GB2444319A

GB2444319A - Training apparatus for persons working at height

Info

Publication number: GB2444319A
Application number: GB0623906A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Regan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-11-30
Filing date: 2006-11-30
Publication date: 2008-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-30
Also published as: GB0623906D0; GB2444319B

Abstract

The invention relates to a training apparatus for persons working at height e.g. fire fighters. The apparatus comprises an upper training structure 1 supported on a plurality of elongate support legs 4a,b,c,d. The structure comprises a first region 10 including one or more inclined surfaces 11 and 12 simulating the surface of a pitched roof building, and a second region 20 comprising a platform 21 having an access opening (26 figure 2) through which a person can be lowered. The support legs may be detached from the structure to permit transportation and or storage. Upstanding guard rails 30 may be provided at least along the sides of the first and second regions.

Description

Training Apparatus The present invention relates to a training

apparatus and in particular to a training apparatus for persons working at height, such as fire fighters.

Persons working at height must be able to undergo training in controlled and safe conditions that, nevertheless, replicate as close as possible actual working conditions. This is particularly important for the fire services where fire fighters must be trained and assessed in their ability to operate in hazardous conditions at height, such as on rooftops and in storage tanks and other inaccessible conditions wherein the risk of injury through falling is great.

It is known to provide training or drill towers at fire stations for training and assessment of a fire fighters ability to work at height. One use of such training facilities is to train persons in the use of ladders to access a rooftop, how to climb on and off an ladder onto a pitched roof and how to rescue a casualty from a rooftop. Another training requirement is to learn how to access a tank, duct or other body through a limited access opening, such as manhole. Such latter training is required for fire fighters and for other services, such as water services personnel.

Whilst permanent structures are known for such training requirements, such structures are generally costly to create and thus not often locally available, particularly in rural areas. An object of the present invention is to provide a low cost training apparatus capable of use for both of the abovementioned training activities in safe and controlled conditions.

According to the present invention there is provided a training apparatus for persons working at height comprising an upper training structure supported on a plurality of elongate support legs, said training structure having a first region comprising one or more inclined surfaces simulating the surface of a pitched roof of a building, and a second region comprising a platform having an access opening therein through which a person can be lowered.

Preferably said second region extends from one end of said first region.

Preferably the support legs are detachable from the training structure to permit the training apparatus to be dismantled for transportation and/or storage. Preferably said training structure comprises a framework of elongate metal members, such as tubular, rectangular and/or square section steel members. Preferably the support legs comprise elongate metal members, such as tubular, rectangular and/or square section steel members, preferably provided with mounting flanges at the distal ends thereof.

Preferably said apparatus further comprises a base member upon which the support legs are attached. Preferably said base member comprising a concrete block. Preferably the support legs are detachable from the base member for transportation and/or storage.

Preferably said first region comprises first and second diverging inclined surfaces extending downwardly from a common ridge to simulate a tiled roof. Preferably said inclined surfaces are formed or shaped to simulate a tiled surface. In one embodiment, said one or more inclined surfaces each comprise a pressed metal sheet formed to simulate a tiled surface, said sheet having a coating to simulate the surface of a concrete tile.

Alternatively, if the training apparatus does not need to be portable, said one or more inclined surfaces may be tiled with individual roofing tiles or slates. Preferably the first inclined surface is longer than the second inclined surface, said second region extending from an end of the second inclined surface. Said first inclined surface may be three or more times the length of said first inclined surface. Preferably the pitch angle of said one or more inclined surfaces corresponds to a typical pitch angle of a tiled roof (e.g. 26 ).

Preferably upstanding guard rails are provided at least along the sides of the first and second regions. Preferably said guard rails extend around the sides and outermost end of said platform to enclose the platform.

Preferably an outermost or lower end of said first section, remote from said second section, is provided with at least two spaced outwardly extending abutments or projections between which a ladder can be positioned to prevent the ladder from sliding sideways off the edge of the first section.

Preferably said outer end of the first section is provided with U shaped channel to simulate a gutter. Preferably said channel is formed from a U shaped steel section. Where provided, said outwardly extending abutments or projections may be mounted on said U shaped steel channel, preferably on an outer face thereof.

Preferably said platform comprises a planar surface upon which a person may stand, having an opening provided therein through which a person may pass and be lowered through. Preferably said opening is provided with a closure, preferably hingedly attached to one side of the opening.

The planar surface of the platform may be defined by a mesh panel supported upon a supporting framework. Preferably the opening is located substantially centrally in the platform.

Preferably said second region extends from one end of said first region to one side of the support legs, whereby access to the region below the opening of the platform of the second region is unimpeded, such that the second region is cantilevered from said first region.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a training apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a further perspective view of the training apparatus of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3. is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

As illustrated in the drawings, the training apparatus comprises a concrete base member 2, four upstanding support legs 4a,4b,4c,4d, each having a lower mounting plate 5 securely adapted to be bolted to the base member 2, and an upper training structure 1 having mounting flanges 6 adapted to be bolted to corresponding mounting flanges 7 welded or otherwise secured (e.g. bolted) on the top of each support leg 4a,4b,4c,4d.

The base member 2, support legs 4a,4b,4c,4d and training structure 1 can be detached from one another to permit the apparatus to be dismantled for transportation and/or storage. Thus the apparatus is not limited to use at a single location and does not form a permanent structure, unlike known training towers.

Each support leg 4a,4b,4c,4d is formed from square section steel tube having said mounting plates 5,7 welded and/or bolted to the ends thereof.

The training structure 1 is formed from a framework of square and rectangular section steel tubes welded and/or bolted together to provide a support structure 8 for the various training surfaces as will be described below.

The training structure 1 has a first region 10 including first and second diverging inclined sheet members 11,12, extending downwardly from a common ridge 13 to simulate a tiled roof. The sheet members 11,12 are formed from pressed steel, patterned to simulate the upper surface of a tiled roof and coated with a coating to simulate the surface of a typical concrete roofing tile. A steel U section channel 14 is attached to the support structure 8 adjacent a lower end of the first sheet member 11 to simulate a gutter. First and second spaced projections 1 5a, 1 5b are mounted on the channel 14 to receive a ladder therebetween to prevent the ladder from sliding sideways off the channel 14. The sheet members 11, 12 may be secured to the support structure 8 by means of nails or screws engaging transversely extending wooden or steel battens provided on the support structure.

The first region 10 simulates the roof of a building and can be used for ladder training and for training in working on roof tops and in the recovery of casualties from root tops.

The second sheet member 12 is shorter than the first sheet member 11. A second region 20 of the training structure adjoins the lower end of the second sheet member 12. The second region 20 defines a substantially square platform 21 comprising a support framework 22 supporting a mesh footplate 24 having a substantially central access aperture or opening 26 to simulate a manhole or similar restricted access port. A hinged cover (see Fig 2) is fitted over the opening 26.

The second region 20 extends beyond the support legs 4a,4b,4c,4d and extends from the first region 10 of the training structure 1 in cantilever fashion whereby the region beneath the access opening 26 of the platform 21 is free of obstacles to provide unimpeded access to such region to enable persons and objects to be lowered to the ground and/or raised and recovered through such opening 26.

A guard rail 30 extends along the sides of the first region 10 and around the sides and outermost end of the platform 21 of the second region 20.

Various modifications and variations to the described embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with a specific preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiment.

Claims

Claims 1. A training apparatus for persons working at height comprising

an upper training structure supported on a plurality of elongate support legs, said training structure having a first region comprising one or more inclined surfaces simulating the surface of a pitched roof of a building, and a second region comprising a platform having an access opening therein through which a person can be lowered.
2. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second region extends from one end of said first region.
3. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the support legs are detachable from the training structure to permit the training apparatus to be dismantled for transportation and/or storage.

Preferably said training structure comprises a framework of elongate metal members, such as tubular, rectangular and/or square section steel members. Preferably the support legs comprise elongate metal members, such as tubular, rectangular and/or square section steel members, preferably provided with mounting flanges at the distal ends thereof.
4. A training apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a base member upon which the support legs are attached. * * * ..
5. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said base * member comprising a concrete block. **.. * * * S. S
6. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the support legs are detachable from the base member for transportation and/or storage.
7. A training apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first region comprises first and second diverging inclined surfaces extending downwardly from a common ridge to simulate a tiled roof.
8. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said inclined surfaces are formed or shaped to simulate a tiled surface.
9. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said one or more inclined surfaces each comprise a pressed metal sheet formed to simulate a tiled surface, said sheet having a coating to simulate the surface of a concrete tile.
10. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said one or more inclined surfaces may be tiled with individual roofing tiles or slates.
11. A training apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first inclined surface is longer than the second inclined surface, said second region extending from an end of the second inclined surface.
12. A training apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein upstanding guard rails are provided at least along the sides of the first and second regions. * .1*
13. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said guard rails extend around the sides and outermost end of said platform to enclose the platform.

*.S...

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14. A training apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an outermost or lower end of said first section, remote from said second section, is provided with at least two spaced outwardly extending abutments or projections between which a ladder can be positioned to prevent the ladder from sliding sideways off the edge of the first section.
15. A training apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said outer end of the first section is provided with U shaped channel to simulate a gutter. Preferably said channel is formed from a U shaped steel section.
16. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 15, when dependent upon claim 14, wherein said outwardly extending abutments or projections are mounted on said U shaped steel channel, preferably on an outer face thereof.
17. A training apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said platform comprises a planar surface upon which a person may stand, having an opening provided therein through which a person may pass and be lowered through.
18. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said opening is provided with a closure, preferably hingedly attached to one side of the opening. * * * **.
19. A training apparatus as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the planar surface of the platform is defined by a mesh panel supported upon *S..*.

* * a supporting framework. I... * * *

*;...
20. A training apparatus as claimed in any of claims 17 to 19, wherein the opening is located substantially centrally in the platform.

I
21. A training apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said second region extends from one end of said first region to one side of the support legs, whereby access to the region below the opening of the platform of the second region is unimpeded, such that the second region is cantilevered from said first region. I. * * * *** * * **I. **** * * **.. *

**.... * * * I * S. *

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