of the reel device 11 are all the same as that described in 1) above.

While a preferred embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. An improved fire-escape apparatus comprising a mounting frame adaptable to being attached to a support available in the building, a double reel device with a combined reel shaft and a pair of flexible lines wound in opposite directions for escaping purpose rotatably installed in the mounting frame through the reel shaft, and an improved hydraulic retarding mechanism coupled with the double reel device through the combined reel shaft, characterized by: said hydraulic retarding mechanism comprising a housing structure with an annular hollow section formed therein; a rotary control means rotatably installed in the hollow section of the housing structure and coupled with the combined reel shaft of the double reel device for enhancing the circulation of the hydraulic contained therein in accordance with the pressure applied by the double reel device rotatable in either direction; and a bilateral flow control means having hydraulic closedly contained therein communicatively connected to the housing structure and functionally associated with said rotary control means for automatically governing the revolving speed of said rotary control means therein according to the hydraulic pressure applied through said rotary control means, thereby, a uniform lowering speed of the descending object during fire escape can be safely maintained no matter how the weight of the descending object is different.

2. An improved fire-escape apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said housing structure includes an eccentric chamber in the bottom of the hollow section with a diameter thereof larger than the radius of said hollow section, an opening in the bottom side of said eccentric chamber for being engaged with the shaft of the double reel device, and an annual groove in the bottom surface of said hollow section.

3. An improved fire-escape apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said rotary control means is characterized by: an annular rotary body structure having a through slot in the middle portion, a coupling head with an annular flange formed at the rear portion, and a front portion with a spindle integrally provided in the center and extending therefrom; a pair of oil scavengers each of which has a notched portion at one end, a tapered portion at the other, and a sliding proptrusion integrally formed at one side adjacent to the tapered portion; a plurality of elastic means respectively disposed in the notches of said oil scavengers which are movably installed in the through slot of said rotary body structure with notched portions and elastic means facing each other therein through the compression of said elastic means;; a ball bearing having an annular opening in the middle fixed around the spindle of said rotary body structure; and a front cover having an annular and hollow protuberance corresponding to said ball bearing fastened on the hollow section of the housing structure over said rotary body structure so that revolving of said rotary control means can be automatically effected along with the rotation of the double reel device.

4. An improved fire-escape apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the axial length of the coupling head of said rotary body structure is equal to the depth of the eccentric chamber in the housing structure of said hydraulic retarding mechanism.

5. An improved fire-escape apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein, after the installation of said rotary body structure within the housing structure of said hydraulic retarding mechanism, a part of the longitudinal side surface of each said oil scavengers is in slight touch with the bottom surface of the hollow section in the housing structure of said hydraulic retarding mechanism.

6. An improved fire-escape apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein, after the installation of said rotary body structure in the housing structure of said hydraulic retarding mechanism, the end of the tapered portion of each said oil scavengers is respectively kept in slight contact with the inner wall of the hollow section in the housing structure of said hydraulic retarding mechanism through the compression force of said elastic means.

7. An improved fire-escape apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said sliding protrusions of each said oil scavengers are separately located in the annular groove of the inner bottom surface of the housing structure for assisting said oil scavengers in sliding movement therein.

8. An improved fire-escape apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said bilateral flow control menas is characterized by: a closed casing body having a pair of main oil passages formed in both sides of one end portion with the openings of said passages leading to the hollow section of said housing structure of said hydraulic retarding memchanism, a first pair of subsidiary passages formed in the outer side of the casing body separately linked to said main oil passages, a second pair of subsidiary passgages each having an accommodating space at one end also linked to said main oil passages together with said first pair subsidiary passages, and a relay passage horizontally connected together with said first and second subsidiary passages through the lower portions of said accommodating spaces; ; a pair of flow control pistons each having an upper portion corresponding to said second subsidiary passages, and a lower portion corresponding to said accommodating spaces with the upper portions of both pistons protruding into said second subsidiary passages, and the lower portions thereof respectively extendable across said relay passage according to the hydraulic pressure applied at the upper portion; and a plurality of elastic means symmetrically provided at both sides of the lower portions of said flow control pistons; thereby, hydraulic circulation in either direction can be effectively controlled during fire-escape operations.

9. An improved fire-escape apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.