Roping Down Escape System
20170252584 · 2017-09-07
Inventors
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
An assembly includes first and second ropes and a suspension element. The first rope is securable to a first attachment in a work area. A person can be coupled to the first rope. The second rope is available for lowering the person. The suspension element is secured in a securing region. A force-transmitting coupling is creatable between the second rope and the suspension element. The first and second ropes are coupled to each other over a first lowering region. The second rope is decoupleable non-destructively from the first rope from an end of the first lowering region. A person can be lowered in a second lowering region by the second rope. The weight of the person in the second lowering region is transferable from the second rope via the suspension element to the securing region.
Claims
1. A system for roping down of a person in an emergency situation in a controlled manner out of a working area located at a distance to a ground, the system comprising: a first roping down system, which is for roping down the person and which is attachable to an attachment area in the working area, wherein the first roping down system has a first rope for roping down the person; a second roping down system for roping down the person, wherein the second roping down system has a second rope, to which the person is coupleable; a suspension element, which is attachable to the attachment area in the working area; wherein the second roping down system is coupled to the suspension element such that a force-transmitting coupling is producable between the second rope and the suspension element, and wherein the first roping down system and the second roping down system are designed such that the second roping down system is coupled in a first roping down region to the first roping down system and the second roping down system can be roped down in the first roping down region from the attachment area along a first roping length by means of the first rope, and such that the second roping down system is decoupleable non-destructively from the first roping down system as from an end of the first roping down region and the person can be roped down in a second roping down region along a second roping length by means of the second rope, and wherein a weight force of the person in the second roping down region is transferrable from the second rope via the suspension element to the attachment area.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the suspension element has a rail, a cable, or a rope.
3. The system according to claim 1, further having a roping down device, to which the first rope and the second rope are coupled and to which the person is coupleable, wherein the roping down device is designed such that the roping down device is displaceable along the first rope and/or the second rope.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first roping down system comprises a first rope pulley, which is attachable in the working area by means of a first attachment element, wherein the first rope is coupled to the first rope pulley such that the first rope is unrollable by means of the first rope pulley.
5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first rope pulley has a first rope brake, which is configured to control an unrolling of the first rope by the first rope pulley.
6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second roping down system has a second rope pulley, wherein the second rope pulley is coupled to the first rope, such that the second rope pulley can be roped down by means of the first rope, and wherein the second rope is coupled to the second rope pulley such that the second rope can be roped down by means of the second rope pulley.
7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second roping down system has a further second rope pulley, wherein the further second rope pulley is connected to the first rope such that the further second rope pulley can be roped down along the first rope, and wherein the further second rope pulley is coupled to the second rope pulley.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the further second rope pulley is coupled to the second rope pulley such that the further second rope pulley is fixed to the second rope pulley and that the second rope can be roped down by means of the second rope pulley.
9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the second rope is attached to the further second rope pulley, wherein the second rope pulley is coupled via the second rope to the further second rope pulley and can be roped down along the second rope.
10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second roping down system has a coupling element, wherein the coupling element is coupled to the first rope, wherein the coupling element is further coupled to the suspension element such that the coupling element is displaceable along the suspension element within the first roping down region.
11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the coupling element is attached to the further second rope pulley such that the coupling element is coupled to the first rope by the further second rope pulley.
12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the coupling element is coupled to the first rope.
13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the coupling element is attached to the second rope, wherein the second rope pulley can be roped down along the second rope.
14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the suspension element has an end stop arranged at the transition between the first roping down region and the second roping down region, which end stop is designed such that the coupling element is displaceable along the suspension element up to the end stop and is lockable by the end stop.
15. The system according to the claim 14, wherein the end stop has a damping element, which delays the movement of the coupling element along the suspension element.
16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second roping down system has a third rope pulley, which is attached to the suspension element, wherein the second rope is coupled to the third rope pulley such that the second rope is unrollable from the third rope pulley.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the third rope pulley has a third rope brake, which is configured to control an unrolling of the second rope from the third rope pulley.
18. The system according to claim 1, further having a carrier element, wherein the first attachment element and the second attachment element are attachable, in particular at a distance from one another, to the carrier element, wherein the carrier element has a coupling region, which is designed such that the carrier element is attachable in the working area by means of the coupling region.
19. The system according to claim 1, further having a stowage device, wherein the first roping down system and the second roping down system are arrangeable in the stowage device such that the first roping down system and the second roping down system are stowed in the stowage device and that the first attachment element and the second attachment element are attachable in the working area, wherein the stowage device is designed such that, upon a load of the roping down device, the stowage device releases the first roping down system and the second roping down system.
20. A method for roping down of a person in an emergency situation in a controlled manner out of a working area located at a distance from a ground, the method having the following steps: attaching a first rope of a first roping down system, which is for roping down the person to an attachment area in the working area, attaching a suspension element to the attachment area in the working area, coupling a second roping down system to the suspension element such that a force-transmitting coupling is producable between a second rope of the second roping down system, which is for roping down the person, and the suspension element, wherein the first roping down system and the second roping down system are arranged such that the second roping down system is coupled in a first roping down region to the first roping down system and the second roping down system can be roped down in the first roping down region from the attachment area along a first roping length by the first rope, and such that the second roping down system is decoupleable non-destructively from the first roping down system from an end of the first roping down region and the person can be roped down in a second roping down region along a second roping length by means of the second rope, wherein a weight force of the person in the second roping down region is transferable from the second rope via the suspension element to the attachment area.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION DRAWINGS
[0070] In the following, embodiment examples are described for a further explanation and a better understanding of the present invention with reference to the appended drawings. In the drawings:
[0071]
[0072]
[0073]
[0074]
[0075]
[0076]
[0077]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0078] Same or similar components in different figures are provided with same reference numerals. The representations in the figures are schematically.
[0079]
[0080] The working area 102 may define an area, which may be at a distance to a ground and in which the person 101 may operate, for example, for mounting or maintenance. The working area 102 may, for example, represent an according area of a building, of a bridge or of a wind power plant, any of which may be located at a distance to the ground. An emergency situation may arise, for example, by a fire or another damage arising in the working area 102, which may block a way up and down (or a staircase and a leaving) from the ground to the working area 102.
[0081] The first roping down system may define a roping down system, by means of which the person 101 can rope down himself from the working area 102 along the first roping down region 113. The second roping down system may define a roping down system, in which the person 101 can rope down himself after the roping down along the first roping down region 113 along the second roping down region 123.
[0082] In the embodiment example in
[0083] The second roping down system may have the second rope 122, along which the person 101 can rope down himself, following the first roping down region 113, along the second roping down region 123. The suspension element 124 may be attached within the working area 102 by means of a second attachment element 121. The second rope 122 may be attached to a region of the suspension element 124 that may be at a distance to the second attachment element 121. In particular, the second attachment element 121 and the second rope 122 may be attached, respectively, to ends of the suspension element 103, which ends may be opposite and mutually at a distance to one another. The second rope 122 may be attached via a third rope pulley 125 to the suspension element 124.
[0084] The suspension element 124 thus may function as a spacer element, which may put the second rope 122 at a distance from the working area 102. The suspension element 124 thus may run from the second attachment element 121 in the working area 102 out of the working area. Outside of the working area 102 and thus outside of the danger area, the second rope 122 may be attached and may hang in the direction to the ground.
[0085] A roping down device 103 may be coupled to the first rope 112 and to the second rope 122. Furthermore, the person 101 may be coupled, in particular releasably, to the roping down device 103, for example by means of a snap hook. The roping down device 103 may be designed to rope down the person 101 along the first rope 112 and the second rope 122.
[0086] As shown in
[0087] Furthermore, the roping down device 103 may be coupled to the second rope 122, without a corresponding relative movement existing between the roping down device 103 and the according attachment point with the second rope 122.
[0088] The roping down device 103 further may have a securing element, to which the person 101 may be attached.
[0089] Because the first rope 112 may be attached directly to the working area 102, in the case of a rescue operation, the person may be roped down initially along the first rope 112. The second rope 122 may be attached to the roping down device 103 and may not take over a weight force of the person 101 during the roping operation within the first roping down region 113. After the roping down along the first roping down region 113, the roping down device 103 may decouple automatically from the first rope 112, for example by the roping down device 103 sliding out of the end of the first rope 112 and the second rope 122 beginning to take over the weight force of the person 101 along the second roping down region 123. The decoupling of the roping down device 103 from the first rope 112 may be effected, in particular non-destructively, by the roping down device 103 sliding out of the end of the first rope 112.
[0090] The suspension element 123, so to say, may bridge an area and/or partially the first roping down region 113 from the working area 102 to approximately the beginning of the second rope 122. After bridging the first roping down region 113, the second rope 122 may take over the roping operation from a coupling point and/or underneath the coupling point at the suspension element 124 down to the ground.
[0091] In an emergency situation, the first rope 112 may temporarily take over the roping down function, until the person 101 may be roped down out of the danger area. Subsequently, the second rope 122 may take over the roping down function until the person 101 may have reached the ground. If the fire expands quickly within the working area 102, then the first rope 112 may be damaged speedily. However, the time, within which the first rope 112 remains stable (or resistant) to the fire, may be sufficient to rope down the person 101 out of the dangerous situation.
[0092] Subsequently, the second rope 122 may take over the roping down function. Because the second rope 122 may be coupled to the working area 102 by means of the fire-resistant suspension element 124, the second rope 122 may take over the roping down function for a sufficiently long time duration, without being exposed directly to the fire in the danger area. Because the suspension element 124 may not need to reach down to the ground, but only may have to project out of the working and/or the danger area over a specific suspension region, a low weight system having good roping functions can be provided.
[0093] In the preferred embodiment of the system 100 in
[0094] The third rope pulley 125 may be attached to the suspension element 124, wherein the second rope may be coupled to the third rope pulley 125 such that the second rope 122 can roll off from the third rope pulley 125. The third rope pulley 125 may have a rope brake, which may be configured to control a roll off of the second rope 122 from the third rope pulley 125.
[0095]
[0096] The carrier element 201 may be formed in particular from a temperature and fire resistant material, for example steel. By means of the carrier element 201, solely one attachment point to the working area 102 may be necessary. This may enable a quicker and easier attachment (fixation) of the system 100 within the working area 102. In particular, the carrier element 201 may be formed as a triangular carrier plate, wherein the first attachment element 111 may be attachable in a first corner region of the carrier plate, the second attachment element 121 may be attachable in a second corner region of the carrier plate, and the coupling region 202 of the carrier plate to the working area 102 may be formed in a third corner region of the carrier plate.
[0097] The first roping down system and the second roping down system can be arranged in the stowage device 203 such that the first roping down system and the second roping down system may be stowed in the stowage device 203 and such that the first attachment element 111 and the second attachment element 121 may be attachable in the working area 102 (for example directly, or, as represented in
[0098] Furthermore, the roping down device 103 may, together with a coupling region, project out of the stowage device 203, such that the person 101 can couple himself in an easy way to the system 100 and/or to the roping down device 103.
[0099] In an emergency situation, the person 101 may hang himself, for example, to the roping down device 103. Due to the weight force of the person 101, a tension may arise in the system 100, and the first roping down system and the second roping down system may leave the stowage device 203. Thereby, the stowage device 203 can be formed such that the first roping down system and the second roping down system may slide out therefrom, or such that, upon a load, the stowage device 203 may have a predetermined breaking point and/or a predetermined crack position in order to release the system 100.
[0100]
[0101] The suspension element 124 may be attached to the carrier element 201 by means of the second attachment element 121. The second rope 122 may be fixed, via a coupling element 306, to a region of the suspension element 124 that may be at a distance to the second attachment element 121.
[0102] Furthermore, the first rope 112 may be attached to the carrier element 201 by means of the first attachment element 111. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment of
[0103] The first rope 112 may be coupled to and guided by the further second rope pulley 303. The further second rope pulley 303 may have a controllable and/or self-braking rope brake, such that the further second rope pulley 303 can be rolled off with a predetermined velocity along the first rope 112 starting from the carrier element 201. For example, the further second rope pulley 303 may have a centrifugal brake, in order to roll off along the first rope 112 with a predetermined velocity.
[0104] Thereby, the first rope 112 may be able to hang down loosely or, as is represented in the exemplary embodiment in
[0105] Furthermore, the second rope pulley 302 may be attached to the further second rope pulley 303 by means of a further coupling element 305. The further coupling element 305 may consist, for example, of two snap hooks that are hooked with one another. In addition or alternatively to the second rope pulley 302, further roping down systems for other rescue purposes may be coupled to the further coupling element in a modular manner.
[0106] The second rope 122 may be coupled to and guided by the second rope pulley 302. For example, the second rope pulley 302 may have a controllable and/or self-braking rope brake (e.g. a centrifugal brake), such that the second rope pulley 302 may rope down specifically the second rope 122, to which at least one person 101 to be roped down may be hooked (or hinged) to, with a predetermined velocity starting from the further second rope pulley 303.
[0107] At least the first person 101 may be attached to an end of the second rope 122. Furthermore, also a further person 301 can be fixed to the end of the second rope 122. The second rope 122 may be attached to a second rope pulley 302. Thereby, the second rope 122 may be reeled on the rope pulley 302. In the embodiment example in
[0108] In the embodiment in
[0109] In an emergency case, the persons 101, 301 may initially secure themselves to the free end of the second rope 122. Subsequently, the persons 101, 301 to be secured may be roped down by roping down the further second rope pulley 303 along the first rope 111. Thereby, at the same time, the coupling element 306 may be guided along the suspension element 124 (see
[0110] The suspension element 124 thus may act as a prolonged (or extended) abutment. The end stop 304 may further have a damping device (i.e. a spring-based, pneumatic-based or hydraulic-based shock absorber), such that, upon abutment of the coupling element 306 against the end stop 304, the velocity may be reduced slowly and/or the deceleration may be damped.
[0111] Furthermore, the damping device may be formed in the suspension element 124 as a load impact damping, in order to dampen the impact of the coupling element 306 on the end stop 304. The load impact damping may have, for example, a shock absorber (or band shock absorber) and/or a deformable metal part, which may be arranged between a section of the suspension element 124 and the end stop 304.
[0112] The suspension element 124 may, for example, be formed as a steel rope having an end protection and a pull-through protection (or rim hole height protection), or as an aramide rope. The suspension element 124 may have a diameter of, for example, approximately 8 millimetres.
[0113]
[0114] By contrast to the exemplary embodiment of
[0115] A roping down operation can be performed repeatedly by means of the roping down system in
[0116] In a first roping down operation, the persons 101, 301 to be rescued may, for example, be hanged (or hinged), for example, to a first rope end of the second rope 122, and may be roped down (see
[0117] During the roping down of the persons 101, 301, the second rope end of the second rope 122 may be pulled in the direction to the second rope pulley 302. Thereby, the second rope 122 may be formed so long that, after termination of the roping operation, the securing elements 501, 502 may be pulled towards and to the second rope pulley 302.
[0118] For performing a second roping operation, the further second rope pulley 303 may be pulled along the first rope 112 in the direction to the working area 102. After the further second rope pulley 303 may have been pulled in the working area 102 and/or in the vicinity of the carrier element 201, further persons can secure themselves to the securing elements 501, 502 and rope down in the direction to the ground. Thereby, i.e. with the weight force of the persons to be roped down, the securing elements 501, 502 at the first rope end of the second rope 122 may be pulled again and anew in the direction to the second rope pulley 302.
[0119] Furthermore, the embodiment example in
[0120]
[0121] By contrast to the systems 100 of
[0122] The second rope 122 may be coupled fixedly with one end to the further second rope pulley 303 and/or may be fixed via a further coupling element 305 to the further second rope pulley 303. In other words, there may exist no relative movement between the second rope 122 and the further second rope pulley 303.
[0123] The second rope pulley 302 may be attached via the second rope 122 to the further second rope pulley 303. In other words, the second rope pulley 302 can move relative to (or from) the further second rope pulley 303. The second rope pulley 302 may rope down, so to say, along the second rope 122 in the direction to the ground, in particular after the coupling element 306 may have reached the abutment (or end stop) 304 and the first rope 112 may be relieved and/or the second roping down system may be decoupled non-destructively from the first roping down system.
[0124] Thereby, the persons 101, 301 to be rescued may be fixed to the second rope pulley 302.
[0125]
[0126] The carrier element 201 can be fixed in the working area 102. The first rope 112 may be attached to the carrier element 101 via the first rope pulley 701 at an attachment element 111. The suspension element 124 may be attached to the second attachment element 121.
[0127] The first rope 112 can be roped down from the first rope pulley 701. The first rope pulley 701 may be fixed to the carrier element 101, such that no relative movement may be provided between the first rope pulley 701 and the carrier element 101. The second criterion 302 may be fixed to an end of the first rope 112, such that no relative movement may be provided between the rope end of the first rope 112 and the second rope pulley 302.
[0128] Furthermore, the coupling element 306, which may be coupled displaceably to the suspension element 124, may be attached to the second rope pulley 302.
[0129] The second rope 122 may be reeled on the second rope pulley 302 or may be guided around the second rope pulley 302 such that the second rope pulley 302 can act as a rope brake for the second rope 122.
[0130] Corresponding securing elements 501, 502 may be provided at corresponding rope ends of the second rope 122, such that the persons 101, 301 to be rescued can be secured and/or fixed to a rope end of the second rope 122.
[0131] In addition, corresponding stowage devices 307, 308 may be provided (not shown), in order to stow the corresponding ropes 112, 122 and do not let them hang down.
[0132] During the roping operation, the second rope pulley 302 may initially be roped down from the first rope pulley 701 by means of the first rope 112, until the first roping down region 113 may have been travelled and/or until the coupling element 306 may abut against the abutment (or end stop) 304 (see
[0133] During the roping down along the second roping down region 123, the weight force of the persons 101, 301 to be secured may be transferred via the second rope 122, further via the second rope pulley 302, further via the coupling element 306 and further via the suspension element 124 to the carrier plate 201. After the coupling element 306 may have reached the abutment, the second roping down system may thus be decoupled non-destructively from the first roping down system, because no substantial significant weight force of the persons 101, 301 to be secured may be transferred via the first rope 112.
[0134]
[0135] After reaching the end stop 304 of the suspension element 124, the second roping down system may decouple non-destructively from the first roping down system, such that the weight force of the persons 101, 301 to be secured may be transferred from the second rope 122 via the coupling element 306 to the suspension element 124 and, accordingly, the first rope 112 may be relieved.
[0136] The coupling element 306 can be coupled with the second rope pulley 302 for example via a magnetic, mechanical and/or sensor-controlled coupling, such that a non-destructive decoupling can be performed.
[0137] Furthermore, the exemplary embodiment in
[0138] It is to be noted supplementarily, that “having” or “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and that “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it is to be noted that features or steps, which have been described with reference to one of the embodiment examples above, may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiment examples described above.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0139] 100 system [0140] 101 person [0141] 102 working area [0142] 103 roping down device [0143] 111 first attachment element [0144] 112 first rope [0145] 113 first roping down region [0146] 121 second attachment element [0147] 122 second rope [0148] 123 second roping down region [0149] 124 suspension element [0150] 125 third rope pulley [0151] 201 carrier element [0152] 202 coupling region [0153] 203 stowage device [0154] 301 further person [0155] 302 second rope pulley [0156] 303 further second rope pulley [0157] 304 end stop [0158] 305 further coupling element [0159] 306 coupling element [0160] 307 further stowage device [0161] 308 further stowage device [0162] 501,502 securing elements [0163] 701 first rope pulley