Patent Application
20180200548
The present invention relates to an emergency descent system, or “EDS”. More particularly, this invention relates to an EDS that can be fully incorporated, both storage and during use, in the outerwear of a firefighter's gear, especially the coat and pants for the same. These lightweight, integral systems will be “available” any and every time thereby allowing its wearer to safely escape from the higher levels of a building, home or office in an atypical emergency. This invention uses flame resistant rope or cable for lowering each firefighting individual to affect a controlled descent from a higher to lower elevation.
Descent control devices have been developed with the objective of lowering individuals (or objects) from a higher to lower elevation. Such devices have taken many forms and have utilized a variety of elements. Some are capable of providing a mechanical braking mechanism, such as a dead-man or panic control feature, when the device would be used for descent, escape, or rescue purposes.
Concerns with occupational safety have led to the development of mechanisms that enable a worker to lower himself from an elevated position such as a scaffold, crane, lift truck or platform in the event of an emergency. That equipment is, in some respects, similar to known fire escape devices, mountain climbing equipment, and military equipment.
One descent control device with a dead-man brake, in the form of a vertical cylindrical drum or capstan about which a rope is wound and a tapered slot through the drum for receiving and releasably gripping the rope, is shown in Varner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,146. That device includes plates on each end of a vertical cylindrical drum or capstan with apertures on each end plate through which the rope is threaded, then wound in two or more turns around the drum.
Tapered slots are well known for releasably fastening ropes, lines and cables. The use of cylindrical capstans for holding and providing a mechanical advantage for tightening ropes is also known. Likewise, a variety of fire escape devices utilize rope wound around a cylinder. See, for example, Budd U.S. Pat. No. 386,237; FitzGerald U.S. Pat. No. 536,866; Howe U.S. Pat. No. 771,251; Thuemer U.S. Pat. No. 946,588; Smith U.S. Pat. No. 1,115,603; Steffen U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,218; and Forrest U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,508,193 and 4,550,801.
In addition, there are known but clearly distinguishable teachings in Hobbs U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,543; Arancio U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,449; Wagner U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,609; Bell et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,135; Varner et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,038,888 and 5,131,491; Bassett U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,697; Harbers Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,082; Metz U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,443; Henson U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,966; and Halevy U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,224. See also, Ador Published U.S. App. No. 20020112916; Price Published U.S. App. No. 20020158098; Gelman Published U.S. App. No. 20030159887; Richardson Published U.S. App. No. 20040140152; Fischer et al. Published U.S. App. No. 20060011415; Harris Jr. Published U.S. App. Nos. 20060113147 and 20100122874; Moon et al Published U.S. App. No. 20070158139; and Botti Published U.S. App. No. 200702460298.
Jordan U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,725 was cited against an earlier related application. But it clearly addresses a waist wrap around harness—for beneath just the wearer's coat. It has no protection and/or linkage to the wearer's upper thighs or legs as does the Lower Unit of the present invention.
Grillot et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,971,273 addresses multiple drag point devices, something which is preferably added to the upper rear of this invention with the understanding that the outer coat would include means for accessing the drag pull in an emergency while the fireman continues to wear his outer protective coating. In this manner, an unconscious firefighter could first be pulled to an exiting point, then latched on with the present harness before being lowered to safety (all while still unconscious).
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved controlled descent system that can provide full body protection to all firefighter outerwear. A related object is to provide a full body EDS full body harness (i.e., both chest and legs) that can enable firemen and firewomen a fail-safe descent from the elevated levels of most any burning structure.
Firefighting personnel with an integral descent controller built into their protective gear at very little extra weight “cost”, can work better, more effectively knowing that should certain circumstances arise, they should more easily achieve a safe evacuation from the higher floors of a burning complex.
In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention incorporates into most any existing (or newly constructed) fire coat and pant combinations a full body harness consisting of a panel housing flame resistant rope or cable, a purposefully designed control descent rack in and through which that rope/cable is wound. That same rope/cable is also wound about a friction brake with a braking handle as described in more detail below.
Further features, objects and advantages of this invention will become clearer when reviewing the detailed description made with reference to the accompanying photographs in which:
With reference to the accompanying drawings, there is shown a first preferred embodiment of FEDS, or full body emergency descent system incorporated into the protective outerwear (gear) of a firefighter according to the present invention.
The accompanying drawings show one preferred embodiment of FireCoat FEDS complete and installed (at various stages) on a mannequin for wearing illustration purposes. It is important to note several unique aspects of this design. This is a Full Body Safety Harness fully integrated into a firefighter's coat/jacket and pants. This is not a safety waist belt only or a safety chest strap only (unlike some of those shown in the prior art). Rather, this is a Full Body Rappelling System with integrated 115 feet of stored line into a firefighter's clothing that allows for very quick donning and utilization that is a must for firefighters to react quickly to life threatening events. Current Bailout Bags contain only 50 feet of line. And they are bulky accessory on the outside of the firefighter's clothing that can catch on objects in an emergency situation. Worse, the individual firefighters must put such a bag ON before leaving the station or truck. The FEDS invention herein, by contrast, is always with them; it never has to be donned or separately put on over existing protective wear clothing or equipment.
Firefighters are required to enter burning buildings where the temperatures can be several hundred degrees. To protect the Firefighters from being injured or killed they wear protective clothing, called Turnout Gear (TG). This TG consists of several items including a fire protective coat and pants. The Coat and Pants both have two layers; the inside Heat Protective Barrier Liner that is against the Fireman's skin or underclothing, and the outer Coat or Pants of heat resistant material usually Nomex. The inside Heat Protective Barrier Liner is of vital importance since the Coat and Pants may be exposed to very high heat. The Liner cannot be penetrated at any point to keep the Fireman's skin cool. If the Liner becomes penetrated, very high heat can penetrate through the opening to the Fireman's skin and burn them.
It is very common that at times, Firemen must retreat from a burning structure due to the increasing heat or deterioration of the structure which can collapse on top of the Firemen, severely injuring or killing them. To affect this escape, they will retreat out doorways, or windows if available. If the Fireman is on elevated floors of the structure, the ability to escape a deteriorating situation is limited. If a ladder is not available or is not of sufficient length to reach a window where a Fireman has retreated to affect his escape, Firemen have jumped, severely injuring themselves and some have died.
In January 2005, six Bronx N.Y. Firemen were forced to jump from a window fifty feet above ground to escape a burning and deteriorating building. Two of the Firemen died and the other four were grievously injured. An Integrated Escape System built within their Turnout Gear was not then nor is now available to Firemen. A Bailout Bag is available for Firemen that contains a rope and descending device that is worn on the OUTSIDE of the TG, similar in function to Jordan (U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,725). These are not commonly worn by Firemen due to the fact that they are on the OUTSIDE of the TG and for other reasons that will be pointed out. The Bailout Bag and a Jordan style escape system worn on the outside of the TG are a source of obstructing the Fireman's movement and can be snagged on a broken board or other item and stop the Fireman from escaping a dangerous situation. Firemen are very leary of anything attached to the outside of their clothing due to the danger it can create.
Also, both Bailout Bag and the Jordan design must be placed over the TG once the Fireman has gotten dressed in an emergency. Firemen do not have time to place additional equipment on when responding to emergency calls, this is another reason why a Bailout Bag or a Jordan style escape system is not commonly utilized, they take too much time to put on. Firemen must respond in seconds when the alarm is sounded to save lives and property. They will not take the additional time to place on additional equipment that may be hazardous to their movement while fighting a fire in a burning building.
The FireCoat FEDS (Fullbody Emergency Descent System) eliminates these problems. The FireCoat FEDS is a Personal Rappelling System that is built into a Fireman's Coat and Pants. It contains 115 feet of Heat-Resistant Rope, ¼″ diameter and extremely strong at 8200 pound breaking strength. This line is Technora® which is very light, strong, soft and very Heat-Resistant. The 115 feet of rope weighs only at 2 pounds. If needed in an emergency, the FireCoat FEDS can be utilized in less than 1 minute. The endangered Fireman can attach the Rope to a solid anchor point, and safely lower him or herself, down the rope and out of danger. The slow descent down the Rope is controlled by the Controlled Descent Rack, and Kevlar Brake as the Rope is being pulled from its storage location in the back of the Coat. It is very simple to connect and operate.
The FireCoat FEDS is integrated into the Turnout Gear. It is attached to the inside of the Coat and Pants. It is overtop of the Heat Protective Barrier Liner. It does not penetrate the Heat Protective Barrier Liner in anyway. When the Firemen respond in an emergency, they have nothing extra to put on. The FIRECOAT FEDS is already attached to the Turnout Gear between the Heat Protective Barrier Liner and the outer Coat and Pants. When the Firemen must respond in seconds, they do not have time to put on additional equipment. The FIRECOAT FEDS emergency escape system is always with them, they will not need to jump from a window to escape a burning building.
There are two parts to the FIRECOAT FEDS, the upper and lower units. The Lower Unit consist of two loops of fire-resistant Kevlar webbing that is integrated and sewn into both legs of the TG Pants, underneath the outer Pants and overtop of the Heat Protective Barrier Liner. Both loops form Leg Loops that completely incircle the Fireman's upper legs and terminate with an attached female buckle in the Pants Pockets on both lateral sides of the Pants. The Buckle attached to the Leg Loop is sewn into the inside of the Pocket on both sides of the Pants. The female Buckle is not visible and is not on the outside of the TG Pants but is easily accessed by pulling up on the Velcroed Pants Pocket Flap, exposing the Buckle securely attached to the inside of the pocket, which is attached to the leg loop encircling the Fireman's legs.
The Upper Unit consist of a fire-resistant Kevlar webbing Safety Harness that contains 115 feet of light weight ¼″ diameter Heat-Resistant Rope with an 8200-pound breaking strength. This rope is securely stored in vertical positions on the inside of the TG Coat, in a Storage Panel consisting of a series of fire-resistant elastic storage loops. The Storage Panel is zippered to the inside of the back of the Coat. The Upper Unit of the FIRECOAT FEDS does not penetrate the Heat Protective Barrier Liner. The Upper Unit is over top of the Heat Protective Barrier Liner and underneath the Coat.
Attached to the Upper Unit Safety Harness are two Chest Straps, one on the right side of the Safety Harness and one on the left side of the Safety Harness. The ends of these two Chest Straps are stored in the Coat Upper Outside Pockets. Both Chest Straps enter the Coat Pockets by small slit openings on the inside of both Coat Upper Side Pockets. The right and left Chest Straps are stored in the Coat Upper Side Pockets and are not visible on the outside of the TG Coat unless pulled out of the pockets when an emergency escape is needed.
The Chest Straps do not penetrate the Heat Protective Barrier Liner. The entire Upper Unit Safety Harness is between the Coat and the Heat Protective Barrier Liner. In an emergency, the Fireman can remove both Chest Straps from the Coat Upper Pockets on each side of the Coat, place them in front of the Fireman's chest and connect both straps to each other by the attached Male and Female Safety Buckles. This action causes a complete encircling of the Fireman's Upper Chest by the Kevlar Fire-Resistant Webbing, placing the Rope, Controlled Descent Rack, and Brake in front of the Fireman for easy and quick use.
The Left Chest Strap contains a Male Safety Buckle that can be tightened when attached to the Female Safety Buckle by pulling on the end of the Left Chest Strap. The Right Chest Strap contains the Female Safety Buckle, Controlled Descent Rack with the pre-wrapped rope, and Brake. The Controlled Descent Rack is a friction device that allows for a person's descent down a rope. The Controlled Descent Rack has Three Cross Members that the rope is wrapped around to increase friction slowing the rate of descent of the Fireman. The Controlled Descent Rack is pre-wrapped with the end of the stored rope that contains a braided loop end for attachment to a solid anchor if an emergency descent is needed.
The 115 feet of stored rope located in the back of the Safety Harness, follows the Right Chest Strap up out of the Coat Right Chest Pocket, goes through the Brake attached to the Right Chest Strap, transitions up through the Controlled Descent Rack's cross members and then is attached to a solid anchor when in use. This allows the Fireman to safely descend from a dangerous situation, while the Rope is being pulled from the Storage Loops in the back of the Safety Harness by the Fireman's weight, passing through the Brake and transitioning up through the Controlled Descent Rack and to the solid anchor point.
The Brake is composed of 1″ Kevlar straps that is formed to create pressure on the rope as it is pulled towards the Controlled Descent Rack. It is important to note, that due to the design of the Kevlar Brake, very small diameter ropes can be used, down to ⅛″ diameter. The Technora ⅛″ rope is 2,800 pound Tensile Strength, the 3/16″ diameter rope is 5,600 pound Tensile Strength, and the ¼″ is 8,200 pound Tensile Strength. Due to the unique design of the Kevlar Brake, these very small diameter ropes can be used. This allows for considerable lengths of rescue rope to be incorporated into the FireCoat FEDS without using much space which is very limited, and considerable less weight than a normal rescue rope which is ⅜″ to ½″ diameter.
The Kevlar Brake design makes this possible. Per NFPA Standards, a hand-held rope less than ⅜″ diameter is not permitted. This is due to the fact that the human hand or other rescue rope brakes are unable to generate enough force on a rope smaller than ⅜″ to ensure enough braking force to slow a descent. This is not a problem with the FireCoat Kevlar Brake. The Kevlar Brake wraps around the rope and causes increased friction over 360 degrees and a two-inch length of the rope as it slides through the Kevlar Brake. The Kevlar Brake pressure is applied by the Fireman pulling down on a handle of loop webbing extending down from the Kevlar Brake. Even if the Kevlar Brake is not applied by the Fireman, the rate of descent will be of such a slowed nature due to the Controlled Descent Rack, less than 10 feet per second, that the Fireman will survive even a non-braked 100-foot emergency descent.
Furthermore, with respect to the Brake and Brake Handle of this invention, it must be noted that in the most severe of situations where a life or death decision must be made for an unconscious or injured Fireman, a fellow Fireman can remove the unconscious Fireman's FireCoat FEDS Chest Straps from their storage locations in the unconscious Fireman's Coat, connect the safety buckles together, pull the heat and cut resistant rope up through the Controlled Descent Rack attached to the Chest Straps and attach the rope to a secure anchor point. The rescuing Fireman can then push the unconscious Fireman out a window or off an elevated position of danger to a safer one. Even while the unconscious or injured Fireman is not able to apply the Kevlar Brake, the rate of descent is still less than 10 feet per second and the unconscious Fireman will survive a descent distance that would normally kill or maim. This is allowed by the friction created while the rope is transitioning up through the Controlled Descent Rack allowing even an unconscious Fireman to be saved. The Brake is used to slow or stop a descent. It is not needed to allow for a safe gradual descent per se.
The Upper Unit Safety Harness also contains two Leg Straps with Male Safety Buckles that extend from the upper sides of the Upper Unit Safety Harness and are stored in the bottom of both sides of the inside of the Coat by securely attached Female Safety Buckles located there. Again, the Leg Straps do not penetrate the Heat Protective Barrier Liner and cannot be seen while not in use. If an emergency descent is needed, the Leg Straps can be removed from their storage positions by the Fireman, by reaching under the front bottom of his coat only a couple of inches, removing the Leg Strap Male Safety Buckle from its Female Safety Buckle storage location, and attaching it to the Female Safety Buckles located inside of the Fireman's Side Pants Pockets that are attached to the Leg Loops. By making this connection of the Leg Straps from the Upper Unit Safety Harness to the Lower Unit Leg Loops, this creates a FULLBODY Safety Harness that encircles the Fireman's Chest and Legs after the Chest Straps are connected.
In an emergency escape situation, the Fireman can connect the Leg Straps to the Leg Loops, attach the Chest Straps together, connect the end of the Fire-Resistant Rope to a solid anchor, go out a window and be able to safely descend to the ground. With using the attached Brake, the Fireman has the ability to greatly slow the descent or stop at any point. This emergency escape can be done in less than a minute. If there is no time to attach the Leg Straps to the Leg Loops, the Fireman has the option of quickly attaching the Chest Straps only, attach the line to a solid anchor point and go out a window in even faster time. In a dire emergency situation 10 seconds can be a long time.
Also attached to the Upper Unit Safety Harness is an Emergency Drag Strap. It is common for Firefighters to become unconscious due to heat and or smoke inhalation. When this happens, other Firefighters will need to drag the unconscious member to safety. It is very difficult to pick up an unconscious Fireman with all his clothing and equipment. A properly placed Emergency Drag Strap makes the moving of a downed Fireman quicker and safer even for a single Fireman responding to the downed person. The FIRECOAT FEDS Emergency Drag Strap is attached to the rear of the upper section of the Upper Unit Safety Harness under the Outer Shell Coat. It is designed to be pulled from underneath a covered slot located in the upper back area below the collar of the Coat of the TG. Once pulled, this Emergency Drag Strap which completely encircles both upper arms, tightens around both arms and shoulders and cannot come lose while pulling the victim to safety. If the Emergency Drag Strap was only attached to the Coat, there is a possibility that when pulling a heavy man, the Coat's upper front zipper could be forced up against the throat of the unconscious Fireman causing strangulation that could be unseen by the rescuing Fireman in the dark or smoke-filled building. By encircling both arms, the FIRECOAT FEDS Emergency Drag Strap eliminates that possibility; the unconscious Fireman's body is being pulled, not his clothing.
The Bailout Bag is used in conjunction with a Seat Harness that must be put on when the Fireman puts on his TG Pants. The Jordan device is a waist belt style device. OSHA has determined that waist belt descending safety devices are dangerous and are not permitted to be used. A person using a waist belt only can lose consciousness quickly by the enormous pressure placed on the abdominal cavity causing the wearer not to be able to breath affectively. The US Airforce in 1987 determined that a person suspended by a single waist belt can become unconscious in 30 seconds due to the intrabdominal pressures exerted on a human body. With only a waist belt attachment point on a rope, the body can also end up inverted due to the upper weight of a man's body is heavier than his legs and can cause the body to tip upside down.
The FIRECOAT FEDS is a FULLBODY Safety Harness design. Both Legs must be supported by the Safety Harness design before it can be certified under current ANSI Z359 Standards. The FIRECOAT FEDS is designed to comply with Fullbody Safety Harness NFPA and ANSI Z359 Standards. The Jordan disclosure, U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,725, cannot be certified to NFPA or ANSI Z359 Standards and is NOT permitted for use by OSHA as a single waist belt design.
The FIRECOAT FEDS is the only Emergency Escape design that is completely integrated into Firemen's Turnout Gear, does not need to be additionally placed over the TG after the Firemen is dressed, does not increase the time it takes for a Fireman to dress and respond in an emergency situation, the Fireman's Emergency Escape device is always with them, they cannot leave it at the Fire House, will not snag on any object since it is completely underneath the Fireman's Outer Shell Coat and Pants, does not penetrate the Heat Protective Barrier Liner anywhere, can be certified to NFPA and ANSI Standards as a FULLBODY SAFETY HARNESS and is allowed by OSHA.
While certain illustrative embodiments have been shown in the drawings and described above in considerable detail, it should be understood that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 15/458,003, filed on Mar. 13, 2017, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 14/279,268, filed on May 15, 2014, now abandoned, which was a perfection of Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/824,058, filed on May 16, 2013, all disclosures of which are fully incorporated herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61824058 | May 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15458003 | Mar 2017 | US |
| Child | 15908550 | US | |
| Parent | 14279268 | May 2014 | US |
| Child | 15458003 | US |
