Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Thomas R. Tracy ·
Assignee(s)	Palladium Corporation ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Norris & Bateman ·
Primary Examiner	Reinaldo P. Machado ·
Application Number	US6137619
Filing date	04/07/1980
Issue date	07/13/1982
Predicted expiration date	04/07/2000
U.S. Classifications	182/47  · 182/48  ·
International Classifications	A62B 120  ·
Kind Code	A
International Classifications	18248;49;10;46;47 ·

Patent Family

Abstract

An emergency escape apparatus for speedily evacuating workers or others from a high level platform or the like comprising a longitudinally folded tubular escape chute slidably connected to an angularly disposed cable, the chute being held in folded condition by a cover that may be speedily opened to release the chute for unfolding deployment down and along the cable, and the chute being of multisleeve construction with the outer layer of fire resistant material. The apparatus may be used for other purposes than emergency escape, for example as a slide chute in an amusement park.

Independent Claims | See all claims (4)

1. 1. An emergency escape apparatus for a structure having a working or like platform disposed at considerable distance above ground level, said apparatus comprising means defining an escape chute entrance adapted to be flexibly mounted at said platform, a cable extending from said entrance at an acute angle to the ground below, a flexible longitudinally collapsible tubular escape chute secured at one end to said entrance and slidably connected to said cable, said chute normally being longitudinally collapsed into a releasable pack at said entrance and releasably held in folded condition by a bag like cover which extends over the folded chute and is closed at the side opposite the chute entrance by flaps secured by keeper pins, and means accessible to a person about to enter the entrance end of the chute for releasing the cover to allow automatic unfolding of the chute to deploy along the cable, comprising a rip cord arrangement actuatable to speedily remove all of the pins and allow the folded pack end to move through the open flaps, said chute being adapted when released to slide down the cable while longitudinally deploying along the cable to define a continuous escape tube suspended along said cable.
2. 2. An emergency escape apparatus for a structure having a working or like platform disposed a considerable distance above ground level, said apparatus comprising means defining an escape chute entrance adapted to be fixedly mounted at said platform, a cable extending from said entrance at an acute angle to the ground below externally of said chute, a flexible longitudinally collapsible tubular escape chute secured at one end to said entrance and slidably connected to said cable, said chute comprising an inner layer of synthetic plastic material, an intermediate layer of synthetic plastic material having at least along the lower portion of its length longitudinally spaced plurality of deceleration imparting restriction means, and an outer heat resistant layer, said chute being normally longitudinally collapsed into a releasable pack at said entrance and being adapted, when released, to slide down the cable while longitudinally deploying along the cable to define a continuous escape tube suspended along said cable, said inner and intermediate layers being secured together circumferentially at their lower ends to form a column of trapped air between said inner and intermediate layers to assist in the deceleration of a person passing through said chute.
3. 3. An emergency escape apparatus for a structure having a working or like platform disposed a considerable distance above ground level, said apparatus comprising a frame hinged to said structure to move to an inoperative position adjacent said structure, said frame defining an escape chute entrance, a step member hingedly connected to the lower end of said frame, said step member being folded up against the frame when the frame is in inoperative position, said step member being folded down to extend at right angles to the frame when the frame is in operative position, a cable extending from said entrance at an acute angle to the ground below, and a flexible longitudinally collapsible tubular escape chute secured at one end around said frame and slidably connected to said cable, said chute being normally longitudinally collapsed into a releasable pack at said entrance and being adapted, when released, to slide down the cable while longitudinally deploying along the cable to define a continuous escape tube suspended along said cable.
4. 4.4. An emergency escape apparatus for a structure having a working or like platform disposed a considerable distance above ground level, said apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be fixedly mounted at said platform, a cable extending from said frame at an acute angle to the ground below, a flexible longitudinally collapsible escape chute secured at one end to said frame and slidably connected to said cable, said chute comprising an inner layer of low friction material, an intermediate layer of synthetic plastic material having at least along the lower portion of its length a longitudinally spaced plurality of deceleration imparting restriction bands and an outer heat resistant layer, said chute being normally collapsed and releasably held in a folded condition by a cover, means accessible to a person about to enter the entrance end of the chute for releasing the cover to allow automatic unfolding of the chute to deploy along the cable, a plurality of flaps normally extending over the frame to close the entrance to said chute, said flaps being only lightly held together normally so as to be readily displaced to open the chute in an emergency, said chute being adapted when released to slide down the cable while longitudinally deploying along the cable to define a continuous escape tube suspended along said cable, and said inner and intermediate layers being circumferentially secured together substantially air tight at their lower edges to form a trapped column of air between said inner and intermediate layers to assist in the deceleration of a person passing through said chute.