Abstract:
A fire escape device that enables parents to lower their children (as well as pets and possessions) to the safety of the ground from elevated windows or terraces of tall structures. The load-lowering device is a hard-shell vessel cradled in a fire-resistant sling that is attached to a load-carrying harness. A variable-length tether is attached to the harness for lowering the assembly. A descent control fixture, a cleat only, is affixed beneath each window and to each terrace rail in the dwelling, and this gives the occupants a plurality of stations at which to deploy the fire escape device in case of emergency. After loading the device with children, pets and/or possessions, the device allows its contents to be secured lowered in a manually-controlled descent to the ground.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application derives priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/400,625, filed Aug. 1, 2002. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to fire safety and, more particularly, to a tethered fire escape vessel for lowering children, pets and/or possessions to the ground from a window or terrace.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Background  
         [0005]     There are a variety of fire escape devices for multi-level buildings and dwellings, and these range from complex elevators to folding ladders, and simple harnesses for lowering people to the ground. Many of the latter devices utilize a harness attached to a rope that is wound about a pulley mechanism inside the dwelling. The rate of descent of the passenger may be controlled by hand out of a window or off a terrace.  
         [0006]     Examples of such devices may be seen in the following U.S. Pat. No. 1,128,025 (Mass); U.S. Pat. No. 1,351,734 (Barrington); U.S. Pat. No. 2,432,741 (Frankel); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,801 (Forrest).  
         [0007]     Most of the devices described in the above patents are quite cumbersome and are installed at a single window or terrace for dedicated use. Such devices are not practical in an emergency situation where access to that particular door or window may be blocked. It is more desirable that a fire escape device be less cumbersome so that it is not considered an eyesore, and portable for use at any window or other evacuation point. Moreover, although the prevalent use of this sort of device is in lowering children and pets to the ground, the existing prior art cannot accommodate multiple occupants in a balanced vessel, and it provides little or no protection against heat and flames. It would be far safer if all the passengers could be comfortably balanced and fully protected when they are being lowered so that their descent is not hindered. In addition, there is a need for a failsafe descent control provision that will prevent ground impact if the parent loses control of the rope.  
         [0008]     Consequently, it is desirable to provide an improved fire escape device that addresses the problems faced by the above prior art devices. The device should be reasonably portable so that it may be conveniently stored, and usable at any of a variety of possible escape routes such as windows or terraces. Above all, the device should ensure that a plurality of children and or pets can be safely, securely and comfortably balanced during a controlled-descent to the ground.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fire escape device that is portable and can be used at any of a variety of predetermined windows or other evacuation points. It is another object to provide a fire escape device that safely, securely and comfortably balances multiple children, pets and other articles throughout a controlled-descent to the ground.  
         [0010]     It is another object to provide a fire escape vessel that offers maximum strength, security and protection against heat and flames, as well as a failsafe descent feature to avoid impact with the ground if the user loses control.  
         [0011]     According to the present invention, the above-described and other objects are accomplished by providing a tethered fire escape vessel for lowering children, pets and/or possessions to the ground from a window or terrace. Generally, the device comprises a hard-shell vessel cradled in a fire-resistant sling that is attached to a load-carrying harness. A variable-length tether is attached to the harness for lowering the assembly. A descent control fixture such as a simple cleat is affixed beneath each window and to each terrace rail in the dwelling, and this gives the occupants a plurality of stations at which to deploy the fire escape device in case of emergency. After loading the device with children, pets and/or possessions, the device allows its contents to be securely lowered in a manually-controlled descent to the ground. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and certain modifications thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing of a tethered fire escape for lowering children, pets and/or possessions to the ground from an upper-level window or terrace according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a close-up view of the vessel  20  used in the tethered fire escape of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of the vessel  20  which illustrates the preferred harness  40  configuration.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an overhead perspective view of the bucket  24  (sling  30  removed) showing the harness  40  penetrating insertion points B.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a close-up view of the harness  40  attached to spring link connector  50  and, additionally, the intermittent strobe  22  attached to harness  40  above the spring link connector  50 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a close-up view of the variable-length tether  10 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective photo showing the tethered fire escape as described above. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing of a tethered fire escape for lowering children, pets and/or possessions to the ground from an upper-level window or terrace. The fire escape generally comprises a fully-enclosed and fire-insulated hard-shell vessel  20 , variable tether  10 , and a descent control fixture  12  attached inside a window or to a terrace. An intermittent strobe  22  is attached to the variable tether  10  to signal the attention of emergency personnel.  
         [0021]     The descent control fixture  12  is preferably a commercially-available cleat, or rope clutch anchored by 2×3″ wood screws inside and beneath the window sill or terrace rail such that a user can attach the variable tether  10  via a spring clamp directly to descent control fixture  12  in order to limit downward descent. Preferably, a variety of such descent control fixtures  12  are provided in kit form so that the user can attach them at key escape routes throughout the dwelling.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a close-up view of the vessel  20 . Vessel  20  further comprises a plastic bucket  24  (obscured) preferably of approximately 30 gallon size with opposing rim-mounted carrying handles  23 . Suitable blow-molded buckets are readily commercially available. Bucket  24  is encased in a fire-resistant sling  30 . Sling  30  is sewn from a pattern using a fire-resistant fabric such as Dupont&#39;s NOMEX® III or other fabric that complies with the Minimum Thermal Protective Performance Ratings established by NFPA. The sling  30  completely covers bucket  24  and the illustrated embodiment includes a bottom panel  120  sewn to a side panel  122 , and a top panel  124  sewn to the side panel  122  for covering the vessel  20 . In the illustrated embodiment the top panel  124  includes an outer seam  126  for insertion of a draw-string with closure to allow the user to close the sling  30  over its occupants/contents. Alternately, the outer seam  126  and draw-string may be replaced with a hemmed zipper across the top. Apertures are provided in the sling  30  as shown to allow the handles  23  of bucket  24  to protrude through. The panels of sling  30  conform to the shape of the bucket  24  and fully enclose and protect it.  
         [0023]     The sling  30  and bucket  24  are supported by a harness  40  which is formed from a single length of strap, preferably braided safety nylon designed for climbing. Such strap is readily commercially available, it is flexible, easy handling, and doesn&#39;t bunch when in use. It is noteworthy that the harness  40  is a single length of strap because this adds greatly to the strength of the device and also achieves economy of manufacture. This can be accomplished with a length of woven nylon strap of about 15 feet in length that is secured at one end to a spring link connector  50  disposed above the sling  30 , the other end of the strap being run down and under the sling  30 /bucket  24 , up and through the spring link connector  50 , and down again and under the sling  30 /bucket  24  and up and to the spring link connector  50  where the other end is secured. This results in the harness  40  having a cradle configuration in which the sling  30 /bucket  24  are doubly-supported by two orthogonal loops, or four evenly-spaced lengths  42  of the harness  40 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of the vessel  20  which illustrates the above-described harness  40  configuration. Preferably, each of the four evenly-spaced lengths  42  of the harness  40  penetrate both the sling  30  and bucket  24  at two insertion points A and B, resulting in a total of eight insertion points. Specifically, at insertion point A the length  42  of the harness  40  is inserted through the sling  30  and through a slot formed in the rim of the bucket  24 , length  42  extending downward exteriorly of the sling  30  to insertion point B. At insertion point B the length  42  of the harness  40  is again inserted through the sling  30  and is threaded through a slot formed in the base of the bucket  24 , length  42  continuing to run across the base interiorly of the sling  30  and bucket  24  to the other side. The ends of the harness  40  converge to the spring link connector  50 . This resulting combination of the single-strap cradle-configuration harness  40  plus the manner by which the lengths  42  are interwoven into and out of the sling  30 /bucket  24  ensures the greatest degree of suspension stability, protection for the occupants, a weight-bearing strength of approximately 180 lbs or more (the device is limited by the weight the parent can lift and lower in a controlled fashion), and resistance of the harness  40  to heat and flame.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is an overhead perspective view of the bucket  24  (sling  30  removed) showing the harness  40  penetrating insertion points B.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a close-up view of the harness  40  attached to spring link connector  50  and, additionally, the intermittent strobe  22  attached to harness  40  above the spring link connector  50 .  
         [0027]     The ends of the strap of harness  40  may be attached to the lower end of spring link connector  50  by joining them together with a grommet (a hole is burnt through the nylon so it won&#39;t fray and the grommet is then installed). The spring link  50  is then attached. Spring link connector  50  is preferably a conventional spring-loaded clasp rated to support approximately 180 lbs.  
         [0028]     The standard tether  10  provided with the fire escape vessel  20  is attached by spring link  50  to the harness  40 . Tether  10  is preferably a long length of Nylon mountain climber&#39;s strap. Generally, variable-length tether  10  is provided with at least one reinforced metal grommet  40  at one end for attachment to spring link connector  50 . The other end of tether  10  is equipped with a series of five (5) grommets that allow variable length attachment to descent control fixture  12 . Specifically, another spring link  50  can be attached to other end of tether  10  at a predetermined grommet, which in turn, is attached to the descent control fixture  12 . The tether  10  is approximately 10′ long. The series of evenly spaced metal grommets  40  allows the user to pre-measure an appropriate length of tether  10  for suspension of vessel  20  approximately 5″ from the ground. The tether  10  is then attached to the descent control fixture  12  by the appropriate grommet  40  such that inadvertent dropping of the vessel by the user will not result in ground impact. Rather, by virtue of the woven tether construction there is a degree of inherent elasticity that will cushion the impact before reaching the ground, thereby providing a failsafe descent control feature. A supplemental length of tether  10  may be provided as described below to adapt the system for use in three (3) story dwellings and buildings.  
         [0029]     The intermittent strobe  22  is preferably an LED flashing safety light with quick release clip and powered by AAA batteries. A variety of suitable LED lamp units are readily available. The strobe  22  may be attached to the harness  40  below spring link connector  50  or to tether  10  above the coupling. The light emitting intermittent strobe  22  is readily visible in darkness and is intended to signal the attention of emergency personnel.  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a supplemental length of tether  10  that adapts the system for use in three (3) story dwellings. This supplemental tether  10  has a length of approximately 12′ and is equipped with five (5) grommets  40  on both ends to extend the length of the above-described standard tether. As before, a numbered series of evenly spaced metal grommets  40  are provided along the end of the supplemental tether  10  to be attached to the descent control fixture  12  for selectable height adjustment for suspension of vessel  20  approximately 5″ from the ground. The supplemental and standard tethers are attached together to extend their combined length. Again, inadvertent dropping of the vessel by the user will not result in ground impact.  
         [0031]     Installation of the above-described tethered fire escape begins with the user attaching a plurality of descent control fixtures  12  throughout the dwelling at appropriate evacuation points. The user then pre-measures the extent of tether  10  necessary to avoid impact with the ground for each descent control fixture  12 , notes the appropriately-numbered grommet  40  on tether  10  and marks the number next to each descent control fixture  12 . The device is stowed for an emergency. In an emergency directions are provided with the fire escape that will direct the user to first establish an evacuation route and to lower a fire escape, ladder or other means for their own descent. Next, the user attaches the tether  10  at the selected evacuation point using the correct pre-numbered grommet  40 . Children, pets and belongings are loaded into the vessel  20  and the top panel  124  of sling  30  is closed over them via the draw-string and closure cover and shield them from flames. The intermittent strobe  22  is activated, and the entire vessel  20  is then lowered to its suspended position above the ground where emergency personnel will see the strobe and rescue the occupants.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a perspective photo showing the device in use as described above.  
         [0033]     Once the payload is lowered to safety the unencumbered user/parent is then free to seek their own evacuation route by the fire escape, ladder or other means which they have already lowered.  
         [0034]     It can be seen that the above-described fire escape device excels at safely, securely and comfortably balancing and lowering multiple children, pets and other articles through a controlled-descent to the ground during fires or other emergencies. The escape vessel  20  and harness  40  offer maximum strength, security and protection against heat and flames, and the indexed grommets  44  of the variable tether  10  provide a failsafe descent feature to avoid impact with the ground if the parent loses control.  
         [0035]     Having now fully set forth a detailed example and certain modifications incorporating the concept underlying the present invention, various other modifications will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concept. It is to be understood, therefore, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth in the appended claims.