GB2227657A

GB2227657A - A safety device for shutting off a floor of a building and safety apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2227657A
Application number: GB8825944A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Terrance Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-11-05
Filing date: 1988-11-05
Publication date: 1990-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2008-11-05
Also published as: GB2227657B; GB8825944D0

Abstract

A safety device for shutting off a floor of a building comprises barrier means in the form of a door. The barrier means is mounted in two vertical guide tracks arranged on either side of a staircase 13 so as to be movable by vertical translation between a use position in which it blocks the staircase 13 and a storage position. The safety device may be arranged to prevent spread of fire or may be arranged to prevent entry by a person. The barrier means is preferably made from polycarbonate as this material is light and tough and has good fire resistance. <IMAGE>

Description

A SAFETY DEVICE FOR SHUTTING OFF A FLOOR OF A BUILDING AND SAFETY APPARATUS The invention relates to a safety device for shutting off a floor of a building and safety apparatus including the safety device.

There are a number of situations in which it is desirable to shut off a floor of a building. For example, in the case of a fire on the floor, or an intruder. However, in certain buildings, and in particular in domestic buildings, there is little space available for the large barrier required or for its storage.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a safety device for shutting off a floor of a building comprising barrier means and mounting means arranged to mount the barrier means in the region of a staircase so that the barrier means is movable by translation between a use position and storage position.

Thus, the device can be fitted anywhere near or on a staircase without the areas ahead of and behind the barrier means having to comply with any restrictions, such as to be clear of doorways or furniture.

The mounting means may be arranged to mount the barrier means so that the barrier means is movable by translation in any suitable direction, but preferably is arranged to mount the barrier means so that the barrier means is movable by vertical translation between the use position and the storage position. The storage position is preferably above the use position. Thus, the device can readily be fitted, for example, at the bottom of a set of stairs where the area above the stairs will commonly be available to enable storage of the barrier means.

The safety device may be adapted to shut off a floor of a building so as to prevent the spread of a fire for a significant period of time. Alternatively, or in addition, the safety device may be adapted to shut off a floor of a building so as to prevent entry by a person for a significant period of time.

The barrier means may be made from any suitable material, such as steel or slow burning wood, but preferably is made from polycarbonate or the like.

Polycarbonate is light and tough and provides good fire resistance.

Indeed according to another aspect of the invention there is provided a safety device for shutting off a floor of a building comprising barrier means and mounting means arranged to mount the barrier means in the region of a staircase so that the barrier means is movable between a use position and a storage position, the barrier means being made from polycarbonate.

The barrier means may be opaque but preferably is adapted to enable a person to view from one side thereof to the other. In this way, a person can see if, for example, a fire, or an intruder is on the other side of the barrier means. At least part of the barrier means may be transparent. ' In the case where the barrier means is made from polycarbonate or the like, it may in any event be transparent.

The safety device preferably includes locking means between the barrier means and another part of the safety device for locking the barrier means in the use position. Thus, for example, an intruder will not be able to remove the barrier means from his path. The locking means may comprise a pin arranged to be movable into a locking position in which the pin is arranged to engage with a stop.

The pin may be provided on the barrier means and the stop may be provided on another part of the safety device. The pin is preferably resiliently biased into the locking position by resilient biasing means. The resilient biasing means may comprise a helical spring.

The safety device preferably includes retaining means between the barrier means and another part of the safety device for retaining the barrier means in the storage position. The retaining means may comprise a pin arranged to be movable into a retaining position in which the pin is arranged to engage with a stop. The pin may be provided on the barrier means and the stop may be provided on another part of the safety device.

Preferably, the pin is resiliently biased into the retaining position by resilient biasing means.

The resilient biasing means may comprise a helical spring.

The safety device is preferably adapted to provide a substantially airtight seal.

The mounting means may take any suitable form and may comprise guide means for guiding oppositely disposed guide parts of the barrier means. The guide means may comprise a pair of parallel guide tracks and the guide parts may comprise opposite edges of the barrier means. The barrier means may thus move smoothly between the use and storage positons and is securely and rigidly held along each edge by the guide tracks so that it cannot easily be broken through.

In the case where the safety device is adapted to provide a substantially airtight seal, the guide tracks are preferably adapted to be set into the walls of a building. Track sealing means is preferably provided between the barrier means and the guide tracks. The track sealing means may comprise brush seals. The brush seals are preferably provided on the barrier means. Outer end sealing means is preferably provided on the outer end of the barrier means, the outer end sealing means being adapted to form a seal between the outer end of the barrier means and a surface of the building. The outer end sealing means may comprise a resilient flexible member.Inner end sealing means is preferably provided, the inner end sealing means being adapted to form a seal along the side of the barrier means adjacent the part of the building which the barrier means moves past and away from in moving into the use position. The inner end sealing means may comprise a brush seal and may be provided on the barrier means.

Shut means may be provided for causing the barrier means to move from the storage position to the use position in response to an external signal. Thus, the barrier means can automatically be moved into the use position. In the case where the storage position is above the use position, the shut means preferably comprises release means arranged to release the barrier means from the storage position so that it falls into the use position under gravity. In the case where the safety device includes locking means between the barrier means and another part of the safety device for locking the barrier means in the use position, the locking means comprising a pin arranged to be movable into a locking position in which the pin is arranged to engage with a stop, the release means is preferably arranged to move the pin out of the locking position.The release means may be arranged to move the pin out of the locking position by electromagnetic force.

In the case where the mounting means is arranged to mount the barrier means so that the barrier means is movable by vertical translation between the use position and the storage position, the safety device may include counterbalance means for counterbalancing the weight of the barrier means in use. Thus, the barrier means, which may be of considerable weight, can more easily be moved.

The safety device may include a motor arranged to move the barrier means in use. The motor may be arranged to move the barrier means from the use position to the storage position, in particular where the storage position is above the use position, or may be used to move the barrier means from the storage position to the use position and may enable this to be rapidly achieved. The motor may be arranged to move the barrier means in both directions.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a safety device as described hereinbefore installed in a building.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided safety apparatus including a safety device as described hereinbefore and sensing means.

The sensing means may be adapted to sense a fire, or may be adapted to sense a person in which case the sensing means may comprise a footpad sensor.

The sensing means may be arranged to actuate an alarm. Thus, if, for example, a fire, or an intruder are sensed by the sensing means, an alarm will be actuated to alert someone.

In the case where the safety device includes shut means for causing the barrier means to move from the storage position to the use position in response to an external signal, the sensing means preferably provides the said external signal.

Thus, the barrier means can be automatically lowered in response to a signal from the sensing means indicating that its use is needed.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided safety apparatus as described hereinbefore installed in a building.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference-to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment in use, Fig. 2 is an elevation in cross-section of the embodiment in use, Fig. 3 is an elevation in cross-section of a locking pih mounted on the barrier means of the embodiment, Fig. 4 is a plan view through one side of the embodiment, in cross-section, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a lower corner of the barrier means of the embodiment, and, Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of a retaining pin in its retaining position.

The device 10 comprises two guide tracks 11 mounting barrier means 12 and is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in use on a staircase 13.

Each guide track 11 comprises a base part 14 from which extend two parallel ridges 15 defining a groove 16 therebetween for receiving an edge of the. barrier means 12. The barrier means 12 comprises a flat sheet which is dimensioned to completely fill the space between the bottom stair 17 of a staircase 13 and the ceiling 18 of the lower floor. The guide tracks 11 extend from the lower step 17 to the ceiling 19 of the upper floor and may be recessed into the plaster of the staircase walls 38.

The edge of the barrier means 12 which is received in the groove 16 mounts a brush seal 20 which engages with the inner surface of the groove 16 in use, and constitutes the aforesaid track sealing means. A resilient flexible member 21 is attached to the lower edge of the barrier means 12 so as to form a loop about the lower edge. The flexible member 21 thus forms a seal with the lower stair 17 when the barrier means 12 is in the position as shown. The upper end of the barrier means 12 overlaps the vertical wall 22 between the ceilings 18, 19 of the two floors. A brush seal (not shown) is provided on the side of the barrier means 12 adjacent the upper edge such that it engages with the wall 22 in use and constitutes the aforesaid further sealing means.

The lower corners of the barrier means 12 are cut away so that the barrier means does not foul on the skirting 37 of the staircase 13 and can be pulled down to the level of the lower stair 17.

Adjacent to the lower corners of the barrier means 12 are provided retaining means 23 as shown in Fig. 3. The retaining means 23 comprises a housing 24 journalling a pin 25. The pin 25 is resiliently mounted within the housing 24 by a helical spring 26 which abuts the pin 25 and a stop 27 rigidly mounted in the housing 24 to bias the pin 25 outwardly. The housing 24 includes a pair of inwardly extending shoulders 28 against which a pair of projections 29 extending from the pin 25 normally abut under the bias of the spring 26. The pin 25 extends outwardly from the housing at each end thereof. The end 30 of the pin 25 is downwardly sloped. At the inner end of the pin is provided laterally extending projections 31.

Adjacent the top corners of the barrier means 12 are provided locking means 32. The locking means 32 are identical to the retaining means 23, except that the outer ends of the pins are -inwardly sloping.

The storage position of the barrier means 12 is with the barrier means 12 raised up so that its lower edge does not extend below the level of the ceiling 18 of the lower floor. The barrier means is held in this position by the retaining means 23 in the following manner. As the barrier means 12 is raised, the downwardly sloping end 30 of the pin 25 engages with an upwardly sloping surface 33 of a projection 34 extending from a guide track ridge 15. Further raising of the barrier means 12 results in the pin 25 being moved inwardly against the bias of the spring 26 until the pin 25 has been carried past the projection 34 when the pin 25 is forced outwardly again by the spring 26.If the barrier means 12 is now lowered, the substantially horizontal lower surface 35 of the pin 25 will engage the substantially horizontal upper surface 36 of the projection 34 as shown in Fig. 6 and thus prevent the barrier means moving further downwards. The upper surface 36 of the projection 34 constitutes the aforesaid stop. If it is required to move the barrier means downwards, the pins 25 can be manually retracted conveniently by pulling the pin backwards by means of the projections 31.

The use position of the barrier means 12 is when it is lowered fully. The barrier means 12 is held in the lowered position by locking means 32 which operates in the same way as retaining means 23 but with the engagement between the pin of the locking means 32 and the projection on the guide track 15 ocurring in the opposite sense so that movement of the barrier means upwards is prevented.

The pins 25 of the retaining means 23 and the locking means 32 and their respective projections 34 are off-set so that the pin 25 of a retaining means 23 will not engage a projection 34 corresponding to a pin 25 of a locking means 32 and vice versa.

In the use position, the seals and each edge of the barrier means 12 provide an airtight seal between the two floors. Thus, a fire or fumes therefrom can not pass by the barrier means.

Thus, for example, in a domestic building such as a house in which people generally sleep upstairs, the barrier means may be pulled down into the use position at night to shut off the upper floor from the lower and provide additional security.

The device 10 is unobtrusive as it can be retracted out of view from the lower floor and conveniently is stored adjacent the wall 22 in space which normally would not be required for any other purpose.

A sensor (not shown) may be provided in the form of a fire detector wired to an alarm so that if a fire should start on the lower floor of the building, for example, people upstairs would be alerted and provided with time to escape by the fire resistance of the barrier means 12 which may be made from polycarbonate or the like. If the barrier means is 12 is made from polycarbonate or the like, it will be transparent so that it is possible to check the seriousness of a fire by looking through the barrier means 12. Similarly, if an intruder sensor and alarm system is used, the barrier means 12 will resist any attacks thereon and, again, if made from polycarbonate or the like, will be transparent so that a person can observe an intruder through the barrier means 12, possibly enabling later identification for the police.

The retaining means 23 and locking means 32 need not be in the form as shown, but may take any suitable form.

The guide tracks 11 need not be formed with ridges 15 defining a groove 16, but may be formed in any suitable shape.

The various brush seals and the flexible member 21 may be replaced by alternative seals if desired, or seals may not be provided.

The flexible member 21 need not be provided and a further guide track may be provided on the lower stair 17. This arrangement is not preferred as the further guide track and may make the lower stair less safe.

Claims

1. A safety device for shutting off a floor of a building comprising barrier means and mounting means arranged to mount the barrier means in the region of a staircase so that the barrier means is movable by translation between a use position and storage position.

2. A safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting means is arranged to mount the barrier means so that the barrier means is movable by vertical translation between the use position and the storage position.

3. A safety device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the storage position is above the use position.

4. A safety device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the safety device is adapted to shut off a floor of a building so as to prevent the spread of a fire for a significant period of time.

5. A safety device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the safety device is adapted to shut off a floor of a building so as to prevent entry by a person for a significant period of time.

6. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier means is made from polycarbonate or the like.

7. A safety device for shutting off a floor of a building comprising barrier means and mounting means arranged to mount the barrier means in the region of a staircase so that the barrier means is movable between a use position and a storage position, the barrier means being made from polycarbonate.

8. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier means is adapted to enable a person to view from one side thereof to the other.

9. A safety device as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least part of the barrier means is transparent.

10. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the safety device includes locking means between the barrier means and another part of the safety device for locking the barrier means in the use position.

11. A safety device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the locking means comprises a pin arranged to be movable into a locking position in which the pin is arranged to engage with a stop.

12. A safety device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pin is provided on the barrier means and the stop is provided on another part of the safety device.

13. A safety device as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the pin is resiliently biased into the locking position by resilient biasing means.

14. A safety device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the resilient biasing means comprises a helical spring.

15. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the safety device includes retaining means between the barrier means and another part of the safety device for retaining the barrier means in the storage position.

16. A safety device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the retaining means comprises a pin arranged to be movable into a retaining position in which the pin is arranged to engage with a stop.

17. A safety device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the pin is provided on the barrier means and the stop is provided on another part of the safety device.

18. A safety device as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the pin is resiliently biased into the retaining position by resilient biasing means.

19. A safety device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the resilient biasing means comprises a helical spring.

20. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mounting means comprises guide means for guiding oppositely disposed guide parts of the barrier means.

21. A safety device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the guide parts comprise opposite edges of the barrier means.

22. A safety device as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the guide means comprises a pair of parallel guide tracks

23. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the safety device is adapted to provide a substantially airtight seal.

24. A safety device as claimed in claim 23, wherein, in the case where guide tracks are provided, the guide tracks are adapted to be set into the walls of a building.

25. A safety device as claimed in claim 22, or in claim 23 or 24, when dependent on claim 22, wherein track sealing means is provided between the barrier means and the guide tracks.

26. A safety device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the track sealing means comprises brush seals.

27. A safety device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the brush seals are provided on the barrier means.

28. A safety device as claimed in any of claims 25 to 27, wherein outer end sealing means is provided on the outer end of the barrier means, the outer end sealing means being adapted to form a seal between the outer end of the barrier means and a surface of the building.

29. A safety device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the outer end sealing means comprises a resilient flexible member.

30. A safety device as claimed in any of claims 25 to 29, wherein inner end sealing means is provided, the inner end sealing means being adapted to form a seal along the side of the barrier means adjacent the part of the building which the barrier means moves past and away from in moving into the use position.

31. A safety device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the inner end sealing means comprises a brush seal.

32. A safety device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the inner end sealing means is provided on the barrier means.

33. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein shut means is provided for causing the barrier means to move from the storage position to the use position in response to an external signal.

34. A safety device as claimed in claim 33, wherein, in the case where the storage position is above the use position, the shut means comprises release means arranged to release the barrier means from the storage position so that it falls into the use position under gravity.

35. A safety device as claimed in claim 34, wherein, in the case where the safety device includes locking means between the barrier means and another part of the safety device for locking the barrier means in the use position, the locking means comprising a pin arranged to be movable into a locking position in which the pin is arranged to engage with a stop, the release means is arranged to move the pin out of the locking position.

36. A safety device as claimed in claim 35, wherein the release means is arranged to move the pin out of the locking position by electromagnetic force.

37. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, in the case where the mounting means is arranged to mount the barrier means so that the barrier means is movable by vertical translation between the use position and the storage position, the safety device includes counterbalance means for counterbalancing the weight of the barrier means in use.

38. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the safety device includes a motor arranged to move the barrier means in use.

39. A safety device as claimed in claim 38, wherein the motor is arranged to move the barrier means both from the storage position into the use position and from the use position into the storage position.

40. A safety device for shutting off a floor of a building substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

41. A safety device as claimed in any preceding claim installed in a building.

42. Safety apparatus including a safety device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 40 and sensing means.

43. Safety apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein the sensing means is adapted to sense a fire.

44. Safety apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein the sensing means is adapted to sense a person.

45. Safety apparatus as claimed in claim 44, wherein the sensing means comprises a footpad sensor.

46. Safety apparatus as claimed in any of claims 42 to 45, wherein the sensing means is arranged to actuate an alarm.

47. Safety apparatus as claimed in any of claims 42 to 46, wherein, in the case where the safety device includes shut means for causing the barrier means to move from the storage position to the use position in response to an external signal, the sensing means provides the said external signal.

48. Safety apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

49. Safety apparatus as claimed in any of claims 42 to 48 installed in a building.