Curtain arrangement for preventing spread of smoke

Abstract

A curtain consists of a web of temperature resistant material that forms a web surface and that may be unwound from a coil that is arranged on a coil core. The curtain web has lateral edge regions on either side of the web so as to be separated by the curtain web's width and upper and lower end edge region. The curtain web includes a first outer web layer, and inner layer of fibrous material that extends over a predetermined length and that forms two opposed surfaces, one of which is adjacent to the first outer web layer. The curtain web also includes a second outer layer that is adjacent to the other surface of the inner layer. The curtain arrangement further includes a supply for a liquid fire retardant that extends with in the region of the upper end edge region and over the width of the curtain so as to supply the liquid to the fibrous material.

In the claims:  
     
         1 . A curtain arrangement comprising 
 at least one curtain web of temperature resistant material at least in part, being of a predetermined length and having lateral edge regions on either side of the web so as to be separated by the curtain web's width, as well as-upper and lower end edge regions, said curtain web being adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a coil, said curtain web including a first outer web layer,    at least one inner layer of fibrous material extending over a predetermined length and forming two opposed surfaces, one of them adjacent to said first outer web layer, and    a second outer layer adjacent to the other one of said surfaces of said inner layer;    at least one coil core winding said at least one web to form said coil; and    supply means for a liquid fire retardant extending within the region of said upper end edge region and over substantially said width so as to supply said liquid to said fibrous material.    
     
     
         2 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second outer layers is porous and has a coating.  
     
     
         3 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said coating is of a material melting under elevated temperatures.  
     
     
         4 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one inner layer of fibrous material comprises a fleece material.  
     
     
         5 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inner layers is continuous over the whole width of the curtain web and over its predetermined length.  
     
     
         6 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second outer layers is porous.  
     
     
         7 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two of said layers are wound on a common coil.  
     
     
         8 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said inner and outer layers are fixed to each other to form an integral curtain.  
     
     
         9 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two inner layers are provided at least over part of said length of the curtain web.  
     
     
         10 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said at least two inner layers are of substantially identical material.  
     
     
         11 . A curtain arrangement comprising 
 at least one curtain web of temperature resistant material at least in part and having lateral edge regions on either side of the web so as to be separated by the curtain web's width, as well as upper and lower end edge regions, said curtain web being adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a coil, said curtain web including 
 a first outer web layer, and  
 a second outer web layer opposing said first outer web layer which, thus define a space in-between them;  
 at least one coil core winding said at least one web to form said coil; and  
 supply means for a fire retardant agent extending within the region of said upper end edge region and over substantially said width;  
 said curtain web having at least one outlet opening at its lower side, to allow at least part of said agent to exit said space.  
   
     
     
         12 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said said at least one outlet opening is provided within one edge region of said curtain web.  
     
     
         13 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said at least one outlet opening is provided within a lateral edge region of said curtain web.  
     
     
         14 . A curtain arrangement comprising 
 at least one curtain web of temperature resistant material at least in part and having lateral edge regions on either side of the web so as to be separated by the curtain web's width, as well as upper and lower end edge regions, said curtain web being adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a coil, said curtain web including a first outer web layer, and a second outer web layer opposing said first outer web layer which, thus define a space in-between them;    at least one coil core winding said at least one web to form said coil; and    fire protection means provided by said first and second outer web layers towards said upper end, said fire protection means comprising at least one intermediate fabric layer between said first and second outer layers.    
     
     
         15 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said reinforcing means comprise at least one intermediate, layer between said first and second outer layers.  
     
     
         16 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said reinforcing means comprise at least two intermediate layers between said first and second outer layers.  
     
     
         17 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 14 , herein said space is filled with a material resistant to fire.  
     
     
         18 . The curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 wherein at least one inner layer being an inner fire protection layer containing fire retardant material at least when a fire has broken out, said fire protection layer extending over a predetermined length and forming two opposed surfaces, one of said surfaces being adjacent to said first outer web layer, said fire retardant material including a substance developing a cooling activity under heat.    
     
     
         19 . The curtain as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said substance developing a cooling activity comprises an endothermically reacting substance to remove heat by chemical transformation.  
     
     
         20 . The curtain as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said substance comprises zinc oxalate.  
     
     
         21 . The curtain as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said substance developing a cooling activity comprises a material foaming under the influence of heat.  
     
     
         22 . A curtain arrangement of a predetermined curtain width, comprising 
 at least two webs of temperature resistant material having two opposite web surfaces, each web being adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a coil;    at least two coil cores winding each said one of said webs to form said coil, said core having two axially spaced ends, said at least two coil cores being parallel to each other and substantially of equal lengths, extending over said predetermined curtain width;    a bearing arrangement for each of said coil cores, said bearing arrangement comprising at least one pair of bearings each for one of said cores, the bearings of said pair being situated side-by-side;    drive means for said coil cores; and    a common end bar for said at least two webs.    
     
     
         23 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein said at least two coils and said bearing arrangement are accommodated within a common housing.  
     
     
         24 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said housing comprises a common outlet slot for said at least two webs.  
     
     
         25 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein said housing comprises guide means for guiding said webs through said slot.  
     
     
         26 . A curtain arrangement of a predetermined curtain width, comprising 
 at least two webs of temperature resistant material having two opposite web surfaces, each web being adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a coil;    housing means comprising at least two individual, substantially identical housing modules, and interconnecting means for said housing modules;    at least two coil cores in said housing and winding each said one of said webs to form said coil, said core having two axially spaced ends, said at least two coil cores being parallel to each other and substantially of equal lengths, extending over said predetermined curtain width;    a bearing arrangement for each of said coil cores, said bearing arrangement comprising at least one pair of bearings each for one of said cores, the bearings of said pair being situated side-by-side;    drive means for said coil cores; and    a common end bar for said at least two webs.    
     
     
         27 . A curtain arrangement of a predetermined curtain width, comprising 
 at least two webs of temperature resistant material having two opposite web surfaces, each web being adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a coil;    at least two coil cores winding each said one of said webs to form said coil, said core having two axially spaced ends, said at least two coil cores being parallel to each other and substantially of equal lengths, extending over said predetermined curtain width;    a bearing arrangement for each of said coil cores, said bearing arrangement comprising at least one pair of bearings each for one of said cores, the bearings of said pair being situated side-by-side;    drive means for said coil cores including one electric motor per core in maximum; and    a common end bar for said at least two webs.    
     
     
         28 . A curtain arrangement of a predetermined curtain width, comprising 
 at least two webs of temperature resistant material having two opposite web surfaces, each web being adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a coil;    at least two coil cores winding each said one of said webs to form said coil, said core having two axially spaced ends, said at least two coil cores being parallel to each other and substantially of equal lengths, extending over said predetermined curtain width;    a bearing arrangement for each of said coil cores, said bearing arrangement comprising at least one pair of bearings each for one of said cores, the bearings of said pair being situated side-by-side;    drive means for said coil cores including one electric motor per core in maximum, said electric motor comprising electric brake means; and    a common end bar for said at least two webs.    
     
     
         29 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein said drive means are commonly assigned to drive said cores.  
     
     
         30 . Curtain arrangement as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein said cores comprises at least two individual, substantially identical core modules, and interconnecting means for said core modules.  
     
     
         31 . A curtain arrangement of a predetermined curtain width, comprising 
 at least two webs of temperature resistant material having two opposite web surfaces, each web being adapted to be wound onto and unwound from a coil;    at least two coil cores winding each said one of said webs to form said coil, said core having two axially spaced ends, said at least two coil cores being parallel to each other and substantially of equal lengths, extending over said predetermined curtain width;    a bearing arrangement for each of said coil cores, said bearing arrangement comprising at least one intermediate bearing arranged at one side of a web;    drive means for said coil cores; and    a common end bar for said at least two webs.