Emergency detection alarm and evacuation system

• US 4,074,225 A
• Filed: 05/09/1975
• Issued: 02/14/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Engleway Corporation
• Original Assignee: Engleway Corporation
• Inventors: Vandeweghe, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Habecker, Thomas B.
• Application Number:
  US05/576,034
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 340/237 S, 340/227 R, 340/371, 340/332, 182/18, 182/48
• US Class Current: 340/524
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 3/00 Devices or single parts for facilitating escape from buildings or the like, e.g. protection shields, protection screens; Portable devices for preventing smoke penetrating into distinct parts of buildings A62B1/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits

Abstract

An emergency detection alarm and evacuation system adapted for use in a multi-storied building comprises a plurality of spatially distributed fire/smoke detectors and a plurality of exit signalling units respectively located adjacent the emergency exit doors on each building floor. A control panel on the lobby floor of the building includes lighted indicators which respectively indicate the actuation of particular fire/smoke detectors and lighted pushbutton switches operative to selectively actuate specific signalling units to thereby direct the building occupants to particular exit doors. Also disclosed is a closed circuit television system for visually monitoring the fire/smoke conditions in particular floor areas, for use in conjunction with said exit signalling units.

Claims

1. An emergency detection and evacuation system for a building having a plurality of stories comprising, a plurality of detectors spatially distributed on each of said stories operative to detect an emergency condition;

a plurality of emergency signalling units respectively located adjacent emergency exits; and

a control panel comprising a plurality of indicators respectively connected to said emergency condition detectors an a plurality of signalling switches respectively connected to said signalling units for selectively actuating and deactuating said signalling units in response to said detectors;

said signalling units being respectively operative in response to the actuation of respectively associated switches to emit coded audible signals with each of said emitted audible signals being uniquely coded to distinguish each of said coded audible signals from all other of said coded audible signals, said detectors operative to respectively actuate the corresponding panel indicators upon the occurrence of an emergency condition in the vicinity of a detector and means for manually actuating and deactuating selected signalling units in response to the observation by an operator of the actuation and non-actuation of particular panel indicators on said control panel.

2. An emergency detection and evacuation system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said signalling units is operative in response to the actuation of the corresponding one of said switches to emit a visual signal.

3. An emergency detection and evacuation system as defined in claim 2 wherein said visual signal is emitted simultaneously with said audible signal.

4. An emergency detection and evacuation system as defined in claim 1 including at least one television camera located on each floor of said building structure.

5. An emergency detection and evacuation system as defined in claim 4 wherein said control panel comprises a plurality of television monitor screens respectively connected to said television cameras and a plurality of television switches for selectively connecting said television screens to corresponding television cameras.

6. An emergency detection and evacuation system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said detectors is operative to detect a fire condition in the vicinity thereof.

7. An emergency detection and evacuation system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said detectors is operative to detect a smoke condition in the vicinity thereof.