Escape Tower

Abstract

This invention proposes an escape tower for installation on the ground. The escape tower comprises a main body and an anchoring system. The main body is positioned on the ground and extends upwards. The main body forms an internal space, which is maintained at a distance from the ground. The anchoring system is fixed to the main body and to the ground. The advantages of this invention are that it provides a high-altitude refuge space for users to enter and avoid being swept away during floods. Furthermore, the anchoring system of this invention provides stable support for the main body, enabling the invention to resist lateral impacts and prevent collapse. Therefore, this invention can also be used as a safety rope connection for engineers in river and marine engineering projects, preventing them from being swept away by sudden water currents and ensuring their safety.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an escape facility, and more particularly to an escape tower that provides protection against being swept away by water. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Activities in aquatic environments have always been inherently dangerous. Whether in rivers, lakes, estuaries, or along the coast, there is always the possibility of being swept away by water. For example, tides, reservoir releases, tsunamis, storm surges, rip currents, and floods are all common causes of people being swept away by water currents. Among these events, tsunamis and flash floods are particularly catastrophic because the massive volume of water rushing through a short period not only generates immense kinetic energy that can injure or cause suffocation in those swept away, but also leaves people with little time to react and vulnerable to danger due to the rapid nature of the disaster.

[0003] In addition to residents living near water bodies, those vulnerable to the aforementioned disasters also include construction workers involved in water-related projects, such as bridge or embankment construction. Construction workers, in particular, tend to venture deeper into the water and spend more time in river and sea basins. In Taiwan, where the weather is highly variable, especially in summer when afternoon thunderstorms can trigger flash floods, rivers can transform from trickles into raging torrents within minutes. Construction workers may be swept away or even killed due to insufficient protective measures or delayed reaction.

[0004] Among them, the most famous incident was the Bazhang Creek incident in 2000, in which four workers were trapped by the creek's swell and could only huddle together to wait for rescue. Unfortunately, no rescue came for a long time, and they were eventually swept away by the flood. This incident shocked the entire island of Taiwan at the time. In addition, in 2008, the construction of the Xinwei Bridge on the Laonong Creek was forced to evacuate workers and machinery due to the flood season causing the creek to swell. In 2009, the construction of the Xinhoufeng Bridge on the Dajia Creek was also forced to evacuate workers due to the water level rising from the Shigang Dam causing the construction access road to be cut off. These incidents exposed the dangerous situations faced by construction workers in river and sea engineering projects.

[0005] However, despite the high risks inherent in river and sea engineering projects, engineers lack adequate safety measures. For example, the proposed reconstruction of the Jishui River Bridge at the mouth of the Jishui River on Provincial Highway 61 in 2024, located at the confluence of the river and sea, exposes engineers to daily tides and spring tides. The tidal range can cause the river level at the mouth to rise by 1.5 to 2 meters. Furthermore, the reconstruction projects of the Dona Bridge and Dajin Bridge in Maolin District, Kaohsiung City, which began in 2011 after Typhoon Morakot, took approximately two years each and were affected by several floods. In the aforementioned projects, if engineers fall into the water, the only escape method available is a rope barrier; there are no other water escape options, threatening the lives and property of engineers.

[0006] In addition, the 2004 South Asian tsunami in Indonesia and the 2011 tsunami that struck the Tohoku region of Japan after a major earthquake are still fresh in our memories. Tsunami waves can reach 2 to 3 meters high when they hit the ground, and some can even reach 10 meters (about three stories high), which can easily drown people. People or tourists on the coast have no time to find high places to avoid the tsunami, and are unfortunately swallowed by the tsunami.

[0007] It can be seen from this that there is indeed a need to develop a new escape method. [Summary of the Invention]

[0008] The main objective of this invention is to propose a new escape method for water-related disasters such as floods or tsunamis, so as to provide the public or construction workers of water-related projects with the means of escape during flood events.

[0009] To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention provides an escape tower for installation on the ground. The escape tower comprises: a main body installed on the ground and extending upward, the main body forming an internal space that maintains a distance from the ground; and an anchoring system fixed to the main body and the ground. The anchoring system comprises: a plurality of first anchor piles fixed to the ground; a plurality of main anchor cables, one end of each main anchor cable connected to the top of the main body and the other end connected to one of the first anchor piles; a waist-binding cable that wraps around the main body horizontally and is connected to the main anchor cables; and a plurality of horizontal cables, both ends of each horizontal cable being connected to the connection point between the waist-binding cable and one of the main anchor cables and the main body, and two horizontal cables being connected to the connection point between each main anchor cable and the waist-binding cable, with both ends of each horizontal cable at the same height.

[0010] Therefore, the advantage of the present invention is that it can provide a high-altitude refuge space for users to enter and take refuge when floods come to avoid being drowned. The anchoring system of the present invention can stably support the main body of the present invention, enabling the present invention to resist lateral impacts and prevent collapse. Therefore, the present invention can be used as a safety rope connection for engineers in river and sea engineering projects to prevent engineers from being swept away by sudden water flow and ensure their safety.

[0011] As described above, the escape tower includes a set of independent components surrounding the interior space and extending upward from the ground; and a plurality of platforms connected to the independent components, the platforms being spaced apart from each other and arranged along the height direction of the independent components.

[0012] As described above, in the escape tower, the assembly has a plurality of perforations, each of which connects the interior space and the exterior of the main body.

[0013] As described above, the escape tower has eight main anchor cables that surround the main body. The main anchor cables are arranged in pairs, and the two main anchor cables in each pair are respectively connected to opposite sides of the main body and extend away from each other.

[0014] As described above, the escape tower further includes multiple inner inclined cables, each inner inclined cable having its two ends connected to the main body and one of the main anchor cables; each main anchor cable has two inner inclined cables connected to two different positions, and the two inner inclined cables are connected to the same position on the main body, and the position where the two inner inclined cables are connected to the main body is located in the height direction between the two positions where the two inner inclined cables are connected to the main anchor cable.

[0015] As described above, the escape tower, wherein the anchoring system further has multiple external stay cables, the two ends of each external stay cable being connected to two adjacent main anchor cables respectively, and the height positions of the two ends of each external stay cable are different.

[0016] As described above, the escape tower further includes a zipline with one end connected to the top of the main body; and an escape device disposed on the zipline and capable of moving along the zipline.

Implementation Method

[0017] First, please refer to Figures 1, 2, and 10. This invention proposes an escape tower for installation on a piece of ground B adjacent to a body of water A. Specifically, the aforementioned piece of ground B adjacent to the body of water A can be a relatively dry area such as a riverbed, riverbank, or coastline, or a shallower area such as the intertidal zone or shallow water beach. This embodiment is illustrated using a riverbed as an example, but it is not limited thereto.

[0018] In this embodiment, the escape tower of the present invention includes a main body 10, an anchoring system 20, a zipline 30, and an escape device 40.

[0019] Please refer to Figure 3 as well. The main body 10 is set on the ground B and extends upward, and the main body 10 forms an internal space 101. There is a distance between the internal space 101 and the ground B. Specifically, the main body 10 in this embodiment includes a set of supporting components 11, multiple platforms 12, a roof 13, and a lightning rod 14.

[0020] The assembly component 11 surrounds the internal space 101 and extends upward from the ground B. In this embodiment, the assembly component 11 has multiple through holes 111, each through hole 111 connecting the internal space 101 and the exterior of the main body 10. The through holes 111 are large enough for a person to pass through, thereby entering and exiting the main body 10. For example, the assembly component 11 can be constructed using scaffolding or a working tower used in bridge construction. Due to the characteristics of the tower structure, through holes 111 connecting the inside and outside can be left while the structure is erected. However, this is not a limitation; the assembly component 11 can also be a brick or reinforced concrete building.

[0021] Multiple platforms 12 are connected to the assembly component 11 and located in the internal space 101. The platforms 12 are spaced apart from each other and arranged along the height direction of the assembly component 11, forming multiple floors within the main body 10; furthermore, the assembly component 11 may be provided with multiple ladders or steps to facilitate the user's movement between the platforms 12. The main purpose of the platforms 12 is to serve as the floors of the various floors inside the invention, but in other embodiments, the platforms 12 may also extend horizontally beyond the assembly component 11, thereby providing a foothold for the user to smoothly enter the invention when approaching it in high water conditions.

[0022] In this embodiment, a roof 13 is provided above the assembly component 11 to provide shelter for users entering the invention. This shelter not only protects against wind and rain but also blocks hard objects such as sand, gravel, or broken wood that may be blown away by strong winds. Furthermore, the invention can be further equipped with a lightning rod 14 on the roof 13. Since the invention is situated on a relatively low-lying body of water A, providing a higher ground B for refuge, it is easily targeted by lightning. Therefore, the lightning rod 14 on the roof 13 prevents injury or damage to the user and the invention from lightning strikes. The lightning rod 14 can be directly connected to the ground B via a copper wire for grounding, but this is not a limitation.

[0023] Next, please refer to Figures 2 to 4. The anchoring system 20 of the present invention is fixed to the main body 10 and to the ground B, thereby enabling the main body 10 to withstand external impacts without collapsing or shifting.

[0024] Specifically, the anchoring system 20 in this embodiment includes multiple first anchor piles 21, a second anchor pile 22, multiple main anchor cables 23, a waist-binding cable 24, multiple horizontal cables 25, multiple inner inclined cables 26, and multiple outer inclined cables 27. The first anchor piles 21 are fixed to the ground B, and the main anchor cables 23 are connected to the first anchor piles 21. In this embodiment, the downward-facing anchoring end 211 of the first anchor pile 21 forms a V-shaped barb structure, which can increase the ability of the first anchor pile 21 to be fixed to the ground, but is not limited thereto.

[0025] The second anchor pile 22 is fixed to the bottom of the main body 10 and to the ground B. Similarly, in this embodiment, the downward anchoring end 221 of the second anchor pile 22 also forms a V-shaped barb structure, thereby increasing the ability of the second anchor pile 22 to be fixed to the ground and reducing the probability of the main body 10 collapsing due to impact. In addition, there may be multiple second anchor piles 22 in this embodiment, but it is not limited to this.

[0026] Multiple main anchor cables 23 connect the main body 10 and the first anchor pile 21. Specifically, one end of each main anchor cable 23 is connected to the top of the main body 10, and the other end is connected to one of the first anchor piles 21. In this embodiment, there are eight main anchor cables 23 that surround the main body 10. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the main anchor cables 23 are arranged in pairs. The two main anchor cables 23 in each pair are connected to opposite sides of the main body 10 and extend away from each other. In this way, the eight main anchor cables 23 can be arranged around the main body 10 at equal angular intervals to bear and distribute the impact force. However, the arrangement of the main anchor cables 23 is not limited to this. Specifically, in this embodiment, the shape of each platform 12 of the main body 10 is approximately square, and four main anchor cables 23 extend outward along the diagonal direction of the platform 12 relative to the four vertices of the platform 12, while the other four main anchor cables 23 extend outward in a direction perpendicular to the four sides of the platform 12, but are not limited thereto.

[0027] Please refer to Figures 2, 4, 5, and 7. The waist-binding cable 24 surrounds the main body 10 and connects to multiple main anchor cables 23. In this embodiment, there are multiple waist-binding cables 24. Each waist-binding cable 24 surrounds the main body 10 horizontally and connects to each main anchor cable 23, binding the eight main anchor cables 23 together to increase the impact resistance of the main anchor cables 23, but this is not a limitation. In this embodiment, the connection position of each waist-binding cable 24 is at the same height as the position of the platform 12, but this is not a limitation.

[0028] Referring to FIG Two horizontal cables 25 are connected at the junction of the cable 23 and the girdle cable 24 , with the same height positions at the ends of each horizontal cable 25 , thereby stabilizing the tension of the girdle cable 24 and the main anchor cable 23 , but not limited to this, and may not have a horizontal cable 25 . In this embodiment, each horizontal cable 25 is connected at a height position of platform 12 of the main body 10. Further, two horizontal cables 25 interconnected with four main anchor cables 23 located at the apex position of the platform 12, the other ends of which are respectively connected to the corresponding platform 12 vertex position of the main anchor cable 23 two adjacent edge positions;

[0029] Referring to FIG. 6 , the two ends of each internal oblique cable 26 are connected to the main body 10 and one of the main anchor cables 23 , respectively. Specifically, one of the ends of each internal oblique cable 26 is connected to the assembly assembly 11 of the main body 10, and then inclined outwards to connect to the main anchor cable 23 by extending upward or downward, thereby making the main anchor cable 23 more stable; The cable 26 is connected at the same position of the main body 10 and in this embodiment is a position of the platform 12; and the position of the two internal bevel cables 26 connecting the main anchor cables 10 is located in the height direction between two positions of that main anchor cable 23 connected by the two internal bevel cables 26

[0030] Referring to Figs. Specifically, in this embodiment, the area between two adjacent main anchor cables 23 is divided into a plurality of trapezoids by the girdle waist cable 24 , and each trapezoid has two external oblique cables 27 connected on two pairs of apex angles, forming a crossed diagonal, The external stay cable 27 located at the highest point, the upper end of which is connected to the main body 10. The ability of the main anchor cable 23 to resist impact can be increased, but not limited to this, and may not have the external bevel cable 27 .

[0031] Further, in this embodiment, the various cables of the preceding anchoring system 20 may be connected by steel cables, and may be connected by a U-bolt fixture (not shown in the figure) used in a suspension bridge to connect main cables, suspension cables, or wind-resistant steel cables.

[0032] Please refer to Figures 1, 2, 8, and 9. In this embodiment, a zipline 30 may also be included, and an escape device 40 is disposed on the zipline 30 and can move along the zipline 30. The escape device 40 may be a safety rope hook 41 of a full-back (parachute-type) safety harness combined with a drift cage 42. The user can attach the safety rope hook 41 to the zipline 30 and ride the drift cage 42 to leave the invention along the zipline 30. If there is no drift cage 42, the user can also directly attach the safety rope hook 41 to the zipline 30 and slide down to leave. Specifically, one end of the zipline 30 is connected to the top of the main body 10, and the other end can be anchored to the high beach of the riverbank or the roof 13 of a building near the coast. If the present invention is built on a riverbed, as shown in Figure 1, the zipline 30 can be set to be inclined downstream relative to the river boundary and form an angle X with the river boundary L. The preferred angle of the angle X is 45 degrees. In this way, if the user unfortunately falls into the water, there is a higher probability that he can rely on the momentum of sliding to rush to the shore after falling into the water. However, the setting of the zipline 30 is not limited to this.

[0033] Additionally, a life jacket and life ring can be incorporated into this invention. In the event that the water level rises too high and submerges the invention, the user can use the life jacket and life ring to float to the surface. Furthermore, the life jacket can be worn by the user who uses the zipline 30 to escape the invention, reducing the risk of drowning after an accidental fall into the water. Moreover, the life ring can be connected to the main body 10 of the invention with a long safety rope R, so that the user who reaches the invention can throw it to other users still in the water. The user wearing the life ring can not only reduce the risk of being swept away by the current through the safety rope R, but also pull the safety rope R to help themselves walk or swim towards the invention.

[0034] As shown in Figure 10, if engineering personnel are working on the river or sea during the flood season or high tide, they can directly connect their life jackets to the present invention with the safety rope R. Specifically, the various ropes in the anchoring system 20 of the present invention can be used as working main ropes for attaching safety ropes R and safety buckles in high-altitude operations. In this way, if a high tide, large waves, or flood suddenly occurs, they can move along the safety rope R to the present invention to escape. Alternatively, if it is not the flood season, the safety buckle on the body can be released and placed in a position that can be quickly retrieved, while the other end of the safety rope R is still connected to the present invention. In this way, if a flood suddenly occurs, it can be quickly connected to the body, thereby moving to the present invention to escape.

[0035] On the other hand, as shown in FIG11, since the assembly component 11 of the main body 10 of the present invention has multiple perforations 111, the internal space 101 and the outside of the main body 10 are interconnected. Therefore, once the water level rises and partially submerges the present invention, the user can float on the water to approach the present invention and enter the present invention from the perforation 111 at a relatively high position. There are also multiple entry angles to choose from, avoiding the situation where only a single angle or a single height position of the perforation 111 causes the user to be unable to enter when escaping, thus affecting the probability of successful escape.

[0036] During flash floods or tsunamis, the large volume of flowing water possesses immense energy, capable of carrying soil, rocks, silt, or driftwood. These objects, carried by the floodwaters, may collide with the present invention. However, since the eight main anchor cables 23 of the anchoring system 20 of the present invention extend outward around the main body 10 and are anchored to the ground B via the first anchor pile 21, if one of the main anchor cables 23 is impacted, the other main anchor cable 23 on its opposite side and the two adjacent main anchor cables 23 can provide a counterforce in the opposite direction to prevent the present invention from tipping over. Furthermore, the present invention connects the main body 10 and the main anchor cable 23 or connects them to each other through the waist cable 24, horizontal cable 25, inner diagonal cable 26, and outer diagonal cable 27. Therefore, once subjected to a strong impact from an object such as driftwood, the impact force can be dispersed, thereby improving the anchoring system 20 of the present invention's ability to resist lateral impact forces and reducing the risk of the main anchor cable 23 breaking due to excessive tension or stress or the present invention collapsing.

[0037] This invention provides a higher position for users to take refuge during floods, avoiding being swept away. Even when the portion of the invention is submerged, users can still directly enter the invention through the perforation 111, and can further escape via the zipline 30. Alternatively, users inside the invention can use life rings or life jackets to assist other users in escaping. The anchoring system 20 of this invention can stably support the main body 10 of the invention, enabling the entire invention to resist lateral impacts and prevent collapse. Therefore, this invention can be used as a safety rope connection for engineers in river and ocean engineering projects, preventing engineers from being swept away by sudden water currents and ensuring their safety. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0038] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional appearance and configuration diagram of the present invention. Figure 2 is a side view of the present invention. Figure 3 is a three-dimensional appearance diagram of the main body of the present invention. Figure 4 is a top view of the present invention, omitting the sliding cable. Figure 5 is a top view of the present invention, showing the connection relationship between the main body and the anchoring system. Figure 6 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the present invention, showing the connection relationship between the main body, horizontal cable, inner diagonal cable, and main anchor cable. Figure 7 is a partial side view of the present invention, showing the connection relationship between the waist cable, outer diagonal cable, and main anchor cable. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the flow cage of the present invention installed on the sliding cable. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the safety rope hook of the present invention installed on the sliding cable. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the usage scenario of the present invention. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another usage scenario of the present invention, wherein the waterline submerges a portion of the present invention.

Claims

1. An escape tower for installation on the ground, the escape tower comprising: a main body installed on the ground and extending upward therefrom, the main body forming an internal space at a distance from the ground; and an anchoring system fixed to the main body and fixed to the ground; the anchoring system comprising: a plurality of first anchor piles fixed to the ground; a plurality of main anchor cables, one end of each main anchor cable connected to the top of the main body and the other end connected to one of the first anchor piles; a waist cable that wraps around the main body horizontally and is connected to the main anchor cables; and a plurality of horizontal cables, each horizontal cable having its two ends connected to the connection point between the waist cable and one of the main anchor cables and the main body, and two horizontal cables connected to the connection point between each main anchor cable and the waist cable, the two ends of each horizontal cable being at the same height.

2. The escape tower as described in claim 1, wherein, The main body includes: a set of modular components surrounding the interior space and extending upward from the ground; and a plurality of platforms connected to the modular components, the platforms being spaced apart from each other and arranged along the height direction of the modular components.

3. The escape tower as described in claim 2, wherein, The assembly has multiple perforations, each of which connects the interior space to the exterior of the main body.

4. An escape tower as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The number of main anchor cables is eight and they encircle the main body. The main anchor cables are arranged in pairs, and the two main anchor cables in each pair are respectively connected to opposite sides of the main body and extend in a direction away from each other.

5. An escape tower as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The anchoring system further comprises: multiple inner inclined cables, each inner inclined cable having its two ends connected to the main body and one of the main anchor cables; each main anchor cable having two inner inclined cables connected at two different positions, and the two inner inclined cables being connected to the same position on the main body, and the position of the two inner inclined cables connecting to the main body being located in the height direction between the two positions where the two inner inclined cables are connected to the main anchor cable.

6. An escape tower as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The anchoring system further comprises: multiple external stay cables, each of which is connected at both ends to two adjacent main anchor cables, and the height positions of the two ends of each external stay cable are different.

7. The escape tower as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a zipline, one end of which is connected to the top of the main body; and an escape device disposed on the zipline and movable along the zipline.

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