Fire protection is a very important issue in all compartments occupied by people, in particular in compartments where they cannot escape from a fire, such as in transport compartments.

For example, in rail vehicles fireproof walls are required to protect the passengers or the driver of the train from a fire in an adjacent compartment. Such fire protection walls are not only required to be fire-resistant; they also have to prevent leakage of smoke into the adjacent compartment. Smoke poses a risk because it can spread the fire to the other compartments but, more importantly, smoke is dangerous because inhalation can lead to poisoning, suffocation and death. It is particularly difficult to make walls fireproof at the wall edges, where connections must be made to other structural components, for instance windows, doors or other walls.

In EP 0534932 Bl, a fireproof wall is described, wherein the gaps between the various structural components are provided with intumescent material. An intumescent material is a material that expands on exposure to heat. In said patent, the wall elements are, however, not provided with frame elements. Instead, the structural components, for example the windows, are connected directly, inside a U-shaped recess, to the wall parts with elastic material to seal the gaps. Underneath the elastic material, intumescent material is provided. The problem of this connection is that it does not sufficiently protect against leakage of smoke on exposure to a fire. It was found that, on exposure to fire, the entire wall significantly deforms, mainly by bulging out towards the fire. This deformation creates gaps, especially in those places where connections are made between different materials, for instance between a glass pane and a wall part. The prior art sealing is inadequate to accommodate the deformation and deformation forces occurring at high temperatures, especially since the material quickly loses its adhesive and elastic properties at such temperatures. There is, therefore, a need for an improved fireproof wall.

According to the invention, there is provided a fire protection wall, having a front side expected to be exposed to a fire and an opposite back side, comprising a wall element having wall edges framed by a frame element, wherein a gap exists between the wall edge and the frame element, in which gap there is provided along the wall edges an intumescent material at the front side of the fire protection wall and an elastic sealing material at a position nearer to the back side of the fire protection wall.

Preferably, the wall element and the frame element are of a fire-resistant material. Optionally, the frame element or wall element can be provided with additional means known in the art to improve fire resistance thereof, for instance water-containing filling materials. It was found that the fire protection wall according to the invention is capable of accommodating deformation of the fire protection wall occurring when exposed to a fire and provides better protection against leakage of smoke through the gaps between connected structural components, "better"meaning for a longer time and/or at higher temperatures.

It was found that, when the protection wall is exposed to a fire at its front side, it bulges towards the fire, causing the gap between the wall element and the frame element to become V-shaped. The elastic sealing material at a position near the back side of the fire protection wall seals the gap at its smaller end and, hence, can seal the opening gap for a longer time and, being more remote from the heat, also retains its elastic properties for a longer time and at higher temperatures. Preferably, the temperature at which the intumescent material starts to expand (hereinafter referred to as the expansion onset temperature) is lower than the temperature at which the elastic material loses its sealing function because of the heat (hereinafter also referred to as the"deformation temperature"). In that way, the intumescent material closes the gap before the elastic material loses its sealing function. It can also protect the elastic material from further loosing its sealing function and closes the gap to protect against leakage of smoke. The term"near"does not imply any particular position other than that the intumescent material is in front of the elastic material, nearer to where a fire is "Y t expected. In order to ensure that the intumescent material starts to expand at the desired temperature below the deformation temperature of the elastic sealing material, a heat bridge of heat-conducting material can be provided between the two sealing materials, causing both materials to be exposed to approximately equal temperatures.

Elastic sealing materials are, preferably, fire-resistant as well. In principle, a wide variety of elastic sealing materials can be used, for example a fire-resistant rubber, preferably silicone rubber. In the fire protection wall according to the invention, the elastic sealing material is preferably a compressed elastic material. Suitable compressible elastic materials are, for example, foamed rubbers or hollow elastic profiles. The advantage of a compressed elastic material in the gap is that, on deformation of the fire protection wall and increase of the gap between the frame and the wall element, the elastic material follows the increase of the gap, providing a more secure sealing thereof.

In the fire protection wall according to the invention the wall element and frame element are preferably connected by a back connection element at the back side of the fire protection wall. The advantage of this is that, on deformation of the fire protection wall, the gap is forced to maintain a V shape for much longer, hence securing the sealing properties of the elastic sealing material for much longer. Preferably, the back connection element is a covering strip connecting the wall element and frame element and covering the gap between the wall element and the frame element, providing even better and longer protection against leakage of smoke through the gap.

In a preferred embodiment, the back connection element is a strip extending from the frame element, preferably as integral part of the frame element.

On exposure to a fire, the frame and the sealing materials heat up by direct contact to heat, but may also heat up indirectly by heat conduction via the wall element. Preferably, heat isolation is provided between the wall element and the components of the frame, in particular between the wall element and the elastic sealing material and preferably also between the wall element and the back connection element, wherein the back connection element is connected only to the heat isolation element and not directly to the wall part. The heat isolation element prevents heat flow from the wall element to the elastic sealing material and/or the back connection element, hence providing longer resistance against the fire and the leakage of smoke.

In a further embodiment, the fire protection wall according to the invention comprises at the front side along the wall edge an angle profile with one side extending into the gap between the wall element and the frame element and with the other side covering the front side wall element and wherein the intumescent material is positioned between the wall edge and the

angle profile.. On exposure to temperatures above the expansion temperature of the intumescent material, the expanding intumescent material will push the angle profile away from the wall element, in this way closing the gap and protecting the elastic sealing material from the heat. In this way, the connection is able to accommodate very severe deformation of the wall without losing its smoke-excluding property. Preferably, further intumescent material is positioned between the angle profile and the frame element to prevent a gap forming between the angle profile and the frame element.

Instead of this, in another embodiment, the frame element comprises an extension strip at the front side along the frame length.

Preferably, the intumescent material is positioned in a recess in the frame element. This forces the intumescent material to expand in the direction of the gap instead of spreading sideways. If the sealing material is a compressed elastic material, the compressed elastic material is preferably retained and preferably pre-compressed by a pressure plate. The advantage is that the compressed elastic material is securely positioned in the gap, even when the wall deforms during exposure to fire, and expands in the direction of the gap.

The above-described construction is particularly suitable for connecting a wall part to a window or a door. In a practical embodiment of the invention a window or a door is provided complete with the frame element all along the edges for mounting in an opening in a wall element using the construction according to the invention. The construction can also be applied for connecting the outer wall edges at the extremities of the fire protection wall to the compartment walls. However, in another embodiment, the fire protection wall comprises an outer wall edge and, along said edge, wall connection means, for connecting to another wall, comprising an isolation frame connected to the wall element and having, between the wall element and the isolation frame, an intumescent material positioned near the front side and an elastic sealing material near the back side of the fire protection wall. Preferably, the wall connection means comprises a bridge element along the length of the connection means to connect the isolation frame to the other wall with a gap between the fire protection wall and the other wall. This provides a further reduction of heat transfer from the fire protection wall to the compartment walls. Preferably, intumescent material is positioned. Preferably, the bridge element is heat-insulating and/or connected overheat/insulation material is provided to further reduce heat flow to the compartment wall. Between the isolation frame and the bridge

element, intumescent material is positioned near the front side and elastic sealing material near the back side of the fire protection wall.

The invention also relates to a frame assembly for the manufacture of a fireproof wall comprising a frame element, intumescent material along the length of the frame element at a front side expected to be exposed to a fire, a compressed elastic sealing ribbon nearer to the back side and a back connection element connecting the wall element and frame element at the back side only. Preferably, the frame assembly also comprises an extension covering the front wall part and an isolation element separating the elastic sealing and back connection element from the wall part.

Further, the invention relates to a framed window or door, comprising a window or door framed along the edges with a frame assembly according to the invention. All the improvement features of the fire protection wall described above correspondingly apply to the frame assembly and the framed window and door, as well as to the process for the manufacture thereof as described hereafter.

In a preferred embodiment, the fire protection wall comprises a wall element having a wall edge, a frame element along the wall edge, an angle profile along the wall edges at the front side with one side extending in a gap between the wall edge and the frame element and with the other side covering the front side wall element, intumescent material positioned between the wall edge and the angle profile, a compressed elastic sealing ribbon in the gap near the back side, a covering strip covering the gap and connecting the wall element and frame element at the back side only and a heat isolation element separating the wall element from compressed elastic sealing ribbon and the back connection element.

The fire protection wall as described above is designed for protecting against the threat of a fire at one side only. In many cases a threat exists on both sides of the fire protection wall.

The invention hence also relates to a dual fire protection wall comprising two fire protection walls as described above with the front side facing outward. In another embodiment of the dual fire protection wall, the two fire protection walls are merged to one wall, for example with a structure essentially mirror symmetric with respect to a plan parallel plane through the elastic sealing.

The invention further relates to a rail vehicle comprising a fire protection wall as described above.

The invention further relates to a process for the manufacture of a fireproof wall, comprising providing a wall element comprising wall edges, framing the wall edges with a frame element leaving a gap between the wall edge and the frame element, providing along the wall edges an intumescent material at a position near the front side of the fire protection wall and providing along the wall edges an elastic sealing material near the back side of the fire protection wall.

A further preferred process provides an extension along the frame edges at the front side covering the gap and part of the front side wall element and covering strip rigidly connecting wall element and frame element at the back side only, covering the gap along the wall edge.

The fire protection wall of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a fire protection wall in a train compartment ; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connection between a wall element and a frame element connecting to a window pane; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the fire protection wall showing the connection of a wall element over a frame element to a door; and Figure 4 shows in cross-sectional view the connection between the outer edge of the fire protection wall to another wall.

The fire protection wall as shown in Figure 1 is arranged as a combination of wall elements (9) and window frame elements (7) as well as door frame elements (11) with fireproof glass panels (8). The outside edges of the fire protection wall are connected by wall connection means (13) to the walls of a rail vehicle compartment.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, on the side expected to be exposed to a fire (indicated by an X), sealing strips of intumescent material (6) are provided in the gap between the wall element (9) and the frame element (7). In the gap, sufficiently distant from the exposed side, an elastic sealing (2) is provided, held in a fixed position by the pressure plate (4). The elastic sealing is a compressed elastic hollow profile. In addition, the pressure plate (4) is sealed with fire-inhibiting elastic sealant (3) against the contact strips (10) and the frame elements (7). An angle profile (1) is provided of the front side extending with one side into the gap and one side covering the gap as well as part of the wall part. In order to stabilize and secure, in case of a fire, the position of the gaps to be bridged by the elastic sealing (2) and the sealant (3) up to the defined temperature, the frame element (7) and the doorframe profiles (11) are connected by back connection element (5) at the back side only.

Furthermore, Figure 4 shows wall connection means for connecting the fire protection wall to the compartment wall, comprising heat insulation element (12) and a sealing featuring intumescent material (6) on the exposed side and fire-inhibiting elastic sealing material (3) in an area sufficiently distant from the exposed side. Further, it is shown that the wall element (9) is attached to the compartment wall (15) by a bridge element (14) connected to the insulation frame (12), again using an intumescent material (6) and an elastic material (3) to protect this connection.

In case of a fire, as soon as a defined temperature has been reached, the sealing of the gap between the angle profile (1) and the wall element (9) is achieved by the expansion of the intumescent material (6). In areas sufficiently distant from the exposed side, protection against the release of hot smoke gas is ensured by the arrangement of the elastic sealing (2) and fire-inhibiting elastic sealant (3) as well as by fixing and securing the position of the gaps to be bridged by the sealing profiles (2) and the sealant (3) up to the defined temperature by back connection element (5).