| EP0982522A2 | 2000-03-01 | |||
| DE3817630A1 | 1989-11-30 | |||
| GB2303788A | 1997-03-05 |
| 1. | A combination of a tube which has perforations or a linear slot or spiral slot along its length to permit the extrusion of an intumescent compound from within when exposed to heat and the inclusion of an intumescent compound in the cavity of the tube, the intent of which is to extrude the intumescent compound from the cavity of the tube to the outside of the tube, both to protect the tube and the surfaces the inturnescent compound swells from and/or attaches itself to when exposed to heat or fire. |
| 2. | The filling of the tube of claim one with an intumescent compound for use as a barrier to fire. |
| 3. | The manufacture of the tube of claim one and filling of the tube as per claim two in varying sizes for fitment into position either as a wrap around a pipe, cable, tray or duct penetrating a building or other structure to provide a barrier to fire through the penetration. |
| 4. | The manufacture of the tube of claim one and filling of the tube as per claim two into a small diameter and the weaving of the tube filled with intumescent compound into a mesh of various pitches and weaves to form a screen or barrier to fire and/or insects over window, door or ventilation openings. |
| 5. | The manufacture of the tube of claim one and filling of the tube as per claim two into a small diameter and the weaving of the tube into a mesh of various pitch and cross weaves to form a screen or barrier to fire, the mesh then being cast into a building concrete slab to reduce the thickness of concrete, or for the mesh to be exposed in a cast in opening and services to be run though it. |
| 6. | The manufacture of the tube of claim one and filling of the tube as per claim two into a small diameter and the weaving of the tube into a mesh of various pitch and cross weaves to form a screen or barrier to fire, the mesh then being installed across the aperture of an air conditioning or ventilation duct, forming a screen in the duct for dust or insect filtration and in the event of fire a barrier to the passage of same through the duct. |
| 7. | The manufacture of the tube or claim one and filling of the tube as per claim two into a fine tube for weaving into a mesh for inclusion in vehicle fuel tanks or fire wails to contain fuel or fire when exposure to heat and flame occurs in the vehicle. |
This invention is a combination of existing technologies to achieve a required outcome.
This invention is a combination of two readily available items-intumescent compounds and metallic or composite materials tubing.
Presently solid wire mesh is used for heat diffusion and barriers as in school laboratory Bunsen burners, as in the candle enclosures for miners lamps around circa 1850-prior to the battery powered light, mesh is also used as a flash-back arrestor in large industrial gas burners, so this aspect of this design is known to the public. At best this application will diffuse the transmission of heat and flame, but will not prevent its passage all together.
Although this type of application exists it does not include an intumescent compound to protect the mesh or to seal off the openings in the mesh in the event of fire or heat exposure.
Intumescent compounds are used in the building industry to fire rate and seal small penetrations between construction surfaces and between construction and building services such as plumbing and electrical ducts passing through the building structure via penetrations.
Intumescent compounds cannot he used to seal large penetrations as they are not structurally sound enough to withstand pressure shocks or mechanical deformation above certain thicknesses, an attempted application in this way would also be vastly uneconomical. The use of intumescent compounds is known to the building industry at large and hence may be deemed public information. Although these applications exist none of them includes the use of a metal or composite materials tube containing intumescent compounds which can be woven into a fine mesh or which can be wrapped around a pipe, duct or other service where the tube forms part of the reinforcement of the intumescent compound when it reacts to heat or fire.
Present measures to protect openings (windows, vents and doors) or inferior walls in buildings are to use fire sprinklers to spray a stream of water over the opening, however, it requires that the opening is sealed with a fixed pane of glass, this means the opening cannot provide ventilation to the occupants if it is desired and mechanical ventilation must be provided. The installation of such sprinklers and mechanical ventilation is a costly business as well. Alternatives to this arrangement are fire rated shutters and fire rated windows, both of which are prohibitively expensive, It is the aim of this invention to remove the requirement for the fixed glass pane, the sprinkler system and mechanical ventilation while still providing a fire rating to the wall in the event of fire and to permit ventilation otherwise. The invention will also allow the occupants to enjoy natural views and lighting which might otherwise be denied them.
A verbal description of the invention is as follows: Tubing is made from a suitable metal, alloy or composite materials such as steel, stainless steel, brass or aluminium or carbon fibre. The tube is to be extruded, rolled, spiral wound or drawn from stock and shall be hollow in its center, it is critical that the tube along its length have perforations or a groove or slot or similar opening to its exterior surface, the cross section of the tube shall be of any shape, for an economical design a'C'or'(ยข'or'()'or'U' or'G'or'H'or'O'or'D'or'E'or'o"or any other section with a hollow middle may be used, another design of same shall be twisted strip with a spiraled slot opening in same.
Fire Applications: The cavity of the tubular section shall be filled with intumescent compounds of a composition and stiffness that will not extrude or react to ambient heat conditions but on exposure to a fire shall swell and extrude itself from the cavity in the tube and form a barrier around and between the tube and the other elements of the building structure or surface requiring protection. The tube shall be of any dimension or size or cross sectional shape as suits the application, it shall be installed as a wrap around or may be woven into a mesh for use as a wrap around or screen (e. g., insect mesh screen over window, door or other such openings).
The only criteria as to size and dimension of the tube is that it have sufficient volume in its cavity to hold enough intumescent filling to provide a seal and that it not be affected structurally by the heat emitted by a fire.
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