STATE OF THE ART For evacuation of people in emergencies there is a large number of different safety devices. The most simple consists of a rope ladder by means of which the person in an emergency can climb down from a burning building or similar. In order to make climbing easier, the ladder is designed with rigid dowels as steps. A rope ladder is unstable and easily swings outward when climbed on so that the person climbing has difficulty keeping in balance.

A way to decrease the risk that persons in an emergency may fall off and out from the device is, as suggested in SE-A-29544, to provide the de- vice with a frame or similar from which a number of lines hang down. The hanging lines are in turn connected with further lines in the transverse direc- tion so that something corresponding to a tube of netting is formed. Three sides of this tube of netting consist of the transverse lines and one side of the rope ladder with rigd dowels as steps. It is simplest to climb on the dowel steps, which limits the capacity during an evacuation. A device of the type shown and described in SE-A-29544 functions in principle only in a com- pletely vertical position, which limits its usefulness.

Use of a net basket raised by a helicopter is recommended for emer- gency evacuation at sea according to US-A-4627821. Several evacuees can- be taken in the net basket that is designed to be lowered to a position par- tially under the surface of the water, so that the evacuees can get into the basket from the open upper side. The volume inside the basket limits the number of evacuees who can be saved. The evacuees must in addition first jump down into the water in order to get up to and into the net basket by swimming.

THE INVENTION IN SUMMARY A purpose of the invention is to provide an evacuation device that promotes the safe evacuation of persons in emergencies. It is also desirable that the evacuation device should make possible evacuation of several evacuees per time unit than is possible with previously known evacuation de- vices and that evacuees and others be able to move in opposite directions simultaneously. These purposes are achieved in that the invention has incor- porated the features cited in Patent Claim 1.

Additional advantages and special features of the invention can be seen from the following description, drawings, and dependent patent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described now in more detail with the aid of ex- amples of embodiments with reference to attached drawings on which: FIG 1 is a principle perspective view of a first embodiment of an evacuation device according to the invention FIG 2 is a principle perspective view of a second embodiment of an evacua- tion device according to the invention FIG 3 is a principle perspective view of a third embodiment of an evacuation device according to the invention FIG 4 is a principle perspective view of a fourth embodiment of an evacua- tion device according to the invention.

THE INVENTION In the embodiment according to FIG 1 the evacuation device inclues _ eight lines 10 separated from each other that are connected with circular rings, which constitute step members 11. Lines 10 run together at one end in a lifting device 12 in the form of a fastening ring that in use can be employed to lift and hold the evacuation device in place. An upper step member 11 constitutes a frame 13 from which lines 10 run farther towards the other step members 11.

Step members 11 are rigid, so that climbing can occur along the whole periphery of the rings. Lines 10 are suitably connected with step members 11 in such a way that no swaying movements occur between them. In this man- ner it is possible to place the evacuation device in other orientations than completely vertically. It is also possible to place the evacuation device over and around projecting objects or parts of buildings. The evacuation device will, however, maintain its circular form in diameter so that the possibility to climb is maintained.

Climbing can occur both on the inside and outside. When climbing oc- curs on the inside, step members 11 constitute a kind of protective arc and lines 10 also serve to decrease the risk that the evacuee may fall from the evacuation device. The vertical distance between step members 11 and the- distance between lines 10 is such that the evacuee has the possibility to climb from the inside of the evacuation device to its outside and vice versa.

The stable construction and the current dimensions also make it pos- sible for persons giving aid and/or special rescue personnel to move, for ex- ample, downwards in the evacuation device at the same time as evacuees move in the opposite direction.

The embodiment according to FIG 1 is especially suited for use in the same way as a conventional ladder. In the embodiment according to FIG 2 step members 11 have been given larger diameters. Every step member is also broader. In this way significantly more evacuees can hold onto or seat themselves on the step members. The evacuation device according to the embodiment shown in FIG 2 is in the first place intended to be used together with a helicopter in order to retrieve evacuees and quickly to transport them away from the site of an incident. The embodiment according to FIG 1 can, however, also be used in a similar manner.

In the embodiment according to FIG 3 step members 11 have a rec- tangular form and lines 10 are attached to the corners of step members 11.

Just as in the embodiments according to FIG 1 and FIG 2, an upper step member constitutes frame 13 from which lines 10 extend farther. Another dif- ference is that the evacuation device is provided with side supports 14. The side supports act to decrease the risk that the evacuation device may twist if

the evacuation device rests against a wall or, for example, the side of a ves- sel.

In the embodiment according to FIG 4 step members 11 together form a helical shape that extends from the top of the evacuation device to its bot- tom. With this embodiment the possibilities increase for weak evacuees to climb up or down, since it is not necessary to climb between step members 11. The evacuee can instead follow the helix and thus reach different levels at his or her own speed.

Step members 11 can be designed with different diameters or with di- minishing diameters according to the embodiment shown in FIG 14, so that the evacuation device can be folded together to a very compact form during storage and transport. It can also be suitable to design the step members to be so thin that they comprise a low total height when stacked.

For certain applications it is suitable to design frame 13 as a step member of especially rigid material in order to achieve a more stable con- struction. For the same purpose lifting device 12 can be designed as a sleeve or truncated cone, preferably of rigid material.

Both the lines and step members are preferably embodied of fireproof material. In certain applications the evacuation device is provided with a bot- tom, preferably in net form, in order to diminish the risk that the evacuee may fall out, for example when transported by helicopter. The outer measurement and length of the evacuation device can vary freely to a very wide degree within the parameters of the invention.

In that the evacuation device is embodied in the way described above, simultaneous, quick, and secure evacuation of several persons of varying physical strength is made possible. Weaker persons don't block the evacua- tion device, and stronger persons, both among evacuees and rescue per- sonnel, have good opportunities to help the weaker ones.