GB2123470A

GB2123470A - Fire escape ladder

Info

Publication number: GB2123470A
Application number: GB08302719A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Henry Alfred Collins
Original assignee: COLLAFIELD Ltd
Current assignee: COLLAFIELD Ltd
Priority date: 1982-07-14
Filing date: 1983-02-01
Publication date: 1984-02-01
Also published as: GB8302719D0; GB2123470B

Abstract

A fire escape ladder of collapsible construction which, in its collapsed condition, is stored in a case and fixed to an interior wall of a building and which may be extended and positioned to lie near to but spaced from an outer wall of the building. One end of each side link may be provided with a keyhole shaped slot 22 into which passes a flattened end of a rung 19 to lock the ladder in its open position and also to allow folding. Alternatively a sliding sleeve having a slot to engage a rung may be provided on the side link to provide for locking of the ladder (see figs. 2, 3). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fire escape ladder Introduction This invention relates to a fire escape ladder.

Prior Art Many people are killed every year throughout the world because they become trapped in buildings which have caught fire. For many years it has been mandatory in large buildings to provide fire escape ladders as an alternative exit from the building. However, it frequently happens that the fire escape ladders are inaccessible to the people trapped in the building and these people have to rely upon the other outside the building to assist them in their escape. Frequently such assistance arrives all too late with tragic consequences. In some instances, particularly with very tall buildings, it is difficult for other people to assist and even the longest ladders of fire brigades only extend to a few floors above ground level.

There is, therefore, an urgent need for some means whereby people trapped in a blazing building may be able to make their escape without the assistance of people outside the building.

Object of the Invention It is the main object of this invention to provide a fire escape ladder which is readily accessible to within a building and which may be easily operated by anyone in the building.

Statements of Invention According to the present invention there is provided a fire escape ladder of collapsible construction, having rungs spaced by side links to which the rungs are joined, the ladder being capable of extension for use with the links held in aligned condition and capable of being collapsed into a stored condition and one end of the ladder having means of fixing the ladder permanently to a building.

The invention also includes the ladder being of metal with the ends of the rungs pivoted to the side links which connect adjacent rungs.

Each such side link may be provided with a sliding sleeve having a slot therein, whereby, when the ladder is extended, the slot of each sleeve may have a rung extending thereinto to lock the ladder in its extended condition.

The invention also includes a fire escape ladder of collapsible construction having rungs spaced by side links to which the rungs are joined, each side link joining two adjacent rungs and one end of the ladder having means for fixing the ladder to a structure, characterised in that one end of each side link is provided with a keyhole shaped slot into which passes a flattened end of a rung, means being provided to retain the flattened end of the rung slidably and non-rotatably within the shank portion of the slot and rotatably in the head portion of the slot.

Conveniently, the side links have spacers extending therefrom to space the ladder, in its extended condition, from the vertical wall of a building.

The said spacers may be pivotally on the side links and movable from a stored position to an operative position at right angles to the links. The spacers may be spring loaded to an extended position.

The invention also includes a ladder as aforesaid mounted in a case and fixed to a wall of the interior of the building.

Still further the invention includes, in combination with a ladder as aforesaid, a harness for use by a person descending the ladder, said harness comprising a loop with a sliding toggle strop and snap shackles at the ends of the harness.

Drawings Figure 1 is a part sectional diagrammatic side elevation of a fire escape ladder constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of part of the ladder of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation of part of the ladder of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation of part of the ladder of Figure 1 showing a spacer; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a harness in accordance with the invention; and Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of part of a further embodiment of ladder according to the invention.

Specific Description A fire escape ladder, in accordance with the invention, comprises a plurality of rungs 1 spaced by side members in the form of links 2 to which the rungs are joined. The rungs 1 may be covered with a layer of non-slip material and as will be seen in Figure 3, have a stub shaft at each end which passes through holes in adjacent links 2, the links being retained by some form of retaining means 4 which will enable the links to rotate about the stub shafts 3.

It is to be appreciated that Figure 1 is purely illustrative and a considerable number of more rungs of the ladder will be provided in practice.

The ladder is fixed at one end 5 to an angle member 6 fixed by a bolt or bolts 7 to the wall 8 of a building. In order to house the ladder, when in its collapsed condition, a wooden box or casing 9 is provided with a removable lid.

It may be found convenient to position the box 9 with the ladder in its collapsed condition immediateiy beneath the sill 10 of a window 11 of the building.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, there is illustrated a mechanism for locking the ladder in its extended condition which is preferable in order to maintain the stability of the ladder during use.

For this purpose each link 2 is provided with a sleeve 12 each having a slot therein so that the rung 1 of the ladder may enter this slot 1 3 when the ladder is in its extended condition and the sleeve moved downwardly so as to lock adjacent links 2 in their extended condition. In order to collapse the ladder once again, the sleeve 12 must be moved away from co-operation with the rungs so as to enable the links to pivot in relation to each other and form the stacked condition as illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 4 which shows a series of links 2 with one such link having attached thereto a spacer 13. Each spacer 13 may be provided with spring loaded means 14 moving the spacer to a position at right angles to the link, as illustrated in Figure 4. These spacers 13 may not be provided on each link but at appropriately spaced intervals.

If a fire condition exists and a person is trapped in the room in which a fire escape ladder in accordance with the invention is sited then that person will remove the lid of the casing or box and after opening or breaking the window 11, will simply grab the upper rung 1 of the ladder and move it from its stored position to outside the window. As soon as two or three rungs of the ladder have been moved outside the window, the gravitational force exerted on that part of the ladder outside the window will then automatically draw the remaining rungs of the ladder from.

within the casing 9 until such time as the ladder is fully extended.

When the ladder is released from its casing the spacers will automatically move to a position at right angles to the links as seen in Figure 4 and as the ladder hangs down the side wall of the building will space the ladder from the building to enable the trapped person readily to use the ladder. The ladder will become stable by virtue of the fact that as soon as the ladder becomes vertical, the sleeves 12 will, by gravity, move downwardly and lock adjacent links from pivoting one in relation to the other. Thus a person may descend the ladder with safety.

Various additional means may be provided to assist the person effecting their escape. For example, in the casing 9 may be provided a hammer and goggles, the former to break the window if it is impossible to open the window normally and the goggles to protect the person's eyes. Also within the casing 9 may be a harness as illustrated in Figure 5. This harness comprises a loop 1 5 with a sliding toggle strop 16 and snap shackles 1 7 at the ends of the harness. The person descending the ladder would position the harness around their body and snap one of the shackles to the ladder as the person descends. When descent has been made to the extent of the harness as determined by the snapped-on shackle, then the other shackle will be snapped onto a lower part of the ladder and the other shackle removed.Thus further descent will be effected untii the other shackle prevents this continuing, at which stage the first shackle will again be positioned and the second shackle removed. Continuing in this manner, the person will effect a descent of the ladder with safety.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention from that described above.

For example, the casing housing the stored ladder may be positioned other than immediately below the sill of the window. Indeed, the casing of the stored ladder may be positioned above a window or indeed outside the window on the outer facing of the building, so long as the ladder is readily accessible from within the building. Still further, the harness may be differently designed and instead of using snap shackles there may be provided with roller means which engage roller tracks on the ladder, whereby the entire descent may be made in safety, with both ends of the harness held by the ladder.

In the further embodiment of ladder illustrated in Figure 6, there is provided rungs 1 8 which may have a rubber or plastics sleeve or knurled surface to be non-slip. Each end of the rungs has a flattened trunnion 19 which passes through a hole 20 in one side link 21 and through a keyhole shaped slot 22 in another side link 23. A circlip 24 engages in grooves 25 on trunnion 19 to retain the links 21 and 23 on the end of the rung 18.

As will be appreciated, the keyhole shaped slot enables the ladder to remain rigid when erected, by the trunnions 19 lying within the shank portions 26-of the slots. The shank portions should always be uppermost of the head portions 27 of the slots so that the weight of the parts of the ladder will retain the trunnions in the shanks. If it is desired to collapse the ladder, the rungs are moved closer together thereby bringing the trunnions into the head portions 27 of the slots 22 and enabling the links to be rotated about the rungs.

When the ladder is erected by the free end being thrown out of a window of a building, the weight of the ladder will cause the rungs to lie vertically beneath each other and the trunnions 1 9 will automatically lock themselves in shanks 26 of the slots 22. Thereby the ladder assumes sufficient rigidity for use.

Claims

1.. A fire escape ladder of collapsible construction, having rungs spaced by side links to which the rungs are joined, the ladder being capable of extension for use with the links held in aligned condition and capable of being collapsed into a stored condition and one end of the ladder having means of fixing the ladder permanently to a building.

2. A fire escape ladder as claimed in Claim 1, in which the ladder is of metal with the ends of the rungs pivoted to the side links which connect adjacent rungs.

3. A fire escape ladder as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which each side link is provided with sliding sleeve having a slot therein whereby, when the ladder is extended, the slot of each sleeve has a rung extending thereinto to lock the ladder in its extended condition.

4. A fire escape ladder of collapsible construction having rungs spaced by side links to which the rungs are joined, each side link joining two adjacent rungs and one end of the ladder having means for fixing the ladder to a structure, characterised in that one end of each side link is provided with a keyhole shaped slot into which passes a flattened end of a rung slidably and nonrotatably within the shank portion of the slot or rotatably in the head portion of the slot.

5. A fire escape ladder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the side links have spacers extending therefrom to space the ladder, in its extended condition, from the vertical wall of a building.

6. A fire escape ladder as claimed in Claim 5, in which the spacers are pivotaily mounted on the side links and movable from a stored position to an operative position at right angles to the links.

7. A fire escape ladder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims mounted in a case in its collapsed condition and fixed to a wall of the interior of the building.

8. A fire escape ladder as claimed in Claim 7, in combination with a harness for use by a person descending the ladder, said harness comprising a loop with a sliding toggle strop and snap shackles at the ends of the harness.

9. A fire escape ladder substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.