Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a method for passing
through a wall or ceiling with elements such as electric ca-
bles, ducts, pipes, etc., whereby said wall has at least one
passage opening for said elements or such an opening is made
in said wall
The field of the art of the invention relates to
the fire-proofing of a passage for some elements from one
enclosure to another and pertains to the problems attached
to the fighting of the fire progress from one space or room
to an adjacent space or room.
Even if the invention has for
the problems which are met when making a passage which is
absolutely fire-tight or which at least slows down the ~ire,
whatever the nature of those elements passing through a wall,
a particular embodiment of the invention applies to the pas-
sage of electric cables inside a generating station
The resistance to fire comprises three main aspectswhich are to be taken into consideration :
a) tightness to fire
b) limitation of the temperature which can appear on that sur-
face which is nGt exposed to the fire
c) the fire-stability of the materials
Up to now the research work has been widely scat-
tered and generally the passages are not fire-proof even if
the importance of the problem is perfectly grasped.
According to the invention there is provided
a method for passing at least one element, such as elec-
tric cables, ducts, pipes or like elongated elements,
through a wall or ceiling, wherein the wall or ceiling
has at least one passage opening for the element or such
an opening is made in the wall or ceiling. The method
comprises making use of a substantially ~ire-resistant
~h
, 3 ~ 1~ 3~7 2
panel, said opening is closed with said panel, a collar
from substantially fire-resisting material is arranged
against at least one panel surface for each element or
element group whereby to surround the element or element
group, and the hollow space remaining inside the collar
is filled with a fire-resisting material.
The invention also provide a passage for the
fire-proofed passing of elements such as electrical cables,
ducts, pipes, etc. whlch comprises a substantially fire- :
resisting panel, a number of openings provided in said panel
and collars from substantially fire-proof material which '
are arranged against at least one panel surface and around
said element.
In a variation, a fire-proof plaster is poured in-
side said collar.
In another variation, a fireproof compound is
poured inside said collar.
Other details and features o~ the invention will
stand out from the description given below by way of non limi-
tative example and with reference to the accompanying dra-
wings, in which :
Figure 1 is a front view of the passage of elec-
tric cables on three levels accoraing to the invention,
Figure 2 is a cross-section along line II-II in '
figure 1.
Figure 3 is a lengthwise cross-section showing
a step in the method according to the invention.
The method as shown in the drawings al]ows to
make fire-proof passages, which can oppose for a longer time
and under b,etter conditions the fire progress. Said method
further allows to design such a passage under particularly
favourable conditions according to a simple techni~ue wh1ch
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makes logical use of the fire-resisting properties of the
materials used.
There should first bs noted that hereinafter
the terms "fire-resisting" or "fire-proof" are used to mean
those properties of said ma-terials which enable same with- -
stand to fire during a predetermined period established by
legal requirements or those of a particular user. It should
also be noted that in the examples given hereinafter, the
suggested dimensions or ratios have been given while taking
into account that it is useless from the practical point
of view to consider a fire resistance which outlasts sub-
stantially some limit. Anyway the arrangement and dimen-
sions are given but to illustrate a single example.
When considering the cross-section shown in fi-
gure 2, it will be noted that it is of no importance whether
the space on the right-hand side of wall 1 be the space
which is to be subjected to fire first. With reference to
this figure, it will be noted that wall 1 has an opening 2
which may have been provided when erecting same or made
afterwards,
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In the example shown, the one surface of wall
1 is provided with a panel 3, which is comprised in this
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~;; case of three layers of fire-proof material such as rock-wool
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for example. The presence of said three layers finds an expla-
nation in the requirement of stiffening the panel and lt
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is clear that depending on the size thereof or the fire re-
~sistance required~ use can be made of some other number of
~`~ layers.
The various layers of the panel are joined to-
gether by a fire-proof compound with which not only the sur-
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faces to be engaged with one another but also the outer sur-
faces and notably the surface contacting wall 1, have been coa-
ted beforehand. It should not be forgotten that the fire~
proof ca~und is a tacky material which acts both as adhesi-
ve and hardening material but which is rlexible enough, and
that it is thus useful to be able to cause the panel to a-
dhere possibly to the wall.
The -thickness of the layer of fire-proof compound
which is used both for joining the various panel layers and
for coating the outer surfaces the eof, lies pr~ferably in
the range from 2 to 8 mm. The thickness of the outer layers
is of course determined by the time during which the panel
should or will resi;t to fire. Said panel which is formed in
this case by the junction of three layers of incombustible
material has a thickness which is also a function of the
requirements and notably of the mechanical steadiness of the
panel when pierclng same for the passage o~ the elements,
cables, sheaths and similar.
The panel 3 is held within a metal rame 4
which has a cross-section of Z-shape and is applied against~
the wall 1 with any suitable means, such as screws threaded
into expansion plugs for example.
;~ The panel 3 retained inside frame 4 and adhe- - -
.
rlng to the wall by means of the fire-proof compound it is
coated with, is thus applied. over the circumference o~ ope-
ning 2 and forms in this location a tight barrier against
the progress of the flames which is of extreme importance
At this stage, the panel 3 is pierced with a pointed metal
rod to form a number of openings corresponding to the num-
ber of elements 5, such as cables~ ducts or sheaths which
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have to go through the wall. Through said openings can pass
either a single element or a group of such elements. The ca-
bles 5 or any other elements, are pulled through the openings
which have thus been provided It is possible with some tecnni-
ques to make use of supports or cable-ways 6 rrom steel sheet
which are arranged on either side of the cushion 3 or wall 1.
In some cases, it has been suggested to line inwardly said
supports or cable-ways 6 with asbestos cement cups 7 or
similar The supports concerned, when they are used, are of
course fastened onto reinforcements which are not shown in
the figures
The elements or cables passing through the panel
3 will be braced in every direction to leave a spacing let-
ting the fire-proof compound or plaster enter those spaces
remaining between said elements.
It is important to push back into the intervals
all of the rock-wool fibres which might project on that
panel side opposite the side through which the elements have
been introduced. If this were not done, there would be a danger
of having irregularities which might endanger the tightness
of the unit, which tightness is precisely to be obtained
with an extremely simple method which results in a comple-
tely homogeneous structure.
On either side of the panel 3, collars 8 from
fire-proof material coated with fire~resisting compound are
applied on said cushion. Said collars have a U-shaped cross-
section and are integral with panel 3 due to the compound
with which all of said components (panel and collars) have
been coated. It is of no consequence whether the collars
ha~e been first coated or are coated afterwards, but is is
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important that the layer of fire-resisting compound be homo-
geneous and continuous. The thickness of the walls of the
collar is again a function of the particular conditions met, but
in the described example, the thickness thereof will lie bet-
ween 30 and 60 mm.
When the collar has been ar anged in posi~ion
and becomes integral with the panel 3, said collar is
sealed at that end thereo~ which is opposite to the panel
by means of fire-proof compound 9 so as to form a cup between
said compound plug 9 and panel 3. Inside that space remai-
ning in the collar is poured a fire-proof plaster 10 Those
passages which are part of -the levels in A and C have been
so treated. The passage at level B is made by arranging or
pouring inside the collar 8, said fire-proof compound which
due to the consistency thereof, can slightly expand inside
the collar and surround cables 5.
In the example as shown in figure 2, the collar
8 at level A can be thought of as a simple collar while the
collars 8 at levels B and C should to the contrary be consi-
dered as double collars because the width thereof is larger
In that same example shown in figure 2, the
panel has a feature of symmetry as to the right of the symme-
try plane of panel 3 (as seen in figure 2), there are ~ -
found the same collaxs and the same arrangement of fire-proof
compound or plaster,but the experience has shown that such
symmetry is Dot absolutely required and may be replaced by
any embodiment with an unsymmetricalarrangement.
Whatever the type of collar used, said collars
are sealed at the top with something like a pad or cover 11
which is also made of incombustible material coated with
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fire-resisting compound. Said pads or covers become integral - -
on the one hand with the top edge of collars 8 and on the
other hand with the side surface of panel 3.
-To insure the sealing the unit is completely fi-
nished by coating with a fire-resisting compound. The thick-
ness of the fire-proof compound layer ~lhich finishes the
unit formed by the panel and the collars can lie between
2 and 8mm when it is desired to obtain a resistance to fire
which fulfils the usual standar~. ~owever ~ wi~be noted again
that larger thicknesses will give results allowing to oppo-
se the fire progress during longer periods of time but which
are often useless or at least not required by law.
The best results are obtained by ~aklng use of
rock-wool with a density of at least 100 kg per cubic meter.
It is clear that it is possible to use different
types of collars, that is collars formed by two identical
parts or substantially identical parts of U-shape. Such a
collar type is particularly suitable when it is desired to
` obtain according to the same principles, a passage of verti-
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cal or substantially vertical elements through a horizontal
or substantially horizontal wall. In such a case, there
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will be provided collars generating a cup with substantially
vertical aæis for receiving the fire-proof plaster or com~
pound through an opening or duct located at the top,
There will be noted that the spacing in every
direction between the elements or element groups through
a panel is extremely varying and it is not necessary for
said spacing to be constant. It will also be noted that it
is easy to go through panel 3 with a pointed metal rod
w~lich forms openings which are quite suitable for the passage
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of one element or a plurality of elements. With the method
as shown in figure 3, the fire-proof compound 9 (or plaster
10) can be poured inside collar 8 while the elements 5 will
be braced by means of a pin 12 which cooperates with a ~ig
13. The pin 12 is removed after arranging between the vari-
ous elements, fire-resisting parts 15.
The above description shows that the method ac-
cording to the invention results in using the various mate-
rials under conditions which should be considered not only
as optimum but rather as required if it is desired to fight
with simple and economical means, the fire progress during
periods of time which are at least equal to and often easlly :~
longer than those periods as required by law or by the master
of the works.
The passage as shown in the drawings and descri-
bed above is but one type of passage giving a resistance un-
known up to now to the progress of ~ire from one location
to another, through an opening provided in a partition
The invention thus lies as defined above, in
the use and the arrangement o~ materials which due to the
proposed arrangements, provide a perfect fire tightnesswhe-
re the opening is provided in the wall, limit the tempera-
tures to the values which are normally allowed as letting
the insulating materials used retain the natural properties
thereof in a maximized way, and insure for said materials
an extended stability against the degrading of the mechani-
cal structure thereof.
The dimensions:when given are only by way of
example and this is notably the case for the fire-proo~ :
compound layer shown in 14, and which is intended both to
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comprise the panel 3 and to cover said panel, the collars
8 and the pads 11.
It must be understood that the invention is in
no way limited to the above embodiments and that many chan-
ges can be brought therein without departing from the scope
of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
For instance the word "collar" should mean an
element of any suitable shape for forming about the elements
5, a space for retaining a fire-resisting or fire-proof ma-
terial, and the word "panel" means àny stiff or fle~ible
plate from fire-resisting or fire-proof material, ~en
said plate is strong enough, the compound coating could be
limited to those edges engaging the edges of said passage
opening.
On the other hand in a variation for that case
where elements 5 such as cables have been laid beforehand
the panel 3 could be "built-up" about said elements and
this all the more easily when use is made of fire-proof com-
pound for assembling~the various parts of sald panel. The~
terms "lay the panel against the wall or ceiling" can mean
that the panel is "glued" to the wall or ceiling by means
of fire-proof compound,
The glueing of the panel to the wall or ceiling
is important as it does insure a remarkable tightness against :
fire which has not been noticed in any prevlous en~odiment, ~
However it is clear that the relatively fluid or thlck fire- . :
proof compound couId be replaced by any seaIing material
o~ part, such as for instance a resilient gasket from subs-
tantially fire-resisting material which is pressed between
the panel and the edges of the passage opening for the
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elements,
The presence of the collars enhances the tight-
ness to hot gases and insures an increased heat insulation.
This has a favourable influence on the resistance said collars
give to the temperature increase of the cable insulation and
of the cables proper, As regards the conduction or the heat
gradient, particularly surprising results are noted,
There results that the invention can be applied
to any methoc~ or passage which makes use of said collar, ~he-
ther the panel is applied or not against the passage ope- ~ -
ning,
It is moreover possible to combine this inven-
tion with a size-reducing provided in the passage opening
by means for example of a rigid panel formed by one or a
plurality of plates from a material known under the trade
name "~ical".
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