Abstract:
A rescue system for evacuating individuals through a window frame of a high-rise building. The rescue sleeve ( 18 ) is foldable between a compact, standby position and an extended, sloping down to ground level position. Means ( 92, 94 ) are provided for activating the ejection of the sleeve ( 18 ) from the standby position within a compartment ( 12 ) to the extended position. The system ( 20 ) is operable to anchor the compartment ( 12 ) to the window frame in a self-supporting fashion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to rescue systems for evacuating individuals trapped in high rise buildings in case of emergency situations such as fire or earthquake of the type disclosed in my PCT/IL00/00477 Patent Application published as WO 01/62138 on Aug. 30, 2001 (hereinafter called “the WO Patent”), the contents of which being hereby incorporated by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The systems disclosed in the WO Patent and further developments thereof (cf. my Israel Patent Application Nos. 139549, 139550, 145935, 147975) are stationary, namely designed to be permanently installed in buildings from which survivors are to be evacuated.  
         [0003]     Therefore, salvation from “ordinary” high-rise buildings solely depends on the conventional firemen vehicular ladders. These ladders are of limited capacity in terms of height and evacuation rate.  
         [0004]     Hence, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a mobile rescue sleeve system.  
         [0005]     It is a further object of the invention to provide the mobile rescue sleeve system with self-contained, remote-controlled, jaw-type system, serving to anchor the sleeve to window frames at high level building stories.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Provided according to the invention is a rescue system for evacuating individuals through a window frame of a high-rise building comprising a rescue sleeve foldable between a compact, standby position and an extended, sloping down to ground level position, means for activating the ejection of the sleeve from the standby position to the extended position, and a compartment for accommodating the sleeve and a system operable to anchor the compartment to the window frame in a self-supporting fashion. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     These and additional constructional features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood in the light of the ensuing description of two preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein— 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a general, schematic view of the mobile rescue sleeve system;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the sleeve ram-and-jaws system compartment, in the position about to break-through and reach for a window frame;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  shows the sleeve compartment in its anchored position;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a view taken along line IV-IV of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the ram-and-jaws system;  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  shows the system in the unfolded position of the sleeve; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  illustrates a modified embodiment, using a spiral sleeve. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , lifesaving crew truck  10  is equipped with a hydraulic boom  10   a , carrying and lifting, by beam  10   b , a rescue sleeve compartment  12 . The beam is freely insertable into and retractable from channel  16  as will be explained below.  
         [0019]     The compartment  12  accommodates at the exit side thereof a rescue sleeve  18  ( FIG. 2 ), e.g. of the type disclosed in the WO Patent, in the folded, standby state.  
         [0020]     The other, entrance side of the compartment  12  stores a window-breaking ram-and-jaws system generally denoted  20 .  
         [0021]     The system  20  comprises two identical, symmetrically located ram-head displacing sub-systems  22   a  and  22   b , operating in parallel as will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 5-8 . The description will refer in detail to the sub-system  22   a , since the other,  22   b  is identical.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 5  there are provided a pair of L-shaped rails  24  and  26 . The ram  24  is affixed to rail  28  and rail  26  to rail  30 . The rail  28  is carried by rollers  32  and  34  on rails  36  and  38 , respectively. Similarly, the rail  30  is carried by rollers  40  and  42  on the same rails  36  and  38 . Consequently the rails  24  and  26  can move in parallel towards and away from each other.  
         [0023]     The mechanism for achieving that movement of the rails  24  and  26  includes a pneumatic cylinder  44  and piston  46 . The cylinder  44  is supported by stands  48  and  50  ( FIG. 6 ) rigidly affixed to the rails  36  and  38 , respectively.  
         [0024]     The piston  46  is coupled to the rails  24  and  26  by two pairs of scissors arms  54 ,  56  and  58 ,  60 . The arms  54  and  58  are pivotally connected to the piston  46  by suitable mounting plates  62  and  64  and to the rail  24  by brackets  66  and  68 , respectively; the arms  56  and  60  are pivoted to the plates  62  and  64  at one end, and, by brackets  70  and  72  to the rail  26  at their other ends, respectively. Hence, extraction of the piston  46  will displace rails  24  and  26  away from each other, and withdrawal of the piston will bring the rails closer down to the engaged position shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0025]     The rail  24  of the sub-system  22   a , together with its counterpart rail  80  of the sub-system  22   b  (see  FIGS. 4 and 6 ) carry one of two ram-and-jaw heads  82 , whereas the rails  26  and  81  carry ram-and-jaw head  84 .  
         [0026]     The ram and jaw head  82  is preferably of a triangular cross-section, having a knife-edge leading end  82   a , and an upright surface  82   b  (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ); the same applies to the ram-and-jaw head  84 .  
         [0027]     Finally, there is provided a “floor” plate  86  at the lower level, between the sub-systems  22   a  and  22   b , supported by rails  26  and  82  (see  FIG. 7 ), on which rescued people will walk from the room window to the entrance of the rescue sleeve  18 ; for extra safety reasons, a bellows envelope  88  may be used to conceal the view and avoid the survivors panic when realizing the height from which they are about to glide down.  
         [0028]     Referring now back to  FIG. 2  there is shown a compressed gas container  90  conveniently serving an independent power source. The pressurized gas will operate the piston  46 , as well as activate the release/winding of the rescue sleeve  18 —all at the appropriate timing as will be described below.  
         [0029]     The gas container  90  is thus connected by suitable valve remotely controlled device (not shown) to the cylinder  44 , and also to upper and lower cable winch units  92 ,  94  as schematically shown (see for details the WO Patent).  
         [0030]     The operation of the rescue system is as follows:  
         [0031]     The compartment  12  is attached by the beam  10   b  at the end of the boom  10   a , to the socket  16 , which is then raised and brought adjacent to and in alignment with the window from which evacuation is intended to take place (see  FIG. 2 ). It should be emphasized that vehicular hydraulic booms can be designed to reach levels higher than that of ordinary firemen ladders.  
         [0032]     The boom  10   a  is maneuvered so that the ram  82 ,  84  break the outer cover of the window, be it glass wall curtain and/or the windowpane.  
         [0033]     Once penetration is achieved, following a command given by the life-saving crew from the vehicle  10 , the pneumatic cylinder  44  is charged with compressed gas supplied by the container  90  and the ram-jaws opening operation is started.  
         [0034]     Of course, any equivalent prim-mover can be used such as battery operated electrical motor.  
         [0035]     The ram-jaws  82 ,  84  will thus become firmly anchored against the upper and the lower concrete frame sides of the window, respectively ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ), and the compartment  12  becomes self-supported against the outer wall of the building.  
         [0036]     The truck  10  can now leave the scene, after withdrawal of the beam  10   b  from the socket  16  and folding down the hydraulic boom  10   a.    
         [0037]     Another remote control command is now given, effective to eject the sleeve  18 , e.g. in the fashion described in the WO parent.  
         [0038]     The survivors are able to step into the entrance side of the compartment  12  walking on the floor plate  86  towards the opening of the sleeve  12  and glide down.  
         [0039]     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the inclined sleeve is replaced by spiral sleeve  118  as disclosed in detail in my Israel Patent Applications No. 145935 or No. 147975. The remaining constructional details and the mode of operation are self-evident in view of the above and need not be described in greater detail.  
         [0040]     Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate that numerous changes, variations and modifications can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in and by the appended claims.