Emergency evacuation system for buildings

Abstract

Emergency evacuation system (10) for buildings, characterized by a rappelling device (12) attached to or in a facade of the building, comprising a rescue rope (16) which can be unwound from a spool (18) and is provided at a free end with a first anchor point, wherein the spool (18) is designed as a self-winding spool (18) which automatically brakes or limits its unwinding speed.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an emergency evacuation system for buildings.

[0002] In large buildings, emergencies often require the rapid evacuation of all occupants. This applies particularly to fires, but also to other emergencies such as earthquakes, gas leaks, terrorist threats, or similar events.

[0003] Past experience has shown that evacuating large, multi-story buildings is particularly challenging. Escape routes within the building are often blocked, forcing people to be rescued by other means. Despite numerous precautions and fire safety regulations, such as designated escape routes, fire escape stairs on exterior facades, and similar measures, catastrophic incidents with high casualty figures repeatedly occur because victims were unable to leave the building on their own and could not be rescued in time.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a novel emergency evacuation system for buildings which enables the safe and rapid rescue of persons even from great heights, in particular from the upper floors.

[0005] This problem is solved according to the invention by an emergency evacuation system with the features of claim 1.

[0006] The emergency evacuation system according to the invention comprises a rappelling device that is attached to or within a building facade. This device includes a rescue rope that can be unwound from a spool and is provided with a first anchor point at one free end. This spool is designed as a self-winding spool that automatically brakes or limits its unwinding speed.

[0007] In an emergency, a person can securely attach themselves to the anchor point of the rescue rope and rappel down. This happens automatically as soon as the person makes the connection and leaves the building, so their weight is fully supported by the rescue rope. Because the unwinding speed of the spool is automatically braked or limited, the person can safely slide down the facade to the ground at a moderate speed. Once the person reaches the ground, they can be detached from the anchor point of the rescue rope, and the rescue rope is automatically rewound by the spool; that is, its free end with the anchor point is pulled back up, so that another person in need of rescue can attach themselves and rappel down, if necessary. This automatic rewinding can be load-controlled, so that the spool rewinds the rescue rope when a predetermined tensile load is no longer exceeded.

[0008] The rappelling process therefore takes place safely even if the person being roped in is unable to control the descent themselves. The rappelling device according to the invention also enables the rappelling of a helpless person who is roped in by another person at the anchor point of the rescue rope.

[0009] The emergency evacuation system presented here is simply designed and immediately understandable and operable even by untrained individuals. Several such abseiling devices can be installed at various points on the facade of a building, particularly at different windows.

[0010] Preferred embodiments of this invention are set out in the dependent claims.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first attachment point is designed as an open hook, carabiner, or eyelet. A person can clip themselves onto the rescue rope at this attachment point.

[0012] Preferably, the emergency evacuation system according to the invention further comprises a harness system with a second anchor point that can be connected to the first anchor point. The second anchor point of the harness system can therefore be designed to complement the first anchor point on the rescue rope. For example, if the first anchor point is an open hook at the end of the rescue rope, the second anchor point in the harness system can be designed as an eyelet for hooking into this hook, or vice versa. If the first and second anchor points are connected to each other, the person cannot accidentally detach themselves from the rescue rope during rappelling. This represents an additional safety feature.

[0013] The restraint system can be designed, for example, as a simple loop or sling, or as a more complex harness system for attaching to the person being evacuated. It can be kept in a storage container for emergency use, located in or on the building near the abseiling device.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the abseiling device further comprises a safety rope, one end of which is fixed to an upper attachment point and extends downwards along the facade. A person being evacuated can use this rope to pull themselves down or slide along it while suspended from the rescue rope and lowered to the ground. This provides them with additional support during the abseil. The guidance provided by the safety rope is particularly useful for preventing pendulum or swaying movements during abseiling from a great height.

[0015] Preferably, the upper attachment point of the safety rope is located next to or directly below the spool.

[0016] Preferably, the harness system also includes a third anchor point that can be attached to the safety rope in such a way that it can slide along the rope. This third anchor point thus provides an additional safety feature. In this case, a person rappelling does not have to pull themselves along the safety rope with their hands or slide them over it during the descent.

[0017] Preferably, the abseiling device further comprises a bracket projecting from the facade, on which the spool and the upper attachment point of the safety rope are mounted at a distance in front of the facade. This is intended to prevent the person abseiling from striking the facade and injuring themselves during the downward movement.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the braking device is designed as a centrifugal brake.

[0019] The invention further relates to a building with windows that can be opened, at least one of which is equipped with an emergency evacuation system of the type according to the invention, which is attached to the respective window in such a way that the abseiling device is accessible from the interior of the building when the window is open.

[0020] In the present document, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the emergency evacuation system according to the invention; and Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. Four images each show a front view, a side view, and a perspective detail view of a part of the emergency evacuation system. Fig. 1.

[0021] Fig. Figure 1 shows an emergency evacuation system 10 for a building (not shown). It includes a rappelling device 12 mounted above a window 14 set into a facade of the building (not shown). The rappelling device 12 is located on the outside of the building on the facade.

[0022] Specifically, the abseiling device 12 comprises a rescue rope 16, which can be unwound from a spool 18 and is shown in the figures in the state wound onto the spool 18. The winding axis of the spool 18 is horizontal.

[0023] The coil 18 is attached to a bracket 20 that projects from the facade, so that the coil 18 is positioned at a distance from the outer surface of the facade. The bracket 20 is designed as an angled sheet metal section, from which a horizontal leg 20a extends from the outer surface of the facade, while a vertical leg 20b extends vertically downwards from it. The coil 18 is attached to this vertical leg 20b of the bracket 20. Reinforcements to the bracket 20, which provide it with additional stability, are not shown in detail.

[0024] A first attachment point in the form of an open hook 22 is attached to the free end of the rescue rope 16. This hook 22 is designed so that a person being evacuated from the building can attach themselves to it or be attached to it. The weight of the person hanging from the hook 22 causes the rescue rope 16 to unwind automatically from the spool 18. The unwinding speed of the spool 18, and thus of the rescue rope 16, is limited by a centrifugal brake. If the unwinding speed exceeds a certain limit, the centrifugal brake engages and temporarily stops or significantly slows down the rescue rope 16. In this way, the person hanging from the hook 22 can slide to the ground at a moderate speed, which is limited by the centrifugal brake.

[0025] Furthermore, the spool 18 is self-winding. This means that the spool 18 exerts a retraction force to rewind the rescue rope 16. This retraction force is small compared to the tensile load acting on the rescue rope 16 when a person is rappelling, so that the unwinding of the rescue rope 16 is not hindered. After rappelling, when the connection is released between the anchor point at the free end of the rescue rope 16, i.e., the hook 22, and the person being lowered, the rescue rope 16 is relieved of tension and can be rewound, so that the anchor point at the end of the rescue rope 16 slides upwards and, in the state shown in the figures, is available for hooking and rappelling another person.

[0026] It is possible to design the attachment point at the free end of the rescue rope 16 in a different way, for example as a carabiner hook or as an eyelet.

[0027] For connection to the first anchor point at the end of the rescue rope 16, the abseiling device 12 can further comprise a harness system (not shown in detail), for example in the form of a sling or a more complex webbing system. The harness system is provided with a further (second) anchor point that can be connected to the first anchor point at the free end of the rescue rope 16. If the first anchor point on the rescue rope 16 is, for example, the open hook 22, as is the case in the present embodiment, the second anchor point can be designed, for example, as an eyelet into which the hook 22 is to be hooked, or vice versa, i.e., the eyelet is located as the first anchor point on the rescue rope 16, while a hook or carabiner is attached as the second anchor point on the harness system.

[0028] The person being evacuated can attach the harness system to their body and connect the second anchor point to the first anchor point on the rescue rope 16. This connection makes accidental detachment from the rescue rope 16 impossible, and the person can then be safely lowered as described above.

[0029] The abseiling device 12 further comprises another rope, namely a safety rope 24, which in the present embodiment hangs freely from or in front of the facade. Its upper end is firmly attached to the bracket 20 next to the spool 18 and extends downwards from this end along the facade. The safety rope 24 serves to secure a person being abseiled on the rescue rope 16 in the manner described above. While the rescue rope 16 unwinds from the spool 18, the person hanging from the first anchor point (i.e., here at the open hook 22) can pull themselves down along the safety rope 24 or loosely grasp the safety rope 24 with their hands so that they can slide downwards along it. This is intended to prevent swinging and pendulum movements of the abseiling person, which can occur during rapid abseiling from a great height, especially in windy conditions.

[0030] When using the harness system described above, it can also include a further (third) anchor point that can be attached to the safety rope 24 in such a way that it can slide along the safety rope 24 during the person's descent. For example, the third anchor point can be a carabiner for the detachable attachment of the harness system to the safety rope 24. In this embodiment, the person being rappelled does not need to grasp the safety rope 24 themselves. In particular, even a helpless person can be lowered by attaching the harness system to them, attaching the second anchor point of the harness system to the first anchor point of the rescue rope 16, and attaching the third anchor point of the harness system to the safety rope 24. The person being rescued can then passively slide downwards along the safety rope 24 while suspended from the rescue rope 16.

[0031] The safety rope 24 can alternatively be attached at its lower end to or in front of the facade or to the ground, so that it is either relatively taut or hangs relatively loosely between its upper and lower ends. It is also conceivable to attach the lower end of the safety rope 24 at a certain distance from the facade, so that the person being lowered on the rescue rope 16 is not guided vertically downwards, but rather somewhat away from the building during the descent until they reach the ground. This can potentially increase safety during evacuation, as the distance from the facade is increased during the descent.

[0032] While the rescue rope 16 can be a steel rope, the safety rope 24 can be made of a different material, for example polyamide or another synthetic material, as is common in the field of climbing ropes.

[0033] The Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 4 shows details of the abseiling device 12, including the spool 18 with the rescue rope 16 wound on it, which is provided at its free end with the first anchor point, which is an open hook 22, as already shown in Fig. Figure 1 shows the safety rope 24. For clarity, the safety rope 24 is not shown here. The spool 18 is attached to the vertical leg 20b of the bracket 20, which is angled vertically downwards from the horizontal leg 20a.

[0034] A building can be equipped with several of the emergency evacuation systems 10 described here, with, for example, one emergency evacuation system being attached to at least one window 14 on an upper floor. The bracket 20 can be mounted directly above an openable window 14, so that the abseiling system 12 is accessible when the window is open.

[0035] However, the present invention is not limited to this type of installation. For example, it is conceivable to install the abseiling device 12 on the facade in the area of ​​the building's roof, which includes installation on a parapet. In contrast to the embodiment shown here, the abseiling device 12 can also be integrated into the facade, so that, in particular, the spool 18 is not visible from the outside, but is located in a box-shaped recess in the facade, which is clad on the outside.

Claims

[1] Emergency evacuation system (10) for buildings, characterized by a rappelling device (12) attached to or in a facade of the building, comprising a rescue rope (16) which can be unwound from a spool (18) and is provided at a free end with a first anchor point, wherein the spool (18) is designed as a self-winding spool (18) which automatically brakes or limits its unwinding speed. [2] Emergency evacuation system (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the first attachment point is designed as an open hook (22), carabiner hook or eyelet. [3] Emergency evacuation system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a restraint system with a second anchor point that can be connected to the first anchor point. [4] Emergency evacuation system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the abseiling device (12) further comprises a safety rope (24) which is fixed at one end to an upper attachment point and extends downwards from this point along the facade. [5] Emergency evacuation system (10) according to claim 4, characterized by , that the upper attachment point of the safety rope (24) is located next to or immediately below the spool (18). [6] Emergency evacuation system (10) according to claim 4 or 5 in conjunction with claim 3, characterized by , that the harness system includes a third attachment point which can be attached to the safety rope (24) in such a way that it can slide along the safety rope (24). [7] Emergency evacuation system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the abseiling device (12) comprises a bracket 20 projecting from the facade, on which the spool (18) and, if present, the upper attachment point of the safety rope (24) are mounted at a distance in front of the facade. [8] Emergency evacuation system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the coil (18) is equipped with a centrifugal brake. [9] Buildings with windows that can be opened, at least one of which is equipped with an emergency evacuation system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, which is attached to the respective window 14 in such a way that the abseiling device (12) is accessible from the interior of the building when the window is open.

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