US 4,646,860 AGranted

Personnel emergency carrier vehicle

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

InventorsLester J. Owens, Otto H. Fedor

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Abstract

A personnel emergency carrier vehicle is disclosed which includes a vehicle frame (10) supported on steerable front wheels (20, 22) and driven rear wheels (36, 38). A supply (78) of breathing air is connected to quick connect face mask couplings (112, 114) and umbilical cord couplings (116, 118) for supplying breathing air to an injured worker or attendant either with or without a self-contained atomspheric protection suit for protection against hazardous gases at an accident site. A non-sparking hydraulic motor (90) is utilized to drive the vehicle and suitable direction (134) and throttling controls (138, 134) are provided for controlling the delivery of a hydraulic driving fluid from a pressurized hydraulic fluid accumulator (100). A steering axis (80) is steerable through a handle (82) to steer the front wheels (20, 22) through a linkage assembly (84, 28, 30).

Claims13

Dependent claims

A personnel emergency carrier vehicle for transporting an injured worker from a site where hazardous fluids are present to a safe location at some remote distance away, said emergency vehicle comprising:

(a) a vehicle frame;
(b) a platform carried on said vehicle frame for supportably accommodating said injured worker;
(c) a pair of drive wheels mounted on a first end of said vehicle frame;
(d) a pair of steerable wheels mounted on a second end of said vehicle frame opposite said first end of said vehicle frame;
(e) drive means carried by said vehicle frame for imparting drive to said pair of drive wheels;
(f) said drive means comprising:
(i) a non-sparking hydraulic drive motor;
(ii) a hydraulic accumulator containing pressurized hydraulic fluid mounted on said vehicle frame and connected to said non-sparking hydraulic drive motor;
and
(iii) a flow control means connected between said hydraulic drive motor and said hydraulic accumulator for controlling the direction and speed of said personnel emergency carrier vehicle;
and
(g) steering control means mounted on said first end of said vehicle frame and connected for steering to said pair of steerable wheels;
said steering control means comprising:
(i) a steering rod defining a steering axis;
said steering rod extending upwards from adjacent said first end of said vehicle frame;
and
(ii) a steering handle connected to said steering rod for turning said steering rod about said steering axis;
said steering handle including a throttle connected to said flow control means;
said throttle being twistable about an axis substantially radially perpendicular to said steering axis for controlling the amount of hydraulic fluid delivered to said hydraulic motor and thus the speed of said emergency vehicle.

16 more elements

A personnel emergency carrier vehicle for transporting an injured worker in the presence of hazardous gases at a spaced launch vehicle site over extended distances wherein the injured worker is provided with a self-contained atmospheric protection suit which includes an umbilical cord connector for connecting the interior of the suit with an outside supply of oxygen, said emergency vehicle comprising:

a vehicle frame;
a contoured personnel carrier platform carried by said vehicle frame for supportably accommodating the injured worker at an inclined position;
a breathing air tank carried by said vehicle frame for supplying said outside supply of oxygen;
connection means associated with said breathing air tank for allowing said breathing air tank to communicate with said umbilical cord connector of said self-contained atmospheric protection suit so that breathing air may be supplied to said injured worker;
a pair of steerable front wheels carried adjacent a front end of said vehicle frame and supporting said vehicle frame above the ground;
a pair of driven wheels carried adjacent a rear of said frame for driving said vehicle and supporting said vehicle frame above the ground;
a vertical steering axis carried adjacent said rear of said vehicle frame having a steering handle extending outwardly from said steering axis;
linkage means connecting said vertical steering axis and said steerable front wheels so that movement of said steering axis at said rear of said vehicle frame causes a corresponding steering movement of said steerable front wheels;
a reversible hydraulic drive motor carried by said vehicle frame for propelling said carrier vehicle without giving off excessive heat;
a hydraulic accumulator for containing a pressurized hydraulic fluid for driving said hydraulic motor, said hydraulic accumulator consisting of a vertical supply tank carried by said vehicle frame having a hydraulic fluid carried in a lower portion and a pressurized gas carried in a space above said lower portion;
a hydraulic hose connecting said hydraulic accumulator to said hydraulic motor;
a flow control means associated with said hydraulic line connecting said hydraulic accumulator and said hydraulic motor;
a three-way valve included in said flow control means for having an off, forward, and reverse position for controlling the operation of said hydraulic motor in any one of said three modes of operation;
a hydraulic brake valve on a discharge side of said hydraulic motor included in said flow control means for operating to facilitate braking of said vehicle;
a throttling valve included in said flow control means for controlling and varying the flow of hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic motor to vary the speed of said vehicle accordingly;
and
a throttle connected to said throttling valve for controlling said throttling valve.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.