GB2269353A

GB2269353A - Extendible fire escape

Info

Publication number: GB2269353A
Application number: GB9216815A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Passmore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-08-07
Filing date: 1992-08-07
Publication date: 1994-02-09
Also published as: GB9216815D0

Abstract

A fire escape arm 60 descends from the ceiling void 28 extending out of the opened window 38, safety loops placed around the persons waists allowing them to be lowered to the ground by means of a safety line 50 from a drum 48 at a controlled speed. A number of persons may descend on individual loops 64 which are each secured to the line 50 which is flat, when a clamp (74) supporting the loop moves along the arm 60 and is actuated by a cam 82 at the end of the arm 60. <IMAGE>

Description

A FIRE ESCAPE This invention relates to a fire escape for assisting persons to escape from high buildings.

Many high buildings have external metal fire escape staircases to allow the occupants to escape from the upper floors. Such staircases are however expensive to construct and are ugly. Furthermore there is generally only one such fire escape from each floor of a building, whereas it would be desirable to have a fire escape at each window, because the location where a fire may occur can never be foretold in advance.

According to the present invention there is provided a fire escape comprising a flexible elongate member having means at one end for supporting a person, a rotatable drum on which the elongate member is wound and from which it can be unwound, means for supporting the drum at a position where an escape from a fire may be required, and means for limiting the rate of rotation of the drum when a load is placed on the flexible elongate member.

The flexible elongate member is preferably a belt or a length of webbing with a sling formed in one end, so that an escaping person can support themselves in the sling before descending to the ground at the end of the belt. However the invention can equally be applied to other types of elongate member such as ropes or cables. In the case of a rope or cable, a belt sling may be formed at the end thereof.

The means for limiting the drum rotation may be associated with a torsional rotation resistance, a frictional rotation resistance or other type of resistance which will allow the belt, or other elongate member to unwind from the drum, but at a controlled speed even though a significant load may be placed on the end of the belt. It is necessary for the safe lowering of people that the lowering should take place at a controlled rate so that the person is not injured on reaching the ground.

The fire escape is preferably adapted to be secured to the ceiling of a room adjacent to a window. In a particularly preferred form the fire escape may be mounted on a system of articulated links so that it can be folded up into a ceiling void when not required but can be easily released to its operating position by opening a hatch into the ceiling void and pulling the fire escape out into position.

The fire escape can have several person support means descending from a single unit. There may be a grip mechanism which forms part of each support means with the grip being arranged so that it engages the belt or other elongate member when a substantial load is placed on the elongate member, such as when a person puts their full weight on it. In this way a number of slings, each supporting a person, can descend to the ground on the same belt.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a building from which a person is escaping using a fire escape in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a fire escape in accordance with the invention folded away in a roof void, adjacent to a window opening; Figure 3 shows the same fire escape lowered from its stowed position and ready for use; Figure 4 is a view of the drum which forms part of the fire escape of Figures 2 and 3; Figure 5 shows a snatch grip in the horizontal part of the escape arm; Figure 6 is a cross-section through the components of Figure 5; and Figure 7 shows the components of Figure 5 at the outboard end of the escape arm.

Figure 1 shows a house 10 with a window 12 on the second floor open and with flames 14 indicating that a fire is burning in that room. A person 16 is escaping from that room on the end of a belt 18 which is unwinding from a drum 20 secured in the ceiling of that room. An escape arm 22 extends out of the window 12 so that the person 16 can be lowered to the ground clear of the front face of the house.

Figure 2 shows the fire escape in its stowed position above the ceiling 24 of a room 26. Above the ceiling 24 is a roof void 28 covered by a roof supported on rafters 30. The fire escape unit generally designated 32 is stowed in the roof void 28 and is accessible through a hinged roof hatch 34.

The unit 32 has its main attachment point by means of a mounting plate 36 which is secured to the rafter 30, above a window opening 38. A casement window 40 is shown in the open position in the opening 38. The window opening is supported by a lintel 42.

The main parts of the fire escape unit 32 are a horizontal, escape arm 44, a link arm 46 which, in the extended position shown in Figure 3 is arranged vertically and a belt drum 48 which carries a belt 50.

To put the unit into operation, the hatch cover 34 is open and the horizontal escape arm 44 is pulled down at its forward (right-hand) edge so that it drops out through the opening and the link arm 46 takes up a vertical position.

To keep the unit in this erected condition there is a locking catch at 52 which locks the arm 46 to the mounting plate 36 and a second locking catch at 54 which locks the escape arm 44 to a bracket 56. The catches 52 and 54 are spring loaded and pivoted on, respectively, the bracket 36 and the bracket 56 and lock onto pins 58, 60.

In the erected position the escape arm 44, which is telescopic and which has an inner bar 60 and an outer bar 62 extends out through the window opening 38. In the example shown in Figure 3, there are four person supporting loops 64 ready to be used and one which is already descending on the end of the belt 50. The loops 64 are mounted on snatch grips 74 which will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7.

The drum 48 which carries a belt 50 has the belt attached to a hub 66. As the belt is pulled out the hub 66 rotates and since the hub is fast with a spindle 68, the spindle 68 which is connected to the rotor 70 of a torque converter 72 also rotates. The resistance to rotation afforded by the torque converter 72 slows down the rate of un-reeling of the belt. Moreover as the load increases, so the resistance to rotation afforded by the torque converter 72 also increases.

It will however be appreciated that the torque converter 72 shown in Figure 4 is just one way in which the rate of rotation of the drum 48 can be slowed down.

Each belt loop 64 is connected to a snatch grip unit 74. In their normal positions, as shown in Figure 5, the snatch grip unit allows free passage of the belt 50 through the unit. An upper pad 76 is spaced from a lower pad 78 by spacers 80 to allow the belt to pass through without entraining the grip unit 74.

It will be noted from Figure 3 that the outboard end of the escape arm 44 is angled downwardly and within this end of the arm 44, 60 there is a cam block 82. When one of the loops 64 is pulled towards the outboard end of the escape arm, the top of the snatch grip 74 contacts the undersurface of the cam 82 and this causes the spacers 80 to break so that the upper and lower pads 76, 78 can be pushed together by the surface of the cam and can clamp the belt 50 between them. Also because of the action of a pivoted lever 84 to which the loop 64 is attached, a lock arm 86 forces the top pad 76 against the belt so that when a persons' weight comes on the loop 74, a very effective and secure frictional connection between the snatch grip 74 and the belt 50 is obtained. In this way one belt 50 can be used to lower several people, one after another, all on the same belt and all being lowered from the same point.

The fire escape described can be compactly housed near a window from which escape is desired. Because the fire escape is relatively compact, one of these units can be provided adjacent to each window which provides vastly increased possibilities of escape compared with the concept of having a single fire escape ladder for each floor, since the top of such a ladder may be inaccessible to some people on the floor where the fire is.

Claims

CLAINS

1. A fire escape comprising a flexible elongate member having means at one end for supporting a person, a rotatable drum on which the elongate member is wound and from which it can be unwound, means for supporting the drum at a position where an escape from a fire may be required and means for limiting the rate of rotation of a drum when a load is placed on the flexible elongate member. The flexible elongate member is preferably a belt or a length of webbing with a sling formed in one end so that an escaping person can support themselves in the sling before desending to the ground at the end of the belt. However, the invention can equally be applied to other types of elongate member such as ropes or cables.

In the case of a rope or cable, a belt sling may be formed at the end thereof.

2. A fire escape as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a means for limiting the drum rotation may be associated with a torsional rotation resistance or other type of resistance which will allow the belt or other elongate member to unwind from the drum but at a controlled speed even though a significant load may be placed on the end of the belt.

It is necessary for the safe lowering of people that the lowering should take place at a controlled rate so that the person is not injured on reaching the ground.

3. A fire escape as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein it is preferably adapted to be secured to the ceiling of a room adjacent to a window. In a particularly preferred form the fire escape may be mounted on a system of articulated links so that it can be folded up into a ceiling void when not required.

4. A fire escape as claimed in preceding claims can have several person support means descending from a single unit. There may be a grip mechanism which forms part of each support means with the grip being arranged so that it engages the belt or other elongate member when a substantial load is placed on the elongate member, such as when a person puts their full weight on it. In this way a number of slings, each supporting a person, can decend to the ground on the same belt.