GB2227512A - Flexible ladder - Google Patents

Abstract

A ladder comprises a flexible elongated belt 8 which is stitched to form loops 8B spaced along its length. The belt is hung from a base 2 via a D ring 7, and the loops are for use as hand and foot holds by a climber, when the flexible member is so hung. Housing 3, for storage of the belt, has a cover with door 4 therein, and a pull member attached to the elongate member passes to the exterior of the housing so that pulling of the member first opens the door and then extracts the ladder. A separate harness, having a shackle which can be clipped onto a desired loop 8B enables a person in the harness to be lowered or raised in conventional manner. Alternatively, the shackle may slide down the belt hesitating at each loop 8B, thereby limiting the speed of descent. <IMAGE>

Description

STORABLE CLIMBING AID This invention relates to a storable climbing aid and is particularly concerned with such an aid that can be fitted, in stored condition, at a window or other potential exit from a human occupiable area for use in an emergency as a means for escaping from the area.

According to the present invention there is provided a storable climbing aid comprising a flexible elongated member adapted to be hung from a point along its length and provided with loops spaced along at least part of its suspended length when so hung, said loops being for use as hand and foot holds by a descending or ascending climber.

For use in human occupiable areas such as buildings, ships and aircraft, the elongated member is typically anchored at one end to a secure base near a window or other exit or potential exit.

The loops are preferably flexible and capable of being pressed relatively flat against the elongated member. In this way, storage space is minimised and the elongated member can be used alternatively as a slide down which a harness for an injured or unfit person can slide.

The elongated member may suitably be stored in folded condition in a housing when not in use, or may be stored in folded condition by any other suitable means. In situations where a housing might be unsuitable, for example on ships where water might otherwise lie in a housing without drying, the elongated member may thus be stored for example in a net or open-weave container or sac.

Where a housing is present, the elongated member may suitably be anchored in the housing and the housing arranged so as to enclose the folded elongated member and the anchored end thereof.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a storable climbing aid; Figure 2 is a perspective view on a slightly larger scale showing two parts of the aid in assembled condition; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view on a smaller scale of two other parts of the aid; Figure 4 shows a part of the aid; Figure 5 is a sectional side view showing parts of the aid secured to a window recess in a building; Figures 6A, 6B and 6C show, diagrammatically various possible locations for the climbing aid in window recesses; Figure 7 shows the climbing aid in use; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the climbing aid being installed; Figure 9 shows a safety harness for use with the climbing aid; and Figure 10 shows the safety harness of Figure 9 in use.

The storable climbing aid shown in the Figures has a housing 1 that is made up by a base 2, a cover 3 and a door 4 that can close a aperture 5 in the cover 3.

The base 2 has an external groove 6 that receives the cross member 7A of a D ring 7 which is carried by an end loop 8A of a flexible elongated member 8 formed by a belt which is stitched to form the end loop 8A and further loops 8B along its length.

The elongated member 8 may suitably be made of polyester, which has the required properties of fire resistance and high strength. Where lightness is also required (e.g. in use of the invention on board ships, where the belt should be able to float), polypropylene may alternatively be used.

The aid is intended to be secured at a potential exit from a human occupiable area such as a building, ship or aircraft to provide an aid that can be climbed down or up for escaping from the area in the event of an emergency such as a fire. The aid is secured in position as follows.

A suitable exit is selected and the cover 3 is temporarily secured to the base 2 utilising a key screw 9 passed through an end of the cover 3 and screwed into a tapped hole 10 in a flange 11 at one end of the base 2. This assembly is offered up to the surround 12 (Figure 5) of the exit at a position to permit location of a bush 13 and a washer 14 between a flange 1 5 at the other end of the base 2 and the adjacent face of the surround 12. The location of two holes 16, 17 in the base 2 is marked on the surround 12, these two holes being accessible through the aperture 5 in the cover 3.

The assembly 2/3 is then withdrawn from the surround 12, the cover 3 is removed from the base 2, the base 2 is re-offered to the surround 12 lined-up with the markings for the holes 16, 17 and the locations of a further hole 18 and a hole 19 in the flange 15 are marked. Holes are drilled at the markings for the four holes 16, 17, 18 and 19.

The D ring 7 of the member 8 is slipped onto the base 2 so that its cross member 7A nests in the groove 6 in the base 2 (Figure 2) and the base 2, bush 13 and washer 14 are secured in position by anchorage bolts 20 screwed into expanding anchors 21 inserted into the drilled holes in the surround 12. It will be appreciated that other forms of fastenings can be used suited to the material of the surround.

The door 4 is positioned in the cover 3 so as to cover the aperture 5, with one edge 22 of the door 4 abutting the adjacent end wall of the cover 3. The member 8 is folded so as to be containable by the cover 3 and is fitted into the cover 3 with the free end of the member 8 releasably attached to the inner base face of the cover 3 utilising a touch and close fastener the component parts of which (not shown) are respectively attached to the member 8 and to the cover 3, and with a pull cord 23 (Figure 4) drawn out through a cut out 24 in the edge 22 of the door 4 so as to hang down (Figures 6A, 6B and 6C).

With the folded member 8 in position, the cover 3 is fitted to the base 2 to house the folded member 8, the cover 3 being located at one end by engagement of a key hole slot 25 of the cover 3 in a recess 26 in the bush 13, and being secured at the other end by the key screw 9 (Figure 8 - see Arrow A).

When it is desired to use the climbing aid, the pull cord 23 is pulled. This causes the door 4 to slide in the cover 3 away from the end wall of the cover 3 with the touch and close fastener releasing so that the member 8 is pulled down out of the housing 1 through the opened aperture 5. The member 8, anchored at one end to the surround 12 of the exit, can be thrown out of the exit to provide an aid that can be climbed down utilising the loops 8B as hand and foot holds.

Locations for the housing 1 are shown in Figures 6A, 6B and 6C and use of the aid is illustrated in Figure 7.

In one modification (not shown), the end loop of the elongated member may be particularly large and provided with a conventional sliding buckle, to provide an under-arm harness for a child or light adult. The arrangement can then be used alternatively in the same manner as a simple rope and harness, to lower or raise the child or light adult to safety.

As mentioned before, the climbing aid can also be used in conjunction with a separate safety harness 24, such as that shown in Figure 9. Such a harness is suitably made from the same flame retardant material as the elongated member 8 and is provided with a shackle 25 of the spring-clip type and conventional sliding buckle 26 on which is provided a hand grip 27.

In use, the loop 28 of the harness is placed around the torso under the arms (Figure 10) and the sliding buckle 26 is brought towards the body to form a snug fit. The shackle 25 is then clipped around the belt of the elongated member 8 (not through a loop 8B).

The shackle size is chosen so that the shackle will hesitate at each loop 8B as the shackle slides down the elongated member 8, so limiting the speed of descent.

In a further alternative form, the shackle 25 may, instead of being made to slide down the elongated member 8, be merely clipped into one of the loops 8B.

This alternative could be used, for example, where a child or light adult needs to be lowered or raised and a person at the upper level is able to take the weight of the person being lowered. As in the case of the elongated member with an enlarged end loop, described above, such an arrangement can then be used in the same manner as a simple rope and harness, to lower or raise the child or light adult.

Claims (8)

1. A storable climbing aid comprising a flexible elongated member adapted to be hung from a point along its length and provided with loops spaced along at least part of its suspended length when so hung, said loops being for use as hand and foot holds by a descending or ascending climber.

2. A storable climbing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loops are flexible and capable of being pressed relatively flat against the elongated member.

3. A storable climbing aid as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further including a harness adapted to slide down the elongated member hesitating at each loop, whereby a person in the harness can slide down the elongated member.

4. A storable climbing aid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims for use as a means for escaping from a human occupiable area, wherein the elongated member is adapted to be anchored at one end thereof to a base near an exit or potential exit and the climbing aid further includes a housing within which the elongated member may be stored in folded condition, the housing being arranged so as to enclose the folded elongated member and the anchored end thereof.

5. A storable climbing aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the housing has a cover and an exit aperture in the cover through which the flexible elongated member can be withdrawn from the housing, the aperture being closed by a door when the flexible elongated member is stored in the housing.

6. A storable climbing aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein there is a cut out through which a pull member passes from the flexible elongated member to the exterior of the housing when the door is closed, pulling of this pull member serving first to open the door and thereafter to withdraw the flexible elongated member from the housing.

7. A storable climbing aid as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the flexible elongated member and the cover of the housing are respectively provided with the component parts of a touch and close fastener for releasably attaching the flexible elongated member to the inner face of the cover.

8. A storable climbing aid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.