Abstract:
An escape and rescue device for a multistory building to: a) evacuate a person or persons attached to an expandable disc support with an attachment lowered from an upper level of a building through a vertical tube, by using lesser pressure at the top and a higher pressure at the bottom, using a door at the top or at the bottom to maintain pressure or by artificial air pressure, thereby permitting the fast evacuation of many people in a short time, b) use by firemen in training, c) use at amusement parks, that would teach users of rides about reliability and safety, and d) transport firemen in a fast way from the ground to the upper floors without interfering with evacuation at congested stairways of the building.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a division of copending application Ser. No. 12/755,208 filed Apr. 6, 2010, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/313,059 filed Dec. 19, 2005, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    This invention is related to the evacuation from buildings that are three or more stories high in a fast and continuous method where a person fixed to a harness and hanging on a disc support is lowered to safety through a tube using a lesser pressure at the top of the tube and a higher pressure at the bottom of the tube. Also, its use is intended to also send firefighters and rescue persons upward to the upper floors to rescue persons that need help during a terrorist attack or a fire. 
         [0004]    2. Prior Art 
         [0005]    After the 9-11 Twin Towers tragedy in New York and other catastrophes on buildings where human lives were lost, I decided to find a way to innovate the very obsolete ways of dealing with a fire in buildings where many persons would be defenseless and could not escape. 
         [0006]    It was necessary to find a better way of evacuating people from buildings on fire with better equipment than is currently available in the market. At the time of the incident at the World Trade Center, it was also noticeable that the firefighters had an almost impossible task of getting to the upper levels because they had to use the same stairwell going up that the escapees were using going down to escape from the building. 
         [0007]    In the early years of firemen and fire trucks, the best way to save persons in distress was by lowering them using a ladder that the fire engine truck had when it arrived to the site, where the fireman had to sometimes risk his own life to get these people down the ladder. Once the first person was on the ground, the brave fireman would sometimes be subject to deadly smoke inhalation while trying to get back and climb the ladder for a second time to find another person, who perhaps was with a child that would not go down the ladder due to panic. The fireman would have to wait until the child fainted or was calmed to get him down while at the same time other evacuees were waiting for the fireman to arrive to the assigned window of the building on fire to be rescued. 
         [0008]    Many had to jump from high places and fall to a rescue device, such as a ring, that sometimes has over 8 men to hold it, abandoning more responsible tasks while in the rescue. The life saving process was slow. It ended in tragedies that added up costing many lives, and only a few would be alive to tell us about the story of the moments of terror that they had lived. The rescue equipment and available firefighter systems have changed very slowly over the years, and every day there is more need for a solution to this condition. 
         [0009]    Nowadays the evacuation problem in case of an emergency is broader. With more buildings, and taller and taller buildings being constructed, more and more people are living or working in them than ever before. We have to add the unfortunate burden of having to deal with terrorist, arsonists, and lunatics who are repeatedly thinking of what, where, and when to strike to cause damage. There are occasions in a terrorist attack or fire that when the situation becomes so critical that the people entrapped by the fire or the smoke would finally decide to jump from the roof of the buildings to the ground because they would feel hopeless even knowing that with this action they would end their lives. 
         [0010]    There are a number of U.S. patents and publications related to escape devices, but none has the advantages of the present invention. 
         [0011]    Studies in areas related to pneumatic tube escape and rescue systems or people escape systems using air pressurized methods also have no similar disclosures as the present invention. 
         [0012]    For example, the following patents were investigated thoroughly: 
         [0013]    In the present invention, I present a vacuum pressure at the top of the tube or at the top of the disc support where in Pelley U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,423 a vacuum pressure on top of the parachute is not mentioned. The top of the tube in the Pelley system is open and there are no connotations on Pelley&#39;s claims that the balloon shaped parachute requires a vacuum pressure on its top, nor is it understood by looking at the Pelley patent. I understand that my invention does not conflict with the idea present in the Pelley patent. 
         [0014]    In Marcu (U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,358) no vacuum pressure is mentioned or implied. Since Marcu needs an open top or an opening above the capsule to release the air contained at the upper side of the capsule while going upward with the central capsule valve closed, even though in Claim  1  and in the 9 th  paragraph of the 24 paragraphs Marcu mention that he has an adjustable Droseling valve (a flow valve) at the upper part of the tube, this would still not imply having a vacuum pressure in the system. Marcu also has to have the top open to free air when his capsule drops at a free fall speed. In no instance may there be a vacuum pressure in the upper area of the tube in Marcu. This would be a slowing mechanism when Marcu is trying to accelerate. This reasoning is made because in all instances during the climbing of the capsule and the free fall of the capsule, Marcu has to have atmospheric pressure above the capsule in order to have his capsule go up to the highest point before and after the capsule drops on a free fall, which implies that Marcu may not have any type of negative or vacuum pressures in the system, otherwise it would not perform properly. As for the stopping of the capsule at the end of the run, Marcu uses the central valve in the capsule with the desmodromic mechanism (lever actuated valve) in the closed position to decelerate and stop the capsule with positive pressure (Marcu also has a set of springs at the bottom to have an additional mechanical way of stopping the capsule in case there is a mishap if the valve does not close properly). Therefore at all times the capsule is controlled with a positive pressure. Marcu also mentions the Droselling valve that is placed from the inside to the outside at the bottom of the tube where this valve is used to release the positive pressure when bringing the capsule to a stop. This mechanism is not similar to the present invention, especially because the invention that Marcu discloses is not related to escape devices. 
         [0015]    On the contrary, the vacuum and/or negative pressures are pertinent to the present invention and are not known to have been mentioned before in prior inventions. The stopping of the present invention with a vacuum pressure for an escape device is a novelty and these are not implied in the Marcu system. 
         [0016]    Another fact about the Marcu system is that the valves, being a Desmodromic valve or a Droselling valve, are variable valves and in the present invention the holes and/or preset valves are intended to stay open (not variable) due to the care that must be exerted due to the fact that the present invention deals with the fall of live persons. The present invention shows that there is an optimum pattern in the preset valve arrangement, the amount of preset valves or holes, the sequence and location of these preset valves on the length of the tube. 
         [0017]    Fuhrmann (U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,705) is a patent related to an escape system consisting of a cup that falls through a tube controlled by a positive pressure exerted below the cup formed escape device. It defers from the present invention in various ways. First, Fuhrmann forms a cup where a person is sitting in the cups base, whereas the present invention has a disc support that is placed at the top of the escapee. Second, the decelerating mechanism on the Fuhrmann system is created by reducing the width of the tube at several consecutive intervals thus reducing the diameter of the tube and controlling the escape of the air flow. In the present invention, however, the air is dissipated by an arrangement of holes or preset valves that are placed from the inside to the outside of the tube. Third, the fall control of the Fuhrmann invention is obtained by two iris valves placed in the pathway of the tube one after the other, where in the present invention acceleration/deceleration is exerted by a vacuum pressure above the disc support, or a pressure difference between the upper and lower side of the disc support, without a valve in the cross section of the tube. Fourth, the Fuhrmann invention slows down due to a positive pressure below the cup whereas in the present invention for the escapees the acceleration and the deceleration are controlled through a vacuum pressure. 
         [0018]    Xia (U.S. Publication No. 2003/0116380) uses forced air induced in the descent of escapees. The jets of Xia have an exterior pressure of high inward free air pressure of over 1.5 psi to 6 psi in pressure. Xia uses a powerful jet to stop the persons from falling at the end of the tube, which could be dangerous. To obtain control of a falling object that measures basically 200 square inches on a very tight tube, as in Xia, would need at least 6 psi (pound per square inch) of air. The turbine would have to be very big as this type of free air flow at 6 psi would have a large loss. Falling through a duct with a direct flow of air while avoiding from being hit against the ground floor is believed to be impractical. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0019]    The present invention is to be used during a terrorist threat or a fire as a fast fire escape and a rescue device to remove people from a multistory building. This mechanism is easy to use and has fast evacuation results. In fact, it may be used immediately after the notion of the fire is known. There is no intervention of outside personnel or Firemen personnel. The invention includes a disc support attached to a strapped harness which is fixed to a person, where this disc support slides through a tube generating a lower pressure at the top thereof and a higher pressure at the bottom thereof, thus controls the person&#39;s descent to safety. 
         [0020]    It not only helps the escapee to descend to safety, but it also is a way to send firefighters through the rescue device upward to the upper floors in a fast and safe way. Firefighters would be attached with a harness to the disc support to get through the tube up to the upper floors to help people that are trapped, unconscious or impaired and to help them get down through this system or through another escape device. The firefighters would not need to use the stairways which are used by the stampede of people evacuating the building, which is known to interfere with the firemen trying to get to the upper floors. It is important to realize that being the first minutes of a fire the only time one has to evacuate a building, it is of importance that one may start the evacuation without having to wait for anyone. 
         [0021]    An object of the invention is to improve the escape of persons from upper floors of a building in danger, e.g. on fire, by controlled descent through a generally vertical tube, supported by a disc which contacts and slides within the interior of the tube. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1A  shows a high rise building having a plurality of escape devices according to the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 1B  shows an cross section of the high rise building with an escape device application. 
           [0024]      FIG. 1C  shows a cross section of the high rise building with a rescue device application. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2A  shows a vacuum and/or negative pressure version of the escape device. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2B  shows a positive pressure version of the escape device. 
           [0027]      FIG. 3A  shows a person fixed to an attachment hanging below a disc support that slides through a tube, according to an embodiment of the escape device shown in  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B . 
           [0028]      FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disc support. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3C  shows a side view of the attachment. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3D  shows a top view of the attachment. 
           [0031]      FIG. 4A  shows a bottom view of the disc support in  FIG. 3B . 
           [0032]      FIG. 4B  shows the top view of the disc support in  FIG. 3B . 
           [0033]      FIG. 4C  shows a cross section of the disc support in  FIG. 3B . 
           [0034]      FIG. 4D  shows a top view of a hole and a knob in the disc support in  FIG. 4B . 
           [0035]      FIG. 4E  shows a bottom view of the hole and the valve, where the valve is in an open position. 
           [0036]      FIG. 4F  shows the bottom view of the hole and the valve, where the valve is in a half closed position. 
           [0037]      FIG. 4G  shows the bottom view of the hole and the valve, where the valve is in a closed position. 
           [0038]      FIG. 5A  shows an embodiment of a vacuum and/or negative pressure version of the escape device and a procedure of using the vacuum and/or negative pressure version of escape device. 
           [0039]      FIG. 5B  and  FIG. 5C  show a structure of roller bearings and a procedure of using the roller bearings after sliding out of the tube. 
           [0040]      FIG. 6A  shows an embodiment of a positive pressure version of the escape device and a procedure of using the positive pressure version of escape device. 
           [0041]      FIG. 7A  shows an embodiment of a rescue device. 
           [0042]      FIGS. 8A-8E  shows another embodiment of the escape device where the tube is a foldable double wall duct. 
           [0043]      FIGS. 9A-10E  show another embodiment of the rescue device where the tube is a foldable double wall duct. 
           [0044]      FIGS. 11A-11F  shows another embodiment of the disc support. 
           [0045]      FIG. 12A  shows a top view a large disc support with the pod slots. 
           [0046]      FIG. 12B  shows a cross section of the large disc support. 
           [0047]      FIG. 12C  shows a cross section of the large disc support showing a pod slot and the attachment with the belt and the buckle at the left side and at the center the hole and the valve attached to the knob. 
           [0048]      FIG. 12D  shows a cross section of the disc large support showing the pod clip engaged inside the disc support. 
           [0049]      FIG. 12E  shows a longitudinal section of the disc large support showing the pod clip engages inside the disc support with a clip lock in locked position. 
           [0050]      FIG. 13A  shows an embodiment of negative pressure version of the escape device, where a plurality of persons can escape using the device simultaneously. 
           [0051]      FIG. 14A  shows an embodiment of positive pressure version of the escape device, where a plurality of persons can escape using the device simultaneously. 
           [0052]      FIG. 15A  shows a person enters into the tube through a door at the upper floor and stands on a plank, where the person is wearing the attachment attached to the disc support in the closed position, according to an embodiment. 
           [0053]      FIG. 15B  shows the person with the disc support in a closed position being placed inside the dome. 
           [0054]      FIG. 15C  shows the person with the disc support obtaining a vacuum and/or negative pressure inside a dome and the door is in a locked position. 
           [0055]      FIG. 15D  shows the plank being released and the person start to descend. 
           [0056]      FIG. 15E  shows the floor plank is totally moved out of the way from the path of the disc support and the floor plank is placed inside the exterior sealed compartment and where the person attached to the disc starts descending through the tube. 
           [0057]      FIG. 15F  shows the person attached to the attachment and the disc support continue descending through the tube. 
           [0058]      FIG. 16A  shows a top view a disc support, according to an embodiment. 
           [0059]      FIG. 16B  shows a side view of the disc support in a closed position. 
           [0060]      FIG. 16C  shows a side view of the disc support in a half closed position. 
           [0061]      FIG. 16D  shows a side view of the disc support in an open position. 
           [0062]      FIG. 16E  shows the bottom view of the disc support. 
           [0063]      FIG. 16F  shows a disc support in a multi ring setup arrangement, according to an embodiment. 
           [0064]      FIG. 16G  shows the disc support in a multi ring setup arrangement having a traverse deflection when passing through a deflected tube. 
           [0065]      FIG. 17A  shows a large disc support for a plurality of persons with the nonporous flexible material and the beam, according to another embodiment. 
           [0066]      FIG. 17B  shows a side view of the large disc support in a closed position. 
           [0067]      FIG. 17C  shows a side view of the large disc support in a half closed position. 
           [0068]      FIG. 17D  shows a side view of the large disc support in an open position. 
           [0069]      FIG. 18A  shows a top view of a person on top of a floor plank in a closed position inside a tube, according to an embodiment. 
           [0070]      FIG. 18B  shows a left side view of the person on top of the floor plank in the closed position inside the tube. 
           [0071]      FIG. 18C  shows a frontal side view of the person  17  on top of the floor plank in a closed position inside a tube. 
           [0072]      FIG. 18D  shows a top view of the floor plank in a half closed position inside the tube. 
           [0073]      FIG. 18E  shows a left side view of the floor plank in the half closed position inside the tube. 
           [0074]      FIG. 18F  shows a frontal view of the floor plank in the half closed position inside the tube. 
           [0075]      FIG. 18G  shows a top view of the floor plank in an open position inside the tube. 
           [0076]      FIG. 18H  shows a left side view of the floor plank  88  in the open position inside the tube. 
           [0077]      FIG. 18I  shows a front view of the floor plank in the open position inside the tube. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0078]    Embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the embodiments are shown. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, the embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to one skilled in the art. In the drawings, the dimensions and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements, and thus, their description will not be repeated. 
         [0079]    Accordingly, while embodiments of the invention are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, only the embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit embodiments of the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, embodiments of the invention are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention. Thus, parts in one drawing may be substituted for parts in other drawings below to thus provide additional variations or embodiments. 
         [0080]    It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of embodiments of the present invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
         [0081]    It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “on” versus “directly on”, “between” versus “directly between”, “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent”, etc.). 
         [0082]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0083]    It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the Figs. For example, two Figs. shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. 
         [0084]    Although the embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 
         [0085]      FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  show that when in an emergency due to terrorist threat or a fire on a building, there is a method of fast escape from a building into safety. As is shown on  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , the building may be three (3) floors to more than 120 stories, and a person may go through an entrance  72  into a cabin  78  at a roof floor  74  or at an upper floor  75 , where a vertical tube  80  is connected to a lower floor  76  or to ground floor  77  where an exit  32  is located. 
         [0086]      FIG. 1C  shows that when in emergency due to terrorist treats or a fire on a building, there is a method of rescue by firefighters using a positive and a negative air pressure from a blower as to rise themselves through a tube  80  to rescue injured persons  17  located at an upper floor  75 . To this end, a firefighter may go through an entrance  72  into a lower chamber  78  on the ground floor  77  or at a lower floor  76 , which is connected to the upper floor through the vertical tube  80  and rise to an upper floor  75  or to the roof floor  74 , where an exit  32  is located, reaching the place where the firefighter may find entrapped persons waiting to be rescued. 
         [0087]      FIG. 2A  shows one example embodiment of the escape device. The tube  80  includes a first entrance  72  at the roof floor  74  and an open end at the bottom floor. The tube  80  also includes, from the upper side to the lower side thereof, respectively, a first section  82 , a second section  83 , and a third section  84 . Along the first section  82 , there are provided on the wall of the tube  80  a plurality of first holes and/or preset valves  47  distributed along the longitudinal direction of the tube  80 . Along the second section  83 , there are provided on the wall of the tube  80  a plurality of second holes and/or preset valves  70  distributed along the longitudinal of the tube. There are no holes and/or preset valves along the third section  84 . 
         [0088]    Each hole and/or preset valve includes a first side connected to the inner space of the tube  80  and a second side parallel connected to the rest of the holes and/or preset valves by an otherwise closed channel  803 , so that each hole and/or preset valve is connected to every other holes and/or preset valves. Therefore, air in the tube can circulate from a lower portion of the tube to an upper portion of the tube, or vise versa, through the holes and/or preset valves  47 ,  70  and the channel  803 . 
         [0089]    Further, the escape device also includes a disc support  79  having an upper side  791 , a lower side  792 , and a diameter that matches the inner diameter of the tube  80 , so that it is capable of sliding within the tube and which divides the inner space of the tube  80  into two parts: the upper space  801  above the disc support  79  and the lower space  802  below the disc support  79 . 
         [0090]    To safely escape the building  71 , a person  17  who has attached a harness  37  connected to the disk support  79  first enters the tube  80  through the door  22  after passage through the entrance  72  at the roof floor  74  or the upper floor  75 , and then hangs himself or herself below the disc support  79  by the harness or attachment  37 . The attachment  37  is desirably a four-point harness system including a buckle  38  and a belt  39 , where a person  17  can be fixed thereto and rides or slides downwardly against the smooth surface  81  of the tube  80 , as shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D . Because of the weight of the person and the effects of gravity, he/she will slide downwardly through the vertical tube  80  from the top thereof towards the bottom thereof. 
         [0091]    The downward motion of the disc support  79  compresses the air in the lower space  802  and increases the volume of the upper space  801 , and thus generates an air pressure difference between the upper space  801  and lower space  802 . In the event that only the upper space  801  is encapsulated, as shown in  FIG. 2A , the motion will decrease the air pressure of the upper space  801  only. The air pressure in the lower space  802  remains at atmosphere pressure. In the event that only the lower space  802  is encapsulated, the motion will increase the air pressure of the lower space  802 , but the upper space  801  will remain at atmosphere pressure as shown in  FIG. 2B . When both of the upper space  801  and the lower space  802 , are encapsulated, the motion will decrease the air pressure of the upper space  801  and increase the air pressure of the lower space  802 . In any case, the pressure difference between the lower space  802  and upper space  801  (e.g., 0.4 psi-1.2 psi) generates an upward force on the disc support  79  that counteracts against the weight of the person. That said, the upward force is equivalent to a damping force to the downward motion of the disc support  79 . 
         [0092]    The amplitude of the upward force positively relates to the amplitude of the pressure difference between the lower space  802  and the upper space  801 . In an ideal situation when friction between the disc support  79  and the tube  80  is trivial, if the pressure difference is too small to overcome the weight of the person, the descending motion accelerates, otherwise, when the pressure difference is increased sufficiently so that the upward force is significant compared to that of the weight of the person, his/her descending motion will decelerate. 
         [0093]    Driven by the pressure difference, when the disc support  79  is moving in the first section  82  or in the second section  83 , the air in the lower space  802  flows to the upper space  801  through the holes and/or preset valves  47 ,  70 . Due to the descending motion of the disc support  79 , the volume of the upper space  801  increases constantly and the volume of the lower space  802  decreases constantly. The air exchange between the lower and upper spaces  802 ,  801  partially compensates the volume change and therefore at least partially offsets the change of the pressure difference between the lower space  802  and the upper space  801 . 
         [0094]    The extent of such compensation/offset depends on the flux of the air between the upper space  801  and the lower space  802 . By distributing the holes and/or preset valves  47 ,  70  in a predetermined pattern, the flux rate of the valves  47 ,  70 , and the overall flux of the air between the upper space  801  and the lower space  802  can be controlled, so that when the person is traveling through the first section  82  of the tube  80 , the descending motion of the disc support  79  creates a predetermined lesser pressure difference, thus a predetermined acceleration to the motion; when the person is traveling through the second section  83  of the tube  80 , the motion of the disc support  79  creates a predetermined larger pressure difference, thus a predetermined deceleration to the motion. 
         [0095]    As an example,  FIG. 2A  shows that the holes and/or preset valves  47  in the first section  82  are larger, whereas the holes and/or preset valves  70  in the second section  83  are smaller. Other configurations and distributions for the holes and/or preset valves may also be applied to these sections to achieve the above-mentioned predetermined acceleration arrangement. 
         [0096]    When the disc support  79  arrives to the third section  84  of the tube  80 , where there are no holes and/or preset valves, no air exchange occurs between the lower space  802  and the upper space  801 , and therefore there is no air pressure difference being offset by the air exchange. As a result, the air pressure difference between the upper and lower spaces  801 ,  802  keeps increasing along with the descending motion of the disc support  79 , thus the disc support  79  keeps decelerating, until it reaches the open end of the tube  80  where the lower floor  76  or the ground floor  77  is located, at which place the velocity of the disc support  79  decreases to zero. After landing, the person  17  can then remove the disc support  79  from the tube  80  and release himself/herself from the attachment  37  and proceeds toward the exit  32 . 
         [0097]    Various configurations can be applied to the disc support  79 . For example, it may simply be a high profile disc with rings  793  to connect to the attachment  37 , as shown in  FIG. 3B . It may further include a valve system  48  for speed control, as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4G  which illustrate an embodiment of the disc support  79 , wherein the disc support  79  has a hole  48  and a valve  49  on the lower side  792  to adjust the descending speed of the person  17  corresponding to her weight. Further, on the upper side  791  of the disc support  79 , there is also provided with a knob  51  connected to the valve  49  for turning the valve  49  which has three positions, namely closed, semi-closed, and open as shown in  FIGS. 4E to 4G . The valve  49  is set at a position according to the weight of the person. The adjustment of the valve adjusts the air flux through the hole  48  when the disc support  79  is moving through the tube  80 , and thus adjusts the pressure difference between the upper space  801  and the lower space  802 , and accordingly adjusts the acceleration or deceleration of the disc support  79 .  FIGS. 4A-4G  show that the hole  48  locates at the edge of the disc support  79 . It can certainly be arranged to other place of the disc support, such as to the center thereof 
         [0098]      FIGS. 16A-16D  show another embodiment of the disc support  79 . According to the embodiment, the disc support  79  is a two layer structure. It includes a disc  794  and a lower ring  87  connected by two levers  62  and a nonporous flexible skirt  152 . The lower ring  87  has an outer diameter substantially being the same as that of the disc  794 . The outer skirt  152  connects the outer peripheral of the lower ring  87  with the outer peripheral of the disc  794 , so that when the lower ring moves towards or away from the disc  794 , i.e., when the disc support  79  is in a closed/open position, the skirt  152  is folded/deployed. Further, the lever  62  is a mechanism with two bars  621 ,  622 . Each bar  621 / 622  connects to the other bar by a hinge  623  at one side, and connects to either the disc  794  or the lower ring  87  by a hinge  624  at the other side. The lever  62  serves as a skeleton to the folding and deploying of the skirt  152 , preventing the skirt  152  from being torn away from the disc  794  or the lower ring  87  when the disc support  79  is opened by a force. 
         [0099]    The lever  62  also helps the planar surfaces of the disc  794  and the lower ring  87  face each other when the disc support  79  is closed/opened. When the disc support  79  slides through the tube  80 , the planar surfaces of the disc  79  and lower ring  87  remains perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vertical tube  80 , thus avoiding a turn over of the disc support  79 . Such configuration also helps maintain a minimum and/or a predetermined the air pressure loss that occurs between the disc support edges and the interior surface of the tube  80 , thus allowing a controlled descending of the disc support and the person supported thereby. 
         [0100]    The disc support  79  can also have multiple layers of skirts and rings.  FIG. 16F  shows an embodiment of the multi ring setup arrangement and the person supported thereby. 
         [0101]    According to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 16F , the disc support includes the disc  794 , several intermediate rings  86 , and a lower ring  87 . The disc  794  and the rings  86 ,  87  below the disc  794  are connected in series, forming a multiple layer structure. Each layer is connected to another by a lever  62  and a skirt  152  in a similar manner as that of the two layer disc support described above. Such multi-layer structure provides an improved air sealing when the disc support travels through the tube  80 . This is because due to mismatch between the tube  80  and the disc support  79 , there is always a space, no matter how small it is, between the inner surface  81  of the tube and the outer peripherial of the disc support  79 . When there is only one layer, the air only needs to pass through one layer of the space to leak from below the disc support  79  to above the disc support  79 . With a multi-layer structure, however, the air has to pass several layers of spaces to leak from below the disc support  79  to above the disc support  79 . Each layer of the space increases the difficulty for the leakage, thereby creating a better sealing between the space below the disc support  79  and the space above the disc support  79 , thereby providing the disc support  79  better controllability for the descending movement. 
         [0102]    The multiple layer structure also provides the disc support  79  with a certain degree of flexibility when moving through the tube  80 . As shown in  FIG. 16G , when said tube  80  is deflected in a traverse direction, or has minor variation in diameter, symmetry, position, or is off centered or with an imperfect roundness cross section, the multi-layer disc support  79  is capable of deforming in a traverse direction to maintain a good sealing effect between the air above and below it, thus permitting a desired control over the descending motion. 
         [0103]      FIGS. 11A-11F  show another embodiment of the disc support. According to this embodiment, the disc support is in the form of a ring shaped support  79  slidable against the smooth surface  81  of the tube  80 . The ring shaped support  79  connects to an attachment  37  and a pant  55 , so that a person  17  can go into and be supported by the pant  55  and sit and fix herself on the attachment  37 . The pant also includes a belt  39  and a buckle  38  to further fix the person  17  at her waist, and an elastic band at each trousers leg to fix the person  17  at her thighs minimizing air leakage between the pant  55  and the person  17 . When she is sitting in the pant  55  and sliding through the tube  80 , a lower pressure  41  at the top of the ring shape support  79  and/or a higher pressure  42  below the ring shaped support  79  are generated, whereby her descending speed can be controlled. 
         [0104]    In addition, the ring shaped support  79  can also include a hole  48 , a valve  49  on the lower side of the ring shaped support  79 , and a knob  51  connected to the valve  49  on the upper side of the ring shaped support  79 . By turning the knob  51 , the person  17  can adjust position of the valve  49  over the hole  48 , thereby adjust the flux rate of the air in the tube  80  that flows through the hole  48 , and thus control the descending acceleration/deceleration according to the person&#39;s weight. 
         [0105]      FIG. 2B  shows another embodiment of the escape device, in which the lower end of the tube  80  is closed and the upper end of the tube  80  is opened. The tube  80  further includes a second door  22  at the lower end thereof. When a person  17  attached to a disk support  79  with an attachment  37  goes through an entrance  72  at the roof floor  74  or the upper floor  75 , she may then descend through the vertical tube  80 . The descending motion does not change the pressure in the upper space  801 , and creates a larger pressure or positive pressure in the lower space  802 , and thus generates a pressure difference between the upper space  801  and the lower space  802 . The pressure difference is controlled in a manner so that the disc support  79  first accelerates while traveling through the first section  82 , where the holes and/or preset valves  47  are located. When the disc support  79  passes the second section  83 , where the holes and/or preset valves  70  are located, the pressure difference is so controlled to provide a predetermined deceleration for the disc support  79 , and thus lower the descending speed of the disc support  79  until the disc support  79  arrives to the third section  84  of the tube  80 . Since there are no holes and/or preset valves in the third section  84 , no air communicates between the upper and lower space  801 ,  802 . Therefore no offset to the pressure difference is obtained therebetween. As a result, the length of the third section is configured in a way that the disc support  79  will stop when it reaches the lower floor  76  or the ground floor  77 , where the person will open the door  22  to go toward the exit  32 . 
         [0106]      FIG. 5A  shows a procedure of escape using a vacuum version of the escape device. In this procedure, a person  17  fixed by an attachment  37  to a disk support  79  first enters into the entrance area  72  at the roof floor  74  or the upper floor  75  and then closes the door  22 . Then the person  17  descends through the vertical tube  80 . The descending motion creates a lower pressure  41  or vacuum above the disc support  79 . The disc support  79  initially accelerates at a predetermined rate while traveling through the first section  82  (approximately 85% of the total length) where the holes and/or preset valves  47  are located. Then the disc support  79  passes the second section  83  (approximately 11% of the total length) of holes and/or preset valves  70  where a predetermined deceleration immediately starts reducing the speed of the disc support  79 . At the third section  84  (approximately 4% of the total length) where there are no holes and/or preset valves, no pressure offset is obtained by the exchange of air between the upper space and the lower space. As a result, the disc support  79  will come to a stop when the person reaches the lower floor  76  or the ground floor  77  where the person will go to exit  32 . 
         [0107]    As shown in  FIG. 5B  and  FIG. 5C , after leaving the tube  80 , two inclined lateral trays  24  and roller bearings  25  are provided at the lower end of the tube  80  to receive the disc support  79 . The weight of the disc support  79 , together with the weight of the attachment  37  and the person  17  drives the disc support  79  laterally to the lower floor  76  or to the ground floor  77  and then to the exit  32 , so that a plurality of persons can be rescued one after another in a streamlined fashion so as to increase the amount of persons being evacuated through the escape tube at a given time. 
         [0108]    The entrance of the escape device at the higher floor may have various configurations. For example,  FIGS. 15A-15F  illustrate another embodiment of the entrance, the door, and the end portion for the tube  80  of the escape device as well as a procedure of preparing the descending. 
         [0109]    As shown in  FIG. 15A , the door  22  is configured to be on the wall of the tube  80 . Inside the upper portion of the tube  80 , there is provided an exterior compartment  90  on the wall thereof, so that an extra space is available in the wall of the tube  80 . Further, the tube  80  also includes a plank  88  being hinged in the compartment  90  at the same height of the upper floor  75 , so that when the plank  88  is in a horizontal position, it supports a person enters into the tube  80  from the door  22 ; and when the plank  88  is rotated down to a vertical position, it is completely encompassed by the space of the compartment  90 . The connection between the compartment  90  and the tube  80  is perfectly sealed. Therefore, there are no air leaks in and out of the tube  80  from the compartment  90 . 
         [0110]    To prepare for descending, the person  17  fixed on the attachment  37  and the disc support  79  first enters into the entrance  72  at the upper floor  75 , then opens the door  22  and enters into the tube  80  and steps onto the plank  88 , as shown in  FIG. 15A . At this time, the disc support  79  is in the closed position  60 . The person then raises the disc support  79  and fits it to the inner smooth surface of a dome  91  in the upper end of the tube  80 , as shown in  FIG. 15B . Next, the person closes the door  22 , and pulls down the disc support  79  for a small distance to generate a predetermined negative pressure and/or vacuum pressure  13  in the dome  91  above the disc support  79 . As shown in  FIG. 15C , because of the interaction between the downward pulling force and the upward sucking effect of the negative pressure and/or vacuum pressure  13 , the disc support  79  is now in the half closed position  58 , i.e., the skirt  152  is partially deployed. The negative pressure and/or vacuum pressure is large enough to sustain the disc support  79  stay in position statically until a force sufficiently large to pull the disc support  79  downward, permitting an initial slow movement of the disc support  79  along the length of the tube  80 . 
         [0111]    Also, the negative and/or vacuum pressure  13  is directed by mechanical means to the door  22  and to the floor plank  88  in a way that the floor plank  88  will not release unless there is a vacuum  13  on the dome  91  and the door  22  is in a locked position. 
         [0112]    Next, as shown in  FIGS. 15D-15F , when the door  22  is locked in the closed position, the plank  88  is pivoted into the exterior sealed compartment  90 , thereby completely opens the tube  80  below the person  17 , releasing her to the descending motion.  FIGS. 18A-18I  illustrate top views and side views of the plank  88  and compartment  90 , as well as how the plank  88  releases the person  17  for the descending motion. 
         [0113]    Now referring to  FIG. 6A .  FIG. 6A  shows a procedure of escape using a positive pressure version of the escape device. A person  17  first goes through the entrance  72  at the roof floor  74  or the upper floor  75 , and then fixes herself to an attachment  37  and a disc support  79  guided by the rail  332 . The person  17  then places herself in position for the descend through the vertical guides  34  through the tube  80 . In a positive version of the escape device, the descending motion of the disc support  79  creates a higher pressure  42  or positive pressure  14  below the disc support  79  than the pressure above the disc support  79 . As stated above, the disc support  79  accelerates to an optimum/predetermined speed while traveling through the first section  82  (approximately 85% of the total length), where the holes and/or preset valves  47  are located, until the disc support  79  enters into the second section  83  (approximately 11% of the total length), where the holes and/or preset valves  70  are located. When the disc support  79  enters into the second section  83 , a deceleration immediately starts, bringing the disc support  79  to a lower speed until it enters into the third section  84  (approximately 4% of the total length), where no holes and/or valves are provided. Since there is no air pressure offset/released, the disc support  79  will come to a stop when the person reaches the lower floor  76  or the ground floor  77 , where she will open the door  22  to go toward the exit  32 . 
         [0114]    To further increase the efficiency of evacuation, the escape device may be configured to send a plurality of persons through the tube  80  simultaneously. For example, according to another embodiment shown in  FIGS. 12A-14A , the escape device includes a disc support  79  large enough for a plurality of persons and a correspondingly larger tube  80  that matches the disc support  79 . On the lower side of the disc support  79 , there is provided a plurality of pod slots  67 , each of which is capable to hang an attachment  37  for a person. The configuration of the pod slots  67  and the corresponding portion of the attachment  37  to hook up with the pod slots  67  may be of any suitable forms. For example, each attachment  37  includes a T-shaped one-point pot clip  68 . Each pod slot  67  is formed by a T-shaped groove with a cylindrical slot at one side thereof, so that an individual attachment  37  can be hooked by the T-shaped groove through the one-point pot clip  68 . Once the pod clip  68  is placed into the pod slot  67  and it enters into its working position, the pod lock  69  falls back and does not release the pod clip  68  until the person arrives to the lower floor. There can also be provided a hole  48 , a valve  49 , and a knob  51  in the disc support  79  for additional descending control, as set forth in the previous embodiments. 
         [0115]    As an another example,  FIGS. 17A-17D  shows another embodiment of the large disc support for a plurality of persons. The large disc support includes a disc  798 , a lower ring  870  below the disc  798 , a nonporous flexible skirt  154 , and several parallel cross beams  85 . The lower ring  870  has an outer diameter substantially equals to the diameter of the disc  798 . the skirt  154  connects the outer pheripheral of the lower ring  870  with the outer peripheral of the disc  798 , so that when the lower ring moves towards/away from the disc  798 , i.e., when the disc support  79  is in a closed/open position, the skirt  154  is folded/deployed. Further, each of the cross beams  85  is connected to the bottom of the disc  798  by a hinge  850 , and a lever  626  interacts with the beams  85  so that when the cross beams  85  rotate towards the disc  798 , the large disc support  79  is closed and when the cross beams  85  rotate away from the disc  798 , the large disc support  79  is opened. 
         [0116]    To have the pod clips  68  ready for use, the beams  85  rotate around the hinge  850  to be perpendicular to the surface of the disc  798 . Accordingly, the large disc support  79  is opened and the height of which is expanded from 4 inches to a full 16 inch. Further, the pod clips  68  and the cross beams  85  are arranged to take into account the width and the size of the persons it takes and are set as to have the persons travel in a comfortable way, without having these persons touching each other at the front and back of their bodies. 
         [0117]    Once the persons leave the disc and escape from the building, the large disc support  79  is rotated 90 degrees into the closed position and the beams too will be placed the closed position, so that the large disc support becomes 75% thinner, and thus easier for storage. 
         [0118]      FIG. 13A  shows an embodiment of negative pressure version of the rescue device using the large disc support  79 . In a rescuing process, a plurality of the persons  17 , connected to individual attachments  37 , walk to the entrance  72  through a door  22  that will keep the lower pressure  41  or negative pressure  13  at the top of the tube  80 . When all of the persons  17  are readily fixed to the disc support  79 , they then place themselves in position for descending through the vertical guides  34  and descend themselves through the vertical tube  80 . Because the door  22  of the upper entrance  72  is closed, the descending motion creates a lower pressure  41  or negative pressure  13  above the disc support  79 . Because the lower end of the tube  80  is open, the air pressure under the disc support  79  remains atmosphere pressure. The pressure difference between the lower pressure  41  above the disc support  79  and the atmosphere pressure  26  below the disc support  79  is adjusted so that the disc support  79  initially accelerates to an optimum/predetermined speed while the disc support  79  is traveling through the first section  82  (approximately 85% of the total length), where the holes and/or preset valves  47  are located. When the disc support  79  passes the second section  83  (approximately 11% of the total length), where the holes and/or preset valves  70  are located, a deceleration immediately starts, bringing the disc support  79  to a lower speed until it reaches to the third section  84  (approximately 4% of the total length) where there are no holes and/or preset valves. Since there is no air pressure offset/released, the disc support  79  will further decelerate and eventually come to a stop when the person reaches the lower floor  76  or the ground floor  77 . The person  17  then moves toward the exit  32 . 
         [0119]      FIG. 14A  shows an embodiment of positive pressure version of the escape device using the large disc support  79 . When all of the persons  17  are readily fixed to the disc support  79 , they then place themselves in position for descending through the vertical guides  34  and descend themselves through the vertical tube  80 . Because the lower end of the tube  80  is connected to the lower chamber, and the door  22  of the lower chamber is closed, the descending motion of the disc support  79  creates a higher pressure  42  or positive pressure  14  in the tube  80  below the disc support  79 . Because the entrance  72  is open to the atmosphere, the pressure above the disc support  79  remains atmosphere pressure. As set forth above, the pressure difference above and below the disc support  79  is controlled so that the disc support  79  initially experiences an acceleration until it reaches an optimum/predetermined speed while traveling through the first section (approximately 85% of the total length), where the holes and/or preset valves  47  are located. When the disc support  79  enters into the second section (approximately 11% of the total length), where the holes and/or preset valves  70  are located, a deceleration immediately starts, bringing the disc support  79  to a lower speed until it enters into the third section (approximately 4% of the total length), where there are no holes and/or preset valves. Since there is no air pressure offset/released, the disc support  79  will be further decelerated and eventually stops when the person reaches the lower floor  76  or the ground floor  77 , where the person will open the door  22  to go toward the exit  32 . 
         [0120]    In addition to safely rescue persons from a higher floor to a lower floor in a building, the present invention can also be applied to send a person, such as a fireman, from a lower floor to a higher floor in a building. 
         [0121]      FIG. 7A  shows an embodiment of a rescue device used to lift upward a firefighter  18  or a plurality of firefighters  18 . The rescue device comprises one lower chamber  78 , an upper chamber  781 , a tube  80  therebetween, a disc support  79  slidable in the tube  80 , and a blower  43 . The blower  43  connects to the lower chamber  78  by a first channel  784  and connects to the upper chamber by a second channel  786 . Operating the blower  43  generates a higher pressure  42  in the lower chamber  782  and/or a lower pressure  41  in the upper chamber  781 . By using the pressure difference between the lower pressure  41  and the higher pressure  42 , the fireman  18  slides upward through the tube  80  to an upper floor. 
         [0122]    As shown on  FIG. 7A , the firefighter  18  with the disc support  79  enters into the tube  80  and ascends towards the upper floor  75 . At the end of the ascend when the disc support  79  reaches the section there is a plurality of holes or preset valves  702 , where these holes or preset valves create a bypass between the upper and the lower sides of the disc support  79 , reducing the speed of the ascend as the disc support  79  advances. Consequently, the disc support  79  stops at the height of the inclined lateral tray roller system  65 , where the disc support  79  is unhooked and carried by the firefighter  18  who leaves through door  22  to continue through exit  32 . 
         [0123]    To obtain an additional control over the ascending speed, the disc support  79  may further include a hole  48  and/or a valve  49 , shown in  FIGS. 4A , capable of adjusting the amount of air flow to adjust the upward speed of the disc support  79 , taking in consideration the weight hanging below the disc support  79 , i.e., closing the hole  48  will cause an increase in the upward speed and opening the hole  48  will cause a lower upward speed. It is noted that the position of the hole  48  and valve  49  may also locate in other place of the disc support  79 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 7A , the hole  48  and the valve  49  may locate in the center of the disc support  79 . 
         [0124]    After arriving the roof floor  74  or the higher floor  75 , the disc support  79  is then engaged in the inclined lateral tray roller bearing system  65  through the guide guard  21  toward the door  22 . The firefighter  18  can then enter the building through exit  32 . 
         [0125]    If necessary, this rescue device may also be used to send a person from a higher floor to a lower floor simply by decreasing the pressure difference generated by the blower  43  according to the weight of the persons  17  or firefighter  18 . 
         [0126]    Further, in addition to a rigid tube with fixed length and size, the tube in the present invention may also be foldable and flexible. 
         [0127]      FIGS. 8A-8E  illustrate another embodiment of the present invention where the tube  80  is in a form of foldable double wall duct  46 .  FIGS. 8A-8E  also chronologically illustrate a procedure when a person escapes from a building using such embodiment. As shown in 
         [0128]      FIG. 8A , the escape device includes an exterior chamber  783  attached to the building  71  and the door  22  placed at the roof floor  74  or upper floor  75 . A double wall duct  46  is folded and stored in chamber  783 , so that in case of an emergency, a person  17  can open the hatch  27 , permitting a double wall duct  46  stored in the exterior chamber  783  to be deployed, as shown in  FIG. 8B . 
         [0129]    According to the embodiment, the double wall duct  46  is a flexible structure that can be folded and stored in a chamber. It includes an inner smooth surface  81 , an outer flexible duct  61 , and air inlet or valve  40  located on the upper end of the outer flexible duct  61 . Both of the inner smooth surface  81  and the outer flexible duct  61  are made of a nonporous flexible material 15. 
         [0130]      FIG. 8C  shows the person  17  passes the door  22 , and engages the disc support  79  to the rail  33 , being ready to descend through the double wall duct  46 . The double wall duct  46  in this figure has not been fully deployed yet. 
         [0131]      FIG. 8D  shows the double wall duct  46  being fully deployed. The fully deployed double wall duct  46  reaches to approximately seven (7) feet above the ground level  77 . 
         [0132]    After double wall duct  46  is deployed, air is pumped into the space between the inner smooth surface  81  and the outer flexible duct  61  through the air inlet  40 , thereby inflating the double wall duct  46  into a tube  80 . 
         [0133]      FIG. 8E  shows the double wall duct  46  converted to a tube  80  and several persons  17  fixed to the attachment  37  and start to descending through the inflated double wall duct  46 . 
         [0134]    Since the door  22  is closed, the descending motion generates a lower pressure and/or vacuum pressure  41  above the disc support  79 . The air pressure below the disc support  79  remains the atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the person  17  will fall controlled by the differential pressure at a safe speed through the tube  80 . After the person  17  descending to the lower floor  76  or ground floor  77 , she may escape through the exit  32 . 
         [0135]      FIGS. 9A-10D  show another embodiment of the rescue device that may be used by firemen. According to the embodiment, a double wall conduct  46  is assembled to an extensible boom motor crane  36 . As shown in  FIG. 10E , the double wall conduct  46  includes at least two hooks  52  at its lower end and a plurality of rings  19  on its outer flexible duct  61 . The plurality of rings  19  is distributed along the length of the double wall conduct  46  along the lower section thereof, so that when the lower section is folded, each hook  52  can hook to one of the rings  19 . 
         [0136]      FIG. 10A  shows the top end of the extensible boom motor crane  36  where the double walled duct  46  starts to be released when a hatch door  27  is opened.  FIG. 10B  shows the top end of the extensible boom motor crane  36  where the double walled duct  46  is deployed. When the double wall conduct  46  is longer than needed, it can be folded to a predetermined shorter length by flipping inside out the lower portion of the double wall conduct  46 , i.e., section  53  a shown in  FIG. 10D , to a desired length, and hooking the hook  52  to the ring  19 , as shown in  FIGS. 10C and 10E . Then the folded double wall conduct  46  is inflated through the inlet  40  at its lower end and forms a tube  80  with a desired length, as shown in  FIG. 10D . 
         [0137]      FIG. 10D  also shows the person  17  fixed to an attachment  37  and a disc support  79  is descending from the folded inflated double wall conduct  46 . Because the double wall conduct  46  is folded at the section  53 , the diameter at this section becomes smaller than other part of the inflated double wall conduct  46 . The smaller diameter further helps decelerate the disc support  79  when it passes through the section  53 . 
         [0138]    Now back to  FIG. 9A , to rescue people in a building, the extensible boom motor crane  36  can rise to over one hundred twenty (120) feet high to attend a fire at a building  71  through window  73 . The extensible boom motor crane  36  has an upper chamber  78  and a door  22  connected to the extensible boom, where a fireman  18  supplies disc supports  79  to as many persons  17  as needed and these persons  17  enter the upper chamber  783  through the door  22  and go down the double wall duct  46  or tube  80  at a safe and controlled speed by the lesser pressure  41  at the top side of the disc support  79  and the higher pressure  42  at the bottom of the disc support  79 . The tube  80  or the inflated double wall duct  46  can extend from the window that the extensible boom motor reaches to a height of approximately seven (7) feet above the ground floor  77 . Also, if needed, the lower chamber  784  can have pressurized air delivered by the extensible boom motor crane  36  to help maintain a desired pressure to control the rate of descent. When finally the persons  17  reach the ground, they can leave the escape device through door  22  and quickly move toward exit  32 . 
         [0139]    While embodiments have been particularly shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 1A-18I , it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in faun and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of example embodiments, as defined by the following claims. 
       DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0140]      
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                  12. 
                 Wall 
               
               
                  13. 
                 Vacuum Pressure and/or negative pressure 
               
               
                  14. 
                 Positive Pressure and/or higher pressure 
               
               
                  15. 
                 Nonporous flexible material 
               
               
                  16. 
                 Frictionless material 
               
               
                  17. 
                 Person or Plurality of persons 
               
               
                  18. 
                 Fireman, Firefighter 
               
               
                  19. 
                 Ring 
               
               
                  20. 
                 Door frame 
               
               
                  21. 
                 Guide guard 
               
               
                  22. 
                 Door 
               
               
                  24. 
                 Two lateral trays 
               
               
                  25. 
                 Roller bearings 
               
               
                  26. 
                 Atmospheric pressure 
               
               
                  27. 
                 Hatch door 
               
               
                  28. 
                 Locking system 
               
               
                  29. 
                 Push button 
               
               
                  30. 
                 Free position 
               
               
                  31. 
                 Lock position 
               
               
                  32. 
                 Exit 
               
               
                  33. 
                 Rail 
               
               
                  34. 
                 Guides 
               
               
                  35. 
                 Fixing ring 
               
               
                  36. 
                 Extensible boom motor crane 
               
               
                  37. 
                 Attachment to fit a human body, harness, four point harness 
               
               
                  38. 
                 Buckle 
               
               
                  39. 
                 Belt 
               
               
                  40. 
                 Air inlet 
               
               
                  41. 
                 Lower pressure 
               
               
                  42. 
                 Higher pressure 
               
               
                  43. 
                 Blower 
               
               
                  44. 
                 Bag 
               
               
                  45. 
                 Eye bolt &amp; Nut 
               
               
                  46. 
                 Double wall duct 
               
               
                  47. 
                 Hole, preset valve 
               
               
                  48. 
                 Hole 
               
               
                  49. 
                 Valve 
               
               
                  50. 
                 Controlled air flow 
               
               
                  51. 
                 Knob 
               
               
                  52. 
                 Hook 
               
               
                  53. 
                 Section where the tube is reduced in diameter 
               
               
                  54. 
                 Hose 
               
               
                  55. 
                 Pant 
               
               
                  56. 
                 Hinge center 
               
               
                  57. 
                 Elastic band 
               
               
                  58. 
                 Open 
               
               
                  59. 
                 Half closed 
               
               
                  60. 
                 Closed 
               
               
                  61. 
                 Flexible duct 
               
               
                  62. 
                 Lever 
               
               
                  63. 
                 Belt hook 
               
               
                  64. 
                 Elastic material 
               
               
                  65. 
                 Inclined lateral tray roller bearing system 
               
               
                  67. 
                 Pod slot 
               
               
                  68. 
                 Pod clip 
               
               
                  69. 
                 Clip lock 
               
               
                  70. 
                 Small Hole 
               
               
                  70′. 
                 Hole 
               
               
                  71. 
                 Building 
               
               
                  72. 
                 Entrance 
               
               
                  73. 
                 Window 
               
               
                  74. 
                 Roof floor 
               
               
                  75. 
                 Upper floor 
               
               
                  76. 
                 Lower floor 
               
               
                  77. 
                 Ground floor 
               
               
                  78. 
                 Lower chamber 
               
               
                 783. 
                 Upper chamber 
               
               
                 784. 
                 First channel 
               
               
                  79. 
                 Disc support, ring shaped support 
               
               
                  80. 
                 Tube 
               
               
                  81. 
                 Smooth surface 
               
               
                  82. 
                 Acceleration length 
               
               
                  83. 
                 Deceleration length 
               
               
                  84. 
                 No hole and/or valve length 
               
               
                  85. 
                 Beam 
               
               
                  86. 
                 Intermediate ring 
               
               
                  87. 
                 Lower ring 
               
               
                  88. 
                 Plank 
               
               
                  89. 
                 Swivel point 
               
               
                  90. 
                 Exterior sealed compartment 
               
               
                  91. 
                 Dome 
               
               
                 152. 
                 Skirt 
               
               
                 154. 
                 Skirt 
               
               
                 621. 
                 Bar 
               
               
                 622. 
                 Bar 
               
               
                 623. 
                 Hinge 
               
               
                 624. 
                 Hinge 
               
               
                 626. 
                 Lever 
               
               
                 791. 
                 Upper side 
               
               
                 792. 
                 Lower side 
               
               
                 793. 
                 Ring 
               
               
                 801. 
                 Upper space 
               
               
                 802. 
                 Lower space 
               
               
                 850. 
                 Hinge 
               
               
                 870. 
                 Lower ring