APPARATUS FOR ESCAPING AREA OF ACCIDENT

Abstract

An apparatus for escaping the area of an accident on a drilling rig platform or the like is disclosed. A frame defines an interior space sized to accommodate a worker. A locking system includes a locking mechanism and also a foot-actuated disengager that is located at least proximate to the bottom of the frame. The locking mechanism is adapted to interlock with a mating portion on the platform to prevent the frame from travel away from the platform when the locking mechanism engages the mating portion. The disengager is connected to the locking mechanism and has a foot receiving surface region upon which force can be applied to displace the disengager between a first, engaged position and a second position to disengage the locking mechanism from the mating portion. The frame will travel away from the platform to the terminal location under gravity when the locking mechanism is disengaged.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show example embodiments of the present invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trolley constructed in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention, the trolley secured in position next to a platform;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the trolley of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a first end view of the trolley of FIG. 1, a worker shown standing within the trolley; and,

FIG. 4 is an opposite end view of the trolley of FIG. 1.

Claims

1. An apparatus for emergency escape from a drilling rig platform along a path defined by at least one cable extending between the platform and a remote, terminal location, the apparatus comprising: a frame in which a top of said frame is located above a bottom of said frame when said frame is erect, said frame defining an interior space large enough to accommodate an associated worker; and,a locking system including a locking mechanism and a foot-actuated disengager that is located at least proximate said bottom of said frame, said locking mechanism adapted to interlock with a mating portion on said platform to prevent said frame from traveling away from said platform when said locking mechanism engages said mating portion,said disengager connected to said locking mechanism and having a foot receiving surface region upon which force can be applied to displace said disengager between a first, engaged position and a second position to disengage said locking mechanism from said mating portion,wherein said frame will travel away from said platform to the terminal location under gravity when said locking mechanism is disengaged.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one pulley assembly mounted on said frame at a location above a midpoint between said top of the frame and said bottom of the frame, said pulley assembly configured for cammed movement along said cable.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said disengager is a pivoting plate disengager having opposite ends and opposite sides, each of said opposite sides pivotably attached to said bottom of the frame.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said locking mechanism is rigidly connected to one of said opposite ends and said foot receiving surface region is formed on a metal plate, said foot receiving surface region proximate to the other of said opposite ends.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said pivoting plate is constructed so that a downward force on one portion of said pivoting plate causes disengagement of said locking mechanism, and said first and second positions correspond to the other of said opposite ends being raised and depressed, respectively.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said locking system further includes a vertically displaceable rod and a locking pin, said locking pin at a bottom end of said rod and said rod being rigidly connected to one of said opposite ends, and said rod being upwardly displaced when said disengager is moved from said first position to said second position.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a pair of cables and a pair of pulley assemblies spaced apart from each other and evenly mounted on opposite sides of said frame at locations above said bottom of the frame, said pulley assemblies configured for cammed movement along said cables.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said locking mechanism includes a locking pin and said mating portion is a locking pin hole defined in a locking plate of said platform.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame further comprises an overhang member extending out horizontally from a platform-facing side of said frame, said overhang member having a jutting end adapted to receive a lanyard reel.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a lanyard downwardly hanging from said jutting end and a lanyard reel attached to said jutting end for varying slack of said lanyard.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising another lanyard attached at a different location on said frame.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said disengager is activated to disengage said locking mechanism from said mating portion when said worker stands on said foot receiving surface.

13. An apparatus for emergency escape from a drilling rig platform along a path defined by at least one cable extending between the platform and a remote, terminal location, the apparatus comprising: a frame in which a top of said frame is located above a bottom of said frame when said frame is erect, said frame defining an interior space large enough to accommodate an associated worker;a locking means adapted to interlock with a mating means on said platform to prevent said frame from traveling away from said platform when said locking means engages said mating means; anda foot-actuated disengagement means located at least proximate said bottom of the frame, said foot-actuated disengagement means connected to said locking means and having a foot receiving surface region upon which force can be applied to displace said foot-actuated disengagement means between a first engaged position and a second position to disengage said locking means from said mating means,wherein said frame will travel away from said platform to the terminal location under gravity when said locking means is disengaged.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a pair of cables and a pair of pulley assemblies spaced apart from each other and evenly mounted on opposite sides of said frame at locations above a midpoint between said top of the frame and said bottom of the frame, said pulley assemblies configured for cammed movement along said cables.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said locking means includes a locking pin and said mating means is a locking pin hole defined in a locking plate of said platform.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said frame further comprises an overhang member extending out horizontally from a platform-facing side of said frame, said overhang member having a jutting end adapted to receive a lanyard reel.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said disengagement means is activated to disengage said locking means from said mating means when said worker stands on said foot receiving surface.