GB2389310A - Fire Barrier - Google Patents

Abstract

A fire barrier which in an operative position separates two rooms. The barrier comprises mutually opposite outer layers (7) and at least one inner layer comprising a fireproof or fire-resistant material (15e), e.g. water. The barrier is formed from a plurality of individual elongate cells (15') joined together. The fire barrier is made from flexible material, formed at least in part from a textile material that can be wound on a roll (18). The cells are preferably disposed in two plies (5a,b) in a staggered relation so as to provide a better heat seal. The cells may be accessible on one side, in the form of pockets, in order to introduce the fireproof material into them. Preferably, the cells extend along the width of the fire barrier and are formed from a woven fabric. Also claimed is a thread material, provided in at least the edge region of the cells, the core of which is destructible under heat whereas a wrapping material remains resistant.

Description

t in- 2389310 A FIRE BARRIER A THREW TERM THEREFOR

This invention relates to a fire barrier, for example according to the precharacterising clause of 5 claim 1, and to a thread material, for example according to the precharacterising clause of claim 7.

Fire barriers are known which generally consist of fire-resistant textile material and which can be unwound from a roll on which they occupy relatively little space.

1() The problem with them, however, is that the efficacy of such a textile material itself is subject to limits if it is used in a plurality of successive plies.

It has therefore been proposed that the textile material be arranged in at least one loop, and that at 15 least one fireproof or fire-resistant material be introduced into the loop. The problem here is that this material has a tendency - particularly if it is only supplied in case of fire - to sink to the base of the loop, to remain there and to widen the loop, whilst no 20 fireproof or fire-resistant material remains further up.

Since heat rises, however, it is protection precisely at the upper face which is important.

A preferred underlying object of the invention is therefore to be able to distribute at least one fireproof 25 or fire-resistant material more uniformly or with a desired distribution (an enhancement of the fire protection on the upper face could also be desirable)

over the length of the fire barrier. Preferably, the advantages of compactness and flexibility should nevertheless be retained.

In order to address the issues outlined above, 5 there is provided a fire barrier according to the characterizing features of claim 1.

With a construction such is this, there can be always as much fireproof or fire-resistant material present over the length of the fire barrier as that which 10 has been packed as the innermost layer (in a graduated manner) into the individual elements. The desired distribution of this material is thus ensured.

There is a risk, however, of heat-permeable bridges remaining between the individual elements. It 15 would in fact be possible to fill the elements to a considerable extent and thus to cause them to expand so that their lateral partial faces adjoin each other in order to provide a better heat seal. However, this would be achieved at the cost of mobility and flexibility. It 20 would also be possible to fix the upper edges of the individual elements in the manner of roof tiles to a substrate such as a fabric. However, this would mean that the elements would be freely moveable at the bottom and therefore, after testing the fire alarm and on being 25 wound up again, for instance, would easily be displaced from their scheduled positions. This can be counteracted

by the features of claim 2, and by those of claim 3 in particular. It is particularly advantageous if the fire barrier according to the invention is constructed in the 5 manner of claim 4. In this manner, it is possible to keep the textile material with the pockets provided therein in stock, and if necessary to introduce a corresponding material, or a different material if need be, or a corresponding amount thereof, into the 10 accessible pocket, depending on the desired fire resistance, on the particular conditions of the room areas to be protected, and on the fire protection regulations which are applicable in the particular situation or on the class of fire-protection which is to 15 be achieved. The pocket can subsequently be closed, but does not absolutely have to be closed. This is because it is definitely possible to leave the pocket open if it is ensured that the fireproof or fire-resistant material does not fall out, which can occur due to a lateral 20 impact on the textile material, for instance - similar to that to which pillows are subjected.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the subject matter of claim 3 can be put into effect in the sense of claim 6.

25 The pocket can be accessible from one or both sides. The latter can be achieved particularly easily if the features of claim 7 are put into effect.

( It has already been stated above that the invention can make it possible to introduce different material into the accessible pocket if need be. This can be a material which either swells under the effect of an S extinguishing agent or coolant, such as water, which is sprayed on to the textile material (and through the latter), or a material which expands on heating. In a case such as this the aim must be actually to increase the thickness of the fire barrier in the event of fire, 10 whilst in a normal situation the thickness is low enough to enable the textile material to be wound up easily.

This is difficult, however, because increasing the thickness would necessitate a rubber-like yielding capacity of the textile or thread material. However, 15 rubber material, currently at least, is unsuitable for fire barriers.

In order to ensure a yielding capacity such as this, a thread material having the features of claim 8 is provided according to the invention. As soon as a fire 20 breaks out, the core material is destroyed by the extinguishing agent or coolant which is sprayed on to it, or is preferably destroyed by the effect of heat in the sense of claims 9 and/or 10, wherein in the case of a fusible core material this can emerge laterally through 25 the wrapping material substantially without leaving a residue. However, the remaining wrapping material has a greater length than the core material and can therefore

! yield in a predetermined manner to the pressure of a swelling or expanding fireproof or fire-resistant material, since its extensibility can be calculated to suit the particular application. The extensibility 5 essentially depends on the following factors: the thicker is the core, the more wrapping material is available for dilation; and the less closely wound is the wrapping (layers of wrapping per unit length of the core material), the less wrapping material which is available 10 for dilation. Since under some circumstances the thickness of the core can also determine the thickness of the textile material (unless the thread material according to the invention is used only for sewing on pockets, for instance), the closeness of the wrapping 15 material can simply be varied over the length of the core material in order to achieve the desired extensibility.

If the wrapping material is a wire or bristle material, the extensibility can additionally be i influenced by the inherent elasticity of such a material.

20 Further details of the invention follow from the following description of examples of embodiments which

are schematically illustrated in the drawings, where: Figure 1 illustrates a room equipped with fire curtains; - I 25 Figure 2 is a section through a fire curtain according to an embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 1;

( Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a fire curtain according to an embodiment of the invention, of which Figure 3A shows an enlarged portion to illustrate the form of an individual element or pocket; and 5 Figure 4 is a further detailed illustration thereof; Figure 5 shows an alternative form of the pockets to that of Figure 3A, on a curtain as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, for instance; 10 Figures 6A and 6B each illustrate a thread material according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 shows a particular application of the thread material shown in Figures 6A and 6B; and Figure 8 illustrates a variant of Figure 5.

Figure 1 shows the interior of a building comprising at least two storeys, which is customary for bank counter halls or shopping centres. A glass construction for letting in light, which is not visible 20 in Figure 1, rests on the upper faces of pillars 1, and is provided with a smoke outlet flap in accordance with the fire regulations. In this manner, the pillars 1 support the vaulting for a kind of domed hall and delimit an opening in the room, whilst the adjoining corridors 2 25 each have a single-storey ceiling 3. A separate smoke outlet, which is not illustrated, is provided for these corridors 2.

In the event of a fire - irrespective of whether the fire breaks out in the regions of the domed hall at the front or in the regions of the corridors surrounding this hall, or in adjoining areas - the first rule, for 5 instance, is thus to prevent smoke from propagating from the corridors 2 into the domed hall, sinking to the floor there on cooling and thus posing a breathing hazard to persons situated there. Rather, it has to be ensured that the smoke is led away by the shortest route.

Io For this purpose, box-type housings 4 are mounted all round between the pillars 1 in the boundary region between the corridors 2 and the domed hall situated in front. These housings 4 receive in their interior a roll 18 of a smoke- and fire-protection curtain 5, which if 15 necessary can be let down in the manner shown from its inoperative position in the interior of the housing 4 into its operating position, where it separates the rooms. For this purpose, the curtains 5 are provided with lower closure strips 6, which when the curtains are 20 unwound serve as tautening weights in their operating position which is shown, whilst in their inoperative position they cover a slit for the emergence of the curtain 5 and thus at the same time at least impede the entry of hot smoke into the interior of the housing 4.

25 As indicated, the fire curtains 5 consist of a textile material which is subdivided over the width of the respective fire curtain into individual elements IS'

( in the form of crosspieces. Each of these individual elements 15' is formed as a compartment, a sachet, a flexible tube or as a type of cushion, and contains fireproof or fire-resistant material, with the textile 5 covering between two,'cushionsH forming the "joint part".

Thus the inner layer 15e which can be seen in Figure 2 may consist, for example, of an additive which is admixed with the fireproof or fireresistant material (or only of an additive such as this), which if heat is 10 generated is decomposed or transformed with the release of a cooling gas (by comparison with the temperature of the fire). The simplest case of the release of a gas such as this is water, which under the heat of the fire is transformed into steam and which thus fixes the 15 temperature of the fire barrier at 100 C for some time.

To ensure a uniform release of steam, a design can advantageously be employed in which the inner layer consists of a fireproof or fireresistant mineral foam which in its pores contains a gas used for foaming, 20 normally air. By introducing a porous foam such as this into an airtight compartment and subsequently applying a vacuum, the gas is firstly removed from the pores. Water is then let into the compartment and the pressure is normalized again, sothat the pores of the foam avidly 25 absorb the water by suction.

Other fireproof or fire-resistant materials are disclosed in DE-196 11 515, for example, the content of

which is deemed to be disclosed here by the reference thereto. Mention should be made in particular of the use of a material which is capable of expanding under the action of extinguishing water or extinguishing agents, or 5 under the action of heat, since in its unexpanded state it enables the fire curtain to be unwound easily but becomes thicker in the event of a fire and thus enhances the insulation effect.

It was mentioned above that the textile covering lo between two "cushions" forms the "joint part". As can be seen from Figure 2, this joint part is considerably thinner and thus forms a "bridge" via which the heat from a fire can propagate from one room into the other. In order to prevent this, provision is made - according to 15 one aspect of the present invention for the fire curtain to be arranged in at least two plies 5a, 5b, wherein the individual elements 15' of each ply are staggered in relation to those of the respective other ply, i.e. a full individual element 15' is situated behind 20 each joint location 15a. This can, of course, be effected using more than two plies if desired.

The arrangement of plies which are staggered in this manner can be achieved using two fire curtains 5a, 5b which comprise individual elements 15' and which can be 25 wound separately, as can be seen from Figure 2. In this situation, it is intrinsically satisfactory if both curtains 5a, 5b are kept taut by a common weight in the

form of the aforementioned closure strip 6, which is preferably constructed as described in German Patent No. 196 55 126, which, to avoid superfluous description, is

deemed to be disclosed here by the reference thereto 5 just like DE-A-196 lo 532. Alternatively, the mechanisms of the rolls (not shown here) of the curtain lengths 5a, 5b can be joined to each other, or synchronization (e.g. electrical synchronization) of their drive mechanisms can be provided, so that the individual elements 15' of lo curtain length 5b are always situated where there is a break, i.e. a joint location 15a, in curtain length 5a.

According to another aspect of the present invention, however, the individual elements 15' which are formed as compartments, sachets, flexible tubes or 15 cushion-like formations are accessible on at least one side, at least at times, in the manner of a pocket. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, this is advantageously the side denoted by 15b (Figure 1), which at least at the time it is ordered is open (on one or TO both sides), so that the associated fireproof or fire-

resistant material concerned can be introduced depending on the field of application and on the requirements.

Stockholding can be simplified in this manner.

After introducing the fireproof or fire-resistant 25 material, the pocket - depending on the type of this material - can even remain open if this does not result in the material being lost. For example, expandable

material is often obtainable in pieces as sheets, and thus only needs to be pushed in laterally. Otherwise, the pocket can then be closed by known means such as I sewing, adhesive bonding, etc., or also simply by s providing a side flap which is inserted as a fold into the pocket (similarly to fitting a pillowcase over a pillow), so that the fireproof or fire-resistant material is covered and is prevented from falling out.

Although the arrangement of the individual 10 elements 15' shown in Figures 1 and 2 is preferably provided over the entire width of the curtain, the invention is not limited thereto. A further example of an embodiment is illustrated in Figures 3 and 3A.

The front view of Figure 3 shows a curtain 5c as 15 it is unwound from a roll spool. Another type of multi ply structure of the curtain is illustrated there, since this curtain 5c possesses cushions p of fleecelike material, which are disposed at spacings a and b to each other in mutually perpendicular directions and which 20 promote the volatilization of an introduced fire protection liquid such as water, or of a fluid which is formed by the reaction of a chemical compound (see Figure 7). The spacings a and b may be the same or different.

Details of the design, but without the design of the 25 elements as pockets, are described in DE-A-196 10 532 cited above.

In order to receive a fleece-like material, e.g. a fleece-like material which is saturated or impregnated with a fireproof or fire-resistant material and which is formed according to DE-A-l96 lO 532, the pockets can be 5 sewn to a backing material as illustrated in Figure 3.

At the same time, it is definitely possible for individual elements such as these to be disposed one behind another in a staggered arrangement, as is indicated in Figure 3 by an individual element p' 10 indicated by the dashed lines.

Figure 3A shows the pocket material 9, which is sewn up at the sides and at the bottom with an outer seam 8 of strong yarn, which is very fine if need be, so that it is accessible from above, at least during storage and 15 before inserting the fireproof or fire-resistant material. As mentioned above, an expandable material can also be introduced into a pocket such as this. In a case such as this, the problem arises of how the expandable material can expand the pocket. This is explained below 20 with reference to Figures 6A and 6B, but it should be mentioned here that a thread material according to the invention can be provided as an inner seam lo. A thread material such as this has the property, initiated by fire, of yielding, e.g. under the action of extinguishing 25 water, extinguishing agents and/or the heat from a fire, in that the core of a wrapped thread disintegrates, leaving behind only the helically disposed wrapping I

threads, which are of a correspondingly greater length.

Alginate can be cited as an example of a material which disintegrates in extinguishing water. Fusible plastics filaments are also well known to one skilled in the art.

5 It is clear that only a single seam, or a joint formed by I adhesive bonding or the like, can be provided instead of the seams 9 and 10.

Reference has already been made above to DE-196 11 515 and DE-A-196 10 532. A type of fireproof or fire lo resistant material is disclosed therein which is particularly advantageous in a fire curtain according to the invention which is produced using a textile material.

This comprises a textile outer layer fig, with a number of pore openings 32. These openings 32 are utilised in /5 order to increase the service life of the fire barrier, I in that in the event of fire they blow out a cooling gas which forms a protective, insulating barrier layer.

Accordingly, the inner layer 15e which is situated in the respective pocket may consist, for example, of an 20 additive which is admixed with the fireproof or fire resistant material (or only of an additive such as this), which if heat is generated is decomposed or transformed with the release of a cooling gas (by comparison with the temperature of the fire). The simplest case of the 25 release of a gas such as this is water, which under the heat of the fire is transformed into steam and which thus fixes the temperature of the fire barrier at 100 C for I

1. some time. The water can be present as water of crystallization or can be introduced into the pores of a porous material.

The sewing-on or stitching-on of pockets is, of 5 course, a labourintensive operation. The pockets can be formed in a simpler manner, as will now be described with reference to the embodiment shown in Figure 5. This is a triple, hollow fabric (a double fabric or a fabric comprising more than three plies could also be provided, lo where Figure 8 shows an example of the latter), the production of which is known in the art in the textile industry. As has already been described in the German Patents cited above, the textile material can be a glass fibre fabric and/or can be formed from carbon fibres, Is ceramic fibres, silicon fibres or polymer carbon fibres.

In the fabric, a backing ply lib, which is optionally produced from a stronger material, is provided with warp threads 12 (only one is illustrated), and on both sides bears woven-on pocket plies lla, lie, which 20 may consist of a thinner material, for example, and which extend over the width of the curtain as shown in Figure 1, for instance, and which comprise warp threads 13 and 14, respectively. It may be advantageous to employ separate warp beams for the manufacture of warp threads 25 12 on the one hand and of warp threads 13, 14 on the other hand. The pocket warp threads 13, 14 are each attached, at attachment points 19, to weft threads 16

f which cooperate with the backing ply 11, as is customary for hollow fabrics. However, if what is important for the seam 1O is its extensibility, a thread material according to the invention can also be used as the weft 5 material 16 here, as will be discussed below with reference to Figures 6A, 6B. As can be seen, the construction is designed so that a pocket comprising warp threads 13 is provided in a staggered arrangement, i.e. opposite the meeting point of two pockets comprising warp 10 threads 14, so that no thermal bridges are left open.

The three plies of fabric formed by the warp threads 12-14 are joined to each other in this manner, which is preferred compared with the design shown in Figure 2. The joint does not have to exist in the form 15 of a multi-ply fabric, however, but any other textile material, such as a nonwoven fabric material, can be used instead and can be joined together, for example, by adhesive bonding or the like. These three textile plies delimit two plies, which are displaced in relation to 20 each other, of pockets which are filled with fireproof or fire-resistant material and which form the individual elements 15' here.

Figures SA, 6B illustrate two extreme cases of a thread material 10 or 10' according to the invention.

25 Figure 6A shows a relatively thick core material 17 of diameter D which is wrapped relatively closely, at a pitch h, by wrapping material 16. Whereas the core

! material 17 is destructible, the destruction thereof being initiated by fire, by extinguishing agents or preferably by heat, and is preferably fusible, the wrapping material 16 is resistant to heat. Since the: 5 core material 17 is relatively thick or the pitch h is relatively fine, it is only the helix of wrapping = material which remains after the destruction of the core -

material and which, due to both of the aforementioned factors, can provide a relatively long thread length, in 10 order to yield to the increase in volume of an expandable -

material lSe when used as seam 10 (Figure 3A) or as weft threads 10' (Figure 5) and nevertheless to ensure that the textile plies are held together.

At the same time, depending on the fireproof or 15 fire-resistant material which is desired or used, a less resilient thread material can also easily be provided, either by wrapping the core material 17 at a coarser 9 pitch H (Figure 6B) and/or by providing a thin core material 17 of diameter d. In this connection, it should 20 be understood that the core material does not absolutely have to be formed by a single thread or single fibre, but can also comprise a bundle of threads or fibres, as can -

be the case for the wrapping material 16, at least in principle. It is advantageous, however, if the wrapping 25 material is a wire or bristle material, because in addition to the limited extensibility which is thus achieved a certain inherent elasticity of the wrapping

! material, which is provided in the form of a helix, is then ensured in order to provide elastic cohesion or elastic yielding in relation to the expanding material 15e (if such a material is introduced into the 5 compartments). As shown, a thread material such as this according to the invention is advantageously provided in each edge region of an element 15', because the expansion of a fire-resistant material acts there in particular.

However, the invention is by no means limited thereto, 10 since it would also be possible to provide a material of limited extensibility such as this over the entire surface of an element 15', for example to provide a thread material which corresponds to that of Figure GA at the edge, whilst providing a thread material which more -

15 closely corresponds to that of Figure 6B further in.

Figure 7 illustrates another application of a thread material 10" such as this, which in this case is used in order to sew the inner layer, which consists of fireproof or fire-resistant material 15e and which is 20 introduced between two outer layers 7, into individual cushion elements 15' and to ensure a uniform distribution of this material in a curtain which is hanging down.

Here also, the particular properties of the thread material described above enable the quilting seams 10" to 25 yield with a limited extensibility when the fireproof or fire-resistant material 15e expands.

( It has already been mentioned above that the design comprising pockets according to the invention makes it possible for curtain material to be held in stock, with the fireproof or fire-resistant material S which is required in each case only being introduced into the pockets before use or sale. Therefore, a fire barrier such as this will only comprise the inner layer of fireproof or fire-resistant material 15e when it is at least in its operating position which occludes a room 10 opening, between two pillars for instance (Figure 1).

Moreover, the use of the thread material described above with reference to Figures 6A and 6B is definitely advantageous but is not imperative. A thread material such as this could also be used alternatively or in 15 addition in the warp, and could advantageously be used at least in the region of the edges of the individual elements. Figure 8 is a very schematic illustration of a four-ply textile comprising outer pocket plies lla and 20 tic and two inner plies llb and lib'. In this manner, two outer pockets 15' each surround an inner pocket 15". The attachment points 19 can be formed analogously to those in Figure 5. The fireproof or fire-resistant material which is required in each case can again be introduced 25 into each of the pockets 15', 15".

I ( List of reference numerals I pillars 2 corridors 3 ceiling 4 housing s 5 fire curtain 6 closure strip 7 outer layer 8 outer seam 9 pocket materiel 10 inner seam, 10' woftthread 11 backing ply 12 warp threads of 11 13 warp threads of poclcct (left) 14 warp threads of pocket (right) lo 15 individual elements comprising p, p' individual elements 1 5a joint 1 5b side opening 1 5c fireproof or fire-resistant material 16 wrapping material 17 core material 15 18 roll 19 attachment points 32 pores

Claims (14)

1. A fire barrier (5) for separating two rooms (2) from each other, which fire barrier can be brought from S an inoperative into an operating position, and which is flexible and is formed at least in part from a textile material which can be unwound from at least one roll (18), and which at least in the operating position, in which it occludes a room opening, comprises, in addition 10 to mutually opposite outer layers (7, 7), each of which is disposed so that it faces one of each of the two rooms (2), at least one inner layer comprising at least one fireproof or fire-resistant material (15e), characterized in that the fire barrier (5), which is constructed from 15 textile material and which in addition to the two outer layers (7, 7) also possesses an inner layer comprising a fireproof or fire-resistant material (15e), consists at least in part of a plurality of individual elements (15') which are jointed to each other.

2. A fire barrier according to claim l, characterized in that the individual elements (15') are disposed in at least two plies (5a, 5b), wherein the individual elements (15') of each ply are displaced so that they are staggered 25 in relation to those of the respective other ply.

3 A fire barrier according to claim 2, characterized in that the plies are joined to each other by a flexible material (12-14) (Figure 5).

j

4. A fire barrier according to any one of the preceding claims, characterlsed in that the individual elements (15') are formed in the manner of compartments, sachets, flexible tubes, cushion-like formations or the like, and that the compartments, sachets, flexible tubes: 10 or cushion-like formations are accessible on at least one side, at least at times, in the manner of a pocket, in i order to introduce the fireproof or fire-resistant material (15') which is desired in each case.

15

5. A fire barrier according to claim 4, characterized in that at least the pockets (p, p'; 15) are formed from a woven fabric (Figures 3, 3A, 5).

6. A fire barrier according to claim 5, characterized 20 in that the pockets (p, p'; 15') and the textile material (12-14) which holds them together are formed as a multiple fabric, for example as a double or triple fabric. 25

7. A fire barrier according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the pockets (15') are of

elongated construction and extend along the width of the fire barrier (5) (Figures 1, 2, 5, 7).

8. A fire barrier according to any one of the 5 preceding claims, characterized in that a thread material having a limited extensibility is provided at least in an edge region of the individual elements, and consists of a wrapped material, the core (17) of which is destructible, the destruction thereof being initiated by fire, whereas lo the wrapping material (16) remains resistant under conditions of fire. i

9. A thread material for producing a textile fire barrier, particularly according to any one of the 15 preceding claims, characterized in that it is a wrapped material, the core (17) of which is destructible, the destruction thereof being initiated by f ire, whereas the wrapping material (16) remains resistant under conditions of fire and thus makes a limited extensibility possible.

10. A material according to claim 9, characterized in that the core (17) has a lower temperature-resistance than that of the wrapping material (16) .

25

11. A material according to claim 10, characterized in that the core (17) consists of a material which is fusible in heat.

t

12. A material according to any one of claims 9 to ll, characterized in that the wrapping material (16) is a wire or bristle material.

13. A fire barrier substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to any one of Figures l to 5, 7, 8. 10

14. A thread material substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figure 6A or Figure 6B