CA1266241A - Vertical elongated chute - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An improved vertical elongated chute usable for allow-ing persons who have to leave a ship to successively descend on the sea surface in the event of an occurrence of emergency. The vertically extending main body having a high intensity of strength is made of a base cloth of which both longitudinally extending side edges are jointed to one another to build a tubular zigzag slip down passage. A
zigzag slip down passage cloth having a plurality of bent parts is fixedly secured to the base cloth. An inclined slip way is jointed to the lower end of the main body so that the person who has descended through the zigzag slip down passage lands on the platform safely by way of the inclined slip way. To generate buoyancy for the platform the latter has an air bag which extends around the peripheral part thereof. The platform is provided with an air bag column on the side located opposite to the side wall of the ship so as to inhibit the platform from moving toward the side wall of the ship to enter into the area located below wave extingishing meand or the like or in the bottom part of the ship.

Description

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VER~ICA~ ELO~GATED C~iUTE

BAcKG~ouND OF T~IE INV~NTION
1, Field of the Inven-tion r~he presen-t invention relates to a vertical elongated chute and more particularly -to improvement of or relating to a ver-tical elongated chute mounted on a ship to serve as safe means for allowing persons on the ship to escape quickly and sa~ely there~rom by sliding down ~rom the deck or the like on the ship to a platform floating on the sea surface in the event of an occurrence of such an emergèncy that they should leave the ship.

2. Descrip-tion of the Prior Art To fa.cilitate understanding of -the present invention it will be helpful -that a typical conventional vertical elongated chute of the above-mentioned type will be described below with reference -to Figs. l to 4.
As shown in Fig. 1 which schema-tically illustrates the conventional vertical elongated chute as disclosed in U.S.
Patent NO. 3,994,366 by way of side view, it essentially comprises a main body 1 adapted to vertically exp~,nd to any required tubular configuration and a platform 2 disposed at ~he lower end of the main body 1 to float on the sea surface 'N. An inclined slip way 3 is extended in the area as defined between the main body 1 and the platform 2 ' ~ ', ' ~2~i2~

whereby a person who has slipped down through the main body 1 safely stands on the pla-tform 2 by way of the inclined slip way 3.
A case 4 for accomodating the whole vertical elongated chute therein is provided at the top end of the main body 1.
In the event of an occurrence of emergency an operator opens the case 4 and throws down the folded chute from the deck or the like on the ship ~ where the case 4 is positioned. As the operator throws down the chute, the main body 1 is expa-nded in ~the tubular configuration along the side wall of the ship S and an air chamber 5 of -the platform 2 is then automatically filled with pressurized air so -tha-t the plat-form 2 assumes the boat-shaped configuration as shown in Fig. 1. As is apparent from the drawing, the platform 2 is covered with a protective curtain 6 which extends between the lower end of the main body 1 and the periphery of the platform 2 in order to give safe feeling to the person who has reached the platform 2.
'rhe main body 1 having the vertically extending sleeve-shaped configuration essentially comprises a protective layer 7 constituting the outer wall of the main body 1 and a column-shaped slip down passage 8~coaxially accomodated in the protective layer 7.
As shovm in Fig. 2 which illustrates the slip down pa~sage 8 in the expanded state, it comprises a lon;g base . ~ 2 _ ~.26~4~ t.

clotll 80 having a high intensity of strength and a zigzag slip down passage cloth 81 fixedly placed on the base cloth 80. As is readily apparent from Fig. 3, -the zigzag slip down passage passage cloth 81 is fixedly secured to the base cloth 80 by sewing or the like operation so as to build the a zigzag slip down passage 83. Then, the column-shaped or tubular zigzag slip down passage 8 is constituted by joint-ing both -the longitudinally extending side edges 82 of the base cloth 80 -to one another (see Fig. 4).
While a person slips down through the zigzag slip down passage 83 which is constituted by the combination of base cloth 80 and zigzag slip down passage cloth5 81, descending speed of the person is substantially reduced during zigzag movement along the zigzag slip down passage 83 and thereafter he is brought into the inclined slip way 3 to safely reach the platform 2 by way of -the inolined slip way 3.
In the case where -the side wall of -the ship has a slight downward inclination or a distance as measured be-tween he deck or the like position where -the case 4 is located as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and the sea surface is sufficientIy long/,the platform 2 is easily kept at the predetermined position while the ncllned slip way 3 maintains the properly inclined s-tate.

This causes a person 9 w~o has completed descending movement through the main body 1 to reach the~platform 2 with substantially damped shock. ~Iowever, in the case where the .
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-the side wall of the ship S' is inclined at a steep inclin-ation angle in the bottom part thereof as sho--.n by a real line in Fig. 5 or the ship S' i5 provided with wave exting ishing means or the like projection on -the side wall, it is often found that the pla-tform 2 moves toward the side wall of the ship S' to enter into the area located below the wave extingishing means or the like projection or into the bottom part of the ship S~. As a result~ the inclined slip way 3 fails to maintain the required slight inclina-tion and this leads to remarkable reduction of the intended function of the inclined slip way 3.

SUMM M Y O~ THE INVEN~ION
Thus, the present inven-tion has been made with the foregoing background in mind and its object resides in providing an irnproved vertical elongated chute of the early-mentioned type which assures that the platform is inhibited from moving toward the side wall of a ship to enter into the area located below wave extingishing means or -the like projection or into the bottom part of the ship with the required inclination of the inclined slip way failing to be maintained.
To accomplish the above object there i9 proposed acco-rding to the invention an improved vertical elongated chute o~ the type including a vertically extending main body having a high intensity of strength, the main body comprising , " ~

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a base cloth of which both longitudinally extending side edges are jointed to one another to build a tubular zigzag slip down passage to which a zigzag slip down passage cloth is fixedly secured, an inclined slip way jointed to the lower end of the main body and a platform engaged to the foremost end of the inclined slip way so khat a person who has to leave a ship lands thereon safely, the platform including an air bag for generating buoyancy so as to allow the platform to float on the sea surface, wherein the improvement consists in that the platform is provided with an air bag column on the side located adjacent to the side wall of the shlp, the air bay column standing upright on ~he air bag.
Owing to arrangement of the air bag column made in that way it is assured that the platform is inhlbited from moving toward the side wall of the ship to enter lnto the area located below the wave extlnguishing means or the like or into the bottom part of the ship. Thus, the inclined slip way can main~ain the predetermined incllnation relative to the platform whereby persons who have to leave the ship land on the platform safely at all times.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readlly apparent from reading of the following description which has been prepared in conjunction with the accompanying drawlngs.

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, ., ~RIEF DESC~IPTION OF TEIE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings will be briefly described below.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a conventional vertical elong-ated chute.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the zigzag slip down passage the main body of cloth constitutin~ the vertical elongated chute, shown in the expanded state.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the zigzag slip down passage cloth in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tubular zigzag slip down passage cons-tituting the main bo*y of the vertical elongated chute.
Fig. 5 i8 a schematic side view of the vertical elong-ated chute, particularly illustrating how its position relative to -the side wall of a ship varies.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tubular zigzag slip down passage constituting the rnain body of the vertical elongated chute in accordance with an embodiment o~ the invention, particularly illustrating the case where expansi-ble oloths are used for the zigiag slip down passage oloth along both the side edges of a main part of the latter.
Fig. 7 is a front view of the zigzag slip down passage cloth constituting the main body of the vertical elongated chute in accordance with a modifled embodiment of the - 6 _ ~

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invention, particularly illustrating in the expanded state the case where expansible clohts are fixedly secllred to the zigzag slip down passage at each of -the bent parts of the latter.
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the tubular slip down passage constituting the main body of the vertical elongated chute in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, particularly illustrating the ca~e where an electric conductive cloth is used for a part of the base cloth.
Fig. 9 is a fragmental perspective vlew of an inclined slip wa~ constituting a part o~ the vertical elongated chute of -the invention.
Fig. 10 is a fragmental side view of the vertical elon-gated chu-te with braking means attached thereto in accordance with further another embodiment of the invention.
~ ig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the inclined slip wa-t, particularly illustrating the landing portion thereof where a person who has completed his descending movement stands upright.
Fig. 12 is a fragmental perspective view of the landing portion of the inclined slip way where a person who has completed his descending movement stands upright, shown in the bellows-~haped contracted state.
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectlonal view of the landing ' ' .
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por-tion of -the inclined slip way where a person who has completed his descending movement stands upright, particu-larly illustrating the case where a layer of shock absorbing material is attached to the bottom of the landing portion, ~ ig, 14 is a fragmen-taL vertical sectional view of -the landing portion of -the inclined slip way in Fig. 13.
Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the pla-tform constitu-ting a part of the vertlcal elongated chute of the invention, particularly illustrating the case where three air bag columns stand upright therefrom.
E'ig. 16 is a rear view of the platform in Fig. 15.
Fig. 17 is a pers~ective view of the platform similar to ~ig. 15, particularly illustrating the case where inclined portions air bag column /are attached to the air bag columns.
Fig. 18 is a side view oE the platform in Fig. 17.
~ ig. 19 is a side view of the pla-tform similar to Fig.
18, particularly illus-trating,the caYe where the platform is jointed to the deck or the like of a ship by means of rop~s whioh are spanned between the air bag columns on the platform and the deck or the like of the ship.
Fig. 20 is a side view of the platform similar to Fig.
19, particularly illustrating how the platform tends to - move toward the side wall of -the shlp.
Fig. 21 is a side view of the platform with a horizon-tally projected additional air bag attached thereto, parti-' ' ............................. ::
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cularly how the additional air bag comes in contact with the side wall of the shipo Fig. 22 is a fragmental plan view of the platform in Fig. 21, par-ticularly illustrating how the additional air bag is attached to the platform.
Fig~ 23 is a schematic plan view of the platform, particularly illustrating the case where the vertical elon-gated chute of the invention is held in the prestressed state by means of a plurality of ropes which are spanned between the main body and the platform.
Fig. 24(a) is a bottom view of a stabilizing water bags attached to the bottom of the platform.
Fig. 28(b) is a cross-sectional view of the stabiliz-ing water bag in Fig. 28(a).
Fig. 25 is a schema-tic side View of the vertical elongated chute of the invention with a plurality of stabi~izing water bags attached to the bottom of the platf-orm.
Flg. 26 is a sche~atic fron-t view of the vertical elongated chute of the invention, particularly how stays extending between the ship and the platform, stabili~ing water bags and sea anchors are employèd for the vertical elongated chute.
~ Flg. 27 is a vertical sectional view of the platform constituting a part of the vertical elonga-ted chute of the .

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invention, particularly illustrating how the platform is constructed by -the combina-tion of upper air bag, floor cloth and lower air bag.
Fig. 28 is a fragrnental ver-tical sectional view of the platEorm in Fig. 27, particularly illu3trating the case where tightening means in the form of rope is employed for the platform.

Fig. 29 is a frai~nental schematic front view of the in Fig. 28 platforr~/jparticularly illustrating how the tightening rope means are used therefor.
Fig. 30 is a vertical ~ectional view of the platform constitu-ting a part of the vertical elongated chute of the invention, particularly -the case where an additional air bag is disposed below the floor cloth for the purpose of stretching the floor cloth more tightly while the peripheral part of -the latter is raised up slightly.
Fig. 31 is a fragmental front view of the vertical elongated chute of the invention, particularly illustrating how the protective curtain is secu~ed to the main body.
Fig. 32 is a fragmental sectional view of the main body, particularly illustrating ln an enlarged scale how the protective curtain i9 secured to the main body.
Fig. 33 is a fragmental side view of the vertical elongated chute of the invention, particularly illustrating the ca~e where the protective curtain is detachably secured . . '': ' . .

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to the main body so as to allow the platform to serve as a lifeboat.
Fig. 34 is a cros~-sec-tional plan view of the vertical elongated chute of the invention, particularly illus-trating how air bag columns stand upright on the platform for the purpose of supporting the protective curtain.
Fig. 35 is a vertical sectional view of the combination of platform and pro-tective curtain in Fig. 34, and Fig. 36 is a side view of the platform, particularly illustrating the case where the platform is used as a life-boat while a part of the entrance portion is opened partiallyO

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREF$RRED EMBODIMENTS
Now, ~he present invention will be described in a greater detail hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several preferred embodiments thereof.
The vertical elongated chute main body 1 of the invention is basically so construcked that a zigzag slip down passage cloth 81 is secured to the base cloth 80 having a high intensity of strength (see Fig. 3) and both the vertically extending ends 82 of the base cloth 80 are jointed to one another (see Eig. 4) to build a tubular structure in the column-shaped configuration, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4.
The conventional zigzag slip down passage cloth 81 is usually made of cloth having less expansibility. However, according to an embodiment of the invention the zigzag slip down passage cloth 81 is constituted by the combination of central cloth having less expansibility and side cloths 84 having excellently high expansibility located by both the sides of the center cloth, as shown in Fig. 5.
As will be readily apparent, the side cloths 84 having high expansibility are caused to expand under the effect of dead weight of a descending person while he descends along the zigzag slip down passage 83. Thus, smooth descending move=ent of the person 1s achieved a1ong the zigzag slip down passage 83 until he reaches the platform 2. After completion of descending movement of a person the expansib1e side cloths 84 resume the initial ~; posltion and thereby the zigzag slip down passage 83 is ready to ;~ receive a next person.

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~ ig. 6 is a plan view of a zigzag slip down passage body 8 constituting the vertical elongated chute in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention. As is apparent from the drawing, the slip down passage 83 of the slip down passage body 8 includes a zigzay slip down passage cloth 81 which is provided with a plurality of bent parts 831 located in equally spaced relation along the 51ip down passage 83 and the embodiment of the invention consists in that each of the bent parts 831 including the area located in the proximity of the same is made of expansible cloth 84.
In the case of the conventional vertical elongated chute it is required that a descending person bends or twists his body when his foot portion abuts against the bent part 831 during descending movement of the person, because the material constituting each of the bent parts 831 has less expansibility.
On the contrary, since the chute of the invention is so constructed that the expansible ~loth 8~ expands under the effect of dead weight of the descending person when his trunk portion is lnhibitively engaged to the bent part 831. Thus, he can easily move over all the expanded bent parts 84 until he ' ' ~' .:

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reaches the platform 2 saEely.
As mentioned above, it is essen~ial for the invention that each of the expansible cloth~ 84 has a perperly deter-mined expansibility~ It is pre~erable that the slip down passage cloth 81 ha~ expansibility in the range of 30 to 60 % as seen.in th~ longitudlnal direction and in the range of 15 to 30 7~ as seen in the peripheral direc~ion and breaking strength in excess of 140 ~, whereas it is preferable t,hat all the expansible coiths 84 ha~e expansibility in the range of 200 -to 250 % as ~een in the longitudin~l direction as well a~ in the peripheral direction and brealcing strength in excess of 260 %. It should be no-ted that when exnansibility ,is in excess o~ 250 %, the slip down passage 83 expands excessively and thereby a person is caused to descend at an excessively high speed, resulting in a ~ear of cau~ing him to be injured~ wherea~ when expan~ibility is lower than 200 ~ all the expan~ible olo-th~ 84 fail to function corre-ctly which means that securing o~ them to the zigzag slip down pa~sage 83 becomes meaningless.
~ urther, it i~ preferable that restorability of the expansible cloths 84 is less than 3 ~. T~i~ is because when it is in excess of 3 ~, they tend to be kept in the expanded state a~ter a person 9 descends past them and thi~ leads to enlargement of -the zigzag slip down passage 83, resulting in descending speed of the person 9 becoming 12662~1 excessively high.
Further, according to the invention at least a part of the zigzag slip down passage 83 is constituted by a cloth 85 having electric conductivity, as shown in Fig. 7.
In order to assure that static electricity is inhibited from an occurrenGe of accumula~ion on the body of a descending person 9, it is necessary that the electric conductive cloth 85 ; has a proper value of resistance suitable for colona discharging.
In view of the necessity as mentioned above an electric conductive cloth 85 having resistance value in the range of 1o2 to 105 ohms should be used. Static electricity accumulated on the body of a descendiny person 9 is discharged from the electric conductive cloth 85 by way of colona discharging without any possibility of further accumulation of static electricity.
It should of course be understood that the present invention should not be limited only to the electric conductive cloth 85 as shown in the drawing. Electric conductive cloth 85 with electric conductive fiber such as metallic ~iber, carbon ~iber or the like woven there into or electric conductive cloth with a layer of electric conductive paint coated thereon is preferably used as electric conductive cloth 85.
~ Since the zigæag slip down passage 83 is constituted by - ~ the combination of slip down passage cloth 81, expansible :':
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cloth 84 and elec-tric conductive cloth 85, they are required -to have a certain inten~ity of ~trength. I~ur-ther, it ls necessary that streng-th is so determined that they are not broken or injured by a descending person~having a heavy weight. '~his means that they are requlred to have suffioient strength higher than a practical level of strength. For the reason it i8 preferable that strength of the ~lip down passage cloth 81, the expansible clo-th 84 and the electric conductive cloth 85 i9 detarmined equal to 400 g/m2 (~nl the ca~e where N0. 22 thread is used) or higher than 400 g/m2-Further, it is preferable that -the above-mentioned colths have a ten~ile ~trength of 50 Kg/cm or higher -than 50 Kg/cm a~ well a~ a tearing strength of 17 ~g/cm or higher than 17 Kg/cm.
Moreover, the slip down passage cloth 81 and the elect-ric conductive cloth 85 are required to have a properly determined expansibility. Specifically, it is preferable that they have expansibility in the range o~ 30 to 60~a9 seen in the longitudinal direction a~ well as in the range ' ~ of 15 to 30 ~0 as ~een in the peripheral direction, whereas they have breaking ~trength more than 140 ~.
Since the vertical elongated chute o~ the invention i~
u~ed only in the event of an occurrence of emergency, unexp-ected trouble or the like relative to a ~hip, it is normallg held in a suitable case or the like mean~. Accordingly, the . . _ . ~

expan~ible cloth 84, the electric conductive clo-th 85 and the zigzag ~lip down passage cloth 81 are required to have proper weather proofnee~ and moreover it is preferable that they have excellent wearing resis-t~.nce in order to assure -that many persons are led,to the platform 2 safely.
~ ith respect to wearing resi~tance of the zigzag ~lip down pa~sage cloth 81 and the electric conductive clo-th they should be s~ill usable after wearing resistance te~ts are repeatedly oarried out by more than 1000 times. If it is found that the zigzag slip down passage clo~ 81, the expansible cloth 84 and the electrio conductive dloth 85 fail to exhibit usability af-ter wes,ring'resistance tests are repea-tedly carried out by less than 1000 times, there is a fear o-E causing their breakage during de~cending movement of many per~ons. Especially, with re~pect to the electric conductive cloth 85 it is found that i-t fails to exhibit electric conductivity as i-t wears increasingly and this leads to reduced effective function of preventing an occurrence of accwnulation of ~-ta-tic electrici~y.
Due to the fact that the zigzag slip do~m passage 83 is constituted by the combination o~ expansible cloth 84 and electric conductive cloth 85 it i~ necessary that they are fastened to the zigzag slip do~m passage cloth 81 and the slip down passage body 80. To assure proper peeling strength in viev~ of reliable fa~tening it is preferable that they ` ~2~ 4~
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cloth are made of/material. which can be fa~tened.bogether by sewing operation. This i~ because that adhasive applied to the area of oloth fastened to other one tends to become deteriora$ed while it i~ used for B long period of titne, when fastening i~.achie~ed with the u~e of adhesive.
Further~ it i~ preferable that cloth material used for the vertical elongated chute of the invention i~ difficult to be burnt t becau~e consideration should be taken on the ca8 e where unexpectediifiring bakes plaoe in a ship. ~
An inclinsd ~lip way 3 iB jointed to the lower end of the main body l o~ the vertical elongabedi.:chute of the invenbion.
As is well.known, a disbanoe as measured between the plane of a deck and the sea surface varie~ in dependence on a volume of cargo carrled in the ship or under the influence of wave~ ru~hed on the side wall of the ship. When a di~bance between the deck and -the sea surface 'N i8 suffici- .
ently long, the inclined slip way 3 is caused to fully expand to a givan dimensio~ whereby an ideal inclination iB
obtainable. However, in the ca~e where a distance between bhe cQse 4 for acoolnodating the vertical exbended chute therein ~nd the sea surface W' is shor~9 the inclined slip : way 3 becomes loosened and thereby it.fails to function properly. As a result, a person 9 who enters the inclined ~lip way 3 after completion of descending through the main ' " ' '''" '` ' ' 1~6~4~

body 1 of the vertical elongated chute is caused to reach the platform 2 as lf he falls down thereon.
The conventional vertical elongated platform is constructed such that the first person 9 who has stood on the platform 2 carries out adjustmen~ of the effective length of the inclined slip way 3 (see U.S. Patent No. 3,994,366).
On the other hand, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the lnclined slip way 3 jointed to the lower end of the main body 1 of the vertical elongated chute of the invention comprises a long inclined 51ip way body 30 with ropes 31 involved in bot-h the longitudinally extending ends thereof of which one part is constructed in the tubular structure 32 by allowing bo~h the ends of the body 30 to be jointed to one another by means of rope and of which large part assumes the U-shaped cross-sectional configuration to build a landing section 33 of which upper side is opened to the outside. As is best seen from Fig~ 9, the foremost ends of the ropes 31 at the landing section 33 are firmly connected to the fixing accessories 34 on the platform 2. On the other hand, the uppermost end of the tubular section 32 is jointed to the lower end of the main body 1 of the vertical elongated chute (see Figs. 1 and 10).
As shown in Figs. 9 to 11, adjustment ropes 38 are attached to both the side walls of the inclined slip way 3. The upper ends of the adjustment ropes 38 are fixedly secured to the lower end of the main body 1 of the vertical elongated chute as well as to both the side walls of the tubular section 32 of the inclined slip way 3 in order to inhibit the latter from moving .. " ~ ;' . .~:

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relative to the main body 1 of the chute. The adjustment ropes 38 extend further to the landing section 33 but they are not fixedly secured thereto. They are inserted through ring-shaped members 39 so that they are movable relative to the inclined slip way body 30 (see Fig. 10). A rubber rope 310 is spirally wound about each of the longitudinally extending ends of the landing section 33 whereby the fore end of the landing section 33 located adjacent to the platform 2 i8 forcibly pulled toward the tubular section 32.
Thus, the inclined slip way body 30 is movable along the two adjustment ropes 38. Slnce ~he fore end of the inclined slip way body 30 is fixedly jointed to the platform 2 by means o~ the fixing accessories 34 and moreover it is pulled toward the tubular section 32 under the effect of elastia ~orce of the rubber ropes 310, the landing section 33 is deformed to the bellows-shaped configuration as the adjustment ropes 38 are caused to contract with the aid of the wlnding means 310'.
As mentioned above, the foremost end of each of the adjustment ropes 38 is connected to the winding means 310', which is adapted to normally pull the adjustment ropes 38 toward the platform 2 whereby the adjustment ropes 38 are normally tensioned in the direction as identified by an arrow mark in Fig. 9. It should be noted that an excessive length of the adjuskment ropes 38 is wound by means of the winding means 310'. Owing to the arrangement made in that way the inclined slip way 3 is held in the ~tressed state without any loosening recognized.
Since the inclined slip way 3 is aonstruc~ed in the above-described manner, the adjustment ropes 38 are elongated .~ . . . -.'" ~ ' ~266~41 against tensile force of the winding means 310' due tc the fact that the platform 2 has a weight sufficiently larger than the wor~ing force of the winding means 310', when a height as measured from the position where the vertical elongated chute is accommodated on a ship down to the sea surface varies, for lnstance, when it increases. Thus, the landing section 33 which has been deformed in the bellows-shaped configuration is caused to move along the adjustment ropes 38 in such a direction that the latter expand.
On the other hand, when the aforesaid height decreases, the winding means 310' is operated so as to wind the adjustment ropes 38 whereby the working length of the winding means 310' is shortened. This causes the expanded landing section 33 to move along the adjustment ropes 38 in such a direction that the latter contract. Thus, they are de$ormed in the bellows-shaped configuration without any occurrence of loosening of the inclined slip way 3.
The winding means 310' are so constructed such that elongation of the ropes 38 is prevented when the ropes 38 are suddenly tensloned. When the person 9 is slipped down on the slip way 3, the ropes 38 are suddenly tensioned and the elongation thereo~ is prevented by the winding means 310'. Accordingly, he is able to smoothly slip down.

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According to other embodiment of the invention no bra}~
means i5 used for the inclined 91ip way 3. As shov~n in l3 Fig. ~which is a cro~s-sectional view of the landing sect-ion 33 of the inclined slip way 3~ a layer of long protective cloth 311 i~ placed -over the inclinea sllp way body 30 which is con~tituted by long cloth material and a plurali-ty oE shock absorbing member~ 312 are interposed therebetween in the equally spaced relation. ~
t Further, as i6 ap~arent from Fig. ~ which i~ an enlar-ged sectional ~ide view of the landing section 33, the shock 312absorbing member~ are embedded not on].y in the longitud-inal direction but also in the transverse direction in the equally spaced relation. In this embodiment it i9 neCegsary that the inclined slip way 3 is foldable. ~or the reason -bhe shock absor~ing members 312 are embedded in that way in order that Eolding i6 eff~cted in both the longitudinal and tran~verse direcbions.
~ ince the 6hock ab~orbing members 312 em~loyed for the embodimenb are intended to damp shoc~ caused by descending novement of a person 9, they are preferably distributed in the area over the bottom 313 of the landing 6ection 33 having the U-shaped cross-sectional configuration. I~owever, ln ~iew of the faot that a person 9 does not alway~ reach the area located in the vicinity of the bottom 313 of the landing oection 33 it i~ preferable that the ~hock sbsorbing members ~l2 ..~ . .

are distributed over the area extending from the hottom to both the side parts.
It is preferable that each of the shock absorbing members 312 has excellently high elasticity and moreover in view of the fact that the vertical elongated chute is accommodated in the case 4 for a long perlod of time it is preferable that they are made of ma~erial having excellent weather proofness. For instance, foamed polyurethane, foamed polyvinylchloride or the like foamed material are typically employed as material for the shock absorbing members 312.
When no winding means 310' is used, the first person 9 should undertake adjustment of the length of the inclined slip way ; 3 in the above-mentioned manner immediately after he stands on the platform 2.
Obviously, it is possible to use the shock absorbing members 312 in combination with the winding means 310'. In this case the shock absorbing members 312 function effectively even when the winding means 310' fails to operate properly.
A person 9 who has descended through the inclined slip way 3 reaches the platform 2 safely and stands thereon.
As will be readily apparent from Figs. 1, 14 and 15, the plat~orm 2 includes an air bag 5 adapted to generate buoyancy of the platform 2. The air bag 5 as shown in Figs. 1, 14 and 15 comprises an upper air bag 50 and a lower air bag 51 and a floor cloth 20 is positioned between both the upper and lower air bags 50 and 51 as if it is clamped ~herebetween. Thus, a person 9 stands on the floor cloth 20 of the platform 2 after he completes : 23 . ~ ,.. ... . ..
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''', ~26624i des~ending movement through the main body 1 and the inclined 51ip way 3.
As shown by real lines in Fig. 5, the platform 2 tends to move toward the side wall of a ship S' until it enters into the space as defined by the bottom of the ship S' or into the space located below the projected part of a wave extinguishing device, when the side wall of the ship S'is inclined at a steep inclination angle in the area extending from the side to the bottom of the ship or the ship S' is equipped with the wave extinguishing device on the side wall thereof. In the above-mentioned case it becomes impossible that the inclined slip way 3 has a gentle slope, resulting in it failing to runction properly.
In view of the foregoing problem there is proposed accordlng to an embodlment of the lnventlon an arrangement of an air bag column on the platform of the vertlcal elongated chute.
Speciflcally, as shown ln Flgs. 15 and 16, a column-shaped alr bag as generally represented by reference numeral 11 stands upright on the air bag 5 of the vertical elongated chute.
the alr bag column 11 lncludes a lower transversely extending alr bag 110 whlch is pneumatically communicated wlth the air bag 5 of the platform 2 and moreover lt lncludes a plurality of vertically extending air bags 111 which stand uprlght from the transver~e alr bag 110. The vertical air bags 111 are pneumatlcally communlcated with an upper transversely extending air bag 112 at the uppermost end thereof. Both the upper and lower transverse air bags 112 and 110 are intended to inhibit transveræe movement of the vertical air bags lll and exhibit a high intensity of resis~ance against ~ :

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force which is active for inclining the vertical air bags 111 in the direction oxiented toward the side wall of the ship S or in the direction oriented away from the same while they are connected to one another by way of both the upper and lower transverse air bags 112 and 110.
The upper transverse air bag 112 has rope 12 bound thereabout and the other ends of ~he ropes 12 are jointed to, for instance, the case 4 for accommodating the vertical elongated chute or the main body 1 in Fig. I. Obviously, the ropes 12 assist in allowing the air bag column 11 to normally stand upright.
Fig. 17 ls a perspective view of a vertical elongated chute in accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention and Fig. 18 is a side view of the vertical elongated chute in Fig.
17. As is apparent from the drawings, the air bag column 11 stands upright directly from the air bag 5 on the slde located adjacent to the side wall of a ship. As shown in Fig. 17, the air bag column 11 includes ..

~2~
.. . , . ;, . . .
t.

-- .
three vertical air bags 111 and an upper transverse air bag 112 which is pneuma-tically communicated with the vertical air columns 111 at the uppermost end thereof.
ln this embodiment a part of the upper air bag 50 i5 inclined unwardly to build an inclined portion 52 on both the sides of the pla-tform 2. Each of the inclined portion 52 is pneumatically communicated directly with one o~ the vertical air bags 111 located on the ou-ter side (see Fig.

When the vertical elongated chute of the invention is taken out of the case 4 on the deck o~ a ship S and it is then thrown do~n on -th~ surface of sea~ the main body 1 is caused to extend vertically along the side wall of the ship ~ and the air bag 5 of the platform 2 is automatically filled with pressurized gas so -that it expands to assume the boat-shQped configuration. In the case of -the pla-tform Z
a~ illustrated in Figs. ~ and ~ the air bags 110, 111 and 112 are filled with pre~surized ga~, becau3e the air bag 5 is pneulnabically communicQbed with the vertical air bags 111 and the upner transverse air bag 112 via the lower transver~e air bag 110. ~wing to the arrangement made in that way the ~ir bQg column 11 i8 allowed to stand upright at the posibion located in the proximity of the side wall of the ship~ as the air bag 5 expands (see Fig. ~).
In the casa of the platform 2 as illustrated in ~igs.

~lZ66~41 18 and 19 the vertical air bags 111 are pneumatically communicated with the lower air bag 51 and moreover the upper air bag 50 including ~he inclined portions 52 is pneumatically communicated directly with the vertical air bags 111. Thus, the vertical air bag column 11 i5 allowed to stand upright as the air bag 5 expands.
The vertical elongated chute of the invention with the platform 2 attached thereto functions properly without any trouble accompanied as long as the platfoxm 2 assumes the predetermined position relative to the main body 1 as shown in Figs. 1, 18 and 19. ~lowever, in the case where the ship S is provided with a wave extinguishiny projection 13 at the bottom area thereof as shown in Fig. 20 or in the case where the bottom part of the ship S is inclined lnwardly at a steep inclination angle as shown in Fig. 5 there is a tendency that the platform 2 moves toward the side wall of the ship S. Then, the platform 2 enters into the area located below the wave extinguishiny projection 13 or the bottom part of the ship S. Once the undesirable situation has been reached, the air bag column 11 on the platform 2 is caused to bend at the position A where it abuts against the wave extinguishing projection 13 or the side wall of the ship S whereby reactivç
force as identified by an arrow mark in Fig. 20 is generated by the air bag column 11, because the lakter stands upright on the air bag 5 of the platform 2 which is connected to the case 4 by way of the ropes 12. The platform 2 is then displaced in the direction away from the side wall of the ship S under the effect of thus generated reactlve force. As a result~ the platform 2 is ~i6~4~

27g31-3 taken out of the area located below the hottom part of the ship S
or the wave extinguishing projection 13 and thereby it assumes the predetermined position located below the main body 1 of the chute.
Thus, any person 9 can remove from the incllned slip way 3 onto ~he platform 2 safely at all times, because the inclined slip way

3 by way of which the main body 1 of the chute is connested to the platform has reached such a state that it has a gentle inclination angle.
In the case of the platform as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, two ropes 12 are engaged to the air bag column 11 in order to assure that the latter is difficult to be bent in the direction away from the side wall of the ship S when i~ abuts against the latter, whereas in the case of the platform 2 as shown in Figs. 17 and 18 there is no necessity for the ropes 12 in the foregoing embodiment because the upper atr bag 50 includes inclined portions 52 so as to inhibit the air bag column 11 from being bent while they are pneumatically communicated with the air bag column 11.
Since the air bag column 11 is adapted to function in such a manner as to displace the plat~orm 2 in the direction away from the side wall of the ship when it abuts against , :
"

;

~2~6~4~
., .. . ; ., - .

the latter as described above, it i8 obvious that what i5 ~, ,;, wi-th respect to required / the alr bag column 11 i~ merely that it 6tands uprighb above the air bag 5 of the platform 2 at the position located onposite to the side wall of the ship~.
In the foregoing embodiment the air bag column 11 on the platform Z is constituted by the combination of three vertical air bags 111 and upper transverse air bag 112 by pneumatically way of which the vertical air bag~ 111 are/communicated with " ' ., .
one another9 whereab in the previously described embodiment it iB constituted by the combination of three vertical air bags 111, upper tran~verse air bag 112 and lower transverse air bag 110 by way of which the ver-tical air bags 111 are pneumatically communioated wi-th one another. ~{owever, it should of cource be under~tood thab the present invention should not be limited only to these embodiments. As ~en~ioned above, the air bag column 11 is intended to displace the platform 2.in -the direction away from the side wall of the ehip~when it abuts against the latter and therefore all that i~ required with respect to the air bag column 11 is merely that it stand~ upright above the air ~' 1 bag 5 at the posibion located opposite to the side wall o~
the shlpA. ~or -the reason the air bag column 11 may be constibuted by a single vertical air bag 111 in an extreme "
case. Alternativsly, it may be constituted by more than 3 vertical air bags.lll.
~`\ .
~9 ~;6~

Fur~her, in order to prevent the platform 2 from moving toward the side wall of the ship S it is possible thak it is provided with an additional air bag 14 on the air bag 5 in place of the air bag column 11 or together with the same.
As shown in Figs. 21 and 22, the additional air bag 14 which is intended to maintain the platform 2 in the properly spaced relation away from the side wall of a æhip comprises two projected air bag columns 141 horizontally extending from the air bag 5 of the platform 2 in parallel with one another with a certain distance kept therebetween and a transverse air bay column 142 adapted to come in contact with the side wall of the ship S.
The projected air bag columns 141 are pneumatically communicated with one another by way of the transverse air bag column 142. The additional air bag 14 is caused to expand by filling either of the projected air bag columns 141 and the transverse air bag column 142 with pressurized air.
A flexible hose 143 is jointed to one of the projected air bag columns 141. As shown in Fig. 21, the flexible hose 143 is extended to a bomb 144 mounted on the one side of the platform 2 so that pressurized gas is fed from the bomb 144 by way of it.
Both the air bag columns 141 and 142 are covered with an upper cloth 145 and a lower cloth 146 whereby an area as defined among the air bag columns 141 ànd 142 is not exposed to the outside.
The one side of the transverse air bag columns 142 located opposite to the side wall of the ship S is adhesively fitted with a layer of elastic foamed material 148 mad~ of foamed - -:

" , , . . ~ , , ,,. :

: : . ,.,,. ~, :

4~

polyurethane, polyvinylchloride or ~he like for the purpose of damping shock caused in the event of an occurrence of collision of the platform 2 against the side wall of the ship S and preventing the projected air bag columns 142 from being damaged or injured due to friction or the like of them.
Obviously, there is no necessity for expanding the additional air bag 14, as long as the platform 2 assumes the properly determined position relative to the main body 1 of the vertlcal elongated chute. However, in the case where the bottom part of a ship S is inclined downwardly at a s~eep inclination angle as shown in Fig. 18 and therefore the platform 2 tends to move away from the proper position toward the side wall of the ship S, the additional air bag 14 is expanded by feeding pressurized air from the bomb 144 by way of the flexible hose 143 so as to allow the platform 2 to resume the original predetermined position. As is apparent from Fig. 22, one of the projected air bag columns 141 ls first supplied with pressurized air. Since the two pro~ected alr bay columns 142 are pneumatically communicated with the transverse air bag column 142, the air bag columns 141 are caused to horizontally project from the platform toward the side wall of the ship S at a right angle relative to the platform 2 in the parallel relation, whereas the transverse air bag column 142 is expanded between both the pro~ected air bag columns 141 at a righk angle relat~ve to the latter. As a result, the transverse air bag column 142 come~ in contact with the side wall of the ship with the layer of elastic foamecl material 147 in~erposed therebetween whereby the platform 2 is inhibited from moving 3~

., :

, ~266~

toward the side wall of khe ship S.
Alternatively, a plurality of elastic ropes 15 may be extended along the inside of the protective curtain 6 on the side of the platform 2 located opposite to the side wall of a ship S as shown in Fig. 23, in order to inhibit the vertical elongated chute of the invention from moving toward the side wall of the ship.
The one end of the elastic ropes 15 are jointed to the main body 1 of the chute, whereas the other ends of the same are secured to the air bag 5 of the platform 2 on the side of the latter located opposite to the side wall of the ship S. In the case of the platform 2 as shown in Fig. 23, two elastic ropes 15 are spanned between the main body 1 of the chute and the platform 2 and the one end of the elastic ropes 15 are jointed ~o the corners of the main body 1 of the chute having the square ~ross-sectional configuration on the side located opposite to the side wall of the ship S.
In view of the fact that the vertical elongated chute ~66;~4~L
., ` . . .. .. .

of the invention i~ usually accomodated in the case 4 on the deck for a long period of time a~ safe providion againt an occurrence of emergency it is preferabLe that -the elastic rope~ 15 has excellently high weather proofne~ and foldabi-li-ty. Basically, the elastic ropes 15 should not be limited to speci~ic shape and manner of extension. Linear or coiled rubber rope, combination of fibrous rope to rubber rope or the like may be employed for the inventionO
~ , In the case wher~?the bottom par~ of a ~hip~is inolined downwardly at steep inclina~ion angle and therefore the platform 2 tends to move boward the side wall of bhe ship~
a part of the elastic ropes 15 spanned between the main body 1 of the chu-te and the air bag 5 of the platform 2 come~ in contact with the ship~and it i6 then bent in the same manner as illustrated in Fig. ~ wi-th respect to the air bag colu-mn 11 whereby the platform 2 resumes the original predeter-mined posibion under bhe effecb of ela~-ticity of bhe elas-tic ropes 15. The el~stio ropes 15 may be used in the presence of the additional air bag 14 as described above.
In the case of the above-de~cribed platf`orm 2 two ela~ic rope~ 15 are spanned between the platform 2 and the main body 1 of the chute. Obviou~ly, the number of alastio rope3 15 should not be limited only to two. Alternatively, a ~ingle or more -than two elastic ropes may be employed for the invention.

~ .
~ 3~ --- ~L2~

~. . ' . . ~ ., As mentioned above, -the platform 2 should be preferably inhibited from moving toward the side wall of a ship~. In addition to this it is preferable that it is inhibited from moving in the transverse direction rela-tive to the side wall of tha ship~às well as from moving up and down.

~ .
I~ order to inhibit movement of the platform 2 in the vertical direction a stabilizing water bags 16 are fixedly secured to the bottom surface thereof in accordance with . ' . l i ~
another modified embodimen~ o~ the invention. ~illing of ~ ' the stabilizingkbags 16 with water leads to increased weight of the whole platform 2, resulting in movement of the platform 2 in the vertical direction--being inhibited successfully.
In this embodiment each of the stabilizing water bags 16 is ~ormed with a plurality of water intake portions 160 on the bottom thereof, a8 shown in Fig. ~(a). As i9 apparent -from the drawing, the water intake portion 160 t erethrough includes a water intake port 161 which extends~to be opened to the interior of the stabilizing water bag 1~ and a check valve 162 whereby water is introduced into the stabilizing water bag 16 by opening the check valve 162. To assure that the water intaks port 161 is normally clo~ed with the check valre/ a heavy plate 163 made of metallic material such as steel plate or the like is embedded in the check valve 162. Thus~vhile no water is introduced into the ~y bag 16, the water intake port 161 i~ main-tained in the closed state under the effect of dead weight of the check valve 162. Since the check valve 162 i9 adap-ted to open toward the interior of the stabilizing water bag 16, water which has been introduced in-to the latter can not 162 is normally be discharged therefrom because the check valve / held in the closed state~ This means that when any load i~ exerted on the check valve 162 so as to allow water in the stabliz-ing bag 16 to be disc~argea from the ~atter, the check valve` dead 162 i~ caused to close under the influence of/weight of the check valve 162 and water pressure.
As is well known, the conventional stabilizing water bag is secured to the bottom of a boat or the like for the purpose of assuring improved stability but it is not provi-ded with any check valve. Thus9 when the s-tabilizing water bags are raised up above the water surface due to rolling or pitching of the boat, water in the stabilizing water bags is discharged from the latter, causing the boat to move forward further safely. However, in the case of the verti-cal elongated chute of the invention consideration isa~ter he concentrated on safety for a person / removes from a ship~
onto the platform2but not on movability of the latter. For reason the check valves 162 are arranged in the above-described manner in order to assure improved stability.
In the illustrated embodiment the platform 2 is .
.

. .

equipped with three stabilizing bags 16 on the bottom of the platform 2 on the side located opposite to the side wall of the ship ~ as well as three ones on the side located remote ~rom the same, that is, six stabilizing water bags 16 in total so that movement of the platform 2 in the vertical direction is minimized (see Figs. 25 and 26).
In order to inhibit the platform 2 ~rom moving in the transverse direction relative to the side wall of the ship S, that is, in the direction in parallel with the latter, the platform 2 is held immovable relative to the ship S by means of stays 17. As shown in Fig. 26, the stays 17 are diagonally extended bet~een the deck of the ship ~ and the corners of the platform 2 on the side located remote from the side wall of the ship S. The upper ends of the stays 17 are jointed to a winch 18 whereby they are forcibly s~retched by actuating the winch 18. Owiny to the arrangement of the stays 18 in that way movement of the platform 2 in the transverse direction (in the direction in parallel with the side wall of the ship) is minimized.
Further, in order to inhibit the platform 2 from moving in the transverse direction in the more reliable manner, the platform 2 is provided with sea anchors 19. Thus movement of the platform 2 in the transverse direction can be reliably inhibited in cooperation of the sea anchors 19 with the stays 18. As is apparent from the dra~ing, the sea anchors 19 are .

~.

q;Z ~i6;~4 r ~ . ;- ~

deeigned in the form of bucket. It will be readily unders-tood that traneveree movement of the platform 2 ie poeitiv-ely inhibited wi-th the aid of the sea anchor~ 19 in which water i~ fully fllled.
TThe platform 2 serve~ not only ae place where a pereon 9 ~Yho leave~ -the ~hip~s-tands on ~afely but also a~ bace from ~hich he remove~ onto a lifeboat (not ehown) flo~,ting on the 3ea at the poYition ad~acent to the platform 2~ ~ccordlngly, it i~ neceYsary that ~he platform 2 i~`~o de~i~ned that any person 9 ~tands on there safely after completion of descending movement through the main body 1 and the inclined elip way 3 and then he remove in-to the lifeboat without any particu-lar difficulty.
';~hen the platform 2 having the bQ~ic ~truoture with the floor cloth 20 held between both the upper and lower bags 50 and 51 i~ loaded with the dead weight of a per~on 9 who reaches the platform 2, a loosened par-t 200 is formed in the area on the floor cloth 21~ where the dead ~ ~CSee~;~
weight of the per~on~i~ loade~~ Thl~ tendency ie remarlcably recogni~able when load i9 exer-ted on -the central part of the floor cloth 20.
Once the loosened part 200 is formed in the above-mentioned manner, it become~ difficult that the person 9 stand~ and walke on the platform 2 to remove onto the life-boat or the like means quickly and ~afely.

~ ~7 - ` -According to another embodiment as illus-tru~ed in Fi~.
- ~ the upper air bag 50 is provided with B plurality of rope engagement loop6 500 which are distrlbuted over the wh¢le inner periphery thereo~ in the e~ually spaced relation ~o -that ropes are ex-tended through the loops 500. The latter are attached to B band-shaped base cloth 501 by sewi.ng oper-ation or the like, wherein the band-shaped base cloth 501 i~ adhesively ~ecuredito -the whole inner periphery of the .' ! -, -. ` . ~, .
upper air bag 500.
On the other hand, the floor clo-th 20 is provided with a supporting cloth 201 ~round the peripheral part théreof which include~ a ~rojection 202 having an ln~erted ~-shaped cross-sectional configurstion and a plurality of floor cloth tightening loops 203 are attached to t,he projection 202 in the equally spaced relation by sewing operation or the like.
In the illu~trated embodiment the rope engagement loops 500 and the floor cloth~tightening loopY 203 are located opposite to one another but the present invention ~hould not be bascically limited only to the position where they are dispo~ed in the above-de~cribed manner.
When ropes 21 are extended through the rope engagement loops 500 and the floor cloth~tightening loops 203 and they are then tightened by force, the ~loor cloth 20 is ~ulled upwardly toward the upper air bag 50 whereby it is stretched in the area as defined by the lower side of the upper sir under the effect of a proper intensi-ty of tightening force.
The present invention should not be ba6ically limited only to the method of. tightening the rope~ 21 in the above-men-tioned manner. For instance, tightening may be effected as ~chematically illu~trat~d in Fig. . Specifically, ~he extreme end~ of two ropes 210 and 211 are bound to one another at the position a~ identified by reference numeral 2~2. First, the one rope 210 i~ inserted through the rope engagement.loop 500 fro~..the left ~ide.A to the right side B
and it i~ then in~erted through the floor cloth ti~h-tening loop 203 from the left side ~ to the right side D as seen in the drQwing. Further, it is inserted through the ro~e enga-gernent loop 500 ~paced away from -the firet-mentioned one from he left side A' -to the right ~ide B' and it i~ then inser-cloth ted through the floor/tightening loo~ 203 from the left ~ide C' to the right side D' as seen in -the dra~7ing. I-t i9 uccessively inserted -through the ro~e engagement loop~ 500 cloth as well as the floor/tightening loops 203 located opposite to the former in the vertically aligned rela-tion ln the above-described manner (as ~hown by a real line in ~'ig. ~).
~ n the other hand, the other rope 211 is first inserted t~lrough the floor cloth tightening loop 203 fro~n the left side C to the right ~ide D and it is then inserted through the rope engagement loop 500 from the lef-t side A to the right ~ide ~. Further, it is inserted through the 3~

~2~6~4~L .
,. . . .
.. __ ! !. , ~, `
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floor tightening loop 203 s~aced away from the first-mentioned one from the left ~ide C' to the right ~ide D' and it iB
then inser~ed through the rope engagement loop 500 located opposite to the formed in the vertically aligned re.Lation from the left ~ide A' to the righ-t side B' a~ ~een in the drawingO It i~ suocessively ~nserted through both the loops 203 and 500 in the above-de~cribed manner (as ~hown by a two-dot chain line in Fig. ~-). A8 a re~ult the re~uired tightening can be ach~eved.~
A~ is apparent from Fig~. 15 and 16, the rope~ 210 and 211 are extended in the 8-~haped pat-tern while they are successively lnserted through the loop~ 500 and 203. Fi.nally,the other extreme ends of the rope~ 210 and 211 are bound -to one another by force whereby bhe floor cloth 20 is pulled toward the upper aid bag 50 until -the firmly tightened state i9 obtained.
Since the tightened ~tate i~ as~ured for the floor cloth 20 in tha-t way, there i~ no fear of causing undesir-able loosening of the floor clo-th 20 and ~hereby a person 9 can remove from the platform 2 onto a.life boat or the like means quickly and ~afely~
According to a modified embodiment as illustrated in 3a -Fig~ ~ a tightening air bag 22 is provided around the whole lower periphery of the floor cloth 20. Namely, the tightening air bag 22 ie firmly held -together with -the floor ~ .

~2662~.
. . i . ., ~ .
. . .
~ t cloth 20 between the upper air bag 50 and the lower air bag 51 in ~uch a manner that it is pneumatically communicated with the upper air bag 50 and/or the lower air bag 51.
~herefore; it ~tarts its expansion when the upper air bag 50 and/or the lower air bag 51 start their expansion. ~8 the tightening air bag 22 exI~ands increasingly, interference takes place between it and the upper part of the lower air bag 51 whereby the floor cloth 20 i~ raised up around the whole periphery thereo~
In the above-described embodiment arrangement i~ made such that the tightening air ba~ 22 i~ pneumatically commu-nicated with the upper air bag~and/or the lower air bag 51.
~iowever, the pre~en-t invention ~hould not be llmited only to this. ~lternatively~ the tightening air bag 22 may be provided with a ~pecifio bomb (not shown) which ls manually opened to expand the tightening air bag 22 for the purpo~e of strebching the floor oloth 20,as required.
As described above, the foregoing embodimen-t consists in that a tightening alr ba~ 22 i9 firmly held together with the floor cloth 20 between both the upper and lower air bags 50 and 51 in order to raise up the floor eloth 20 around the whole periphery thereof under the effect of expansion of the tightening air bag 22 while the latter interfer~ wlth the upper part of the lower air bag 51.
Elowever, the present inven-tion should not be limited only ;

~1 _ ~ _ ~x~

to the arrangelnen-t made in that way. Any arrangemen~ may be employed for the platform, provided that it i~ so made -that the floor clo-th 20 i9 rai9ed u~ from ~he bot~om 9ide thereof with the aid of a tightening air bag.
~ A~ will be readily apparent~ the vertical elongated chute of the invention usually become~ useless after completion of the intended utilization but the platform is ~ (the ma_n b_d~ and the inc.lined_ 91ip Vlay require;d.tO be in uqe,a9~ eboat,after ~ he vertical elong-ated chute are.~used.as~intended~ ~
To meet the requirement as mentioned above the protec-tlve curtain 6 is removably secured to the main body of the chute. Specifically~ a~ shown in Fig. 31, the junction area between the main body 1 of the chute and the protect-ive curtain 6 are formed with a plurality of holes 10.
After the holes 10 at the lower end of the main body 1 of the chute are located in alignment with those at the upper end of the protective cur~ain 6 (see Fig. 32), a rope 101 is inserted through each of the hole~ 10 in such a manner that a loop 102 is formed in~ide the pro-tective curtain 6 and the main bodg 1 and another rope 103 is ex-tended through all the loop3 102. Both the end~ of the rope 103 are not connected to one another to ~orm a cloged loop a3 i8 usuall~
seen wi~h the conventlonal rope but thQy are in3erted through only one of the holes 10 to hang down along the outer surface of ~he protective curtain 6 (see ~ig. 33) ~o that any per~on - 42 - . .

, .~
,.

~6~iX4~

.. . . .,, :- . ` . i:

. .
can pull them downwardly without any particular difficulty.
Fig. 34 is a plan ~iew of a vertical elongated chute in accordance wi-th another embodiment of bhe in~ention and Fig. 35 is a vertical sectional view of the vertical elongated chute taken in line A - A in Fig. 34. As is apparent from the drawings, a plurality of air bag columns 53 stand upright from'the air bag 5 of the platform 2.
Specifically, the ,a~r;,bag oolumns 53r comprise column bodies 530 standing upright from th~ air bag 5 of the pla-tform 2 and horizontally extending beams 531 by way of which the are pneumatically communicated wi~h one another adjacent the column bodies 530/. A~ will be best seen in Fig. 34, the air bag column~ 53 include.-two longitudinally extending beams and -two transver~ely exbending beam3 in the.recba~gular co~iguration to e~tabli~h pneumatical communication among the four air bag columns.
Yel~et bype fasteners 532 are adhesively secured to the outer surface of the column bodie~ 530 80 that the protect-ive ourtain 6 is firmly mounted on the column bodie~ 530 by means of the ~lel~et type fasteners 532. Further,~each of the beams 531 i~ fitted with a velvet type fastener 532 in the longitudinal direction, The velvet type fasteners : 532 make it possible to adhesively secure a ceiling curtain ~61 to the beams 531 in order~to cover a ceiling portion which~is built by the combination o~/air bag columns 53.
; The ceiling ourtain 61 ig previougly provided to be accomo-::
~ ' ' ~ ~ 43 -~ .
, .. ...

'~

~26~
.. .. . ~
... . .. , ~, .

dated in the platform 2 as an accessory. AB shown in Figs. _ 33 and 35, an exce~sive part 62 of the protective curtain 6 is placed on the ceiling curtaln 61 after the latter i~
sxtended over the ceiling portion of the air bag columns 53.
The platform 2 i~ provided with bombs 533 on both the side~ thereof and they are pneumatically communicated with the column bodie3 530 of the air bag columns 53 by way of two flexible hoses 5~ which are detachably connected to the air bag columns 53. As~the air bag column~ 53 are filled with pressurized air which i~ delivered from the bombs 533, they are caused -to stand upright. A~ 6hown in Fig. 33, the air bag columns 53 are not fllled with pre~suri~ed air as long as the protective curtain 6 i3 connected to the main body 1 of the chute 9 but they can stand upright by filling -them wibh pressurized air which is supplied from the bombs 533 after the protective curtain 6 is disconnecbed from the main body 1. The height of the column bodies 530 as measu-red when th~ air bag column3 53 stand upright correc-tly i3 determined considerably shorter than the distance between the platform 2 and the junction area whereby the center of eight of the platform 2 which iB disconnected from the can main body 1 to serve as a lifeboat/be lowered remarkably.
Further, the platform 2 is provided with cover acco-modating portion3 25 on both the 8ide~ the air bag 5 in which a cover adapted to.olos8 the entrance portion 23 therewith .

~2i~6~
. , . . ~
.- . . .. .- ' . ,,; j:

bt, l, , through which a person remove~ from -the platform onto the lifeboat, that is, an opened area which is not covered with the protective curtain 6. Each of the cover accomodating portions 250include~ a longitudinally extending fa~tener 25 so that the cover 24 i~ taken therefrom by opening the fa~tener Z50 A~ is apparent from Fig. 36, the cover 25 i~ de~igned in the ~ame configu~ation as that o..~..the entrance.portion 23 on the protective cùrtain 25 and the lower end part of the cover 25 is fixedly ~ecured to the air bag 5. Both the side edges of -the co~er 24 are fitted with a watertight fa~tener 240 respectively. On the other hand, both the side edges on the protective curtain 6 are fitted with a watertight fa~-tener 60. Thu~, -the entrance portion 23 can~
be closed with the ~over in cooperation of the~fa~tener 240 ~ t with the~fastener 60.
~ anding of a person 9 on a l~feboat is achieved by way of the ~tep~ of 51iding downwardly through the main body 1 of the vertical elongated chube9 moving on the inclined ~lip way 3 at a reduced speed, landing on the platform 2 away from the inclined slip way 3 and then remo-ving~from the pla~form 2 onto the lifeboat through the entrance portion 23.
nOnO~o ~ letidn orfte~Oc~ping of the per50n in that way he pull ~the rope 103 by hi~ hands which hallg down .

' ~

. - r ~ . - ~L2 ~ 4~L
, . :, from the junction area between the main body 1 of the chute and the protective curtain 6. As described above, the rope 103 is extended through a number of loop~ 102 which.are formed by the rope 101 around the ineide of the junction area and both the end parts of the same are then inserted through the one hole 10 on the main body 1 and the protec-tive curtain 6. By pulling one of the end part~ of the rope 103.in tha-t...way,the latter i~ dlsengaged from the loops 102 of the rope 101. After the rope 103 is completely removed from the junction area by pulling operation, the protective curtain 6 is pulled downwardly by his hands and thereby a number of loop~ 102 are removedSthrough the hole~
lOo As a result~ -the protective curtain 6 is disengaged from the main body 1 of the chute. Since the inclined slip way 3 is fixedly secured to the lower end of the main body,.
i.t is held immovable from the main body 1 regardles~ of disengagement of the protective curtain 6 from the main body 1~
Nex-t, -the ceiling curtain 61 i~ adhesively secured to the besm~ 531 by means of the velvet type fa~teners 532 to close the ceiling part of the pla-tform 2. The air bag columns 53 are then supplied with pressurized air which iB
fed ~rom the bombs 533 via the flexible hoses 534. Thus, the air bag column~ 53 are caused to stand upright on the air bag 5 of the platform 2 whereby an accomodating room ~z~

with the ceiling portion mounted -thereon i~ built for pers-ons who have to leave a ~hip.
Further, to build -the side wall of the accomodating room the protec-tive cur-tain 6 is fixedly secured to the air bag columns 531 by means of the velvet type fastener~
532. The upper part of the protective curtain 6, that is, , an extra part 62 of the same i8 placed on the ceiling curt-ain by folding itb,,~ r ! -, After the air/column~ 53 are completely filled withpre~surized air which i~ delivered from,jthe bombs 533, the flexible holes 534 are di~connected from the air bag columns 53 and the fastener~ 250 of the cover accomodating portion~
then 25 disposed on bo-th the ~ide~ of the air bag 5 are/opened to talce the cover~ 24 therefrom, By engaging the watertight fasteners 240 on both -the side edge~ of the covers 24 to the watertigh-t fastener~ 60 on both the side edge~ of the protec-tive curtain 6, -the entrance portions 23 are closed with the covers 24 whereby a clo~ed accomodating room i~
built on the plab~orm 2 for the per~ons.
As will be readily under~tood from the above descrip-tion, the vertical elongated chute of the.invention ha3 an advantageous feature that any per~on who has to leave a ship.can land on the platform from the deck of the ship without any occurrence of stoppage of descending movement of the person at the bent part~ on the zigzag slip down ~ .

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passage.owing to employment of elastic cloth at the bent parts inclusive the area located in -the vicinity thereof.
As a result, escaping movement of the person can be carried out at a remarkably improved efficiency.
While the pre~ent invention has been de~cribed above with respect to ~everal preferred embodlment~ thereof, it ~hpuld,of cource be understood that it should not be limited only to them but..,vari,ou~,changes ~r modifications may be made in any acceptable~manner without departure from the ~pirit and scope of the invention a~ defined by the appen-ded claims, ',

5.

Claims (16)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In a vertical elongated chute of the type including a vertically extending main body having a high intensity of strength, said main body comprising a base cloth of which both longitudinally extending side edges are jointed to one another to build a tubular zigzag slip down passage to which a zigzag slip down passage cloth is fixedly secured, an inclined slip way jointed to the lower end of the main body and a platform engaged to the foremost end of said inclined slip way so that a person who has to leave a ship lands thereon safely, said platform including an air bag for generating buoyancy so as to allow the platform to float on the sea surface, the improvement consisting in that the platform is provided with an air bag column on the side located adjacent to the side wall of the ship, when deployed, said air bag column, at that time, standing upright from the air bag of the platform.

2. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein the air bag column comprises a lower transverse air bag which is pneumatically communicated with the air bag of the platform, a plurality of vertical air bays which stand upright, when deployed, from said lower transverse air bag, each of said vertical air bags being pneumatically communicated with said lower transverse air bag, and an upper transverse air bag located on the top ends of the vertical air bags, said upper transverse air bag being pneumatically communicated with the vertical air bags.

3. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein the air bag column comprises a plurality of vertical air bags, an upper transverse air bag which is pneumatically communicated with said vertical air bags at the upper end thereof and inclined air bag portions, when deployed, extending from the air bag of the platform at an upward inclination angle to support the vertical air hags, said inclined air bag portions being pneumatically communicated with the vertical air bags.

4. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein the platform is provided with an additional air bag on the side located opposite to the side wall of the ship, said additional air bag serving to correctively determine the position of the platform relative to the ship.

5. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein the platform comprises an upper air bag for generating buoyancy therefor, a floor cloth disposed below said upper air bag so as to allow persons who have to leave a ship to stand thereon, an additional air bag disposed below said floor cloth for tightly stretching the floor cloth by raising up the peripheral part of the latter and a lower air bag for generating buoyancy therefor in the same manner as the upper air bag.

6. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein the platform comprises an upper air bag for generating buoyancy therefor, a floor cloth disposed below said upper air bag so as to allow persons who have to leave a ship to stand thereon and a lower air bag for generating buoyancy therefor and wire ropes are extended between the inner periphery of the upper air bag and the peripheral part of the floor cloth so as to allow the latter to be stretched tightly at all times.

7. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein, when in position, stays are diagonally spanned between the deck or the like on a ship and both the corners of the platform on the side located remote from the side wall of the ship and the platform is provided with a plurality of stabilizing water bags on the bottom thereof on the side located adjacent to the side wall of the ship as well as on the side located remote from the same, each of said stabilizing water bags being equipped with a plurality of check valves.

8. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein an expansible cloth of which expansibility is determined in the range of 200 to 250% as measured in the longitudinal direction as well as in the peripheral direction of the zigzag slip down passage is fixedly secured to the zigzag slip down passage cloth at each of the bent parts provided along the zigzag slip down passage in the spaced relation whereby the zigzag slip down passage is caused to enlarge when dead weight of a descending person is exerted on the expansible cloth at each of the bent parts.

9. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 8, wherein the expansible cloth has strength of 400 g/m2 or more than the same, tensile strength of 50 Kg/cm or more than the same and tearing strength of 17 Kg/cm or more than the same.

10. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 8, wherein the expansible cloth has breaking strength more than 260%.

11. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 8, wherein the expansible cloth has restorability less than 3%.

12. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 8, wherein the zigzag slip down passage cloth as expansibility in the range of 30 to 60% as measured in the longitudinal direction as well as in the range of 15 to 30% as measured in the peripheral direction of the zigzag slip down passage and breaking strength more than 140%.

13. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein an electric conductive cloth of which resistance value is determined in the range of 102 to 105 ohms is used for a part of the zigzag slip down passage cloth by means of which the zigzag slip down passage is built.

14. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1 wherein the inclined slip way comprises a tubular portion jointed to the lower end of the main body and an opened landing portion jointed to the platform and wherein the one ends of adjustment ropes fixedly secured to the tubular portion of the inclined slip way or the main body are attached to both the side parts of the landing portions so as to carry out relative displacement as seen in the longitudinal direction of the inclined slip way and the other ends of the same are, in operation, connected to winding means so as to allow the adjusting ropes to be wound thereabout while they are stretched.

15. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein the inclined slip way comprises a tubular portion jointed to the lower end of the main body and an opened landing portion jointed to the platform, said landing portion being provided with a plurality of shock absorbing members at least on the bottom thereof.

16. A vertical elongated chute as defined in claim 1, wherein the platform includes a protective curtain adapted to be detachably jointed to the main body in such a manner that said protective curtain is hung down from the joint area on the main body, the lower end of the protective curtain being jointed to the platform, and wherein the platform is provided with a plurality of air bag columns which serve to support the protective curtain when the latter is disconnected from the main body so that it can be used as a lifeboat.