WO2008096972A1

WO2008096972A1 - Winch for escape

Info

Publication number: WO2008096972A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/000459
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chan Soo Jang
Original assignee: Chan Soo Jang
Priority date: 2007-02-06
Filing date: 2008-01-25
Publication date: 2008-08-14
Also published as: KR20080073385A; KR100879314B1

Abstract

A winch for escape which comprises a winding reel and a hand brake for controlling the rotation of the winding reel so that, in an emergency, a user can directly operate it, even without a power supply or other power actuator, thereby being capable of easily using it even in the event of a power interruption due to a fire or the like.

Description

[DESCRIPTION] [Invention Title]

WINCH FOR ESCAPE [Technical Field]

<i> The present invention relates, in general, to a winch for escape, and more particularly, to a winch for escape which comprises a winding reel and a hand brake for controlling the rotation of the winding reel, so that, in an emergency, a user can directly operate it even without a power supply or other power actuator, thereby being capable of easily using it even when power is not supplied due to a fire or the like. [Background Art]

<2> As is generally known in the art, special purpose vehicles, such as special equipment vehicles, fire engines, etc. are designed to transport articles or effectively respond to emergency situations in high-rise buildings, such that the articles and other items are transported to the high-rise building using a carrier or a ladder, and such that, upon the occurrence of fire or in an emergency, a carrier guide rail mounted on the vehicle moves up and down to a level required to extinguish the fire and save lives.

<3> Among them, a hook-and-1adder vehicle is designed so that a ladder is installed on a common truck to move up and down, wherein a hydraulic pump is driven by power from an engine of the truck to rotate a wire winch to wind or unwind a wire for telescopic extension or withdrawal of the ladder.

<4> Conventional escape winches, such as that disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No.20-0228710, have been proposed.

<5> Such a conventional hook-and-ladder vehicle is provided such that a ladder section is installed on a truck, a wire wound around a wire winch is connected with the ladder section for extension and withdrawal of the ladder section, and a carrier is installed on top of the ladder section so that articles loaded in the carrier are transported through the ladder section, which also serves as a rail, thereby forming a carrier winch, which is capable of moving the carrier up and down.

<6> A typical wire winch 2, serving to extend and withdraw the ladder section is, in an example, provided so that a drum 7 is connected at one side with a motor 6 so as to be rotated by the operation of the motor, bearings 8 are coupled to opposite ends thereof, and opposite side walls 10, which are fixed at a regular distance by fixing bars 9, are provided outside the bearings 8.

<7> However, such a wire winch has a problem in that it cannot be easily used in an emergency when power is not supplied due to the occurrence of a fire.

<8> Further, while emergency escape devices, such as a descending life line, a safety air mat, an inclined escape slider or a ladder, have been introduced, it is not easy to use such devices to accomplish a fast, safe escape from a high-rise building. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem]

<9> Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a winch for escape which comprises a winding reel and a hand brake for controlling the rotation of the winding reel, so that, in an emergency, a user can directly operate it even without a power supply or other power actuator, thereby being capable of easily using it even when power is interrupted due to a fire or the like.

[Technical Solution]

<io> In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a winch for escape comprising a winding reel and a hand brake for controlling the rotation of the winding reel. <ii> According to this construction, there is an advantage in that, in an emergency, a user can directly operate the winch even without a power supply, thereby being capable of easily using it even in the event of a power interruption due to a fire or the like. <12> The hand brake may be constructed to have a simple structure comprising, for example, a drum brake or a disc brake, thereby having an advantage of accomplishing a compact, light device.

<13> A driving means for moving a pad of the disc brake comprises a rack and a pinion so that a user can easily regulate the descending speed.

<14> A reduction means is provided between the winding reel and a disc of the disc brake. Herein, since the force required to rotate the disc is smaller than that required to rotate the winding reel, a user can apply a greater pressing force to the disc, even using his/her small personal force, to thereby easily manipulate the disc brake. [Advantageous Effects]

<15> According to the present invention, the winch for escape comprises the winding reel and the hand brake for controlling the rotation of the winding reel, so that, in an emergency, a user can directly operate the winch even without a power supply, thereby being capable of easily using it even in the event of a power interruption due to a fire or the like.

<16> The hand brake may be constructed to have a simple structure comprising a drum brake or a disc brake, thereby having an advantage of accomplishing a compact, light device. Further, having both the drum brake and the disc brake together, a user can selectively regulate the descending speed in such a manner that, at the beginning of a descent, the descending speed is regulated using the disc brake, and during the descent, using the drum brake.

<17> The driving means for moving the disc of the disc brake comprises the rack and the pinion so that a user can easily regulate the descending speed.

<i8> The reduction means is provided between the winding reel and the disc of the disc brake, and the force required to rotate the disc is smaller than that required to rotate the winding reel, so that a user can regulate the rotation of the disc using the pad even with his/her small force to thereby easily regulate the rotation of the winding reel. [Description of Drawings]

<19> FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a winch for escape according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

<20> FIG. 2 is an internal exploded perspective view illustrating the winch for escape according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; <21> FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a reduction means according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention! and

<22> FIG.4 is a sectional view illustrating a conventional winch. <23> description of Symbols of the Main Parts in the Drawings> <24> 100: Housing 110: Wire-Dispenser Portion <25> 120: Grip 130: Hook Portion <26> 140: Mounting Bracket 141: Rack-mounting Portion <27> 142: Support Plate 150: Wire Guide <28> 200: Wire <29> 210: Ring Portion 300: Winding Reel <30> 310: Reel Shaft 311: Polygonal Portion <31> 312: Gear Teeth 313: Screw Section <32> 400: Drum Brake 410: Drum <33> 420: Shoe 421: Protrusion <34> 430: Lever 440: Transmission Portion <35> 450: Operating Lever 451: Connecting part <36> 452: Grip Part 510: Chain <37> 520: Reduction Means 521: First Gear Shaft <38> 522: Second Gear Shaft 523: Second Gear <39> 524: Third Gear Shaft 525: Third Gear <40> 526: Disc 530: Pad <41> 540: Rack 550: Operating Portion <42> 551: Pinion 552: Flange <43> 553: Spring [Mode for Invention]

<44> Reference will now be made in greater detail to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

<45> For reference, among the constructions to be described later, constructions similar to those of the prior art are to be understood with reference to prior publications, and a separate detailed description thereof will be omitted.

<46> FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a winch for escape according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an internal exploded perspective view illustrating the winch for escape according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a reduction means according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

<47> As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the winch for escape includes a winding reel 300 and a hand brake for controlling the rotation of the winding reel 300.

<48> A housing 100 is provided, on the upper portion thereof, with a wire- dispenser portion 110, which is cut out so that a wire 200 can be dispensed therethrough.

<49> Further, a ring type wire guide 150 is installed on the wire-dispenser portion 110 of the housing 100. That is, the wire guide 150 is fixed at both ends to the housing 100.

<50> The wire guide 150 guides the wire 200 between the two ends thereof.

<5i> A grip 120, which a user can hold while escaping, is installed at a lower portion of the housing 100.

<52> The grip 120 is bent at opposite sides thereof so that it generally has a U-type shape.

<53> Furthermore, an auxiliary hook portion 130 is provided at the lower portion of the housing in order for a user to be safely connected to the winch even when the user cannot hold the grip 120 due to a state of confusion.

<54> The winding reel 300 includes, on both sides, flanges for guiding the wire 200 which is wound around the winding reel.

<55> A winding reel shaft 310 is coupled to the winding reel 300 such that the reel shaft 310 protrudes beyond both flanges. <56> A bearing (not shown) is disposed between the winding reel shaft 310 and the housing 100 so as to rotate in the housing 100. <57> The winding reel shaft 310 is provided on both ends with polygonal portions 311, which are shaped like a polygon in section and have screw sections 313 at both ends thereof. <58> Further, a gear-teeth portion 312 is disposed between the flange and the polygonal portion 311 on the outer circumference of one end-side winding reel shaft 310. <59> The hand brake is directly operated by a user to thereby manually control the rotation of the winding reel 300. <60> The hand brake includes a drum brake 400 and a disc brake disposed on both sides of the winding reel 300. <6i> The hand brake may comprise the drum brake 400 as such, or may comprise the disc brake so that it can be configured into a brake having a simple structure. Thus, the winch can be advantageously provided in a compact, light structure. <62> The drum brake 400 includes a drum 410 shaft-coupled to the winding reel shaft 310, a shoe disposed in the drum 410 so as to be fixedly installed on the housing 100, and an operating lever 450 for moving the shoe 420. <63> The drum 410 has a center through-hole, into which the polygonal portion 311 is inserted, and is coupled to the winding reel shaft 310.

Further, after the drum 410 is inserted into the polygonal portion 311, a nut is fastened to the screw section 313 so as to prevent the drum 410 from coming disconnected from the polygonal portion 311. <64> The drum 410 is provided on the outer side thereof with a seating recess in which the shoe 420 is to be seated. <65> The shoe 420 is installed on the outer circumferential face of two semi-circular rims. <66> The two rims are provided facing each other such that one end is rotatably installed inside a plate. Respective ends of the two rims are connected to each other by a spring. <67> Between the other ends of the rims, a rotating piece, rotatably installed in the plate, is arranged. The rotating piece passes through the plate and is connected to a lever 430 disposed outside the plate. <68> A spring is provided so as to connect the plate and the lever 430 together, so that when the lever 430, rotated by an external force, is released, the lever 430 returns to its original position. <69> Thus, when the lever 430 is rotated, the rotating piece is also rotated, so that the two rims are separated and the shoe 420 comes into contact with an inner wall to thereby stop the rotation of the winding reel

300. <70> A protrusion 421 is formed at the lower portion of the plate, so that the plate, including the shoe 420, can be easily fixed to both sides of the housing 100. <7i> The operating lever 450 includes a grip part 452 and a connecting part

451, bent at both ends of the grip part 452 and integrally formed with the grip part 452. <72> The grip part 452 is disposed outside the housing such that both ends thereof are installed to be rotatable relative to the housing 100. <73> The grip part 452 is bent at both sides so that it is shaped like the grip 120. <74> The grip part 452 is rotated relative to the grip 120 so that the distance therebetween is controlled. <75> The connecting part 451 is arranged in the housing 100 and is connected to the lever 430 through a transmission portion 440. <76> The transmission portion 440 may comprise a rod or a wire, wherein one end is connected to the lever 430 and the other end to the connecting part

451. <77> Thus, when a user rotates the grip part 452 toward the grip 120, both connecting parts 451 are moved downward at the same time, and the transmission portion 440 and the lever 430, connected with the connecting part 451, are also moved downward. The drum brake 400 is then operated to stop the rotation of the winding reel 300. <78> In this way, the drum brake 400 is disposed on both sides of the winding reel 300 so that a user can easily prevent the winding reel 300 from being rotated. <79> Such a drum brake 400 was disclosed, for example, in KR Unexamined

Patent Publication No. 1989-10450, so for details, reference is to be made to that document. <80> The disc brake includes a disc 526, a pad 530, coming into contact with the disc 526, and a driving means for moving the pad 530, and is arranged below the winding reel 300 in the housing 100. <8i> The reduction means 520 is provided between the disc 526 of the disc brake and the winding reel 300. This reduction means 520 makes it possible to rotate the disc 526 using a force smaller than the force required to rotate the winding reel 300. <82> The reduction means 520 includes a case, a first gear disposed in the case, a second gear 523 interacting with the first gear, and a third gear 525 interacting with the second gear 523. <83> The first gear is rotatably installed in the case such that a first gear axis 521 protrudes outside the case. <84> A second gear axis 522 of the second gear 523 is engaged with the first gear so that the first gear and the second gear 523 are operated in association with each other. Here, the second gear axis 522 is formed to have a smaller section than the second gear 523, and includes gear teeth on the outer circumference thereof. <85> A third gear axis 524 of the third gear 525 is engaged with the second gear 523, so that the third gear 525 and the second gear 523 are operated in association with each other. Here, the third gear axis 524 is formed to be smaller in section than the third gear 525, and includes gear teeth on its outer circumference. <86> The disc 526 is rotatably installed outside the case, and is rotated while being engaged with the third gear 525. <87> That is, although the amount of rotation of the first gear is small, the amount of rotation of the third gear 525 is larger, so that a large force is required to rotate the first gear, and a small force is required to rotate the third gear 525.

<88> Thus, the amount of rotation of the disc 526 mounted on the third gear axis 524 can be regulated using the pad 530 even with small force, with the result that a user can easily regulate the amount of rotation of the winding reel 300 shaft-coupled to the first gear even with small force.

<89> A chain 510 is engaged with the gear teeth 312 of the winding reel shaft 310 and the first gear shaft 521 of the reduction means 520 to thereby transmit the rotation of the disc 526 to the winding reel shaft 310.

<90> The pad 530 is formed in a circular shape corresponding to the shape of the disc 526, and has, at the outer side thereof, a slanted face that is gradually smaller in section as it goes outside.

<9i> The driving means includes a rack 540 shaft-coupled to the pad 530 and a pinion 551 interacting with the rack 540.

<92> The pinion 551 is formed on the outer circumference of an operating portion 550.

<93> The operating portion 550 is rotatably installed on the lower portion of the housing 100.

<94> The operating portion 550 is shaped like a rod, and a flange 552 is formed on one end thereof.

<95> A coil type spring 553 is installed between the flange 552 and the pinion 551 on the operating portion 550.

<96> The protrusion 554 protrudes outside the housing 100, so that a user can easily rotate the operating portion 550 and the pinion 551. That is, the protrusion 554 serves as a grip as well as an engaging step that is engaged with the housing 100, so as to prevent the end portion of the operating portion from being inserted inside.

<97> The protrusion 554 protrudes from the end portion of the operating portion 550 in opposite directions such that the end portion is shaped like a <98> Such a disc brake is configured so that when a user rotates the operating portion 550, the pinion 551 is rotated and the rack 540 slides laterally while being engaged with the pinion 551, so that the pad 530 is moved toward the disc 526, coming into contact with the disc. In this way, when the pad 530 and the disc 526 are brought into contact with each other, the rotation speed of the winding reel shaft 310 is controlled according to the pressing force.

<99> Here, when the pressing force of the pad 530 against the disc 526 is increased, the disc 526 is rotated less, so that the winding reel 300 can be rotated at a low speed. In this way, the rotation speed of the winding reel 300 can be controlled by the disc brake.

<ioo> Furthermore, a plane-type mounting bracket 140 is installed in the housing 100 so that the driving means can be easily installed.

<ioi> On the upper surface of the mounting bracket 140, a rack-mounting portion 141 and two support plates 142 protrude in order.

<iO2> The rack-mounting portion 141 is formed as a plane, and has a center hole, through which the rack 540 is inserted.

<i03> The two support plates 142 are installed spaced apart from each other.

<iO4> The support plate 142 has, on the upper portion, a seating recess in which the operating portion 550 is seated.

<iO5> Upon installation, the pinion 551 is disposed between the support plates 142, and the spring 553 is arranged between the flange 552 and one of the support plates 142. The spring 553 makes it possible to prevent the operating portion 550 from being occasionally rotated by the occurrence of frictional force occurring due to contact with the support plate 142.

<iO6> A connecting plate is installed so as to be spaced apart from the mounting bracket 140 by the protrusion.

<iO7> The operation of the present embodiment, having such a construction, will now be explained.

<iO8> In an emergency, the ring portion 210 is fixed to one spot of the building, a user fixes the hook portion 130, connected to the housing 100, to his/her body, and finally, the user escapes the building while descending with his/her hands holding the grip 120 of the winch. <iO9> In an initial state, the pad 530 is brought into contact with the disc

526 so as to apply a large pressing force to the disc, thereby decreasing the descending speed of the user to zero. Then, when the user rotates the operating portion 550 to descend, the descending speed is regulated, so that the user descends at about 0-15m/min. <πo> Using the winch, the rotating speed of the winding reel 300 is regulated by the disc brake to prevent the high speed rotation, so that a user can safely descend at a low speed of about 0-15m/min. <iπ> Furthermore, if a user wants to descend at a fast speed, the operating portion 550 is rotated to reduce the pressing force of the pad 530 against the disc 526, thereby regulating the speed. <ii2> Then, during descending, the grip portion 452 of the drum brake 400 is moved toward the grip 120 so that the rotation speed of the winding reel 300 can be finely regulated even while descending. <ii3> For example, when an obstacle appears while descending, or when two or more persons intend to escape from a building using a single winch, a descending user can regulate the speed of the winding reel 300 through the grip portion 452 of the drum brake 400. <ii4> In this way, the winch for escape according to the present invention can be simultaneously used by many users. <ii5> According to this construction, in an emergency, a user can directly operate the winch even without a power supply, thereby being capable of easily using it even in the event of a power interruption due to a fire or the like. <ii6> Thus, when a fire breaks out in a high-rise building, such as an apartment, a hotel, or the like, a user can quickly escape from the building, even in the event of a power interruption. <ii7> In the drawings and specification, typical exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and are not for the purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

[Industrial Applicability]

<ii8> According to the winch of the present invention, when a fire breaks out in a high-rise building, such as an apartment, a hotel, or the like, a user can quickly escape from the building, even in the event of a power interruption.

Claims

Lo

[CLAIMS] [Claim 1]

<12O> A winch for escape, comprising: <i2i> a winding reel; and <122> a hand brake for controlling rotation of the winding reel.

[Claim 2]

<123> The winch for escape as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand brake comprises a drum brake.

[Claim 3]

<124> The winch for escape as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand brake comprises a disc brake.

[Claim 4]

<125> The winch for escape as set forth in claim 3, wherein a driving means for moving a pad of the disc brake comprises a rack and a pinion. [Claim 5]

<126> The winch for escape as set forth in claim 3 or 4, wherein a reduction means is provided between the winding reel and a disc of the disc brake, so that a force required to rotate the disc is smaller than that required to rotate the winding reel.