Disaster evacuation air cushion

Apparatus for absorbing the momentum of a falling object, comprising:

• a primary, flexible, air-filled enclosure impacted by said falling object;
• a secondary enclosure having a variable volume;
• restrictive orifice means connecting said primary and secondary enclosures for permitting inflation of said secondary enclosure when said primary enclosure is impacted and for permitting reinflation of said primary enclosure by said secondary enclosure after said impact;
• and
• means biasing said secondary enclosure toward a reduced volume.

Apparatus for absorbing the momentum of a falling object, comprising:

• a primary, flexible, air-filled enclosure impacted by said falling object;
• a secondary enclosure, said secondary enclosure surrounding the perimeter of said primary enclosure;
• and
• restrictive orifice means connecting said primary and secondary enclosures for permitting inflation of said secondary enclosure when said primary enclosure is impacted and for permitting reinflation of said primary enclosure by said secondary enclosure after said impact, said orifice surrounding the perimeter of said primary enclosure.

Apparatus for absorbing the momentum of a falling object, comprising:

• a primary, flexible, air-filled enclosure impacted by said falling object;
• a secondary enclosure;
• restrictive orifice means connecting said primary and secondary enclosures for permitting inflation of said secondary enclosure when said primary enclosure is impacted and for permitting reinflation of said primary enclosure by said secondary enclosure after said impact;
• and
• means responsive to the physical size of one of said primary and secondary enclosures for controlling inflation of said primary enclosure.

Apparatus for absorbing the momentum of a falling object, comprising:

• a primary, flexible, air-filled enclosure impacted by said falling object;
• a secondary enclosure;
• restrictive orifice means connecting said primary and secondary enclosures for permitting inflation of said secondary enclosure when said primary enclosure is impacted and for permitting reinflation of said primary enclosure by said secondary enclosure after said impact;
• and
• a third enclosure forming a support for said primary enclosure, said third enclosure designed for placement on the ground beneath said primary enclosure and filled with air at a higher pressure than said primary enclosure.

Apparatus for absorbing the momentum of a moving object, comprising:

• a flexible, air-filled enclosure impacted by said falling object;
• means attached to said enclosure for receiving and collecting air therefrom at a controlled rate on impact, said means resupplying said collected air to said enclosure after impact;
• a secondary enclosure of variable volume;
• means biasing said secondary enclosure toward a reduced volume;
• and
• means interconnecting said flexible enclosure and said secondary enclosure, said means permitting airflow between said enclosures at a controlled rate.

Apparatus for catching people evacuating an elevated location, comprising:

• a fist chamber having flexible walls, said first chamber positioned on the ground adjacent said elevated location;
• means for inflating said first chamber to a first pressure;
• a second chamber attached to and supported above said first chamber, said second chamber having flexible walls including an upper flexible wall for catching said evacuating people;
• a third chamber communicating with said second chamber through an orifice, said third chamber having flexible walls;
• and
• resilient means attached to said third chamber and bearing on at least one wall of said third chamber, said resilient means biasing said third chamber toward a reduced volume configuration.