US 4,586,687 A · Air tank support of the quick release type

Abstract

A support for an air tank of the type used in breathing apparatus has an improved means for releasably gripping the tank. It uses, for this purpose, crank elements rotatable with parallel bars to which are secured arms that clamp the tank between them. The crank elements overlap in a space between the bars, and their overlapping areas are slidably and pivotally interengaged. Swinging movement of one of the elements produces corresponding swinging movement of the other to rotate the bars between opposite extreme positions in one of which the clamp arms grip, and in the other release, the tank or cylinder. A user releases the cylinder by throw of a conveniently disposed handle. The handle rotates a cam in contact with a cam follower in the form of an angular arm rigid with one of the crank elements, to translate rotation of the cam through approximately 90.degree. into a swinging movement of the articulated linkage defined by the crank elements, over a dead center. The clamp arm support bars are in this way jointly rotated in opposite directions to swing the clamp arms outwardly. The cylinder is thus released. The throw of the handle in the opposite direction produces a reverse movement of all of the parts, causing clamping engagement of the supported cylinder.

Claims10

Dependent claims

In an air tank support of the quick-release type having a backplate adapted to support an oxygen tank, a pair of spaced parallel bars mounted thereon for rotation between first and second positions, clamp arms secured to the respective bars to rotate therewith between said positions, the arms in one of said positions being disposed to grip between them an air tank supported upon the backplate and being disposed to release the tank in the other position of the bars, the improvement that comprises:

(a) means for rotating the bars between said positions thereof including
(1) first and second crank means connected to and adapted to rotate the respective bars,
(2) means interengaging the crank means with each other both for joint swinging movement in a first direction effective to rotate the bars to their first positions and in a second, opposite direction in which the bars are rotated in their second position, and
(3) means adapted to be controlled by a user for biasing the crank means in said first and second directions thereof, the respective crank means including crank elements having proximal ends fixedly attached to the respective bars and distal ends overlapping in the space between the bars, said means interengaging the crank means comprising a slidable pivotal connection at the distal ends of said crank elements.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Air tank support of the quick release type

Life of this patent

Air tank support of the quick release type

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10