Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a device for evacuating individuals from a structure during an emergency, comprising: a rotatable drum with a cable suitable length, wound thereon; and a rotation regulator, which is associated with the drum and is arranged to control the drum to limit a rotation speed thereof during unwinding of the cable from the drum. The rotation regulator allows for individuals to escape from a tall structure, regardless of their skill, agility or strength, and even irrespective of whether such individuals are conscious, or not. In an embodiment the device may further comprise at least one additional drum. The combination of the drum and the additional drum allows a plurality of people to escape.
Claims
1. A device for evacuating individuals from a structure during an emergency, comprising: a rotatable drum with a cable of suitable length, wound thereon; and a rotation regulator, which is associated with the rotatable drum and is arranged to control the rotatable drum to limit a rotation speed thereof during unwinding of the cable from the rotatable drum; and at least one additional drum with an additional cable wound thereon; characterized by a selector or a switch arranged to selectively connect at least one of the rotatable drum and the additional drum with the rotation regulator.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a transmission, which is provided between at least the rotatable drum and the rotation regulator and is arranged to selectively connect at least the rotatable drum with the rotation regulator.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmission comprises the switch or selector, or vice versa.
4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a guide sleeve in use to be arranged on the cable at a fixed distance from the device.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the guide sleeve is attached to a flexible retainer.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation regulator comprises a swivel brake shoe, which is connected or connectable to at least the rotatable drum to rotate at a rotational speed corresponding with that of the rotatable drum during unwinding of the cable, and arranged to swivel relative to a rest position, when rotational speed of the rotatable drum approaches and/or exceeds a predetermined threshold.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the swivel brake shoe comprises a flexible restrainer, arranged to restrain the swivel brake shoe from swiveling at a rotation speed of the rotatable drum below the predetermined threshold of the rotational speed of the rotatable drum.
8. The device of claim 7, wherein the rotational regulator comprises two or more brake shoes connected by a spring mechanism to a rotational axis of the rotational regulator or each other in an at least approximately symmetrical manner.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises an attachment to fix the device to the structure.
10. The device of claim 1, comprising a crank mechanism for winding the cable about the rotatable drum.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotation regulator has a central axis offset from, and parallel to, an axis of rotation of the rotatable drum.
12. A device for evacuating individuals from a structure during an emergency, comprising: a rotatable drum with a cable of suitable length, wound thereon; and a rotation regulator, which is associated with the rotatable drum and is arranged to control the rotatable drum to limit a rotation speed thereof during unwinding of the cable from the rotatable drum; and at least one additional drum; characterized by a selector or a switch arranged to selectively connect at least one of the rotatable drum and the additional drum with the rotation regulator; wherein at least the rotatable drum is accommodated on a transmission axis, wherein the transmission axis is rotatable within at least the rotatable drum, and comprises an assembly of an extendable arm and a recess, wherein the recess is shaped and designed to accommodate the arm in a predetermined rotational position of the transmission axis relative to the rotatable drum.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the arm is accommodated in or on the axis and the recess is arranged in the rotatable drum, or vice versa.
14. The device of claim 12, wherein the transmission axis is connected to the rotation regulator, via transmission, which transmission is arranged to increase the rotational speed of the axis for the rotation regulator.
15. The device of claim 12, wherein the rotation regulator has a central axis offset from, and parallel to, an axis of rotation of the rotatable drum.
16. A method for safely evacuating individuals from a structure during an emergency comprising: (a) providing a device including a rotatable drum with a cable of suitable length, wound thereon, and a rotation regulator, which is associated with the rotatable drum and is arranged to control the rotatable drum to limit a rotation speed thereof during unwinding of the cable from the rotatable drum, and at least one additional drum with an additional cable wound thereon; (b) attaching at least one first individual to the device; (c) lowering the at least one first individual to a safe level using the device; (d) rewinding the cable about the rotatable drum; optionally, repeating steps (c) to (d); and characterized by the step of subsequent or simultaneous lowering of more than one of the individuals prior to rewinding at least one cable with the device, wherein a selector or a switch selectively connects at least one of the rotatable drum and then additional drum with the rotation regulator.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the rotation regulator has a central axis offset from, and parallel to, an axis of rotation of the rotatable drum.
Description
(1) After the above more general realistic indication of embodiments of the present invention, more detailed realisations into practice will be further described herein below under reference to illustrations in the appended drawing, wherein the same or similar reference numbers may be used for the same, similar or comparable elements, components and aspects, and wherein the below described embodiments merely serve to enhance the readers understanding of the general and detailed principles of the invention, without limitation to the specifically illustrated embodiments or components, elements and/or aspects thereof, and wherein:
(2) FIG. 1 represents a view in perspective of a device according to the present invention;
(3) FIG. 2 represents an exploded view of the device shown in FIG. 1;
(4) FIG. 3 represents a detailed view of the device shown in FIG. 1 in the free rotation mode, and
(5) FIG. 4 represents a detailed view of the device shown in FIG. 1 in the inhibited rotation mode;
(6) FIG. 5 represents a schematic drawing of an individual which is lowered from a tall structure using a device according to the present invention attached to the tall structure during a fire;
(7) FIG. 6 represents a cross sectional side view of a device in another embodiment;
(8) FIG. 7 represents a side view of the device according to FIG. 6 in use;
(9) FIG. 8 represents in a perspective view an embodiment of a device in yet another embodiment;
(10) FIGS. 9 and 10 represent in respective perspective and exploded views an embodiment of a device in yet another embodiment;
(11) FIG. 11 represents a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 10;
(12) FIGS. 12 and 13 represent cross sectional side views of the embodiment in FIGS. 9-11 in one operational state; and
(13) FIG. 14 represents a cross sectional side view of the embodiment in FIGS. 9-11 in another operational state.
(14) FIG. 1 shows a safety device 1, comprising a drum 2 and a cable 3 of suitable length wound about said drum 2. The drum 2 is mounted on an axle 4 rotatable in a frame 5 using ball-bearings 6. The axle 4 transmits rotation of the drum 2 to rotation regulator 7 also mounted on frame 5.
(15) A hook fastener 16 connected to cable 3 allows coupling to the safety device 1 of an individual 41 in FIG. 5 to be saved from a building 40, and to be lowered to a ground level 42.
(16) FIG. 2 shows the above described safety device, specifically detailing the rotation regulator 7. The rotation regulator 7 comprises a first substantially cylindrical member 8, encasing a second substantially cylindrical member 9. In the preferred embodiment shown, the second member 9 comprises brake shoes 10 connected to each other by a spring mechanism 11.
(17) Upon rotation of axle 4, the second member 9 starts to rotate in the first member 8. This rotation will create a centrifugal force causing the second member 9 to expand when the brake shoes 10 elevate from the outer surface of the second member 9 under influence of centrifugal force at a determined rotational speed of the axle 4. As a result of the centrifugal force, the brake shoes 10 are forced against an inner surface of the first member 8.
(18) Action of the brake shoes against the inner surface of the first member 8 is restricted by the springs 11. The centrifugal force, which is directly related to the rotational speed of the axle 4, must exceed the spring force of the springs 11 for the brake shoes 10 to act on the inner surface of the first member 8. In this manner control is provided over expansion of the second member 9, and action of the brake shoes 10 irrespective of the weight of an individual attached to a hook fastener 16 or the like, as depicted in FIG. 5.
(19) This control allows setting of a rotational speed of the axle 4 and therewith of the drum 2, at which the two brake shoes 10 will frictionally engage the inner surface of the first member 8 to limit rotational speed of drum 2.
(20) A more detailed view of the brake shoes 10 and the spring mechanism 11 is provided in FIGS. 3 and 4.
(21) FIGS. 3 and 4 show brake shoes 10 on second member 9, comprising a bracket 12 to provide assembly of spring mechanisms 11 and brake shoes 10 to surround the second member 9, and transmission of rotation of the axle 4 in the direction of arrow A on bracket 12 into a centrifugal force on the brake shoes 10. The outer surface of brackets 12 is at least partially covered by a frictional layer 14 for frictionally engaging the inner surface of the first member 8. When the axle 4, and hence the drum 2, is not rotating, and the device 1 is in rest or when axle 4 is rotating at a speed lower than a predetermined speed controlled by the spring mechanism 11 in relation to a generated centrifugal force in the direction of arrows B in FIG. 4, than a gap 15 between the first member 8 and the frictional layer 14 provides free rotation of the second member 9. However, at a predetermined rotation speed of the axle 4, as shown in FIG. 4, brake shoes 10 will elevate from the outer surface of the second member 9, when centrifugal force in the direction of arrows B in FIG. 4 exceeds a restraining force exerted on the brake shoes 10 by the springs 11. Then, the layer 14 will frictionally engage the inner surface of first member 8, thereby inhibiting a further increase of the rotation of the axle 4 and, as a consequence, also rotational speed of drum 2.
(22) Frame 5 is attached to the tall structure 40 using bolt/nut connections 13.
(23) The entire safety device 1 may be surrounded by an enclosure or housing comprising an opening to allow the cable 3 to pass through.
(24) FIG. 4 shows the use of a safety device 1 during an emergency. The safety device 1 is firmly attached to the tall structure 40. The individual 41 to be rescued attaches himself or is attached by helpers to the cable 3 and is lowered, at a predetermined speed independent of the weight of the individual 41, and without active participation of the individual or any helpers. The safety device 1 automatically limits a lowering speed of the individual 41 along the exterior of the tall structure 40 to a safe level 42, which is ground level in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.
(25) FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional side view of a further embodiment of a device 20 exhibiting particular principles or aspects of the present invention. Device 20 comprises a housing 21 with a lid 24 connected to housing 21 at a hinge 25. The housing 21 accommodates a drum 26 with cable 3 wound thereon. The cable 3 is connected to a hook fastener 16 or the like, via a shock absorber 27. Thus, when an individual attaches the hook fastener 26 to for instance a harness, which can be accommodated in a bag 23, after having put on the harness, and jumps from a tall building, it will take some time before the rotation regulator in a different embodiment relative to the previously described figures will start to act and limit rotational speed of the drum 26. Individuals, trying to escape from the tall building, may experience a shock or jolt, which may be damped by employing the shock absorber 27.
(26) Additionally, the sleeve 22 is arranged around cable 3 near the hook fastener 16. This sleeve 22 is itself connected to the housing 21 of the device 20 via a chain 29 or another cable, or may be attached to a part or portion of the tall structure. When an individual, trying to escape from the tall structure, puts on the harness from the bag 23, attaches the harness to the hook fastener 16 and the jumps over a railing 28 of a balcony, or the like, cable 3 may experience considerable wear and tear from moving over an edge of the railing 28, especially in case of repeated use for lowering of individuals to safety. The sleeve 22 is then held at the specific distance from the device 20 or a part or portion of the tall structure by the chain 29 or additional cable. Preferably, the distance between an attachment point of chain 29 or cable and an edge of the railing 28 of a balcony is measured at installation of the device 20, where the same distance is set of the sleeve 22, such that the sleeve 22 rests on the railing 28 of the balcony or the like, as shown in FIG. 7.
(27) In FIG. 7, the device 20 is attached to a vertical wall of the tall structure 40. There, the lid 24 is omitted from the drawing. It is evident, that the chain 29 or cable is tensioned to keep the sleeve 22 in position over an edge of the railing 28 of the balcony of the tall structure 40. The cable, on the other hand, is free to unwind from the drum 26, and pass through the sleeve 22 in a protected state against wear and tear from the edge of the railing 28.
(28) FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of a device 30. The device 30 comprises a housing 21 accommodating a plurality of drums 31, 32, 33 and 34. The drums are arranged on a common transmission axis 35, or example shown in more detail in FIG. 10. The transmission axis 35 is suspended in bearings 36 between mounting plates 37. The mounting plates also accommodate a crankshaft 39 connected to a crank 38 for rewinding cable from a drum 31-34. Each of the drums 31-34 is capable of controlled lowering or unwinding of an associated cable 3. Each of the drums 31-34 has its own cable. Thereby it is possible to allow several individuals to descend without first having to rewind cable on the relevant one of drums 31-34. The embodiment of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 even allows for simultaneous descent by multiple individuals, each or more than one of said individuals being coupled to a relevant one of the cables, where multiple cables may be employed simultaneously for a lowering one or more than one individual on each cable simultaneously or subsequently.
(29) Also, this embodiment of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 comprises a rotation regulator 7. The rotation regulator 7 is connected to transmission axis 35 via a transmission 43, which is made visible through the removal of the rotation regulator 7 in FIG. 10, representing an exploded view of the device of FIGS. 8 and 9, which is the same as the device in FIG. 9, except for the addition of the crankshaft 39 with the crank 38. The transmission 43 transforms a rotational speed of the transmission axis 35 into a higher rotational speed through the use of corresponding to the wheels 44, 45. Each one of the drums 31-34 in FIG. 8, 9 may be coupled with the transmission axis 35 at any particular time to allow individuals to descend from the tall structure. Only when individuals actually are suspended from a cable on a relevant one of the drums 31-34 is the drum coupled with the transmission axis 35. For this, a mechanism is employed, which will be described in more detail herein below. Likewise, each cable on the relevant one of the drums 31-35 can be retrieved after having been lowered, by using the crank shaft 39 in conjunction with the crank 38. At the side, each drum 31-34 comprises a toothed wheel, which can be selectively engaged by a corresponding to the wheel 57 on the crankshaft 39. Selectivity of such engagement can be achieved by movement of the toothed wheels 57 on the crankshaft 39 in the direction of double arrow C. To achieve such selectivity, the skilled person is able to devise any suitable configuration within the realm of his normal capability and capacity. When any one of the toothed wheels 57 is brought into engagement with the corresponding one of the toothed wheels 46, a cable can be rewound on its drum 31-34 by using the crank 38.
(30) The rotational regulator 7 can be of the same type as the one described in relation to FIGS. 1 through 4, or may be any alternative type of configuration, which is preferably based on the rotational limitation of the speed of unwinding cables from the drums.
(31) In the representation of FIG. 10, the transmission axis 35 is shown in isolation to have an elongate recess 58, in which coupling elements 47 are accommodated, the function and structure of which will be elaborated on in more detail herein below. Also, FIG. 10 shows one of the drums 31 in a disassembled state, comprising a flange 48, the cylindrical body 49 around which a cable 3 can be wound, and anchor ring 50 to fix the cable 3, and that the aforementioned tooth wheel 46. The cylindrical body 49 is enclosed between the flange 48 and the toothed wheel 46 with the anchor ring 50 on the essentially cylindrical body 49. The cylindrical body 49 comprises a number of projections 51, into which screws 52 can be driven to assemble the shown one of the drums 31. In an assembled state, drum 31 is arranged on the transmission axis 54.
(32) The coupling elements 47 tend to rotate or swivel in the direction of arrows D in FIG. 11, but are constrained to stay within the recess 58 with the cylindrical body 49 on the transmission axis 35. The cylindrical body 49 further also comprises recesses 52, which or shapes and designs to fittingly accommodated coupling elements 47, when rotated in the direction of arrows D.
(33) The toothed wheel 44 of transmission 43 comprises or is connected with an insert 54, of which the circumferential shape corresponds closely with the internal surface of the transmission axis 35. In an assembled state, as shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, the drum 31 is arranged on the transmission axis 35, which is in turn arranged on the insert 54 of the tooth wheel 44. When the drum 31 rotates to unwind cable therefrom, transmission 43 increases the rotational speed of the transmission axis 35 using the large toothed wheel 44 and the relatively small toothed wheel 45. Toothed wheel 45 is fixed to a drive axis 55 which extends into the rotation regulator 7. As shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, the initial state is exhibited in FIG. 12, where the cable 3 has begun to unwind from the drum 31 in the direction of arrow E. This means, that an individual has coupled himself to an end of cable 3, and has started his or her descent from a higher level of the tall structure in a downward direction. From this initial state, the drum 31 is free to rotate around the transmission axis 35 over an angular distance indicated by arrow F. In this movement, there is no coupling between drum 31 and transmission axis 35 since coupling elements 47, that form extendable arms in the sense of the claims of the present disclosure, are maintained within the recesses 58. After drum 31 has freely rotated over an angular distance corresponding with arrow F outside of transmission axis 35, recesses 52 of the cylindrical body 49 will be positioned immediately above the coupling elements 47 within recesses 58 of the transmission axis 35. This state is shown in FIG. 13. The coupling elements 47, which tend to rotate in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 11, have room for this movement in an outward direction relative to the transmission axis 35, when the recesses 52 of the cylindrical body 49 of the drum 31 are arranged immediately above the recesses 58 in the transmission axis. The coupling elements 47 then come to abut within the recesses 52 of the cylindrical body 49, as a consequence of which a coupling is generated between the drum 31 and the transmission axis 35, when the drum 31 is rotated further in the counterclockwise direction corresponding with arrow F in FIG. 12. Since the transmission axis 35 is further coupled with insert 54, as shown in FIGS. 10, 12, 13 and 14, a rotational velocity is transmitted to the rotation regulator 7 via the transmission 43. As soon as the rotational speed in the direction of arrow G in FIG. 13 exceeds a limit, which is predetermined in the interior of the rotation regulator, for instance in the embodiment as described in relation to FIGS. 1-4, a rate of descent may be limited or restricted for a person hanging from the cable 3.
(34) It should be noted, that when transmission axis 35 rotates in the direction of arrow G, as shown in FIG. 14, the other drums 32-34 may stand still, unless another individual is hanging from a cable 3 wound at least partially still on one of these other drums 32-34. To achieve this standstill of the other drums 32-34, a stop 56 is pressed against a toothed wheel 45. This is a very simple and elegant configuration, where hardly any force or pressure is required to maintain the standstill of the other drums 32-34. Namely, the coupling elements 47 in the recesses 58 of the transmission axis 35 will be dragged across the recesses 52 in the inner surface of the cylindrical body 49 of the other still standing drums 32-34, without achieving engagement or coupling there between.
(35) Consequently, drum 31-34 only drives the transmission axis, when sufficient weight is suspended from a cable 3 which is wound around a relevant one of said drums 31-34. Still standing drums remain to be motionless, since no engagement is achieved between the coupling elements 47 and recesses 52.
(36) It should be noted here, that many additional or alternative or combined embodiments are possible and will force themselves on the skilled person after having taken notice of the present disclosure, where such additional, alternative or combined embodiments are intended to the incompetence within the scope of protection according to the definitions of the appended claims, unless such embodiments comprise components, elements or aspects that differ substantively from the definitions of the scope of protection according to the appended claims. For instance, relative to the embodiments of FIGS. 8-14, just two, three or more than four drums can be provided. Each of the drums may have an individual rotation regulator instead of the common rotation regulator of the above described embodiments. FIGS. 8 and 9 only mutually differ with respect to the presence of the crankshaft in combination with the crank, but are for the rest considered essentially identical. Other brake systems or speed reduction systems can be envisaged, in addition to or as alternatives for the rotation regulators 7 in the embodiments. The sleeve 22 in FIGS. 6 and 7 can have any suitable shape or form, such as tubular, and can be made from any suitable material, but is preferably provided in an embodiment of a smooth, low friction material. The transmission 43 can connect anyone of the drums 31-34 with the rotation regulator 7, where coupling elements 47 and recesses 52 act and function as switches and/or selectors to couple a used one of the drums 31-34 with the transmission axis 35. In this sense, these coupling elements in combination with the recesses can be considered to constitute switches and/or selectors. However, in another embodiment it may be possible to require an operator to actively set a switch or selector to engage a selected one or more than one of the drums 31-34 with the transmission axis 35. Further, it may be possible to prevent, in an embodiment with a lot of drums 31-34, to limit the force exerted on the rotation regulator, by preventing too many of the drums 31-34 from being connected simultaneously to the rotation regulator 7. For instance, selectors and/or switches can be interconnected to prevent more than two of the drums 31-34 from being connected to the rotation regulator 7. In relation to FIG. 8 it has been disclosed that a manual crank or crankshaft can be provided to draw a cable back on its drum. However, it is also very well possible to provide an automated manner, employing for instance a motor or the like, of retrieving a cable and rewinding it onto its drum. However, any embodiment should preferably be independently powered from the structure, to which such a device is attached, in view of the potential danger of power falling out during for instance a fire.
