1. A rail vehicle comprising an evacuation device installed at a doorway, wherein the evacuation device comprises: an escape chute providing an escape passage; and 5 a covering member that covers an area from a top portion of the evacuation device to a top portion of the doorway.

2. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the height of the evacuation device is smaller than the height of the 10 doorway.

3. The rail vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the evacuation device comprises: a body frame formed of a frame; 15 fall prevention plates installed on both right and left frame portions of the body frame such that the fall prevention plates are rotatable about vertical axes; a retaining frame composed of a frame installed at a bottom portion of the body frame such that the frame is rotatable about a horizontal axis that extends in a horizontal direction; and 20 the escape chute provided on the retaining frame.

4. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the covering member is provided on the top portion of the evacuation device. 25

5. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the covering member is provided at a top portion of the doorway.

6. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the covering member has a portion that allows an outside of the rail vehicle to be checked through the covering member.

7. An evacuation device installed at a doorway of a rail vehicle, comprising: 5 fall prevention plates installed on both right and left frame portions of a body frame such that the fall prevention plates are rotatable about vertical axes; a retaining frame provided at a lower end portion of the body frame such that the retaining frame is rotatable about a horizontal axis; and the escape chute provided on the retaining frame, 10 wherein the evacuation device comprises a covering member that covers an area from the top portion of the evacuation device to the top portion of the doorway.

8. The evacuation device according to claim 7, wherein the height of the evacuation device is smaller than the height of the 15 doorway.

9. The evacuation device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the covering member is provided on the top portion of the evacuation device. 20

10. The evacuation device according to claim 7, wherein the covering member has a portion that allows an outside of the rail vehicle to be checked through the covering member. 25 11. The evacuation device according to claim 10, wherein the evacuation device the retaining frame comprises: a first lock member provided on the other side of the retaining frame that is paired to the horizontal axis; a second lock member provided on an upper end portion of the body frame; a gate-shaped frame which is rotatable about the horizontal axis and which is provided between the retaining frame and the body frame; and a belt which connects the first lock member and the second lock member through the intermediary of a horizontal side of the gate-shaped frame, wherein a canvas which covers a passage from the body frame to an entrance of the escape chute is supported by the gate-shaped frame and the belt.

12. An evacuation device mounting method for fixing an evacuation device provided in a rail vehicle at a doorway of the rail vehicle, comprising: a step for carrying the evacuation device to the doorway of the rail vehicle; a step for swinging fall prevention plates on the vertical axes, which fall prevention plates are provided on both end portions in a width direction of the evacuation device and are provided rotatably about the vertical axes, and for bringing abutting members, which are provided on the fall prevention plates, into contact with the rail vehicle; a step for extending a retaining frame, which is provided rotatably about a horizontal axis disposed at a bottom portion of the evacuation device, from an inside of the rail vehicle to an outside thereof; and a step for covering by a member which covers an area from a top portion of the evacuation device to a top portion of the doorway.

DESCRIPTION
Title of the Invention
RAIL VEHICLE PROVIDED WITH EVACUATION DEVICE, AND EVACUATION
5 DEVICE MOUNTING METHOD
Technical Field
[OOOI]
The present invention relates particularly to an evacuation device provided
in a rail vehicle that travels along an elevated railway, and a rail vehicle provided with
10 the evacuation device, and more particularly to an evacuation device that permits
enhanced safety at the time of an evacuation for an evacuation guide, who guides
evacuees at near the evacuation device, and the evacuees, a rail vehicle provided
with the evacuation device, and a method for mounting an evacuation device on a rail
vehicle.
15
Background Art
[0002]
If a serious failure, a fire or the like takes place in a rail vehicle traveling
along an elevated railway, necessity for evacuating passengers from the vehicle
20 arises. If the vehicle is parked at a station, then the passengers can evacuate to a
platform provided at the station. However, when the rail vehicle is traveling on the
elevated railway and if the foregoing event happens while the rail vehicle is traveling
between stations without any structures, such as a platform, which provides an
evacuation place, then passengers must be guided to safely evacuate from the
25 vehicle that stops there.
A method has been studied for the case of the vehicle traveling along an
adjacent double-track elevated railway, in which a rescue vehicle is parked on the
opposing elevated railway in parallel to the vehicle in trouble, the opposing side
sliding doors of the vehicle in trouble and the rescue vehicle are opened, and then an
evacuation passage (ladder) is provided between the side sliding doors of the two
vehicles thereby to guide the passengers to evacuate from the vehicle in trouble to
the rescue vehicle. Further, a method has been studied for the case of a vehicle
traveling along a one-track elevated railway, in which a rescue vehicle is parked in
5 series to the vehicle in trouble and an evacuation passage (ladder) is provided
between a trailing car of the vehicle in trouble and a lead car of the rescue vehicle
thereby to guide the passengers to evacuate.
[0003]
If, for example, a serious failure takes place in substation facilities, which
10 supply electric power required to operate rail vehicles, due to a large-scale
earthquake or the like, then a plurality of rail vehicles traveling on elevated railways
stops, so that operating rescue vehicles is presumed to be difficult. For this reason,
there has been devised an evacuation device that is provided in the vehicle in trouble
so as to enable passengers to safely evacuate onto the ground from the vehicle in
15 trouble without depending on a rescue vehicle.
The features of the evacuation device are that the device is installed in a car
of a rail vehicle and can be installed at any selected side sliding door of the rail
vehicle and can also be fixed at a side sliding door of the rail vehicle by simple
structure and procedure. The construction of the evacuation device is described in
20 Patent Document I .
Citation List
Patent Documents
[0 0041
25 Patent Document 1 : Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 201 1 -
131795
Summary of the Invention
Problem to be Solved by the lnvention
- 4 -
[0005]
In the case of an evacuation from a rail vehicle onto the ground, first, a crew
member or the like accompanying the rail vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "the
evacuation guide") pulls the evacuation device out of a storage place and places the
5 evacuation device at the doorway of a side sliding door that has been opened.
Thereafter, the evacuation guide leads passengers to the evacuation device and lets
them evacuation onto the ground through an escape chute built in the evacuation
device.
The evacuation guide is required to lead the evacuees to the inlet of the
10 evacuation device (the escape chute having a cylindrical body with a spiral slide
provided therein) at a spot in'the vicinity of the evacuation device installed at the
opened side sliding door, and also to monitor the number of the evacuees going
down through the escape chute so as to prevent the number from exceeding the
capacity of the escape chute. It is desired, therefore, to make it possible to visually
15 check, from the rail vehicle, the conditions of the evacuees evacuating onto the
ground from the exit of the escape chute. This poses an aspect to be improved in
order to further enhance the safety of the evacuees and the evacuation guide.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to provide an evacuation device which
20 is mounted on a rail vehicle operated along an elevated railway, which can be
installed at a selected side sliding door and fixed at a side sliding door of the rail
vehicle by a simple structure and procedure, and which permits use by evacuees and
an evacuation guide with enhanced safety.
25 Means for solving the Problems
[0007]
To fulfill the object of the present invention, a rail vehicle in accordance with
the present invention is provided with an evacuation device installed at a doorway,
wherein the evacuation device has an escape chute providing an escape passage
and a covering member that covers an area from a top portion of the evacuation
device to a top portion of the doorway.
[0008]
Further, the evacuation device in accordance with the present invention
5 includes: fall prevention plates which are provided at a doorway of a rail vehicle and
which are provided rotatably about vertical axes arranged on both left and right frame
sections of a body frame; a retaining frame which is provided rotatably about a
horizontal axis disposed on a lower end portion of the body frame; an escape chute
provided on the retaining frame; and a covering member which covers an area from a
10 top portion of the evacuation device to a top portion of the doorway.
Advantageous Effect of the Invention
[0009]
According to the present invention, an evacuation device can be installed at
15 a selected side sliding door, an evacuation device can be fixed at a side sliding door
of a rail vehicle by a simple structure and procedure, and an evacuation device which
permits enhanced safety for evacuees and an evacuation guide can be provided.
Brief Description of the Drawings
20 [OO 1 01
FIG. 1 is a side view schematically illustrating a monorail vehicle (rail
vehicle) that travels on an elevated track to which an evacuation device in
accordance with the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of the monorail vehicle
25 illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of the monorail vehicle
illustrated in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the evacuation device in accordance with the
present invention observed from the inner side of the monorail vehicle toward the
outer side thereof.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the evacuation device in accordance with the
present invention observed from the outer side of the monorail vehicle toward the
inner side thereof.
5 FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the evacuation device in accordance with the
present invention in use, the evacuation device in use being observed from the inner
side of the monorail vehicle toward the outer side thereof.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an extended state of a retaining
frame that has a footboard, which is provided in the evacuation device illustrated in
10 FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a top view illustrating a state in which the evacuation device in
accordance with the present invention has been fixed to a side sliding door of the
monorail vehicle.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of the evacuation device
15 illustrated in FIG. 8 when the evacuation device has been fixed to the monorail
vehicle.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line E-E for illustrating the
position at which the evacuation device illustrated in FIG. 9 is fixed.
FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the evacuation device fixed to the monorail
20 vehicle, which is observed from the inner side of the vehicle.
Modes for carrying out the Invention
[OOI I ]
In the present invention, the word "member" in, for example "lock member
232", means a configuration having a locking function, and includes either case of
being formed integrally with a body to which the locking function is provided and
being formed as an independent element.
The following will describe an embodiment of an evacuation device
according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a straddle type monorail vehicle 10 cited as an
example of a rail vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "the monorail vehicle 10"). A rail
vehicle is a vehicle that travels by being guided by a laid track, such as a railway
vehicle, a straddle type (suspension type) monorail vehicle or a new traffic system
5 vehicle. In the present invention, the straddle type monorail vehicle is cited as an
example of the rail vehicle, and descriptions will be given of the straddle type
monorail vehicle 10, which is operated along an elevated rail (track) and which has
an evacuation device provided at a doorway, an evacuation device 200 provided in
the straddle type monorail vehicle 10, and a method for fixing the evacuation device
10 200 to the doorway of the straddle type monorail vehicle 10.
[OO I21
The monorail vehicle 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is formed of three connected
cars and travels on a track girder 2 elevated at a height H from a ground 1. The
monorail vehicle 10 travels along the track girder 2 while being supported by
15 supporting wheels, which roll on the upper surface of the track girder 2, and carriages
(not illustrated) provided with guide wheels and stability wheels, which roll on both
side surfaces of the track girder.
Air conditioners 45 are provided on the roof of the monorail vehicle 10 to
adjust the temperature and the humidity in the vehicle. The carriages supporting the
20 monorail vehicle 10 and various types of equipment provided under the floor of the
monorail vehicle 10 are covered by a skirt 22 provided such that the skirt 22
continues to a side structure 30, which will be discussed hereinafter, so as to restrain
the propagation of noises generated from the foregoing devices.
[OOI 31
25 FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of the monorail vehicle 10
illustrated in FIG. I . The monorail vehicle 10 has side structures 30, 30 on both end
portions in the width direction of an underframe 20 and end structures (not illustrated)
at both end portions in the longitudinal direction, and is constructed by resting a roof
structure 40 on the upper end portions of the side structures 30, 30 and the end
structures.
The bottom surface of the underframe 20 is provided with an underfloor
equipment chamber that accommodates underfloor equipment (not illustrated), such
as a main converter, a transformer, and an auxiliary power device. The top surface
5 of the underframe 20 has a floor 14. Provided on the floor 14 are fittings, such as a
storage chamber 100 storing the evacuation device 200, which will be discussed
hereinafter, a bench 39, and side sliding doors 34 that openlclose the doorways for
passengers to get onloff therethrough.
[OO 1 41
I 0 FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of the monorail vehicle
illustrated in FIG. 2. Only one side in a width direction 270, where the evacuation
device 200 is disposed, relative to a centerline 16 along the longitudinal direction of
the monorail vehicle 10 is illustrated. The side structure 30 constituting the monorail
vehicle 10 is provided with door pockets 32, 32 that house side sliding doors 34, 34,
15 which are openedlclosed when passengers and the like get onloff. The side surface
of the underframe 20 on the outer side of the vehicle that corresponds to the lower
end portions of the side sliding doors 34 is provided with a step 24 along the direction
in which the side sliding doors 34 openlclose.
The side sliding doors 34, 34 illustrated in FIG. 3 are a double-door type, in
20 which each of the two opposing sliding doors openslcloses along the longitudinal
direction of the monorail vehicle 10. Alternatively, however, the side sliding doors 34,
34 may be a single-door type side sliding door composed of a single sliding door.
Door pocket pillars 36, 36 are provided along the vertical direction on the surfaces of
the end portions of the door pockets 32, 32, the end portions being adjacent to the
25 side sliding doors 34, 34 and on the inner side of the vehicle. Although not illustrated,
a handrail may be provided on the surface of the door pocket pillar 36, the surface
being on the inner side of the vehicle.
The storage chamber 100 housing the evacuation device 200 is provided
beside one of the side sliding doors 34. The storage chamber 100 is a parallelepiped
box and has a door 120, the section of which in the vertical direction is substantially
L-shaped. The door 120 is swung on a rotating shaft I10 provided on one of the
vertical end portions of the door 120 to take the evacuation device 200 intolout of the
storage chamber 100.
[OO 1 51
The other vertical end portion of the door 120 is closed with a sealing
member or the like that can be easily torn off. In case of an emergency, the sealing
member is torn off and the door 120 can be opened to promptly take the evacuation
device 200 out of the storage chamber 100. The other vertical end portion closed
10 with the sealing member restrains noises from being generated from the door 120
due to vibrations while the monorail vehicle 10 travels. A handrail 38 is provided
adjacently to the other side sliding door 34, and the bench 39 is provided on the floor
14 along the longitudinal direction of the monorail vehicle 10.
[OOI 61
I 5 FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the evacuation device in accordance with the
present invention observed from the inner side of the monorail vehicle toward the
outer side thereof. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the evacuation device in
accordance with the present invention observed from the outer side of the monorail
vehicle toward the inner side thereof.
20 [OO 1 71
The evacuation device 200 has a body frame 210 shaped like a
parallelepiped, which is constituted of longitudinal members 212 and cross members
214, fall prevention plates 230, 230 provided along the vertical edges of both end
portions in the longitudinal direction (in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body
25 indicated by an arrow 272) of the body frame 210, a retaining frame 240 (refer to FIG.
5), which retains an escape chute 260 having therein a spiral slide whereby
passengers slide down and which is provided with a footboard 242 (refer to FIG. 7)
that forms an escape passage, a footboard 222 (refer to FIG. 6) provided on the
bottom surface of the body frame 210, and a covering member 280 provided on the
top portion of the body frame 210.
[OO 1 81
When the evacuation device 200 is fixed at the doorway (the side sliding
door 34 that has been opened) of the monorail vehicle 10, the covering member 280
5 is adapted to close the space extending from the upper end portion of the evacuation
device 200 to the top portion of the doorway and is provided in a folded state on the
top portion of the body frame 21 0.
[OOI 91
The body frame 210 is shaped like a parallelepiped, in which a frame
10 combining the longitudinal member 212 and the cross member 214 is disposed
opposedly against another frame combining the same and these frames are
connected by the cross members 214. The escape chute 260 in the folded state is
placed in the body frame 21 0.
Each of the fall prevention plates 230, 230 is attached such that one vertical
15 edge thereof is rotatable about a rotating axis 234 along the longitudinal member 212
constituting the frame and that the other vertical edge thereof is provided with an
abutting member 236 abutted against the door pocket pillar 36 when the evacuation
device 200 is provided at the side sliding door 34, and a lock member 232, which
locks the evacuation device 200 to the door pocket pillar 36 by connection to the
20 abutting member 236.
[0020]
A rubber plate is attached to the abutting member 236 to provide a buffer
when the evacuation device 200 is brought into contact with the door pocket pillar 36.
The lock member 232 functions to restrain the evacuation device 200 from moving in
25 the direction indicated by the arrow 272 (the longitudinal direction of the monorail
vehicle). A case where the abutting member 236 is brought into contact with the door
pocket pillar 36 will be described as an example. However, the abutting member 236
is not necessarily required to be brought into contact with the door pocket pillar 36
and may be brought into contact with a portion that permits fixing in the direction of
the vehicle body width direction 270 of the evacuation device 200.
[0021]
The retaining frame 240 that retains the escape chute 260 is provided
rotatably about a rotating shaft 244 provided at a bottom end portion of the body
5 frame 210 and is housed in the body frame 210, standing upright when stored.
Wheels 224 provided beneath the cross members 214 constituting the bottom
surface of the body frame 210 allow the evacuation device 200 taken out of the
storage chamber I00 to be easily carried in the vehicle to any one of the side sliding
doors 34. The wheels 224 are fixed to the cross members 214 through joints that are
10 rotatable in a horizontal plane, so that the moving direction of the wheels 224 can be
easily changed.
[0022]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the evacuation device according to the
present invention in use; it is a perspective view of the evacuation device in use
15 observed from the inner side of the monorail vehicle toward the outer side thereof.
The illustration of the monorail vehicle 10 is omitted in order to illustrate the
evacuation device 200 fixed at the doorway (the side sliding door 34, which has been
opened) of the monorail vehicle 10.
The evacuation device 200 taken out of the storage chamber 100 is carried
20 to a point near the side sliding doors 34, 34, which has been confirmed to permit safe
evacuation, the side sliding doors 34, 34 are manually opened and then the
evacuation device 200 is fixed at the doorway (the side sliding doors 34, 34, which
have been opened) on the inner side of the vehicle according to the procedure, which
will be discussed hereinafter.
25 [0023]
First, the fall prevention plates 230, 230 provided on both end portions of
the evacuation device 200 are swung open until the surfaces thereof become
substantially parallel to the side structures 30 (not illustrated) of the monorail vehicle
10.
Then, in order to hold the fall prevention plates 230, 230 in the opened state,
fall prevention stoppers 231, 231 provided therein are extended until they are
substantially horizontal so as to hold the fall prevention plates 230, 230 in the opened
state. Each of the fall prevention stoppers 231 has a substantially right triangle
5 shape, as observed from above, and a member corresponding to one side of the
sides forming the right angle of the right triangle is rotatably provided, at a top portion
of the body frame 210, along the longitudinal direction of the cross member 214
constituting the body frame 210. After the fall prevention plate 230 is opened, the fall
prevention stopper 231, which is rotatably provided, is extended to a height at which
10 it becomes substantially horizontal to support the surface of the fall prevention plate
230 on the inner side of the vehicle, thereby retaining the fall prevention plate 230 in
the opened state.
[0024]
Subsequently, the retaining frame 240 provided with the escape chute 260
15 and the footboard 242 is extended to the outside of the vehicle and the escape chute
260, which has been folded and stored, is unfolded down to the ground 1. In order to
enable the retaining frame 240, which has been extended, to maintain to be
substantially horizontal, wire lock members 248, 248 (refer to FIG. 7) provided at the
near end portion of the retaining frame 240 and wire lock members 21 8, 21 8 provided
20 at top portions of the body frame 210 are connected by wires 250, 250.
[0025]
Subsequently, the covering member 280, which is provided in a folded state
on the top portion of the body frame 210, is unfolded, and upper fixed members 284,
284 of the covering member 280 are locked to a lock member 286 provided on a top
25 portion of the doorway (refer to FIG. 9), thus completing the operation for fixing the
evacuation device 200 to a predetermined doorway. A lower fixed member 282 (refer
to FIG. 9) of the covering member 280 is connected to the upper end portion of the
body frame 210, allowing the covering member 280 to cover the space extending
from the top portion of the evacuation device 200 to the top portion of the doorway.
The material of the covering member 280 may be a sheet with a window or partly
provided with a transparent material that enables the evacuation guide to visually
check of the conditions of evacuees, or a net or a sheet folded like a bellows. Further,
the covering member 280 is strong enough to survive evacuees leaning thereagainst.
5 The fall prevention plates 230, 230 close the gap between the side sliding
doors 34 of the monorail vehicle 10 and the evacuation device 200 to prevent
passengers from falling, and the footboard 222 provided at the bottom of the body
frame 210 and the footboard 242 provided on the retaining frame 240, which has
been extended, constitute the continuous escape passage to the entrance of the
10 escape chute 260.
[0026]
The installation procedure described above enables evacuees to easily
reach the entrance of the escape chute 260, which has been unfolded, via the
footboards 222 and 242 from the inside of the monorail vehicle 10, thus permitting
15 smooth evacuation.
Further, the covering member 280 closes the open space between the top
portion of the evacuation device 200 and the top portion of the doorway, so that the
safety of the evacuation guide and the evacuees can be further enhanced. Further,
the evacuation guide can visually check the conditions of the evacuees through the
20 covering member 280 provided with the transparent portion, thus enabling the
evacuation guide to easily grasp evacuation situations. Hence, it is possible to
restrain more evacuees than the capacity of the escape chute 260 from being guided
to the escape chute 260 at a time, so that the safety can be enhanced.
[0027]
25 The fall prevention plates 230 may be made from an extrusion formed by
extrusion molding along the vertical direction thereof or may have thin plates as skin
members attached to frames serving as bone members so as to achieve a reduction
in weight. Further, the description has been given of the example in which the
covering member 280 provided in the evacuation device 200 has been unfolded;
however, the covering member 280 does not necessarily have to be provided in the
evacuation device 200, and may be stored in the storage chamber 100 separately
from the evacuation device 200, and after the evacuation device 200 is fixed at an
arbitrary doorway, the discrete covering member 280 may be used to close the
5 space extending from the top portion of the evacuation device 200 to the top portion
of the doorway. Further alternatively, the covering member 280 may be provided in a
folded state at a top portion of a doorway (the top portion of the side structure 30 on
the inner side of the vehicle) and after the evacuation device 200 is fixed at the
doorway, the covering member 280 may be unfolded from the top portion of the
10 doorway and connected to the top portion of the evacuation device 200 so as to close
the space extending from the top portion of the doorway to the top portion of the
evacuation device 200.
[0028]
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an extended state of the retaining
15 frame with a footboard, which is provided in the evacuation device illustrated in FIG. 6.
The retaining frame 240 is formed of a rectangular frame body, and a
cylindrical member 243 of one side constituting the frame body is provided rotatably
about the rotating axis 234 at the bottom portion of the body frame 210. Another
cylindrical member 244 is provided on the retaining frame 240 along the axis of the
20 cylindrical member 243 constituting the retaining frame 240. The cylindrical member
244 is provided with an abutting member 246, which is abutted against the step 24
(refer to FIG. 3) provided at the bottom portion of the doorway when the retaining
frame 210 is extended outside the vehicle at the time of evacuation. The abutting
member 246 is a member composed of a plate material and has an L-shaped vertical
25 section to allow two-plane contact with the step 24. The footboard 242 is provided,
extending over the cylindrical member 243 and the cylindrical member 244, to
constitute a part of the passage for evacuees to reach the entrance of the escape
chute 260.
[0029]
A canvas retaining frame 292, which supports, from inside, a canvas (not
illustrated) covering the area from the footboard 242 provided on the retaining frame
240 to the entrance of the escape chute 260 and which provides a handrail for
passengers when sliding into the entrance of the escape chute 260, is provided
5 rotatably about the rotating axis 234 of the cylindrical member 243. The canvas
retaining frame 292 has a mechanism (not illustrated) capable of maintaining an
angle a relative to the retaining frame 240 when the retaining frame 240 is extended.
A cylindrical member 245, which is one side of the retaining frame 240 and
which is located farthest from the cylindrical member 243 rotatably connected to the
10 body frame 210, has lock members 249, 249 to which belts 250, 250 supporting the
foregoing canvas are connected.
[0030]
FIG. 8 is a top view (corresponding to FIG. 3) illustrating a state in which the
evacuation device in accordance with the present invention has been fixed at the side
15 sliding doors of the monorail vehicle. In case of emergency, the conditions on the
ground 1 are checked and the side sliding doors 34, 34 at which the evacuation
device 200 is to be installed are selected, and then the evacuation device 200 is
pulled out of the storage chamber I00 to a place near the selected side sliding doors
34, 34. A door cock or the like for allowing the side sliding doors 34, 34 to be
20 manually opened is operated to open the side sliding doors 34, 34.
[0031]
The fall prevention plates 230, 230 provided on the left and right in the
longitudinal direction of the evacuation device 200 are opened by being laterally
turned about the rotating axes 234, 234, and then the abutting members 236, 236 of
25 the fall prevention plates 230, 230 are abutted against the door pocket pillars 36, 36.
At the same time, the lock members 232, 232 provided continuously from the
abutting members 236, 236 lock the door pocket pillars 36, 36 thereby to restrain the
evacuation device 200 from moving in the longitudinal direction of the monorail
vehicle 10.
The abutting members 236 are provided with rubber or the like to absorb
shocks when the fall prevention plates 230 are abutted against the door pocket pillars
36 and to increase the frictional force between the surfaces of the fall prevention
plates 230 and the door pocket pillars 36 in the longitudinal direction of the monorail
5 vehicle 10.
[0032 ]
The fall prevention plates 230 function to ensure safety by preventing
evacuating passengers from falling through the gap between the evacuation device
200 and the side sliding doors 36, which are opened, and also function to fix the
10 evacuation device 200 to the monorail vehicle 10.
The size of the evacuation device 200 along the monorail vehicle 10 when
the fall prevention plates 230, 230 are opened is set to be slightly larger than the
sizes of the side sliding doors 34, 34 when opened, thus making it possible to restrain
the evacuation device 200 from falling onto the ground from the monorail vehicle 10.
15 Further, the footboard 242 is provided such that it projects outward beyond the side
structure 30 in the direction of the width of the monorail vehicle 10 (the direction
indicated by the arrow 270), and the escape chute 260 is provided on the outer side
of the footboard 242 (in the direction away from the monorail vehicle 10). Hence, the
escape chute 260 extended from the retaining frame 240 to the ground 1 will be
20 installed at a position apart from the skirt 22 of the monorail vehicle 10, so that the
escape chute 260 will be restrained from coming in contact with the monorail vehicle
10, thus permitting enhanced safety of evacuees.
[0033]
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line C-C when the evacuation device
25 illustrated in FIG. 8 has been fixed to the monorail vehicle. When the retaining frame
240 provided in the evacuation device 200 is extended in the direction for pushing it
out from the inner side to the outer side of the vehicle, the lock members 218, 218
provided at the upper end portion of the body frame 210 and the wire lock members
248, 248 provided on the retaining frame 240 are connected by the wires 250, 250,
so that the retaining frame 240 provided with the footboard 242 remains substantially
horizontal. The escape chute 260, which has been folded and housed in the body
frame 210, is stretched in the process of the unfolding down, thus constituting the
escape passage to the escape chute 260 via the footboard 222 and the footboard
5 242.
The restricting member 246 connected to the cylindrical member 244, which
is rotatably provided on the retaining frame 240 to be extended, presses (restricts)
the side surface of the underframe 20 (step 24) of the monorail vehicle 10, which side
surface is on the outer side of the vehicle, in the direction from the outer side of the
10 vehicle to the inner side of the vehicle. More specifically, the movement of the
evacuation device 200 in the width direction (the arrow 270) of the monorail vehicle
10 is restricted by the action of the abutting members 232 of the fall prevention plates
230 described above, which come in contact with and press the door pocket pillars
36, and the action of the restricting member 246, which comes in contact with and
15 press the underframe 20 (the step 24).
[0034]
The series of steps for fixing the evacuation device 200 at the
predetermined doorway is completed by unfolding the covering member 280, which is
provided in the folded state at the top portion of the body frame 21 0 of the evacuation
20 device 200 and by locking the upper fixed members 284,284 of the covering member
280 onto the lock member 286 provided at the top portion of the doorway.
[0035]
The lower fixed member 282 of the covering member 280 (refer to FIG. 9) is
connected to the upper end portion of the body frame 210, so that the space from the
25 top portion of the evacuation device 200 to the top portion of the doorway is covered
by the covering member 280 made of a sheet partly provided with a transparent
portion, a net or the like. More specifically, a height h l of the evacuation device 200
is smaller than a height h2 of the doorway, so that the opened area from the top
portion of the evacuation device 200 to the top portion of the doorway will be covered
and closed by the covering member 280.
Further, the belt lock members 249, 249 at the upper end portion of the
body frame 210 and the belt lock members 249, 249, which are provided on the
cylindrical member 245 constituting the retaining frame 240, are connected by the
5 belts 254, 254 through the intermediary of the canvas retaining frame 292. And
these belts 254, 254 and the canvas retaining frame 292 support, from an inner side,
the canvas (not illustrated) that covers the evacuation passage from the footboard
242 to the entrance of the escape chute 260.
[0036]
10 The canvas prevents evacuees from recognizing their height positions, thus
making it possible to reduce the fear of the evacuees and to expedite prompt
evacuation. Further, the retaining frame 240 remains substantially horizontal,
allowing the evacuees to easily move along the evacuation passage leading to the
entrance of the escape chute 260 via the footboard 222 provided at the bottom
15 portion of the body frame 210 provided continuously from the floor 14 and the
footboard 242 provided on the retaining frame 240, thus permitting prompt
evacuation. Further, the covering member 280 closes the open space between the
top portion of the evacuation device 200 and the top portion of the doorway, so that
the safety of the evacuation guide and the evacuees can be further enhanced.
20 Further, since the covering member 280 has the portion that allows the conditions of
the evacuees to be visually checked, the evacuation guide will be able to easily grasp
the evacuation situations, and it will be possible to restrain more evacuees than the
capacity of the escape chute 260 from being guided at a time.
[0037]
25 FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line E-E for illustrating the
position at which the evacuation device illustrated in FIG. 9 has been fixed, and
illustrates the configuration in which the top portion of the doorway of the monorail
vehicle 10 and the upper fixed member 284 of the covering member 280 are
connected. The lock member 286 having a ring-shaped portion is provided on the
top portion of the door pocket pillar 36 in the vicinity of the doorway, and the lock
member 286 and the upper fixed member 284 of the covering member 280 are
connected by a fastener 288. This configuration makes it possible to easily close the
opened area from the top portion of the evacuation device 200 to the top portion of
5 the doorway by the covering member 280. The lock member 286 may be provided
on an interior member that is provided on the side structure 30 and has an
appropriate strength or the door pocket 32 or the door pocket pillar 36 rather than on
the side structure 30.
[0038]
10 FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the evacuation device fixed to the monorail
vehicle, which is observed from the inner side of the vehicle. The drawing illustrates
a state in which the covering member 280 covers the area from the top portion of the
evacuation device 200 fixed at the doorway, the fall prevention plates 230, 230
having been opened to the left and right, to the top portion of the doorway with the
15 side sliding doors 34, 34 opened. This arrangement permits further enhanced safety
of the evacuation guide and the evacuees. Further, the evacuation guide can visually
check the conditions of the evacuees through the covering member 280, thus
enabling the evacuation guide to easily grasp the evacuation situation. It is also
possible to restrain more evacuees than the capacity of the escape chute 260 from
20 being guided at a time.
Description of Reference Numerals
[0039]
1 ... Ground 2 . . .Track girder
10 . . . Monorail vehicle 14 ... Floor
16 . . . Centerline in longitudinal direction of vehicle body
20 . . . Underframe
22 ... Skirt
30 . . .Side structure
24 ... Step
32 ... Door pocket
34 ... Side sliding doors 36 ... Door pocket pillar
38 . . . Handrail 39 ... Bench
40 . . . Roof structure 45 ... Air conditioner
100 . . .Storage chamber 110 ... Shaft
200 ... Evacuation device 21 0 . . . Body frame
212 ... Longitudinal member 214 ... Cross member
21 8 . . . Lock member 222 . . . Footboard
224 ... Wheel 230 . . . Fall prevention plate
231 . . . Fall prevention plate stopper 232 . . .Lock member
234 . . . Rotating axis 236 . ..Abutting member
240 . . .Retaining frame 242 . . . Footboard
243, 244, 245 ... Cylindrical member 246 ... Abutting member
248 ... Wire lock member 249 . . .Belt lock member
250 ... Wire 254 ... Belt
260 ... Escape chute
270 . . .Arrow indicating vehicle width direction
272 ... Arrow indicating the longitudinal direction of vehicle body
280 ... Covering member
282 . . . Lower fixed member (Covering member 280)
284 . . . Upper fixed member (Covering member 280)
286 ... Lock member 288 . . . Fastener
292 . . .Canvas retaining frame
WE CLAIM:
1. A rail vehicle comprising an evacuation device installed at a doorway,
wherein the evacuation device comprises:
an escape chute providing an escape passage; and
5 a covering member that covers an area from a top portion of the evacuation
device to a top portion of the doorway.
2. The rail vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the height of the evacuation device is smaller than the height of the
10 doorway.
3. The rail vehicle according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the evacuation device comprises:
a body frame formed of a frame;
15 fall prevention plates installed on both right and left frame portions of the
body frame such that the fall prevention plates are rotatable about vertical axes;
a retaining frame composed of a frame installed at a bottom portion of the
body frame such that the frame is rotatable about a horizontal axis that extends in a
horizontal direction; and
20 the escape chute provided on the retaining frame.
4. The rail vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the covering member is provided on the top portion of the
evacuation device.
25
5. The rail vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the covering member is provided at a top portion of the doorway.
6. The rail vehicle according to claim 1,
wherein the covering member has a portion that allows an outside of the rail
vehicle to be checked through the covering member.
7. An evacuation device installed at a doorway of a rail vehicle, comprising:
5 fall prevention plates installed on both right and left frame portions of a body
frame such that the fall prevention plates are rotatable about vertical axes;
a retaining frame provided at a lower end portion of the body frame such
that the retaining frame is rotatable about a horizontal axis; and
the escape chute provided on the retaining frame,
10 wherein the evacuation device comprises a covering member that covers an
area from the top portion of the evacuation device to the top portion of the doorway.
8. The evacuation device according to claim 7,
wherein the height of the evacuation device is smaller than the height of the
15 doorway.
9. The evacuation device according to claim 7 or 8,
wherein the covering member is provided on the top portion of the
evacuation device.
20
10. The evacuation device according to claim 7,
wherein the covering member has a portion that allows an outside of the rail
vehicle to be checked through the covering member.
25 11. The evacuation device according to claim 10,
wherein the evacuation device
the retaining frame comprises: a first lock member provided on the other
side of the retaining frame that is paired to the horizontal axis;
a second lock member provided on an upper end portion of the body frame;
a gate-shaped frame which is rotatable about the horizontal axis and which
is provided between the retaining frame and the body frame; and
a belt which connects the first lock member and the second lock member
through the intermediary of a horizontal side of the gate-shaped frame,
wherein a canvas which covers a passage from the body frame to an
entrance of the escape chute is supported by the gate-shaped frame and the belt.
12. An evacuation device mounting method for fixing an evacuation device
provided in a rail vehicle at a doorway of the rail vehicle, comprising:
a step for carrying the evacuation device to the doorway of the rail vehicle;
a step for swinging fall prevention plates on the vertical axes, which fall
prevention plates are provided on both end portions in a width direction of the
evacuation device and are provided rotatably about the vertical axes, and for bringing
abutting members, which are provided on the fall prevention plates, into contact with
the rail vehicle;
a step for extending a retaining frame, which is provided rotatably about a
horizontal axis disposed at a bottom portion of the evacuation device, from an inside
of the rail vehicle to an outside thereof; and
a step for covering by a member which covers an area from a top portion of
the evacuation device to a top portion of the doorway.