GB2452995A

GB2452995A - Safety escape apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2452995A
Application number: GB0718643A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Outram
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-24
Filing date: 2007-09-24
Publication date: 2009-03-25
Also published as: GB0718643D0

Abstract

The invention relates to emergency escape apparatus 1, comprising an item of furniture e.g. a bed 2, having a deployable escape device 3. The bed 2 preferably has a housing 4 for the device 3, which may be a rotatable or coilable ladder or a rope. The housing 4 may be a drawer under the bed 2 which is normally closed by a closure such as a flap (not shown). The coilable ladder or rope is preferably stored on a rotatable spool (not shown) in the drawer in order to assist deployment. One end of the ladder or rope is secured to the spool so that when the opposite end of the ladder or rope is pulled the ladder or rope unwinds from the spool such that it may be passed through a window 5. A child proof lock may be fitted to prevent unwanted deployment when there is no fire.

Description

SAFETY APPARATUS

The invention relates to safety or emergency escape apparatus.

It is sometimes necessary to have to be able to make an emergency exit from a building, say in the unfortunate event of fire or flood. This is particularly so in the case of multi-storey buildings, when in the event of fire say, persons can become trapped on an upper floor. While ladders can be placed against the outer wall of the building, these take some time to be deployed, and there are often fire stairs, but these can often be cut off from access by a person trapped in a room. To jump from an upper floor is also dangerous and can lead to serious injury or death.

It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided emergency escape apparatus, comprising an item of furniture having a deployable escape device.

Using the invention it is thus possible to provide in each individual room of a building, emergency escape apparatus as hereinbefore described in the immediately preceding paragraph. It will be appreciated that the item of furniture acts as an anchor for the deployable escape device, which may in preferred embodiments comprise an elongate member such as a coilable or foldable ladder or rope.

For aesthetic effect, the item of furniture may include a housing in which the emergency escape device is housed when stowed i.e. undeployed. For ease of deployment, there may be a rotatable means also housed in the housing and fixedly secured thereto about which the coilable ladder or rope is coiled in the stowed position.

The housing may be a drawer, which may have a removable closure for an opening through which the ladder or rope is deployed in an emergency. The closure may be a flap or door.

The item of furniture may be a bed, desk, table, cupboard or the like.

Emergency escape apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

Fig. us a view of one embodiment of the invention in stowed position; Fig. 2 is a view of the embodiment of Fig. I with an emergency escape device deployed for use; Fig. 3 shows an escape device in the form of a deployable, coilable ladder as part of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2; Figs. 4A and 4B show to a smaller scale than Fig. 2, the apparatus of that Fig. being used to provide emergency exit from a building which is on fire; and Fig. 5 shows a desk.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown emergency escape apparatus 1, comprising an item of furniture 2, in Figs. 1 and 2, a bed, having a deployable escape device 3. In Fig. 1, the bed 2 has a housing 4 for the device 3, which is a rotatable or coilable ladder in the Fig. (the device 3 could alternatively be a rope). The housing 4 is a drawer under the bed 2 which is normally closed by a closure such as a flap (not shown).

The bed 2 is relatively heavy, and is longer than the width of a window 5 of room 6 of a building, such as a house 7 (Fig. 4A) or apartments, hotel, hospital 8 etc. (Fig. 4B).

In the event of a fire, the bed 2 is pushed to or towards the window by a person in the room, the ladder 3 is unwound and passed out of and through the window 5, and a person (or persons) 9 make(s) an emergency exit by climbing down the ladder 3 exteriorly of the building 7, the bed 2 acting as an anchor or counter balance or weight for the ladder 3, and person(s) 9 climbing down.

In order to assist in deployment and to prevent tangling of the ladder 3 (or rope) when stowed by the housing 4, there is in the drawer a rotatable means (not shown) in the form of a spool round which the ladder 3 is wound. One end of the ladder 3 is secured to the spool so that when the other end is pulled, the ladder 3 unwinds to the deployed position (Fig. 2).

In the absence of a spool, the one end is anchored as a bolt in the housing 4. It will also be understood that when housing 4 is a drawer, this may be a fixed drawer, in other words it may not be slidable away from the bed 2. If it is so slidable, the drawer is mounted so that it remains captive in the bed 2 when the ladder 3 is deployed.

The item 2 of furniture could be a desk 10, or other item of furniture. In all embodiments, the bed/item of furniture is of greater length or lateral extent than that of the window 5 and so in use of the apparatus 1 remains lodged in the room 6 to provide the counterweight.

There may also be a child-proof lock or other means to prevent unwanted deployment of the device when there is no fire.

Thus using the invention described herein by reference to the drawings, every upper floor room of a building can be provided with emergency escape apparatus.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. Emergency escape apparatus, comprising an item of furniture having a deployable escape device.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, the furniture including a housing for the deployable escape device.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, the housing comprising a normally closed drawer for the device.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, the deployable escape device comprising an elongate member secured at one end on the housing.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, the deployable escape device comprising a coilable or foldable ladder or rope.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, the housing comprising a rotatable means and the ladder or rope being coiled thereon.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, the rotatable means comprising a spool.
8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, the item of furniture comprising a bed.
9. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 6, the item of furniture comprising a desk, table or cupboard.
10. Emergency escape apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompany drawings.