WO1990000422A1

WO1990000422A1 - Fire/water shield apparatus for valuable articles

Info

Publication number: WO1990000422A1
Application number: PCT/AU1989/000287
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael John Bell
Original assignee: Zapspar Ltd.
Priority date: 1988-07-05
Filing date: 1989-07-05
Publication date: 1990-01-25

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to protect valuables from heat and water damage in case of fire. The apparatus comprises a housing to be mounted generally above the valuables, and at least one sheet which is normally stored in the housing and which is released by a predetermined signal to the releasable retaining means whereby the sheet(s) fold to provide a protective curtain between the fire and the valuable.

Description

FIRE/MATER SHIELD APPARATUS FOR VALUABLE ARTICLES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a means of protecting valuable articles located within a room from heat and/or water damage resulting from a fire breaking out within the room, as a precaution for a fire breaking out in another room of the building, or to hide valuables from a burglar.

There are regulations in force in Australia and overseas which require buildings to be provided with numerous forms of fire protection. Most modern buildings are provided with water sprinkler systems, fire hoses, fire extinguishers etc., and fire alarm systems to alert appropriate persons (e.g. fire brigade) in case of fire.

However, all these forms of fire protection are provided to reduce damage caused by a fire to the building itself, and generally not to the contents within the building. Of course, fire regulations also require proper design of buildings to reduce the spread of fire. For example, fire barrier doors must be provided at strategic locations within a building to help reduce the spread of fire and the damage caused by smoke and water.

However, valuable articles located within a room of a building are not protected from a fire burning within the same room. That is, the heat and smoke produced by a fire and the water from fire sprinkler systems, fire hoses etc. used to combat the fire can adversely affect such valuable articles.

For example, paintings mounted on a wall within a room could be damaged by the heat from a fire, or the water from a fire sprinkler system even if the flames of the fire are not endangering the painting.

OBJECT OF INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus to protect valuables against fire and water damage or hide valuables when necessary.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In one broad form the present invention provides shield apparatus comprising: a housing; and at l east one fl exi bl e pl anar sheet attached to sai d housi ng and normal ly bei ng retai ned i n a stored pos i ti on general ly wi thi n sai d housi ng by a retai ni ng means ;

SUBSTITUTE SHEET said retaining means being adapted to release said sheet from said stored position when triggered by a predetermined signal whereby said sheet us caused to move to an extended position and cooperate with said housing to define a protective curtain.

A further broad form of the present invention provides a method of protecting valuables from fire and/or water damage, or hiding said valuables comprising: mounting a shield apparatus generally above said valuable -said apparatus comprising a housing and at least one flexible planar sheet which is normally retained in a stored position generally within the housing by a retaining means, and whereby said retaining means is releasable to allow said planar sheet to move to an extended position generally shielding said valuables.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment for protecting a generally planar object mounted to a vertical support surface such as a wall .

Fig. 2 is a schematic side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in a stored configuration.

Fig. 3 is a schematic side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 with the curtain in a partly extended position.

Fig. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 with the curtain in an extended position.

Fig. 5 is an detailed schematic side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 in (a) stored configuration, and (b) extended configuration.

FTg. 6 is an enlarged schematic side elevational view showing another embodiment of the present invention in (a) stored configuration, and (b) extended configuration.

^• Fig. 7 is a schematic side elevational view of the heat activated latch mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the invention for generally protecting an object sitting on the floor of a room

SUBSTITUTESHEET Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a side elevational sectional view of the apparatus of Fig's 9 or 10 in the stored configuration.

Fig. 11 is a side elevational sectional view of the apparatus of Fig's 1, 9 or 10 in the extended configuration.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Figures 1 to 7 depict a first embodiment of the present invention adapted to generally protect a valuable article 1 such as a painting from damaging exposure to the heat from a fire, and to shield the article from water used to extinguish the fire.

There.is depicted shield apparatus 10 comprising a pelmet box 11, a generally flexible planar sheet 12 having one edge 12a thereof attached to the interior of the pelmet box 11. The pelmet box 11 is adapted to be secured to a wall 2 immediately above the article 1 and is dimensioned to at least coextend over the width of the article 1 and to project laterally away from the wall 2 a distance which is further than the article 1. The sheet 12 is also dimensioned to be at least coextensive over the width and length of the article 1, and is made from a water and fire resistant material. The sheet 12 is normally folded or rolled so as to be stored within the pelmet box 11. The sheet 12 is maintained in the stored configuration within the pelmet box 11 by a retaining means 13 comprising a door 14 which is pi otably attached to the pelmet box 11 to enclose the folded or rolled sheet 12, and a heat fusible latch mechanism 15 adapted to break upon exposure to a predetermined temperature. When the link 15 is caused to break, the door 14 swings open and allows the sheet 12 drops due to gravity into an extended configuration adjacent and to the outside of the article 1. When the sheet 12 is in the extended configuration, the combination of the pelmet box 11 and the sheet 12 generally shield the article .1 from heat radiated from a nearby fire, and water sprayed from, for example, fire sprinklers located on the ceiling. The sheet 12 may have a weight 31 fixed to the bottom edge to help retain the sheet 12 in the extended position.

The door 14 is preferably hinged to the pelmet box 11 adjacent the wall 2 and the swinging movement thereof can be limited so that the sheet 12 is caused to hang a predetermined distance from the wall 2.

SUBSTITUTESHEET The door is normally secured in a closed position to retain the sheet 12 on the pelmet box 11 by a heat fusible latch mechanism 15 depicted in Figure 7. The latch members 30 and a heat sensitive glass bead 31 which is designed to break and release the latch member 30 at a predetermined temperature which is preferably below the actuation temperature of a fire sprinkler system provided in the building.

Alternatively the latch mechanism 15 can be unlatched by a electronically activated means 32 in order to protect the article 1 from water damage even if the fire is not in the same room, or hide the article 1 from a burglar when a building security system is triggered.

It is envisaged institutions such as art galleries, department stores etc. would require a plurality of these items to protect their displays. As such all the items could be connected to a fire detection means and be simultaneously released into the extended configuration when triggered by a predetermined signal .

Figures 8 and 11 depict another embodiment of the present invention adapted to generally protect a valuable article 5, such as hifi equipment, located on the floor of a room, and which wstend awa from, or are spaced from the walls of the room.

There is depicted shield apparatus 20 comprising a shelter housing 21 suspended from the ceiling. The shelter housing 21 is dimensioned to at least coextend over the plan dimensions of the article 5, and be suspended a predetermined distance from the floor or secured to the ceiling. The shelter housing 21 houses at least three flexible planar sheets 22 in a stored position. That is, the sheets 22 are folded or rolled into a compact stored configuration and are attached along one free edge 22a to the shelter member 21. The sheets 22 are retained in the stored configuration by a retaining means 23 comprising doors 24 and a heat fusible-link 25 (not shown) adapted to break upon exposure to a predetermined temperature or when triggered by another signal. When the link 25 is caused to break, the sheets 22 unfold or unroll due to gravity into an extended configuration. The sheets 22 are disposed relative to the shelter housing 21 so that when in the extended position, they combine with the shelter housing 21 to define a generally enclosed space containing the article 5.

SUBSTITUTESHEET In this way, the article 5 is generally protected from heat radiated from a nearby fire, and water sprayed from fire sprinklers provided in the cei 1 ing of the room.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention provides a convenient apparatus and method for generally protecting valuables such as paintings, sculptures, motor vehicles etc against water and heat damage which would otherwise be caused by a fire within the room housing the valuables. In the folded configuration the apparatus is unobtrusive, and in the extended configuration provides a protective curtain generally shielding the valuables from the heat from the fire, and water from sprinklers used to combat the fire.

SUBSTITUTESHEET

Claims

CLAIMSFIRE/WATER SHIELD APPARATUS FOR VALUABLE ARTICLES

1. Shield apparatus comprising: a housing; at least one flexible planar sheet attached to said housing and normally retained in a stored position generally within said housing by a retaining means; said retaining means being adapted to release said sheet from said stored position when triggered by a predetermined signal whereby said sheet is caused to move to an extended position cooperating with said housing to define a protective curtain.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises at least one door pivotably mounted to the housing and movable between a closed position closing an opening in said housing, and an open position; said door being retained in said closed position by a releasable latch mechanism.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said latch mechanism is adapted to release said door when triggered by a predetermined signal.

4. The apparatus of any of one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said sheet is rolled when in said stored position.

5. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said sheet is folded when in said stored position.

6. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said housing is adapted to be mounted to a vertical support surface and said sheet extends generally parallel to said surface in said extended position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said sheet is spaced a predetermined distance from said surface in said extended position.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said open position of said door causes said sheet to be spaced a predetermined distance from a vertical support surface in said extended position.

9. The apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein said retaining means is adapted to release said door when said latch mechanism is exposed to a predetermined temperature.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein predetermined temperature is less than a trigger temperature of a sprinkler system of a room or building in which said apparatus is installed.

SUBSTITUTESHEET

11. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said retaining means is adapted to release said sheet when said latch mechanism is triggered by an electronic signal from a security apparatus of a room or building in which said apparatus is installed.

12. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said retaining means is adapted to release said sheet when said latch mechanism is triggered by an electronic signal from a fire alert system of a room or building in which said apparatus is installed.

13. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 12 comprising two or more of said sheets which are disposed in the extended position to define a generally enclosed space adapted to receive a valuable article when the apparatus is suspended from, or mounted to a ceiling of a room.

14. A method of protecting valuables from fire and/or water damage, or hiding said valuables, said method comprising: mounting a shield apparatus generally above said valuable, said apparatus comprising a housing and at least one flexible planar sheet which is normally retained in a stored position generally within the housing by a retaining means, and whereby said retaining means is releasable to allow said planar sheet to move to an extended position generally shielding said valuables when triggered by a predetermined signal.

15. The etod of claim 14 wherein said retaining means comprises a door which is pivotably mounted to the housing and is normally in a closed position closing an opening in said housing, and may be moved to an open position allowing the sheet to move into said extended position; retaining said door in said closed position by a releasable latch mechanism and releasing said door by a trigger signal.

16. The apparatus of claims 14 or 15 wherein said sheet is rolled or folded into the stored position within said housing.

17. The method of claims 14, 15 or 16 wherein said sheet is caused to be spaced a predetermined distance from a vertical support surface by said door in said open position.

.

18. The method of any one of claims 14 to 17 wherein the latch means is released when exposed to a predetermined temperature.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said predetermined temperature is less than a trigger temperature of a sprinkler system of a room in which the apparatus is installed.

SUBSTITUTESHEET

20. The method of any one of claims 14 to 17 wherein the retaining means is released when triggered by an electronic signal from a security apparatus or fire alert system of a room or building in which said apparatus is installed.

21. The method of any one of claims 14 to 20 wherein the apparatus is provided with four of said sheets which are disposed in the extended position to define a generally enclosed space adapted to receive a valuable article.

22. Shield apparatus as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

23. A method of shielding valuables as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

SUBSTITUTESHEET