Self-rescue system for large machines

Abstract

An emergency descent system includes at least one ladder which is articulated on at least one supporting unit on a bearing device. The ladder is designed to be unfolded about this bearing device out of a rest position in which the ladder is disposed parallel to the at least one supporting unit and into a working position, wherein a push-out unit and a pivot unit operatively connected thereto by means of a catch are associated with the ladder. The pivot unit drives the push-out unit by the kinetic energy generated during the unfolding, wherein the push-out unit moves away from the at least one supporting unit at a first acute angle, and in the operating position, the push-out unit forms an acute angle with the at least one supporting unit and the pivot unit is held at an obtuse angle relative to the push-out unit on a stop associated with the at least one supporting unit.

Claims

1. An emergency descent system, comprising: a support unit having a stop; a ladder rotatably connected to the support unit and comprising a push-out unit and a pivot unit pivotally connected to the push-out unit; a separate lever plate fixedly connected to said pivot unit and pivotally and directly connected to said push-out unit, said lever plate being rotatably connected to said support unit via a bearing device, said lever plate configured to allow the ladder to unfold from a resting position, in which the push-out unit and the pivot unit are disposed parallel to the support unit, to an operating position, in which the push-out unit and the pivot unit both pivot outwardly away from the support unit; wherein during pivoting into the operating position, the pivot unit generates kinetic energy and with the kinetic energy drives the push-out unit to undergo an outward movement away from the support unit, and wherein in the operating position, the push-out unit forms an acute angle with the support unit and the pivot unit is held on the stop of the support unit at an obtuse angle relative to the push-out unit.

2. The emergency descent system of claim 1, further comprising a tension spring for braking the outward movement of the push-out unit and a speed throttling device for braking the pivot unit.

3. The emergency descent system of claim 2, wherein the support unit, the push-out unit, the pivot unit, and the speed throttling device are connected with each other to form a single constructive unit.

4. The emergency descent system of claim 1, wherein in an installed position of the support unit, the support unit has an upper free end and a lower free end, wherein the push-out unit is connected with the support unit at the upper free end via a further bearing device and is connected to the support unit by the lever plate which is connected with the lower free end of the support unit via the bearing device.

5. The emergency descent system of claim 4, wherein the push-out unit is connected with the support unit via a tension spring.

6. The emergency descent system of claim 5, wherein a speed of the pivoting of the pivot unit into the operating position is reducible via the tension spring, wherein a force occurring during the pivoting of the pivot unit is transmitted to the pivot unit via the lever plate thereby limiting the speed of the pivoting of the pivot unit.

7. The emergency descent system of claim 4, further comprising a torsion spring arranged in a rotation point of the push-out unit, said torsion spring constantly pushing a free end of the push-out unit against the lever plate during the outward movement.

8. The emergency descent system of claim 7, wherein the torsion spring forms the further bearing device and the push-out unit is rotatably arranged in the rotation point of the bearing device so as to be pushable via the torsion spring from the resting position into the operating position.

9. The emergency descent system of claim 4, further comprising a compression spring connecting the push-out unit with the support unit, said compression spring is configured to prevent an uncontrolled moving away of the ladder from said support unit.

10. The emergency descent system of claim 9, further comprising another compression spring connected with the support unit in a region of the upper free end of the support unit and being supported against the pivot unit, said other compression spring being configured for moving the pivot unit apart from the support unit, said other compression spring being preloaded in the resting position and relaxed in the operating position.

11. The emergency descent system of claim 2, wherein the speed throttling device is constructed as a hydraulic cylinder brake system comprising a compensation unit which is configured as a pressure accumulator.

12. The emergency descent system of claim 11, wherein the speed throttling device comprises two hydraulic cylinder units each having one said compensation unit, said two hydraulic cylinder units being interconnected via a hydraulic circuit, wherein one of the hydraulic cylinder units takes up the kinetic energy of the pivot unit during the pivoting of the pivot unit and transmits the kinetic energy to the other one of the hydraulic cylinder units via the hydraulic circuit and with the introduced kinetic energy moves the push-out unit away from the support unit.

13. The emergency descent system of claim 12, wherein the push-out unit and the pivot unit are driven via the pressure accumulators, which are connected with the hydraulic cylinder units via the hydraulic circuit, said pressure accumulators activatable by means of hydraulic directional valves by hand or by foot actuation, to thereby move the emergency descent system from the resting potion into the operating position, wherein a hydraulic supply of the hydraulic cylinder units is configured so that the push-out unit and the pivot unit can be moved from the operating position into the resting position via a control component connected with the pressure accumulators.

14. The emergency descent system of claim 13, wherein the supply of the hydraulic cylinder units is configured to drive the ladder when an external hydraulic oil supply is triggered by means of directional hydraulic valves capable of being moved by manual actuation.

15. The emergency descent system of claim 14, further comprising a throttle arranged in the hydraulic circuit of the hydraulic cylinder units and configured to limit the pivoting of the pivot unit.

16. The emergency descent system of claim 1, further comprising a release mechanism, configured for fixing the pivot unit in the resting position at an upper free end of the support unit.

17. The emergency descent system of claim 1, further comprising an unfoldable back protection which is rotatably supported on the push-out unit with another further bearing device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(1) In all Figures the same components are always provided with the same reference numerals. As shown in FIG. 1 the self-rescue system 10 is substantially formed by a two-part descent means 11, which in the resting positioni.e., in the folded stateforms a compact unit. The descent means 11 is divided into a push-out unit 11a and a pivot unit 11b, which in the resting position are configured to rest against each another in parallel relationship with each other. The two-part descent means 11 is held by a support unit 12 connected with the descent means. The support unit 12 is connected on a side surface C to a large machine (not shown) for example by screwing.

(2) The support unit 12 in turn is releasably connected with a not shown large machine with connection means 12a, 12b. The support unit 12 and the descent means 11 are configured in the resting position so as to only protrude over the footprint of the large machine (for example an industrial hydraulic back hoe) to an extent that enables avoiding a collision with another vehicle (for example a large excavation kipper). The unit of descent means 11 and support unit 12 is further configured so as to not hinder the pivot radius of the superstructure of a large machine.

(3) The push-out unit 11a is rotatably connected with the support unit 12 on the upper free end 19 of the support unit via a first bearing device 13.

(4) The pivot unit 11b is rotatably connected with the support unit 12 at the lower free end 20 of the support unit via a second bearing device 15. A lever plate 21 is provided which is fixedly (rigidly) connected with the pivot unit 11b. The lever plate 21 includes a catch 41 and the second bearing device 15. The lever plate 21 in turn is rotatably connected with the support unit 12 at its lower free end 20 via the second bearing device 15.

(5) Generally the push-out unit (11a) and the pivot unit (lib) can be formed as ladder elements with rungs or as stair elements with stepping and/or sitting steps or a combination of ladder element and stair element. For example the push-out unit (11a) can be configured as a ladder element and the pivot unit (11b) as a stair element or vice versa.

(6) FIG. 2 shows the self-rescue system 10 according to the invention in the operating position. Hereby the push-out unit 11a and the pivot unit 11b of the descent means 11 are spaced apart from the support unit 12 and form over the entire length of the constructive height a slant 16. The slant 16 is hereby angled relative to the support unit 12 so that the bodily exertion during descent or during walking is within the range of the statistical average fitness of a user. Correspondingly, the angle is selected as large as possible in order to from a walk friendly slant in the pivoted state.

(7) The pivot ladder system can be installed in a large hydraulic backhoe. The assembly made of the descent means 11 and the support unit 12 is screwed to various locations of the upper structure of the vehicle. As described above the assembly serves for being able to quickly and safely escape from the machine in the event of an emergency (fire on the large machine or other hazardous situations). Hereby the undercarriage (for example a crawler chassis) can be oriented rotated diagonally relative to the superstructure (both not shown).

(8) The self-rescue system 10 is triggered via a release mechanism 22, which is shown again enlarged in FIG. 3. Hereby the pivot unit 11b is released with the holding claw 23 assigned to the pivot unit from the release mechanism 22, which is assigned to the upper free end 19 of the support unit 12. In this embodiment it is provided that the release mechanism 22 is configured to be operated by foot, but also a hand operated release mechanism is possible.

(9) In order to prevent an unintended release, a safety bolt 28 is provided which fixes the holding claw 23 relative to the support unit 12. After pulling the safety bolt 28 an impulse introduced into the holding claw 23 releases the holding claw from the release mechanism 22 and the pivot unit 11b then automatically pivots downwards due to gravity acting on the pivot unit into the operating position.

(10) The pivot unit 11b is hereby on one side fixedly connected with the lever plate 21 and on the other side connected on the lower free end 20 of the support unit 12 with the second bearing device 15 assigned to the lever plate for rotation. The catch 41 is arranged on the lever plate 21. Catch 41 and second bearing device 15 are spaced apart from each other in the lever plate 21, as a result of which the lever plate functions as lever.

(11) Hereby the downwardly pivoting pivot unit 11b drives the push-out unit 11a by means of the lever mechanism and moves the push-out unit away from support unit 12 into a position that is slanted relative to the support unit 12 with a first angle A. The pivot process is finished when the pivot unit 11b has reached a mechanical stop 17 arranged on the support unit 12. Hereby the pivot unit 11b forms a flattest possible angle B together with the push-out unit 115. It is hereby provided that the pivot unit 11b in the pivoted state does not rest on the ground (not shown) but is rather suspended freely above the ground. Instead of the mechanical stop 17 or in addition to the mechanical stop 17 also a hydraulic holding device can be provided which holds the pivot unit in a predetermined manner above the ground.

(12) In this embodiment, it is provided that the pivot speed is controlled for safety reasons via a speed throttling device 18.

(13) In this embodiment, the speed throttling device 18 is a hydraulic cylinder unit 24 with a pressure accumulator 25 connected to the hydraulic cylinder unit 24 and a throttle (not shown).

(14) Because the lever mechanism guides the push-out unit 11a in only one direction the push-out unit is free in the opposite direction. When descending, the user supports his/herself and pulls the push-out unit 11a toward himself and away from the support unit 12. In order for the user to not pull the push-out unit 11a toward himself/herself and thus inadvertently push it to an unwanted degree away from the support unit 12, a tension spring 26 is provided which connects the push-out unit 11a with the support unit 12 and thus prevents an uncontrolled moving away by a user from the support unit 12.

(15) The downward pivoting pivot unit 11b exerts an amount of energy, which is sufficient to push out the push-out unit 11a and also to overcome the force of the tension spring 26 and the speed throttling 18. Hereby the weights of the individual components and the tensile and compression stresses of the above mentioned throttling means are adjusted to each other.

(16) Push-out unit 11a. In this embodiment a torsion spring 32 is assigned on the upper free end 19 to the support unit 12 on a pivot point 32a. The torsion spring 32a is thus connected with the push-out unit 11a so that the push-out unit is able to rotate about the pivot point 32. During pivoting out or moving apart the push-out unit 11a is force fittingly pushed with its lower free end 33 against a catch 41, which is arranged on the lever plate 21. This prevents the push-out unit 21 from unintentionally lifting or jumping off. The hydraulic cylinder unit 24 is on one side connected with the support unit 12 and on the other side with the pivot unit 11b via the lever plate 21.

(17) FIGS. 5 and 5a show a further embodiment of the bearing or guided connection between the push-out unit 11a and the pivot unit 11b in the operating position or resting position. Hereby a guide groove 30 is provided in the lever plate 21. In the guide groove 30 the push-out unit 11a is guided on the bolt 31 that is assigned to its lower free end 33. During pivoting of the pivot unit 11b the speed of the foldout movement is controlled via the hydraulic cylinder unit 24. The bolt 31 is guided during the unfolding out or folding in the guide groove 30.

(18) FIG. 6 and FIG. 6a differ form the embodiment according to FIG. 1 in that a mechanical stop 46 is arranged in the support unit 12 above the pivot point 32a and instead of a tension spring a compression spring 27 connects the push-out unit 11a with the support unit 12. The mechanical stop 46 limits the deflection of the compression spring 27 and holds the push-out unit 11a in the operating position under spring tension. In order to prevent sagging of the push-out unit ha when a user walks on it, the push-out unit is connected with the catch 41 on the lower free end 33.

(19) FIG. 7 and FIG. 7a show a further embodiment of the emergency descending system 10 on one hand in the operating position and on the other hand in the resting position. Hereby two hydraulic cylinder units 24, 47 that are interconnected via a hydraulic circuit 48, 48a (shown in dashed lines) with pressure accumulator 49, 49a as compensation means are assigned to the speed throttling 18, wherein the first hydraulic cylinder unit 24 absorbs the kinetic energy of the pivot unit 11b during the pivoting out and transmits the kinetic energy to the second hydraulic cylinder unit 47 via the hydraulic circuit 48, 48a and with the introduced kinetic energy moves the push-out unit 11a apart from the support unit 12.

(20) FIG. 8 and FIG. 8a show a further embodiment of the emergence descent system 10 on one hand in the operating position and on the other hand in the resting position. Hereby the push-out unit 11a and the pivot unit 11b are driven via the preloaded pressure accumulators 49, 49a that are connected with the hydraulic cylinder units 24, 47 by the hydraulic circuit 48 48a via at least one hydraulic directional valve 51. The hydraulic directional valve 51 can be triggered by hand or foot and thereby the emergency descent system 10 can be brought from the resting position into the operating position. Hereby the hydraulic supply is configured so that via a hydraulic control component 50, which is connected with the pressure accumulators 49, 49a, the push-out unit 11a and the pivot unit 11b can also be displaced/moved back into the resting position again.

(21) FIG. 9 and FIG. 9a show a further embodiment of the emergency descent system 10 according to the invention, on one hand in the operating position and on the other hand in the resting position, wherein the supply of the hydraulic cylinder units 24, 47 and with the drive of the push-out unit 11a and the pivot unit 11b occurs via an external hydraulic supply 52, which can be triggered by hand or by foot by means of at least one hydraulic directional valve 51. The hydraulic cylinder units 24, 47 are controlled via the hydraulic circuit 48, 48a connected with the control component 50.

(22) FIG. 10 and FIG. 10a show a further embodiment of the emergency descent system 10 on one hand in the operating position and on the other hand in the resting position, wherein the drive of the push-out unit 11a is accomplished by the pivot unit 11b via a drive gearwheel 34 and an intermediate gearwheel/gear rod combination, wherein the toothed rack 35 is arranged slidingly on a guide mechanism 36 (guide) and guides the push-out unit 11a by means of a cam 37. The drive gearwheel 34 is in this embodiment fixedly connected with the pivot unit 11b (coaxial to the second coupling device) and drives during downward pivoting of the pivot unit 11b the toothed rack 35 via the intermediate gearwheel 38, which toothed rack drives the outward movement of the push-out unit 11a via the cam 37. The hydraulic cylinder unit 24 is connected with the lever plate 21 and can have a pressure accumulator (volume compensation accumulator) and a throttle in order to be able to limit the pivot speed of the pivot unit 11b.

(23) FIG. 11 and FIG. 11a show a further embodiment of the emergency descent system 10, on one hand in the operating position and on the other hand in the resting position with an additional means arranged thereon. The additional means is not necessarily limited to this embodiment but can rather be brought in operative connection with all embodiments described in the description. The additional means is an unfoldable back protection 40 which together with the push-out unit 11a can be unfolded or folded. During the unfolding of the push-out unit 11a the back protection 40 is pulled along by a catch 53 of the pivot unit 11b and unfolded. During the pivoting out of the push-out unit 11a the back protection 40 is moved as a result of the gravity acting on it against stops 42 provided on the push-out unit 11a. In the resting position the unfoldable back protection 40 is pushed against the push-out unit 11a by the pivot unit (11b). The back protection 40 is formed by arches 43, which are made of correspondingly arched rods or bands 44 which are aligned with each other in longitudinal direction of the push-out unit 11b. The arches 43 of the back protection 40 are supported on the push-out unit for rotation via a third bearing device 45. The individual rods or bands 44 of the arches 43 are connected with each other via an intermediate guide rod 52 which is arranged on the apex of the curvature of the arches. The arches 43 together with the push-out unit 11a thus form a walkable tunnel-like protective tube.