Engulfment rescue device and method
OwnerDavid R. Adlerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method is provided for rescuing a person trapped in engulfing material at an engulfment site. A reduction tool is used to loosen the engulfing material in order to free or facilitate freeing a buried or partially buried victim. The loosened engulfing material is subsequently removed from the engulfment site by vacuum excavation. Shoring equipment may be used to stabilize the excavation site prior to commencement of soil reduction and soil removal procedures. The excavation site may include a sump area to receive loosened engulfing material discharged by the reduction tool from the excavation site. The loosened engulfing material in the sump area may also be removed with vacuum excavation techniques.
Claims8
A device for rescuing a person trapped in engulfing material comprising in combination:
- a vacuum hose and a hose inlet and the hose inlet positionable at desired locations over the engulfing material;
- a vacuum source in communication with the vacuum hose and hose inlet and of a sufficient airflow volume to be suitable to remove and vacuum convey engulfing material from an engulfing site when the vacuum hose inlet is positioned a distance above the engulfing material to be removed;
- a reduction tool suitable for directing a stream of compressed air onto areas of engulfing material independent of the location of the vacuum hose inlet;
- a safety device for at least substantially reducing the vacuum force at the vacuum hose inlet;
- and
- a shoring device.
An emergency rescue kit for rescuing a person trapped in engulfing material at an engulfment site comprising:
- a vacuum hose and a hose inlet and the hose inlet positionable at desired locations over the engulfing material;
- a vacuum source in communication with the vacuum hose and hose inlet and of a sufficient airflow volume to be suitable to remove and vacuum convey engulfing material from an engulfing site when the vacuum hose inlet is positioned a distance above the engulfing material to be removed;
- a reduction tool suitable for directing a stream of compressed air onto areas of engulfing material independent of the location of the vacuum hose inlet;
- a safety device for at least substantially reducing the vacuum force at the vacuum hose inlet;
- an air compressor for supplying compressed air at a suitable pressure and rate to the reduction tool to permit loosening of engulfing material;
- at least forty feet of a compressed air line for extending from the air compressor to the reduction tool and at least forty feet of vacuum line for extending between the vacuum source and vacuum head for use in a rescue operation;
- and
- a shoring device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.