GB2135636A - Life-saving equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A life-saving apparatus concerned with the accurate positioning of a liferaft in the proximity of an individual or individuals in the sea and requiring rescue comprises a missile with stabilising fins 18 adapted to be fired from a projector or sun and to split longitudinally into two with the stabilizing fins depending into the sea on impact with the sea, the missile halves 15 being bridged by struts 20 inflatable automatically on splitting of the missile to provide a liferaft, preferably a net structure 21 bridging the missile halves and the inflatable struts, is provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Life-saving equipment This invention relates to life-saving equipment especially for use in rescuing persons from the sea, lakes, rivers and other areas of water, all hereinafter, for convenience, simply referred to as "the sea".

It is an object of the present invention to provide life-saving apparatus of a simple nature, which can be generally used by both skilled and unskilled persons, and which fills gaps in lifesaving equipment presently available.

A first aspect of the present invention is concerned with the accurate positioning of a liferaft in the proximity of an individual or individuals in the sea and requiring rescue.

According to this aspect there is provided a missile with stabilising fins adapted to be fired from a projector or gun and to split longitudinally into two with the stabilising fins depending into the sea on impact with the sea, the missile halves being bridged by struts inflatable automatically on splitting of the missile to provide a liferaft.

Preferably, a net structure bridges not only the missile halves but also the inflatable struts.

The missile projector or gun preferably includes a rangefinder and is operable by way of compressed air, cartridge or spring force.

The missile may contain a light, flashing or otherwise, possibly mounted on a mast connected to one of the missile halves and selferectible upon missile splitting.

The missile preferably has a nose cone which serves to maintain, or assist in maintaining, the missile halves secured together and which is collapsible or otherwise separable from the missile upon impact to release the missile halves.

Descent cf the missile may be by means of a parachute.

The missile may be fired from land, a lifeboat or other rescue ship or possibly even a helicopter.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the projector and liferaft missile; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the liferaft missile; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the liferaft.

The missile projector comprises a frame 10 and a barrel 1 the latter being adjusted relative to the frame 10 by a rangefinder 12. It is envisaged that the projector will have, for example, a minimum range of 500 feet.

The missile 1 3 is suitably mounted on the barrel 11 for projection forwardly and upwardly and is fired by any convenient means generally indicated at 14 and which may, inter alia, be a compressed air ram, a cartridge or other explosive device and a spring arrangement.

The missile 13 comprises two half casings 1 5 split along the axial line 1 6 and retained secured together by a conical nose 17 which is collapsible or frangible so that upon impact with the sea it breaks up allowing the two half casings 1 5 to separate.

The missile has forward stabilising fins 1 8 and rear stabilising fins 19 so that each half casing 1 5 has two fins 1 8 and 1 9 secured thereto.

Internally the two half casings 1 5 are joined by two inflatable struts or floats 20 and also by a net structure 21 which also connects the floats 20.

The floats 20 are automatically inflated when the missile halves 1 5 split apart in the manner well known from inflatable dinghies.

One or both casing halves 1 5 may include a self-erecting mast 22 mounting a flashing light 23. With this light 23 there may be associated an audible signalling device to assist in attacting the attention of rescuers.

The missile may also incorporate a parachute to provide a less severe landing in the sea with consequent less likelihood of injury to the individual or individuals requiring rescue.

It will be manifest that the net structure 21 prevents inadvertent trapping and drowning of an individual requiring rescue.

It can be seen from Fig. 3 that the fins 18 and 19 extend downwardly into the water thus stabilising the liferaft.

In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for conveying lifesaving equipment to an individual located in an area difficult for a lifeboat to access, for example among rocks or in the region of a reef.

This apparatus, according to the invention, comprises a remote-controlled torpedo structure incorporating life-saving equipment.

The torpedo is preferably of twin construction driven by a battery-driven motor or motors and incorporating Kort tube steering.

The two torpedoes may, for example, be linked by a forward survivor catcher.

The torpedo structure may also carry a floodlight source, a liferaft, remote-controlled T.V.

camera, loudhailer equipment and may, for example, be equipped with an underwater sensor (sonic or heat transducer) for locating individuals in the sea not visible to the naked eye.

It will be manifest that the torpedo structure will not be adversely affected by being submerged. Its advance towards a survivor or survivors will not be impeded.

The torpedo structure is illustrated in perspective view, by way of example, in Fig. 4 of the drawings, The torpedo structure comprises two lightweight radio-controlled torpedoes 30, each driven by a battery-powered motor 31 and having Kort tube steering 32. The torpedo structure rudder is indicated at 33.

The torpedo structure at its front has a survivor catcher 34.

It is provided with a mast 35 on which is mounted a floodlight 36, a loudhailer 37, a remote-controlled T.V. camera 38, all shown diagrammatically.

An underwater detector 39 is also provided and the torpedo structure preferably carries a liferaft (not shown).

The third aspect of the present invention concerns a liferaft which, irrespective of the location from which it is thrown into the sea or the manner or attitude of its casting into the sea, always presents itself upright.

This is achieved by providing the liferaft floor midway, or substantially so, of the depth of the inflatable ring or peripheral structure surrounding the floor.

Thus, such a liferaft has two personnel accommodating areas, one on each side of the floor.

The floor may be inflatable or not as desired.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings'there is illustrated, by way of example, a liferaft according to the invention.

The liferaft has the customary inflatable periphery tube 40 and the usual floor 41 which, in this instance, is shown as being inflatable.

However, the floor 41 lies along a diameter of the periphery tube 42 as indicated at 43 so that at each side of the floor there is a personnel accommodating area 44. Thus, when cast into the sea, the liferaft is always upright.

It will be manifest that the bottom area 44, when full of water, will, in effect, act as a sea anchor and provide anti-tipping stability to the liferaft.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is concerned with life-saving on land and is also concerned with the prevention of destruction of animals and vegetation by fire.

The apparatus involved is an upright fireproof woven glass fibre barrier adapted to be disposed in front of a fire in the direction of movement of the fire, the barrier being spread over the ground rearwardly of the upright portion of the barrier and being covered, for example, with soil.

This is shown, by way of example, in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The fireproof woven fibre glass barrier 50 of whatever length is necessary is strung between uprights or poles 51. The barrier height is, for example, four feet.

The holes 51 are pegged to the ground as indicated at 52.

The barrier 50 has an area 53 rearwardly of the poises 51 in contact with the ground and covered with soil 54.

Tensioning cards 55 are provided top and bottom of the barrier 50.

This barrier provides an easily erected, easily moved firebreak which is relatively economic to produce.

It will provide considerable assistance to firefighters and will provide a safety area behind it if necessary.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is to provide a lifebelt adapted to fit persons of widely varying size, for example a small child and an adult.

According to the present invention there is provided a lifebelt of substantially horseshoe configuration and incorporating at its inner periphery a bendable element which allows the area within the horseshoe to be varied.

Such element may be a stiff spring element or a stiff plastics element.

The outer periphery of the lifebelt may be recessed to define cut-outs to accommodate the arms of, say, injured persons allowing them to keep their arms down thus improving stability.

Such recessing also assists bending of the lifebelt.

The lifebelt is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings. It comprises a buoyant horseshoeshaped body 50 having on its inner periphery a bendable element 51 of, say, nylon and it is recessed as indicated at 52 on its outer periphery.

Fig. 7 shows the lifebelt adapted for a child and Fig.8 for an aduit.

The advantage of such a lifebelt over a conventional fixed-sized horseshoe-shaped lifebelt is manifest. It is capable of fitting tightly around and under the arms of individuals of widely different sizes. This is not the case with conventional lifebelts.

A sixth aspect of the invention is concerned with a fire alarm adapted to be used in locations where it might be hazardous to employ an electrically-operated fire alarm, for example in petrol stations and chemical plants.

According to the present invention there is provided a fire alarm comprising a trigger for operating the alarm bell or gong or similar and/or light, which trigger is actuated by a heatexpansible fluid.

In a specific example illustrated in Fig. 9 of the accompanying drawings, the trigger is a push rod 60 operatively connected to, for example, an alarm gong and light combination (not shown) which is operated by a piston 61 housed in a sealed heat-transmitting pipe 62 of, say, copper containing a heat-expansible fluid, for example, air. Expansion of the air, for example as a result of fire, will move the piston 61 consequently the push rod 60 to operate the alarm.

To avoid inadvertent operation of the arm in hot weather, a second piston 63 in the sealed pipe 62 and serving to seal an open end of the pipe 62 is moved by a lever 64 pivoted intermediate its ends at 65 by an atmosphereexpansion piston-and-cylinder device 66 actuated by the hot weather towards the open end of the pipe 62 to compensate for air expansion therein.

Finally, a seventh aspect of the invention comprises a fire-resistant enclosure or a curtain adapted automatically to fall around a storage area to be protected in the case of fire, or to fall to isolate an area to be protected in the case of fire.

The tent or curtain is suspended above the area to be protected in folded condition and is retained in this condition by heat-releasable devices. The latter operate, when fire occurs, to release the folded tent or curtain and permit same to stretch downwardly from its suspension point.

The bottom of the tent or curtain is preferably weighted.

Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings illustrate such a tent for protecting a storage area. The tent 70 is suspended at 71 above machines or stores 72. It is closed at its top and has a metal frame 73 round its bottom.

It is normally folded as indicated in Fig. 10 and is retained in this condition by heat-sensitive release devices (not shown). In the event of fire it drops around the machines or stores as indicated in Fig. 11 to seal the latter off from the fire or to smother existing fire in the machines or stores.

Claims (21)

1. A missile with stabilising fins adapted to be fired from a projector or gun and to split longitudinally into two with the stabilising fins depending into the sea on impact with the sea, the missile halves being bridged by struts inflatable automatically on splitting of the missile to provide a liferaft.

2. A missile as claimed in claim 1, in which a net structure bridges not only the missile halves but also the inflatable struts.

3. A missile as claimed in claim 1 or 2, comprising a light, flashing or otherwise, possibly mounted on a mast connected to one of the missile halves and self-erectible upon missile splitting.

4. A missile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a nose cone which serves to maintain, or assist in maintaining, the missile halves secured together and which is collapsible or otherwise separable from the missile upon impact to release the missile halves.

5. A missile as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 incoporating a parachute.

6. A missile, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

7. Apparatus for conveying life-saving equipment to an individual located in a water area difficult for a lifeboat to access, for example along rocks or in the region of a reef, the apparatus comprising a remote-controlled torpedo structure incorporating life-saving equipment.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the torpedo is of twin construction driven by a battery-driven motor or motors and incorporating Kort tube steering.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the two torpedoes are linked by a forward survivor catcher.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9 in which the torpedo structure carries one or more of a flood-light source, a liferaft, remotecontrolled T.V. camera, loudhailer equipment and an underwater sensor (sonic or heat transducer) for locating individuals in the sea not visible to the naked eye.

11 Apparatus for conveying life-saving equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A liferaft comprising a floor midway, or substantially so, of the depth of the inflatable ring or peripheral structure surrounding the floor.

1 3. A liferaft, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A firefighting arrangement comprising an upright fireproof woven glass fibre barrier adapted to be disposed in front of a fire in the direction of movement of the fire, the barrier being spread over the ground rearwardly of the upright portion of the barrier and being covered, for example, with soil.

15. A firefighter arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 6. A lifebelt of substantially horseshoe configuration and incorporating at its inner periphery a bendable element which allows the area within the horseshoe to be varied.

1 7. A lifebelt, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

18. A fire alarm comprising a trigger for operating the alarm bell or gong or similar and/or light, which trigger is actuated by a heatexpansible fluid.

1 9. A fire alarm, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 9 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A firefighting arrangement comprising a fire-resistant enclosure or a curtain adapted automatically to fall around a storage area to be protected in the case of fire, or to fall to isolate an area to be protected in the case of fire, the tent or curtain being suspended above the area to be protected in folded condition and being retained in this condition by heat-releasable devices.

21. A firefighting arrangement, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 10 and 11 of the accompanying drawings.