GB2471070A

GB2471070A - Escape ladder

Info

Publication number: GB2471070A
Application number: GB0910119A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin David Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-06-12
Filing date: 2009-06-12
Publication date: 2010-12-22
Also published as: GB0910119D0

Abstract

An escape apparatus includes a ladder, a container 2 for receiving a ladder in a stored configuration and means to enable deployment of the ladder. The ladder ejects from the stored configuration to the deployed configuration on actuation of the deployment means. The ladder may be elastically deformable and comprise rungs 26 held in channels 28, 30 of the container so that it can be compressed into its stored configuration. The deployment means (not shown) may take the form of a door that opens to release the ladder. Alternatively, the ladder can be retained by a closure that incorporates an end rung of the ladder. The apparatus may also include a platform 8 for the escapee to stand on. In a second aspect, a fire escape apparatus comprises a casing suitable for receiving the escape apparatus of the first aspect.

Description

Storage Device for a Ladder The present invention relates to a fire escape apparatus and in particular a storage device for a ladder wherein the ladder may be deployed when needed. A number of prior art systems exist in which a ladder may be located within a structure below a window for example and in the event of a fire, may be deployed such that a person can escape out of the window in relative safety. Such a prior art system is disclosed in GB2370604.

The present invention provides an improved escape apparatus which may be used in a number of environments in which an escape route is necessary from a structure.

Examples of such a structure may be buildings, ships and aeroplanes.

According to the present invention, there is an escape apparatus comprising: 1 5 a) a ladder; b) a storage device configured to receive the ladder in a stored configuration; and c) means to enable deployment of the ladder; wherein the ladder ejects from the stored configuration to the deployed configuration on actuation of the deployment means.

Significant advantages of the present invention are provided. As indicated above, the present invention may be utilised with a fire escape apparatus shown, for example, in GB2370604. Alternatively, the present invention may be used as a stand alone unit having the advantage that in the event of an emergency the means to enable deployment of the ladder may be actuated such that the ladder ejects from the stored configuration to the deployed configuration. Accordingly, time is not wasted in an emergency situation with manually deploying the ladder. A further advantage is that the apparatus can be removed and serviced/replaced as necessary without affecting any supplementary apparatus such as disclosed in GB2370604.

The ladder beneficially comprises at least one elongate support member and a plurality of rungs. Even more beneficially, the ladder comprises two parallel elongate support members with a plurality of rungs extending therebetween. The elongate support member preferably comprises an elastically deformable material such that in a stored configuration the elongate support member is deformed to a compressed configuration.

The benefit of providing such a configuration is that in the normal stored configuration the ladder may be under compression meaning that on deployment of the deployment means, the ladder will eject without user input to the deployed configuration meaning that an escape route is provided within seconds of deployment. Traditionally, a ladder would need to be dragged by a user from the stored configuration to the deployed configuration which would take a significant amount of time and is likely to lead to problems such as tangling for example in the event of an emergency situation where a user is likely to be experiencing a stressful situation. Furthermore, such an arrangement removes the requirement for a complex ejection mechanism which is costly to manufacture and may be susceptible to failure, however it will be appreciated that an additional ejection mechanism may be provided. An example of a suitable ejection mechanism could be a sprung member.

The deployment means beneficially comprises a latch moveable between a closed configuration in which the ladder is restrained in the storage device to an open configuration whereby the ladder releases from the storage device. This configuration is beneficial as there is no requirement for complicated ejection mechanisms. In one embodiment a door is provided by the first (or last) rung of the ladder which is enlarged in the longitudinal and transverse direction to form a shoulder which seats against the rim defining the opening of the storage device. The door is beneficially secured by a latch arrangement.

The storage device may beneficially comprise one or more channels arranged to receive the ladder. Two or more channels may be provided configured such that the ladder can be stacked in the stored configuration. Accordingly, the channels are spaced height wise with respect to the storage device rather than in a side by side configuration meaning that the maximum amount of ladder can be stored in the storage device. This means that a greater length of ladder is stored thus meaning escape is possible from a higher structure.

It will be appreciated that any number of channels may be provided meaning the corresponding thickness of the storage device is increased.

The upper surface of the storage device beneficially comprises a surface onto which a user can stand. Accordingly, the upper surface of the storage device is beneficially substantially flat. The surface beneficially comprises some surface undulation arranged to prevent a user slipping off the surface. A coating or cover may be provided to increase friction between a user's foot wear and the surface.

An extension portion is beneficially provided arranged to extend from the storage device such that in the deployed configuration the ladder extends over and is supported by the extension portion. This configuration is beneficial as the extension portion may provide a rigid handle for a user to grasp as they descend initially down the flexible ladder and ensures that the ladder extends outwards away from the storage device in the deployed configuration.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention provided in combination with a known escape apparatus.

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with the ladder and the top plate removed.

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the storage device showing the ladder in the stored configuration with the top plate removed.

Figure 5 is a schematic edge view of the opening of the storage device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

S Referring to Figure 1, there is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention which generally comprises a storage device 2 which may be secured to a structure such as a building, ship or aeroplane. Depending on the specific user requirements, the storage device may be secured by a variety of means. On a ship for example, the storage device may be secured via the underside of the storage device 2 not visible in Figure 1 by one or more screws. Alternatively, when used in the exemplary embodiment as indicated with respect to Figure 2, the storage device 2 may be pivotally secured to support 4 via pivot point 6. The storage device 2 comprises a top plate 8 which is provided in order that a person escaping from the structure may stand on the top plate 8. Accordingly, the surface is provided with a surface configuration which provides a significant degree of friction between a user's feet and the top plate 8. Surface undulations may be provided for example, or alternatively a high friction surface coating may be provided.

The storage device may further comprise an extension portion 10 which comprises arms 12 and cross member 14. The arms 12 are beneficially pivotally mounted to the side members 16 of the storage device at pivot point 18. Accordingly, the extension portion may be stored in a more compact configuration by pivoting the extension portion such that the cross member 14 seats against the top plate 8 or the bottom plate 20 of the storage device 2. Alternatively, in the embodiments as indicated with respect to Figure 2, it will be appreciated that the arms 12 of the extension portion 10 may extend substantially parallel to the side member 16 in the storage configuration in order that the storage device may fit within a casing 22.

The storage device 2 further comprises an opening 24 which is configured to enable release of the ladder therefrom. The ladder may be seen in Figure 1 comprising a plurality of rungs 26 seated within the channels 28, 30 of the storage device. A closure (not shown) may be provided to retain the ladder within the channels 28, 30. The closure may be opened via a deployment means which may be a catch type mechanism for

example.

In use, if the extension portion 10 is not in the use configuration, this should be rotated to the in-use orientation as shown in Figure 1. A catch mechanism may be provided on one or both arms 12 which cause the arms 12 to be fixed in the desired orientation to prevent movement between the arms 12 and the side member 16.

Referring to Figure 2, there is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention which may be retained by a casing 22. The casing 22 may comprise a radiator for example having front 32 and back 34 plates which comprise a channel 36 therebetween configured to receive the storage device 2. In Figure 2, the storage device itself is deployed from the casing 22 and is retained via supports 4. Such supports can be utilised as handles such that a user can grasp the supports 4 and climb onto the storage device 8 for deploying the ladder retained in the storage device 2. Such a configuration is particularly useful in a building due to the fact that the storage device 2 can be retained in a casing which is visually unobtrusive and may, for example, comprise the channei 36 between front and back plates 32, 34 of a radiator.

Referring to Figure 3, there is a schematic representation of the apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention without the ladder shown and with the top plate 8 removed. In this exemplary embodiment, two channels 28, 30 are provided however it is envisaged that any number of channels may be provided in order that the desired length of ladder is received. The channels 28, 30 are shaped to receive the rungs of the ladder and thus must be of sufficient height and depth to accommodate the rungs plus the additional deformed elongate support members of the ladder. There are various alternative configurations for packing the ladder in a storage device 2 as indicated in Figure 3. Referring initially to an embodiment whereby there is a single channel 28, the end of the elongate support members which have the rungs of the ladder extending therebetween may be secured to a back plate (not shown) of the storage device 2 or alternatively may extend in the embodiment as shown in Figure 2 to be secured to the casing or to the building itself. The rungs of the ladder are then compressed into the channel 28 meaning the elongate support members are deformed. The door (not shown) is then closed and secured thereby retaining the ladder within the storage device. On release of the door, the ladder ejects from the channel 28 and a user can then escape accordingly down a ladder. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, two channels are provided therefore the ladder must be packed in order that the ladder can eject. In one embodiment the elongate support members are fixed at a first end 38 of channel 28. The rungs of the ladder are then compressed into the channel 28 until the channel 28 is fully packed with rungs. Beneficially, the length of the storage device 2 is approximately the length of the gap between rungs and thus the channel 30 can be packed with rungs from a first end 40 with the length of the elongate support member between adjacent rungs extending along the length of the channel 30. The channel 30 may then be packed with the ladder until the end of the ladder locates adjacent second end 41 of the channel 30. In an alternative packing configuration, again the elongate support members may be secured at end 38 and the first channel 28 packed with the rungs of the ladder. Once the channel 28 is packed, the free end of the ladder, i.e. the last rung is located within channel 30 and packed accordingly meaning that a portion of the elongate support members extend between the ends 39 to 41. The last rung of the ladder may be weighted to ensure that it falls quickly under gravity therefore may comprise a strong possibly hard material such as steel. The remaining rungs beneficially comprise a light weight material such as a polymer or metal alloy for example.

It will be appreciated that in one embodiment ejection of the ladder is not dependent on potential energy caused by deformation of the elongate side members of the ladder nor additional ejection arrangements, however instead the last rung of the ladder is configured such that if the deployment means is activated then the last rung of the ladder falls under gravity. For this purpose, the last rung is beneficially of greater weight than the remaining rungs and acts to draw the remaining rungs from the storage device. In this manner, the elongate side member of the ladder may be flexible and easily deformable and may be made of a rope, for example.

The last rung of the ladder is beneficially of a greater longitudinal and transverse width than the other rungs. This rung is beneficially shaped and dimensioned such that it will not pack into the channel 30, but seats against the rim defining the opening of the storage device in the stored configuration. A securing member is advantageously provided to secure the ladder in the storage device. The securing member may simply comprise a pin or catch type arrangement. In one embodiment, the securing member may comprise means to communicate with the ladder as the ladder ejects from the storage device to slow release of the ladder. Alternatively, the last rung may be received by channel 30 and be retained therein by a securing arrangement.

A further option associated with the present invention is to provide a covering to the opening of the storage device through which the ladder ejects and therefore breaks. This covering may be made of a weak polymer or paper material for example such that it is clear once the ladder has been deployed that maintenance is required to ensure correct re-packing of the ladder is achieved.

Referring now to Figure 4, the ladder can be seen to be received in the channels 28, 30.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the opening 24 from which the ladder is released. The stacked channels 28, 30 are shown having rungs 26 stored therein.

The present invention has been described by way of example only and it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope of protection afforded by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. An escape apparatus comprising: a) a ladder; b) a storage device configured to receive the ladder in a stored configuration; and c) means to enable deployment of the ladder; wherein the ladder ejects from the stored configuration to the deployed configuration on actuation of the deployment means.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the ladder comprises at least one elongate support member and a plurality of rungs.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the elongate support member comprises an elastically deformable material such that in the stored configuration the elongate support member is deformed to a compressed configuration.
4. An apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the ladder comprises two parallel elongate support members with a plurality of rungs extending therebetween.
5. An apparatus according any preceding claim wherein the deployment means comprises a retaining element for retaining the ladder in the stored configuration.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the retaining element comprises a closure movable between a closed configuration in which the ladder is retained in the storage device to an open configuration whereby the ladder releases from the storage device.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the closure comprises a door moveable between the closed and open configuration.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the closure comprises a rung of the ladder.
9. An apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the storage device comprises one or more channels arranged to receive the ladder.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9 comprising at least two channels configured such that the ladder can be stacked in the stored configuration.
11. An apparatus according to any preceding claim comprising an extension portion arranged to extend from the storage device such that in the deployed configuration 1 5 the ladder extends over and is supported by the extension portion.
12. A fire escape apparatus comprising a casing for receiving an apparatus according to claim 1.
13. An apparatus as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.