I've thought a lot about how to get out of a burning high-rise building. It comes down to being prepared and you can't count on the building systems or anyone else. This is what I came up with to escape. You can leave it at the office or take it with you to hotels.
It’s about the size and shape of a softball bat with a pickaxe on the end. The pick is for breaking the glass in a high-rise building. The other side of the tip has a folding glass saw to cut through the plastic laminate. Inside the tube is up to a thousand feet of Kevlar cord that has a minimum tensile strength of 500 pounds. The cord passes through a braking system that controls the rate of decent. On the body of the tube are 3 straps 1 for each leg and one that goes around the chest.
The rest of the kit contains a folding J hook and a smoke hood. The J hook is designed to fit over most windowsills. In the event it doesn’t fit the Kevlar cord has a preattached D ring allowing the cord to be looped around desk, poles ect.-- duroncrush, Feb 23 2004 Ropes that might fit http://carbon.imr.ac.cn/price.htmOnly problem is they come in 10 cm lengths. You're going to need a lot of glue. Oh, and they're $2,000 a gram. [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] Fishing line http://www.impulsem...index.htm?c51.htm&1450lb test, 260 meters per kg, 2mm diameter [Worldgineer]Emergency Smoke Hood http://www.sportys....=359&fromgoogle=yesSafe breathing for 15 minutes. [Klaatu]Emergency Decent Device http://www.fallprot...n.com/emergency.cfmYou could probably borrow technology from this. [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] Emergency Smoke Hood http://www.sportys....=359&fromgoogle=yesSafe breathing for 15 minutes. [Klaatu, Oct 04 2004] Emergency Decent Device http://www.fallprot...n.com/emergency.cfmYou could probably borrow technology from this. [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004] Similar http://www.bobmay.info/july022001.htmMay be unnerving for potential users. [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] Why stay attached to the building ? http://www.ultralightflyer.com/brs/Parchute system for ultralight aircraft - designed to lower aircraft and pilot [normzone, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] Do you really think you could fit a harness and 1,000 feet of rope inside a softball bat? J'ai mes doubtes. Bread to you for trying though. I think in some configuration this could be beneficial. +-- k_sra, Feb 23 2004 I can imagine a strong plastic, like 450lb test fishing line, might fit in a very large bat. Carbon nanotubes would definately work, but they are pricy and not long enough yet.-- Worldgineer, Feb 23 2004 Well, we're going in the right direction [down], but I fear it would be at two fast a rate - I'm picturing the fishing line rubbing on a sharp corner, and TWANG!!! On second thought, my speargun has a piece of 500 pound test monofilament, but it's about 3/32 inch in diameter....
So I think we're going to have storage issues regardless of the kind of line.
Braking devices must be already baked, for rappelling, but if the line is a custom size, the brake might need to be also.
Regarding the harness: If the supplier wants me to wear an endorsement while I zip down the side of the building, that's ok with me.
Who would be some appropriate sponsers ?-- normzone, Feb 23 2004 //rubbing on a sharp corner, and TWANG!!!// True, but I was just making sure it would fit in a small space. You could have a braid of thiner line that will support as much weight.-- Worldgineer, Feb 23 2004 Upon further reflection, while the package as proposed is attractive, you won't be carrying this with you on the subway each day.
So if the gadget is bigger than a breadbox, as long as it does the job, there could be one for every workstation. They could double as monitor risers.
And I don't want to have to hand saw through a plastic window. If I need to get out in a hurry, I want a torch or some shaped charges.....-- normzone, Feb 23 2004 Or a cannon.-- Worldgineer, Feb 23 2004 And a parachute.-- yabba do yabba dabba, Feb 23 2004 And a powerbar.-- yabba do yabba dabba, Feb 24 2004 How about having one master system that is larger than the others with the rope, and from there employees just attach their own smaller clip-on systems and decend to saftey ..?-- Letsbuildafort, Feb 24 2004 A great idea! you could also have differnt lengths of cords. Someone working on the sears tower needs a longer cord than someone working in a 5 story building. I give this an A-, because the only downside is see is a thousand people cliff hanging on the side of a burning building and the traffic jam and congestion of getting everyone out, but i like the way you are thinking and i am sure with a combination of that Balloon idea and this you could evacuate a building much more efficiently than currently possible.-- JoeLounsbury, Feb 24 2004 kevlar cord works mighty good-- morbiddesire, Feb 25 2004 I'm sure the hood/helmet would see plenty of action. You'd have tons of folks standing in torrents of falling glass and debris, dangling in the wind.-- Letsbuildafort, Feb 25 2004 See link for ultralight aircraft parachute system. While this would have plenty of it's own problems, I think I'd do just as well with this.
I can just see it - belt yourself to your chair, point the rocket at the window, pull the handle - BOOM !
You, the chair, and the window are outside, and the chute opens.....ouch.
Kind of makes base jumping look safe.-- normzone, Feb 25 2004 random, halfbakery