GB2451078A - Stowable ladder incorporated into a window frame - Google Patents

Abstract

A stowable ladder 10, for the purpose of escaping in an emergency such as a fire, is incorporated into a window frame where its support member is in or on the window frame. It is preferable that the ladder is a conventional rope ladder and that it can be stored in a compartment incorporated into or attached to the window frame, where the window sill 11 may act as a lid to the compartment. It is also preferable that the ladder can be rolled up around an axle 15 where the axle may be biased to rotate to assist when returning the ladder to its stored position. The ladder may incorporate a weighted bottom rung, to act as an anchor, spacer elements on the rungs 14, to move the ladder away from the wall when in use, and that the ladder be releasably attached, so that it can be removed for inspection and replacement.

Description

ESCAPE DEVICE FOR A WINDOW

Back2round to the Invention The present invention relates to an improved means to assist escape from a building in the event of, particularly, a fire. The invention especially relates to the ready provision of a ladder in order to exit the building.

Field of the Invention

There is a continuing need to improve the safety of buildings for the users. In recent years there has been an increasing awareness of the dangers due to fire and the proportion of domestic dwellings having a smoke alann is now sizeable.

However, even where fire and smoke alarms have been installed there remains the problem to those within the building of how to escape. If a person is downstairs then this is normally a relatively simple matter of leaving through one of the doors. Even where this is not possible escape can be effected through a window onto the ground outside the building.

The problems for people above ground level are however greater. Firstly, where available the use of a lift is inadvisable in a fire situation, even where the sounding of the alarm does not automatically inactivate the lifts. When the use of the lift is prohibited therefore due to fire or smoke, a person is left with a difficult escape as the only remaining exits are likely to be via a window. In that situation one is left with the only realistic choice being to risk the fall out of said window.

Although tire brigades can assist by providing extension ladders, the escape will often need to be made before their arrival.

One remedy would be to install a fire escape at each building. Apart from cost implications, this is an impractical solution for many houses which front directly onto a road and can also leave the building vulnerable to burglary.

A further possible remedy would be to include a conventional ladder in an upstairs room. Leaving aside the storage difficulties this solution would entail, it would be difficult to extend and stabilise a ladder from a vantage point many feet above the ground.

It is therefore an object of the current invention to provide an improved means of escape which is easily stowable and unobtrusive.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention there is provided a window including a stowable ladder, the window including support means incorporated in or on the frame; said ladder being anchored at a first end to the support means and extensible from a stowed position to an in-use position enabling a person to climb through the window and the ladder.

The ladder is preferably a conventional rope ladder. Such ladders are readily stowable and can be easily deployed. The support means is advantageously an axle about which the ladder can be rolled up, thereby facilitating deployment and saving space when the ladder is not required.

The ladder is advantageously stored within a compartment incorporated into or attached to the window frame. The ladder is thereby protected from damage when not required and is also hidden from view so not spoiling the look of the room in which it is located. Particularly advantageously the compartment is within a window sill, said sill acting as a lid to the compartment.

The bottom rung of the ladder is preferably weighted to provide anchorage for the ladder when a user is descending or ascending.

One or more spacers are preferably incorporated into the ladder to hold the ladder treads away from a wall of a building facilitating placement of the user's feet on the ladder.

The ladder is conventionally automatically retractable to assist in replacing the ladder into its storage position.

Optionally, the ladder is releasably attachable to the support means to facilitate removal for inspection or replacement.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only three embodiments of a window incorporating a safety ladder. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a window including a safety ladder; Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of a window including a safety ladder; Figure 3 illustrates a third embodiment of a window including a safety ladder; Figure 4 illustrates a safety ladder unfurled according to the embodiment of Figure 3, with part of the sill cut away; and Figure 5 shows a rear view of a step with spacer bars.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In the following description, identical elements common to each of the embodiments shown in Figures 1-3 will be designated by the same number.

The window and ladder system described herein is primarily intended to be installed as part of a window unit either when a building is originally constructed or as part of a replacement window system. When constructing modern buildings it is now more likely that a builder buy in a complete window unit to fit into an appropriately sized space left in the outer wall than for the window unit to be constructed on site. It is therefore a relatively small step to use the present invention, as the present invention can be incorporated into said installable unit.

The escape device contemplated is typically a ladder which can be conveniently stowed either within the building or without. Due to the compact nature of the ladder, the ladder can be stored when not in use in a small space so that little room is required and the aesthetics of the room or building are not disturbed.

Figures 1-3 illustrate examples of where a ladder can be located with reference to a window unit. In Figures 1 and 2, the window is viewed from the inside, whereas in Figure 3, the view is from the outside.

With reference to Figure 1 the ladder 10 is stowed and anchored beneath the window sill 11. In order to access the ladder 10 the window sill 11 comprises a flap 12 which can be lifted to reveal the ladder 10. When the ladder 10 is not required the flap 12 forms part of the surface of the window sill II. The flap 12 is connected to the window frame by means of hinges (not shown) mounted along one edge of the flap 12. The hinges can be located such that the flap 12 opens towards the window. More preferably however, the flap opens away from the window (to the position shown by the dotted lines in Figures 1-3) to ensure that in an emergency, the flap 12 does not interfere with the removal of the ladder 10.

The embodiment shown in Figure 3 is similar to that in Figure 1 except that the ladder 10 is stowed in the outer window sill. The principle of operation is otherwise similar. The fact that the ladder 10 is stowed on the outside does not compromise the security of the building as the ladder 10 can only be accessed by a person already at the window.

In Figure 2, the ladder can be seen to be mounted to the top portion of the window frame. Again the ladder 10 is stowed within a part of the window frame or within an unobtrusive storage compartment attached to that frame. The ladder 10 can be accessed when required by lifting or dropping down a hingeably mounted flap 12.

Figure 4 illustrates the ladder extended for use and also the mechanism used in stowing the ladder. The ladder 10 is of conventional type comprising two ropes 13 connected by steps 14. When the ladder 10 is not in use, it is rolled about the rotatable axle 15. One end of each rope 13 is fixed securely into the axle 15 to ensure that the ladder 10 can take the weight of the user. As will be appreciated the axle 15 is secured to the window sill 11 through a strong mount to ensure that the combined weight of ladder 10 and user is supported.

Rotation of the axle 15 can be governed by a biasing mechanism which acts to rotate the axle 15 to assist rolling up of the ladder 10 after use. An engageable ratchet mechanism may be included to prevent the ladder 10 from rolling up when it is to be used.

In a further embodiment, the ladder 10 is removeably fixed to the axle 15 to enable maintenance or inspection of the ladder 10 to be carried out and if necessary a new ladder to be fixed. The in-use lower-most rung of the ladder 10 can be weighted. This firstly assists the ladder 10 to unroll when required and secondly provides a degree of anchoring for the bottom of the ladder 10 when in use.

In a further embodiment (Figure 5) one or more of the steps 14 include spacer bars 50 extending towards the wall of the building to maintain the ladder 10 at a distance from the wall and so aid the user in finding a foothold. The spacer bars 50 can be pivotally mounted to a step 14 enabling the spacer bar to be pivoted between a storage position parallel to and contiguous with the step 14 and an in-use position at right angles to the step.

In an alternative version to the above, the ladder 10 is folded within the sill or storage compartment when stored and is simply unfolded and let down when required.

In use therefore and with reference to Figures 3 and 4, in the event of an emergency, the window 16 immediately above the location of the ladder 10 is opened. The flap 12 is removed and the ladder 10 unrolled from the axle 15, dropping down the side of the building. If required and if there is sufficient time the spacer bars are unfolded from the steps 14. As a user descends therefore the spacer bars 50 ensure that the steps 14 do not lie against the wall as is typically the case for rope ladders. -Once the bottom of the ladder has reached the appropriate height, the user steps out of the window and onto the ladder 10, thereby making his escape.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. A window including a stowable ladder, the window including support means incorporated in or on the frame; said ladder being anchored at a first end to the support means and extensible from a stowed position to an in-use position.

2. A window according to Claim I, wherein the ladder is stored in a compartment incorporated into or attached to the window frame.

3. A window according to Claim 2, wherein the compartment is housed within a window sill, said sill acting as a lid to the compartment.

4. A window according to any preceding claim, wherein the ladder is a conventional rope ladder.

5. A window according to Claim 4, wherein the support means is an axle about which the ladder can be rolled up. S... * . * 555

6. A window according to Claims 5, wherein the axle is biassed to rotate such that the ladder is rolled up into the ladder's storage configuration to assist in replacing the ladder into its storage position.

7. A window according to any preceding Claim, wherein the bottom rung of the ladder is weighted to provide anchorage for the ladder when a user is descending or ascending.

8. A window according to any preceding Claim, wherein the ladder includes one or more spacer elements, said spacer elements projecting, when the ladder is in an extended position, towards a wall and maintaining the ladder at a spaced distance from a wall.

9. A window according to any preceding Claim, wherein the ladder is releasably attachable to the support means to facilitate removal for inspection or replacement.

10. A window substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. * S. * * . * .. S... * S *SS. S. * * * SSS

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