School bus emergency egress system

Apparatus operative to provide emergency egress for persons from an interior area of a bus,

• the bus including an emergency exit opening closable by an emergency exit door, wherein the emergency exit door is openable from at least one of the interior area or an exterior area of the bus, wherein the emergency exit door is changeable between a latched closed condition in which the emergency exit door is held in a closed position closing the opening, and an openable condition in which the emergency exit door is changeable between the closed position and an open position in which at least a portion of the door is movable away from the opening,
• the apparatus comprising:
• a housing, wherein the housing is in operatively fixed connection with the bus and is positioned below the interior area of the bus,
• wherein the housing includes a housing opening,
• wherein the housing opening is positioned vertically below the emergency exit opening and in horizontal alignment with at least a portion of the emergency exit opening,
• a ramp,
• wherein the ramp is movable in operatively supported connection within the housing,
• wherein the ramp is movable between a retracted position in which the ramp is within the housing and is fully disposed away from ground, and an extended position in which the ramp extends from the housing opening to ground,
• a housing door,
• wherein the housing door is configured to close the housing opening and is movably mounted in operative supporting connection with the housing,
• wherein the housing door is movable between
• a housing closed position wherein the housing door closes the housing opening, and
• housing open position wherein the housing door is disposed away from at least a portion of the housing opening and the ramp is extendable outward from the housing opening,
• wherein the housing door is in operative connection with the emergency exit door, such that the housing door is operative to move from the housing closed position to the housing open position responsive at least in part to the emergency exit door being in the openable condition.

Apparatus operative to provide emergency egress for persons from an interior area of a bus,

• the bus including an emergency exit opening closable by an emergency exit door, wherein the emergency exit door is openable from at least one of the interior area or an exterior area of the bus,
• the apparatus comprising:
• a housing,
• wherein the housing is in operatively fixed connection with the bus and is positioned below the interior area of the bus,
• wherein the housing includes
• a housing opening,
• wherein the housing opening is positioned in horizontal transverse alignment with and vertically below the emergency exit opening,
• a pair of elongated, horizontally disposed side rails,
• wherein each side rail includes an elongated horizontally inward extending lower lip,
• a ramp,
• wherein the ramp is in movable operative supported connection with the housing,
• wherein the ramp is movable in operatively supported connection with the lower lip of each side rail between
• a retracted position in which the ramp is generally fully within the housing, and
• an extended position in which the ramp extends from the housing opening to the ground,
• a stop,
• wherein the stop is in operative connection with the ramp, and extends vertically downward thereon,
• a shaft,
• wherein the shaft extends horizontally and below the housing opening,
• wherein the stop in the extended position of the ramp, is in operative engagement with the shaft and prevents the ramp from moving outward from the housing beyond the extended position,
• a housing door,
• wherein the housing door is movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the shaft and is movable between
• a housing closed position wherein the housing door closes the housing opening, and
• a housing open position wherein the housing door is disposed away from at least a portion of the housing opening and the ramp is extendable from the housing opening,
• wherein the housing door is in operative connection with the emergency exit door such that the housing door is operative to move from the housing closed position to the housing open position responsive at least in part to the emergency exit door being opened.

Apparatus operative to provide emergency egress for persons from the interior area of a bus,

• the bus including an emergency exit opening closable by an emergency exit door, wherein the emergency exit door is openable from at least one of the interior area or an exterior area of the bus, wherein the emergency exit door is changeable between a latched closed condition in which the emergency exit door is held in a closed position closing the opening, and an openable condition in which the emergency exit door is changeable between the closed position and an open position in which at least a portion of the door is movable away from the opening, and
• wherein the bus further includes
• a pair of horizontally disposed, longitudinally extending frame rails wherein the emergency exit opening is positioned vertically higher than the frame rails,
• a tire supported axle and at least one pneumatic spring, wherein the at least one pneumatic spring operatively extends in intermediate relation of the frame rails and the tire supported axle,
• the apparatus comprising:
• a housing,
• wherein the housing is in operatively fixed connection with the bus and is positioned below the interior area of the bus,
• wherein the housing includes a housing opening,
• wherein the housing opening is positioned vertically below the emergency exit opening and in horizontal alignment with at least a portion of the emergency exit opening,
• a ramp,
• wherein the ramp is movable in operatively supported connection within the housing,
• wherein the ramp is movable between a retracted position in which the ramp is within the housing and is fully disposed away from ground, and an extended position in which the ramp extends from the housing opening to ground,
• a housing door,
• wherein the housing door is configured to close the housing opening and is movably mounted in operative supporting connection with the housing,
• wherein the housing door is movable between
• a housing closed position wherein the housing door closes the housing opening, and
• a housing open position wherein the housing door is disposed away from at least a portion of the housing opening and the ramp is extendable outward from the housing opening,
• wherein the housing door is in operative connection with the emergency exit door, wherein the housing door is operative to move from the housing closed position to the housing open position responsive at least in part to the emergency exit door being in the openable position,
• an air valve,
• wherein the air valve is in operative fluid connection with the at least one pneumatic spring, wherein the air valve is changeable between an open condition and a closed condition,
• wherein the air valve is in operative connection with the emergency exit door, wherein the air valve is operative to change from the closed condition to the open condition responsive at least in part to the emergency exit door being in the openable condition,
• whereby air is released from the at least one pneumatic spring, and the emergency exit opening is moved closer to ground.

Apparatus operative to provide emergency egress for persons from the interior area of a bus,

• the bus including an emergency exit opening closable by an emergency exit door, wherein the emergency exit door is openable from at least one of the interior area or an exterior area of the bus, wherein the emergency exit door is changeable between a latched closed condition in which the emergency exit door is held in a closed position closing the opening, and an openable condition in which the emergency exit door is changeable between the closed position and an open position in which at least a portion of the door is movable away from the opening, and
• wherein the bus further includes
• a pair of horizontally disposed, longitudinally extending frame rails wherein the emergency exit opening is positioned vertically higher than the frame rails,
• a tire supported axle and at least one pneumatic spring, wherein the at least one pneumatic spring extends in operative intermediate relation of the frame rails and the tire supported axle,
• the apparatus comprising:
• a housing,
• wherein the housing is in operatively fixed connection with the bus and is positioned below the interior area of the bus,
• wherein the housing includes a housing opening,
• wherein the housing opening is positioned vertically below the emergency exit opening and in horizontal alignment with at least a portion of the emergency exit opening,
• a ramp,
• wherein the ramp is movable in operatively supported connection with the housing,
• wherein the ramp is movable between a retracted position in which the ramp is within the housing and is fully disposed away from ground, and an extended position in which the ramp extends from the housing to ground,
• a housing door,
• wherein the housing door is configured to close the housing opening and is movably mounted in operatively supported connection with the housing,
• wherein the housing door is movable between
• a housing closed position wherein the housing door closes the housing opening, and
• a housing open position wherein the housing door is disposed away from at least a portion of the housing opening and the ramp is extendable outward from the housing opening,
• an air valve,
• wherein the air valve is in operative fluid connection with at least one pneumatic spring, wherein the air valve is changeable between open and closed conditions,
• wherein the air valve is in operative connection with the ramp, wherein the air valve is operative to change from the closed condition to the open condition responsive at least in part to movement of the ramp toward the extended position,
• whereby air is released from the at least one pneumatic spring, and the emergency exit opening is moved closer to ground.