Flame-guard device for isolating and stepping of premises

Claim 2

A fire-protecting device comprising: at least one liquid porous, flexible screen, said screen being stocked at the top of an area to be fire-protected; means to cause one end of said screen to go downward upon outbreak of fire; and means provided at the top of the area to be fire-protected and outside the stock of the screen for impregnating said screen with an aqueous liquid from bottom to top of said screen as said screen is travelling downward and continuously impregnating said screen thereafter; whereby said screen is simultaneously going downward and being impregnated with said aqueous liquid.

Claim 3

Device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the screen is constituted by a succession of various mutually overlapping vertically extending breadths of screens maintained together in close contact.

Claim 4

Device, as set forth in claim 2, further including two parallel drums placed in a housing and on which are rolled up the at least one breadth, said drums being off set by a distance substantially corresponding to a half width of the breadth.

Claim 5

Device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the housing containing the two drums whereupon are placed the breadths is notched at two ends thereof and comprises assembling means to be connected to at least one additional housing, whereby the drums of the successive housings are respectively lined up and the breadths supported thereby are placed in an alternate arrangement.

Claim 6

Device, as set forth in claim 3, comprising parallel horizontal guides against which pass the breadths unrolled from the drums, whereby the screens formed by said breadths and coming from parallel drums are brought to an immediate vicinity of each other to form a fire-proof partition when they are impregnated with a liquid.

Claim 7

Device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means for impregnating include spraying ramps placed in the vicinity of the screens unrolled from the drums.

Claim 8

Device as set forth in cLaim 2, wherein weights are fixed to each breadth, at some distance from the free end thereof to provide a free segment of screen beneath said weights whereby said weights cause unrolling of the breadths, said free segment resting on the ground forming a tight joint therewith.

Claim 9

Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the liquid is water and a tank is provided for the recovery of water, said tank being placed in the vicinity of said impregnating means, said impregnating means comprising spraying ramps provided with nozzles, said nozzles throwing water on one hand directly onto the at least one screen and on the other hand towards the drums on which are rolled the at least one screen to pre-impregnate portions of screen still rolled up thereon, the excess water being sprayed falling into said tank to progressively fill said tank, a baffle-plate extending from said tank directing the water overflowing from the tank towards the top of the unrolled screens.

Claim 10

Device, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the tank and the baffle-plate act to conceal the device included in a ceiling.

Claim 11

Device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the drums are placed on spindles provided with coupling means, whereby the spindles of various devices connected to each other are automatically coupled.

Claim 12

Device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the breadths are placed between a ceiling and a floor paving-stone thereabove in forming a loop between a fixed anchorage point controlled by a fire outbreak detector and guides, holding the breadths at a suitable distance to be unrolled and liquid impregnated at the outbreak of a fire.

Claim 13

Device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each screen is anchored to a floor paving-stone at the underside thereof by one end and held rolled up on a flap being part of a ceiling placed beneath said paving-stone.

Claim 14

Device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the screens are made of cloth.

Claim 15

Device, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising detecting elements sensitive to a temperature threshold, to the presence of smoke or other data related to a fire, said detectors causing locking of the screens in folded position.

Claim 16

Device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the screens comprise end breadths, at least said end breadths being provided with fringes to constitute tightness joints with a wall or with another screen.

Claim 17

Device, as set forth in claim 15, wherein the fringes are constituted as finger-stalls.

Claim 18

Device, as set forth in claim 16, wherein permeable sleeves are provided at least on end edge of the end breadths, said sleeves being connected to the liquid supplying means.

Claim 19

Device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are designed in said screen to distribute the impregnation water at different levels.

Claim 20

Device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the screen is constituted of a succession of breadths comprising substantially vertical ducts opening at the upper portion thereof close to liquid supplying means and opening at the lower portion thereof at different levels.

Claim 21

Device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the breadths include transverse pads forming barriers to retain water at different levels.

Claim 22

Device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the breadths include a succession of narrow strips delimiting longitudinal channels.

Claim 23

Device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the screen is constituted of a succession of tubular cords.

Claim 24

Device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the screens are woven to provide longitudinal ducts extending substantially vertically when the screen is unrolled.

Claim 25

Device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the screen is constituted of fibers comprising a core made of directed fibers to provide water to run down through said web in a vertical direction, said core being covered on each side thereof by coating fibers diagonally directed to said core whereby causing water to exude towards the surface.

Claim 26

Device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the screens are rolled up on drums and pulleys.

Claim 27

Device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the breadths are mutually overlapping each other and are rolled up on a common drum, weights being designed near the lower end of each breadth on the outer side thereof.

Claim 28

Device, as set forth in claim 26, wherein the drum common to the overlapping breadths is placed in a housing having a bottom delimiting a rib for guiding the breadths and an upward edge protruding inside the housing in delimiting a tank for water supplied on the breadths from distributors placed in said housing, said guiding rib forming distribution means for the water running down from the tank.