Abstract:
The invention relates to a device for opening, by way of force, an operating sash ( 100 ) which has a length (L) and which comprises an opening part ( 102 ) and a fixed frame ( 104 ), such as a door or window, comprising at least one frame ( 2 ) whose length can be extended and which is formed by one or several sliding parts ( 10,20 ) which can be adapted to the length (L) of the operating sash; a corner ( 12,22 ) which can be depressed and which is arranged in between the frame ( 104 ) and the opening part ( 102 ), a spreader ram ( 50 ) enabling the penetration of said corner ( 12,22 ) between the frame ( 104 ) and the opening part ( 102 ) in order to open the operating sash ( 100 ) by way of force; and a push ram ( 30 ) placed in a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the frame ( 2 ). The rams ( 30;50 ) can be maneuvered at a distance with the aid of a remote control ( 80 ). The invention is characterized in that the push ram ( 30 ) is a continually thrusting percussion ram acting in a repetitive reciprocating manner.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a device for forcibly opening doors, windows and other opening leaves, with its remote control. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   To date, the fire brigades or any other trade associations called upon to perform an urgent intervention such as the police force or the constabulary, engineering corps, mobile response units of the police-based GIGN or GIPN type, encounter difficulties in entering apartments, private homes, industrial and commercial premises in the context of emergency intervention. Specifically, these difficulties are usually associated with the strength of the armored doors which are able for between 15 and 20 minutes to resist the force of a mass manipulated by the firefighters, who are therefore sometimes exhausted or less responsive and less effective when confronted with the danger, especially in the event of fire. By way of information, there are five reference levels concerning single-leaf or double-leaf armored doors. The  FIG. 5  is the highest level of resistance to break-in with a resistance to deformation upwards of four tonnes of thrust. This type of door is thus equipped with a six-point lock, with pistons 18 mm in diameter made of toughened steel and penetrating 40 mm into a toughened steel frame 3 mm thick. 
   Equipment for breaking down armored doors, called “door breakers” already exist but these are not suitable for the fire brigade because they are heavy, bulky and not very maneuverable, are not very effective, take a long time to work and are of limited use. Now, in an emergency intervention, particularly in the event of fire or where there is a risk of intoxication, each second lost in opening the door is an additional risk of sustaining damage and casualties, both on the part of the individuals requiring assistance and on the part of the firefighters. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In order to solve these problems, the invention proposes to provide a device for forcibly opening opening leaves, such as doors or windows, portable, with a significant striking force for better effectiveness, easy to use and secure. 
   More specifically, the subject of the invention is to provide a device for forcibly opening an opening leaf of width having an opening part and a fixed frame such as a door or window, comprising at least:
         a length-extendable body formed of two or more sliding parts so that it can be adapted to suit the width of the opening leaf,   a drive-in wedge intended to be positioned between the frame and the opening part,   a parting ram to allow the wedge to penetrate between the frame and the opening part so as to forcibly open the opening leaf, and a thrusting ram placed substantially at right angles to the body, the rams being remotely operable using at least one remote control,       

   in which the thrusting ram is a continuous-thrust percussion ram with repetitive reciprocating action. 
   According to some preferred embodiments of the invention:
         the body comprises an outer sleeve inside which an inner sleeve slides, a first, sharpened, drive-in wedge being secured to the outer sleeve and a second, sharpened, drive-in wedge being secured to the inner sleeve;   the wedges are positioned in an offset manner at the two opposing ends of the body and each have substantially the shape of an “L”;   the parting ram is fixed, inside the inner sleeve, on a mounting plate and allows the wedges to be driven in before the percussion thrust ram is operated;   the percussion thrust ram is slidably mounted on a ramp that positions it in the desired location, said ramp extending over practically the entire length of the outer sleeve. As a preference, the ramp is of the dovetail type;   the percussion thrust ram comprises a bellows to which there is secured a rigid bearing plate that can be positioned facing the opening part of the opening leaf;   the bellows is made of flexible and pressure-resistant plastic so that the bearing plate has a possible angular deformation of between 0° and substantially 20° about three perpendicular axes of rotation;   the body comprises a blocking member blocking longitudinal translation to allow the two sliding parts to be locked together before the percussion pressure ram is operated;   the blocking member comprises at least a longitudinal rack arranged on the internal surface of the outer sleeve and equipped with blocking teeth, an articulated pawl collaborating with the rack in order to be in or out of mesh with said teeth, and a return spring for returning the pawl;   the blocking member advantageously comprises two identical racks arranged substantially in opposition on the internal surface of the outer sleeve, two articulated pawls mounted on a common slide secured to the rod of the parting ram and connected to one another by two return springs, and two lugs secured to a blanking plate of the inner sleeve and collaborating with the pawls to keep them in the knocked-over position against the return force of the springs;   each ram is of the pneumatic type and has a respective quick coupling to a pressurized-air cylinder, and an exhaust valve;   the remote control is connected to the rams by fire-resistant and crush-resistant flexes between one and several meters long, and has independent and easy-to-distinguish controls for each ram;   the ram controls are push-buttons and the button for controlling the parting ram is more prominent on the remote control than the button for controlling the thrust ram;   the body has, at one end, a housing of the dovetail type arranged at right angles to its main direction of elongation so as to hold an extension piece;   the body has two fixed or articulated handgrips arranged at its two opposite ends and made of a material resistant to violent impacts, to fire and to corrosion, such as titanium;   the parting ram has a power of between 5 and 20 kN, preferably of 13.5 kN, and a stroke of about 50 to 100 mm, and the percussion thrust ram has a power of between 10 and 70 kN, advantageously between 25 and 50 kN, and preferably of substantially 45 kN, and a stroke of between about 50 and 200 mm;   advantageously, the device is mainly made of a material exhibiting high mechanical strength and high resistance to fire and to corrosion, such as titanium; and   the device can be used in parallel with other identical devices connected to one another by quick couplings and operated using the same remote control.       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, given with reference to the attached drawings given by way of example and which respectively depict: 
       FIG. 1 , a view in section of a device for forcibly opening an opening leaf according to the present invention, 
       FIG. 2 , a front-on view of the device of  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 3 , a view in section on AA of  FIG. 1 , 
       FIGS. 4 and 5 , views of details of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 to 3  depict a device  1  for forcibly opening an opening leaf such as a door, for example an armored door, or a window. 
   This device  1  comprises a substantially circular body  2  of longitudinal axis XX′ that can be extended manually in terms of length and is formed of at least two sliding parts so that it can be adapted to suit any type of opening leaf, particularly a door  100  of width L. The body thus comprises an outer sleeve  10 , inside which there slides an inner sleeve  20 , and a percussion thrust ram  30  mounted to move on the outer sleeve  10 . The two sleeves  10  and  20  are made of a metal with high mechanical strength, such as titanium. 
   The outer sleeve  10  comprises, at a free end  10   a , a first drive-in wedge  12  of offset position. This first wedge, made of very sharpened and non-deformable titanium and substantially in the shape of an L, is for example welded to the outer sleeve  10  via reinforcing struts. A housing  13  of the dovetail type is also provided at the end  10   a , at right angles to the main direction of elongation of said outer sleeve  10 . This housing  13  is able to hold an extension piece  40  intended to increase the useful length of the opening device  1 . The outer sleeve  10  also comprises a longitudinal ramp  14  for displacing and positioning the thrust ram  30 , also of the dovetail type, as depicted in greater detail in  FIG. 3 . The ramp measures practically the entire length of the outer sleeve  10 . 
   As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , the outer sleeve  10  comprises a first longitudinal rack  15  placed on the back of the ramp  14 , and a second longitudinal rack  16  identical to the first, also arranged inside the outer sleeve, but in opposition with the first rack  15 . Each rack  15  and  16  is equipped with respective blocking teeth  17 . 
   A solid handgrip  18  made of titanium is also welded near the end  10   a  of the outer sleeve, on the opposite side to the first wedge  12 . 
   The inner sleeve  20  comprises, at a free end  20   a , a second drive-in wedge  22  of offset position similar to the first wedge  12  of the outer sleeve  10 . The inner sleeve  20  contains a pneumatic ram  50  screwed to a rear mounting plate  51 , and the central rod  52  of which emerges from a blanking plate  23 . 
   A blocking member  60  comprises, apart from the racks  15  and  16 , a slide  61  screwed to the free end  52   a  of the ram rod  52  and collaborating with the outer sleeve  10 . The blocking member  60  also comprises two pawls  62  articulated about axes  65  formed in the slide  61 . The pawls  62  are placed in opposition with respect to one another, back to back, and each positioned facing one of the racks  15  or  16 . Two return springs  64  connect the pawls at their axes. The plate  23  also has two lugs  24  facing axially to allow the pawls  62  to be held in position against the return force of the return springs  64 . 
   A second handgrip  28  is also welded near the end  20   a  of the inner sleeve  20 , parallel to the first handgrip  18 . 
   The parting ram  50  is equipped with a quick coupling  54  to a pressurized air cylinder  70  via a fire-resistant and crush-resistant flex  55 , and with a remote control  80 , and with a valve  56 . A first button  26  for operating the ram  50  is provided near the second handgrip  28 . 
   The thrust ram  30  is mounted to slide on the outer sleeve  10  via a connection of the dovetail type with the longitudinal ramp  14 . The thrust ram  30  can thus move over practically the entire length of the outer sleeve  10 . This ram  30  comprises a sealed bellows  32 , for example made of reinforced rubber, a quick coupling  34  to a compressed air cylinder  70  via a fire-resistant and crush-resistant flex  35  and the remote control  80 , an exhaust valve  36  and a rigid bearing plate  38 . 
   The remote control  80  comprises quick couplings  84  for the flexes  55  and  35  departing to the rams  30  and  50 , and for a flex  74  departing to the pressurized gas cylinder  70 . Two buttons  83  and  85  are provided for controlling the parting ram  50  and the thrust ram  30  respectively. These buttons are readily identifiable, even blind, for example in smoke and/or when wearing respiratory equipment over one&#39;s face. For this purpose, the second button  83  is more prominent than the third button  85 . 
   The principle of operation of the device according to the invention is as follows. The device, held by its handgrips  18  and  28  by the operator is placed in any position whatsoever between the uprights of the door, for example horizontally, slightly inclined, or vertically. The two sleeves are parted manually so as to position the titanium wedges  12  and  22  between an opening part  102  and a lateral frame  104  of the door  100 . 
   The thrust ram  30  is maneuvered along the ramp  14  to place it as close as possible to the lock  105  of the door  100 . 
   Once this position, illustrated by  FIG. 4 , has been reached, the operator presses the first button  26  secured to the device  1  to trigger the arrival of pressurized air in the parting ram  50 . During this slow pressurizing, the parting ram  50  drives its rod  52  to part the outer sleeve  10  from the inner sleeve  20  over a few millimeters to a few centimeters, typically between 50 and 100 mm, and this has the effect of causing the wedges  12  and  22  to penetrate somewhat deeply into the frame  104  of the door  100 . At the same time, the two pawls  62  of the blocking member  60  pivot step by step as the sleeves part and as the lugs  24  move away from said pawls  62 , then engage with the teeth  17  of the two racks  15  and  16  to block the device  1  in position. From this moment on, the sleeves  10  and  20  can no longer move back closer together without venting air from the parting ram  50  which therefore remains constantly pressurized. The device is then locked and ready for use. 
   The operator then takes up the remote control  70  and positions himself as far away as possible, while still preferably having the door  100  and the device  1  in sight so as to monitor the progress of the breaking operation. Typically, given the length of the control flexes  55  and  35 , the operator can position himself 5 meters away. 
   The operator then presses the second button  83  which is on the remote control  80  and has the effect of driving the parting ram  50  which thrusts this time via its end mounting plate  51  because the pawls  62  act as an end stop for the ram rod  52 . This has the effect of causing the wedges  12  and  22  to penetrate the frame  104  of the door  100  even more deeply, particularly at the fastening points. The penetration force is typically between 5 and 20 kN, for example 13.5 kN, under an air pressure of 8 bar and with a longitudinal stroke of about 95 mm in total. 
   Two scenarios may then arise. In the first scenario, the uprights of the frame  104  are conventional and not very strong, for example made of wood. The wedges  12  and  22  used then penetrate between the opening part  102  and the frame  104  and the parting ram  50  reaches its maximum stroke. The thrust of the parting ram  50  and of the wedges  12  and  22  is then greater than the strength of the frame  104 , which allows it to be deformed, particularly near the lock and/or the hinges. In the second scenario, the frame  104  is very strong, for example equipped with thick metal brackets. The wedges  12  and  22  then penetrate between the opening part  102  and the frame  104 , and the parting ram  50  does not reach its maximum stroke; it allows the device to be held in position to facilitate the work of the percussion thrust ram  30 . 
   The operator then operates the third button  85  on the remote control  80 , and this has the effect of driving the percussion thrust ram  30 . As has already been stated, the thrust ram  30  is placed as close as possible to the lock by virtue of the sliding ramp  14  formed on the outer sleeve  10 . The elastic bellows  32  of the thrust ram inflates step by step under the pressure of the air and moves the bearing plate  38  against the opening part  102  of the door  100 . Once the bearing plate  38  is correctly positioned, the operator presses again or continues to press the third button  85  so as to exert maximum pressure, typically about 45 kN, on the opening part  102  of the door  100 , more or less at right angles to the latter. The bellows  38  continues to inflate under an air pressure of 15 bar and with a stroke of about 50 to 200 mm depending on the type of ram. The opening part  102  of the door deforms then under the effect both of the perpendicular thrust from the thrust ram  30  but also of the longitudinal parting of the parting ram  50  which deforms or detaches the uprights of the frame  104 . If the door resists, the operator can then operate the thrust ram  30  several times in quick succession, for example every 5 to 10 seconds or even every 2 seconds approximately so as to exert repetitive percussive and reciprocating thrust on the door with a view to causing the closure points to yield. A special-purpose percussion control may incidentally be provided on the remote control to alternate the striking of the thrust ram, possibly with adjustment of the frequency and back/forth travel. Of course, during this operation, the parting ram remains constantly pressurized. Furthermore, the thrust ram  30  tolerates an angular deformation of about 20° at most by virtue of the bellows  38 , this being in all directions, this flexible bellows  38  acting somewhat like a ball joint. 
   Once the door is opened, the device  1  generally remains in place, wedged by its wedges  12  and  22  embedded in the frame  104 . All that is required is for the various rams to be vented very quickly using the valves  36  and  56 , particularly the parting ram using the first button  26 , and this in particular has the effect of unlocking the pawls  62  which return to their original position when the ram rod  52  retracts into the inner sleeve  20  and the lugs  24  come into contact with said pawls  62 , as in the rest position illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
   In the case of a very wide door, for example an industrial door and/or a double-leaf door, or in the event of essentially vertical positioning, it is possible to fit the extension piece  40  to the end of the outer sleeve  10 , by virtue of the dovetail housing  13 . 
   The device of the present invention can also be used “up in the air”, that is to say, for example, to open a window of a building from the outside, possibly from a balcony. To do that, the two arms of a “Y”-shaped strap equipped with snap shackles are attached to the handgrips  18  and  28 , while the main branch is attached for example to the railing of a balcony or to a firefighter&#39;s ladder. Thus, even if the device  1  becomes detached from the window while the window is being broken open, there is no risk of it falling and, for example, landing on people standing under the window. This additional safety measure is particularly useful when a flashover, that is to say the explosion of a fireball traveling at very high speed comes out of the window when the window is opened. Such an event, which is frequent, is, incidentally, a major cause of death among firefighters. 
   The device of the present invention may thus be fitted in all firefighting vehicles used for emergency interventions and also in some police or constabulary vehicles involved in upholding law and order (drug enforcement, organized crime, hostage situations) or rapid legal interventions. 
   It is stored in a tailor-made cover, preferably made of fire-retardant material, so that it can easily be transported to the site of the operation slung across somebody&#39;s body or on his back. 
   The numerous advantages of the present invention over the solutions of the prior art are as follows:
         very easy to use, even under extreme visibility conditions (smoke, low light levels);   very safe because of the remote control that allows the intervention to be performed remotely, several meters away from the opening leaf;   light weight of the device, weighing about 12-16 kg, because in particular of the use of titanium which is a material that is simultaneously lightweight, rustproof, and very resistant to impact and to heat;   the physical effort involved both in carrying the device and handling it is small, which allows those involved to keep their physical condition intact in order to concentrate on saving the individuals that require assistance once the door has been opened;   quick coupling to any type of compressed air cylinder typically used by firefighters;   the fluid used is non-combustible;   the use of air avoids complicated handling as is required in the use of a pneumatic ram. There is very little risk of the device breaking down, and it will therefore last longer;   because of the use of compressed air, which in addition is always available in a fire truck, the frequency of the thrust is very quick by comparison with a hydraulic ram which takes a long time (several minutes) to vent. This is an additional token of safety both for those using it (mainly for the firefighters in the event of fire) and also for those being rescued, whose life may be in serious danger;   little damage is caused to the door and its lateral upright; it is sometimes even possible to close the door again;   the device can be placed in any configuration, for example at an angle, vertically or horizontally, and operate with any type of door, whether this be a single-leaf door, a double-leaf door, a narrow door, particularly one narrower than the device is long in its folded state, for example measuring 63 cm, or very wide door, for example in excess of 1 m wide,   as the thrust ram is mounted to move on a displacement ramp, it can be positioned at the best location to increase the chances of rapidly opening the door without losing time;   it is possible, by virtue of the compressed air coupling, to operate several devices simultaneously in parallel using one single remote control, so as to increase the strike force;   the area of the bearing plate is large enough to prevent the thrusting ram from punching through the door without opening it;   by virtue of the bellows of the thrusting ram which is able to tolerate an inclination of as much as 20°, the strike force of the bearing plate remains constant;   the two sleeves cannot disconnect and the parting ram operates always in an optimum manner by virtue of the pawls and of the fact that the parting ram pushes from the end,   the power of this device greatly exceeds that of the devices of the prior art, making it usable for very high levels of armoring.       

   It must be understood, however, that the detailed description given solely by way of illustration of the subject of the invention does not in any way constitute a restriction, technical equivalents also being included in the scope of the present invention. 
   Thus, the device may also be used for opening an armored window making it possible, by virtue of its remote control, to avoid those involved becoming injured by broken glass. 
   The use of electric, hydraulic, chemically operated or other types of ram is entirely possible. 
   The handgrips may be articulated and arranged differently or may be more numerous, or alternatively may be open on one side and simply form an L rather than a U.