US 5,421,757 A · Rescue raft

Abstract

A rescue raft that includes a buoyant, elongated floor and a pair of parallel air chambers or pontoons on each side thereof is disclosed. Together, the floor and the parallel flotation members possess sufficient buoyancy to prevent the raft and a victim thereon from sinking. The raft also includes series of graspable members, extending across the floor and distributed sequentially along its longitudinal extent, that facilitate a victim's entry onto the raft and, when oriented vertically, form a ladder that assists entry onto a rescue boat. In a first embodiment, the graspable members are a series of cut-out windows through the raft floor. In a second embodiment, similar windows are formed by transverse inflatable rungs secured to the parallel air chambers. In a third embodiment, the windows are replaced with buoyant segments or cushions that project from the floor. And in a fourth embodiment, the graspable members are straps that extend transversely across the floor, at least some of which may be drawn around the victim.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A rescue raft comprising:

a. a buoyant, elongated floor;
b. flotation means, associated with the floor and having sufficient buoyancy to prevent the floor and a victim thereon from sinking;
and
c. a series of graspable members associated with the floor and distributed sequentially along its longitudinal extent, the graspable members facilitating entry onto the raft,
wherein at least one of the floor and the flotation means is inflatable and the graspable members comprise at least one of (i) windows through the floor, (ii) buoyant cushions that project from the floor, and (iii) transverse buoyant segments extending between two flotation means.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rescue raft

Life of this patent

Rescue raft

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19