GB2400349A

GB2400349A - Inflatable device for and method of lifting a body

Info

Publication number: GB2400349A
Application number: GB0308568A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Barry Weal; Valerie Helen White
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-04-12
Filing date: 2003-04-12
Publication date: 2004-10-13
Also published as: GB0308568D0

Abstract

An inflatable lifting device for assisting in the rescue of a person adrift in water, has a recovery chute (6), providing a central, operative surface (9), which acts as a support surface for the body of the person, a lifting surface for lifting the person on inflation of the device, and a ramp over which the person may be pulled to safety. The device may have a pair of inflatable, parallel, hollow tubes (4, 5), which serve as pontoons when inflated and also contain the person supported on the sheet. The device is launched from an attachment on a stable support, usually a watercraft, so as to deploy the operative surface (9) vertically or substantially vertically adjacent a person. Then, the device is inflated to lift both the device and the person. The device may be stored folded up and uninflated for an emergency and is especially useful in retrieving a fatigued or unconscious person adrift at sea. The device is provided with means to sink a portion of the operative surface below the person, before the device is inflated.

Description

TITLE: DEVICE FOR AND METHOD OF LIFTING A BODY

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to inflatable lifting devices for assisting in the rescue of a body from water and methods of lifting a body from water to assist in the rescue of the body from water. The invention relates more particularly, but not exclusively, to rescuing fatigued or unconscious persons who have fallen into water from a vessel.

If someone falls into the sea from a boat, they are likely to have serious difficulty even if they are wearing a lifejacket and/or a safety line. Such problems are even greater in bad weather and rough seas, with increased danger of drowning.

The sides of many boats are quite high above the water (typically l - 3 metres), as well as steep and slippery. The person, even if uninjured and generally fit and healthy, is likely to find they cannot easily climb up onto the boat deck. This is exacerbated if the person is wearing clothes which have become heavy and wet. Furthermore, in the water the person will rapidly lose body heat and become exhausted.

Rescue by a harness or simple hoist may result in damage to the upper body, by the harness itself or by the person being smashed against the side of the boat.

Lifting a person vertically, for example on a line from a helicopter, may cause injury to internal organs and even physiological shock and consequent brain damage.

Furthermore, there is a threat of heart failure, however fit and healthy the person may be, if the person makes an attempt to swim even a few metres to land.

Inflatable temporary structures such as escape chutes from watercraft, life rafts and dinghies are known for allowing, in an emergency, people to escape from watercraft into the water. Lifesaving rings are well known as floats for people who have fallen into water but these do not necessarily stop people from being swept away. An inflatable float extending laterally from a boat is also known for use in rescuing someone from the water but the person in the water must be helped out by someone else on the float, which is itself hazardous and could result in both people in the water.

It is thus an object of this invention to be able to move a person adrift in water into a safe situation, such as onto a boat, effectively and thereby to assist in successfully rescuing people from life-threatening situations in water.

According to a first aspect of the invention, an inflatable lifting device for assisting in the rescue of a body from water comprises: a support for supporting the body once the device is inflated, the support having an operative surface to be disposed adjacent the bodyi and means for sinking at least a portion of the operative surface into the water before the device is inflated; ]O wherein the device is inflatable so as to lift upwards, at least partially, both the support and the body.

This device can be used to automatically lift a body adjacent the operative surface of the support up into a safer position and the body may then be slid up the support to safety. The device is kept uninflated for use in an emergency to assist in rescuing someone adrift in water and is especially useful in retrieving a fatigued or unconscious person, who is unable to get out of the water on their own.

The support may comprise a ramp, having means at a first end for connection to a stable support, such as a watercraft, such that a portion of the operative surface at or towards the other end of the ramp serves as a lift on inflation. The operative surface may thus act as a support surface on which the person may be supported, a lifting surface for lifting the person on inflation of the device, and a ramp over which the person may be pulled to safety.

The sinking means may comprise weighting, e.g. one or more metallic weights, in the support, the weighting acting under gravity. The weighting may be provided in the opposite end of the ramp to the connection to the

stable support.

The inflatablility of the device may be provided by inflatable tubes. Each tube may comprise an outer sleeve surrounding an inner tube, which are inflatable together by an associated portable gas supply. The inner tube may be made from a unitary piece of material. The outer sleeve may be permeable, with the inner sleeve being impermeable. Optionally, the ramp may be inflatable.

The device may further comprise guard means at the sides for preventing the body from falling off the sides of the support. The inflatable tubes may also serve as the side guard members. Thus, the tubes and the operative surface together provide a recovery chute.

The device may also have means at each end of the ramp for keeping the ramp extended once deployed.

The device may also be associated with means, such as a hoist, for pulling the body to safety.

According to another aspect of the invention a method of lifting a body from water to assist in the rescue of the body from water, using an inflatable lifting device having a support with an operative surface, comprises: 1) sinking at least a portion of the operative surface under the water; and then: 2) inflating the device so as to lift, at least partially, both the portion of the operative surface under the water and the body.

This method allows a body adrift in the water to be retrieved from a precarious situation by being automatically lifted into a safer orientation.

The method may also include: in step l): deploying the operative surface vertically or substantially vertically and disposing the operative surface and the body adjacent one another) and then: in step 2): inflating the device by an amount sufficient to turn the body, by an angle selected according to conditions of the body and the water, into a non-vertical rescue position. The rescue position may be horizontal or substantially horizontal, which is physiologically safer for the body during rescue.

Initially, i.e. before step l), the uninflated device may be launched by dropping it from an attachment on a stable support, usually a watercraft. This may be where it is to be deployed. The device may be launched in a form folded up as stored, so that it unfolds on being launched. The device will continue to fall into the water and then sink, for instance due to the weighting mentioned above, below the surface of the water, into the vertical, deployed position.

The tilting of the inflated device, if at the back of the stable support, may be further assisted by moving the stable support forwards.

The device may be turned, once in the rescue position, by the stable support, so as to assist the rescue by a following wind.

Finally, the body may be moved along the device, the rescue position, to safety.

This invention may be used to assist in rescuing people from the sea or other water scenarios such as harbours, lakes, canals and rivers. The chance of further injury to the person in the water is greatly reduced and the person being recovered may be swiftly raised due to the buoyancy of the inflated device into an inclined or level orientation so as to be safely slid along the device to safety in the vessel. The person does not need to climb up onto the support because he is raised up by it; this is especially advantageous in saving a person who is injured or unconscious. Valuable time will be saved in the rescue, which will be important in bad weather conditions and accompanying rough seas.

The device and method of the invention may be employed for example by searescue services, or by amateur sailors. The device may be stored, rolled or folded up, on a water vessel or other stable, floating structure, for example in cruisers, yachts and other types of pleasure boats, for recovering someone who falls off the boat into the water. Once inflated the device may provide a sturdy, buoyant temporary structure.

An embodiment of this invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of an inflatable lifting device according to the invention, showing a device in a deployed, uninflated position lo adjacent a person to be recovered from the water) Figure 2 is a diagrammatic end view from below of the device of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic end view of the device of figure 1 once inflated; and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side view of an inner tube employed in the device of Figure 1.

An inflatable lifting device (100) for assisting in the rescue of a person (P) from water is approximately 4 metres long and consists of a flat support sheet (2) extending between a pair of inflatable, parallel, hollow tubes (4, 5), which are to serve as pontoons when inflated. The sheet and the tubes are made of the same strong, water-resistant and inflatable material, such as reinforced PVC, as used in making inflatable play equipment like bouncy castles.

The device forms a recovery chute (6), which is open at both ends (7, 8), for providing a central, operative surface (9), which acts as a support surface on which the person may be supported, a lifting surface for lifting the person on inflation of the device, and a ramp over which the person may be pulled to safety. The side members contain the person once supported on the sheet.

Operation of the device will be further described below.

A pair of spaced, parallel, elongate stiffening members (10, 11) or stretchers, e.g. thickened pieces of reinforced PVC, is integrally attached to the device, one across each of the opposite ends (7, 8) of the device in order to keep the device rigid width-wise, as illustrated in Figure 1.

At the first end (7) of the device there is fastening means (13, 14, 16 and 18) for securely connecting the device to a boat. There is a strap (13, 14) at each side of the device, each strap having a plurality of loops (16) for fastening the device to a rescue boat. Snap hooks (18) at the ends of the straps may be used in addition or alternatively according to the fixings available on the rescue vessel.

At the opposite, second end (8) of the device, the device is weighted by a metal member in the transverse stiffening; the weighting, e.g. 1 - 1 kg, is sufficient to sink this end of the device, when unrolled, into the water.

Each inflatable tube (4, 5) has an outer sleeve (20) containing an inner tube (22), which are together inflatable, say to 10 - 15 psi, by a gas cylinder (24) disposed in the first end (7) of each respective tube as shown in Figures 1 and 4. The inner tube (22) may be made from a unitary piece of impermeable material, e.g. neoprene, welded so as to be seamless. The outer sleeve (20) has stitched seams (not shown), which are permeable.

Hand or foot holds (26) are disposed on the tubes for the person being saved.

Operation of the inflatable lifting device is as follows: With the first end (7) of the uninflated device (100), securely connected to a boat, the furled device is launched by dropping the second end(8) downwards onto the water, whereupon the device (100) will unfurl and the second end will sink below the water line W into the water. Consequently, the device occupies a vertical or substantially vertical position. The device may be unfurled next to the person (P) being rescued with the lifting/supporting surface (9) adjacent the body or the person may move round the boat to the unfurled, uninflated device. In the case of a person (P) who cannot move, such as an injured or unconscious person, they will need to be brought to the unfurled, uninflated device, preferably using the safety line (28) already attached to them, if it cannot be launched next to them.

Then, the tubes are inflated (see Figure 3) from the gas cylinders to convert the device into a sturdy floatable structure, whereupon the free end of the support immediately moves upwardly and the operative surface (9) simultaneously lifts as much as possible of the body of the person into an inclined, raised position as it does so. If conscious, the person can hold onto the hand and footholds as they are lifted. Once the person is supported in this position they are already safer. To further assist, if time permits, the boat is moved forward to ensure that the device assumes a horizontal or near-horizontal position. The rescuer uses the line (28) to haul the person up the operative surface (9) of the chute or alternatively pulls the person up manually.

If the water is rough, the boat and the device supporting the person may be moved round to wind to facilitate the operation.

The chute is operable by a single rescuer, who has no need to put themselves in danger, with minimal I physical exertion. The operation is carried out in successive stages, which may be learnt as a drill, to permit the rescuer to manoeuvre the boat at the same time or to use the radio. The chute may be used at the side of the boat or the rear provided there are suitable fastenings for the upper end of the device.

Operation of the device may be summarized thus: 1) launching the uninflated device from an attachment on a stable support, usually a watercraft, to open it and sink at least a portion of the device under the surface of the water; 2) deploying the operative surface of the uninflated device vertically or substantially vertically adjacent a body, by launching it next to the body or bringing the body next to it, with the operative surface adjacent the 1 1 body; 3) inflating the device by an amount sufficient to lift, at least partially, both the device and the bodyi and: 4) moving the body over the device to safety.

The uninflated device described above may be stored on a boat folded up for emergencies and converted when necessary into a sturdy, buoyant temporary structure for assisting in the rescue of someone who has fallen into the water. Instead the device may be stored on land at the waterside. It may be used in rescuing animals as well as people.

Claims

1. An inflatable lifting device for assisting in the rescue of a body from water, comprising: a support for supporting the body once the device is inflated, the support having an operative surface to be disposed adjacent the body; and means for sinking at least a portion of the operative surface of the uninflated device into the water; wherein the device is inflatable so as to lift upwards, at least partially, both the support and the body. i

2. An inflatable lifting device according to claim l, wherein the support comprises a ramp with means at a first end for connection to a stable support, a portion of the operative surface at or towards the other end of the ramp providing a lifting surface on inflation.

3. An inflatable lifting device according to claim 2, wherein the sinking means comprises weighting at or near the second end of the ramp.

4. An inflatable lifting device according to claim 2 or 3, comprising a rigid tranverse member at each end of the ramp for keeping the ramp extended once deployed.

5. An inflatable lifting device according to any one of claims l to 4, further comprising a plurality of

inflatable tubes.

6. An inflatable lifting device according to claim 5, wherein each inflatable tube comprises an outer sleeve and an inner tube, which are inflatable together by an associated portable gas supply, the outer sleeve being permeable and the inner sleeve being impermeable.

7. An inflatable lifting device according to any preceding claim, comprising guard means at the sides of the support for preventing the body from falling off the sides of the support.

8. An inflatable lifting device according to claim 7, wherein the inflatable tubes comprise the guard means.

9. An inflatable lifting device according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for moving the body along the device to safety.

10. A method of lifting a body from water to assist in the rescue of the body from water, using an inflatable lifting device having a support with an operative surface, comprising: 1) sinking at least a portion of the operative surface under the water; and then: 2) inflating the device so as to lift, at least partially, both the support and the body.

11. A method according to claim 10, including: in step 1): deploying the operative surface vertically or substantially vertically and disposing the operative surface and the body adjacent one another) and then: in step 2): inflating the device by an amount sufficient to turn the body, by an angle selected according to conditions of the body and the water, into a non-vertical rescue position.

12. A method according to claim 11, including: in step 2): inflating the device by an amount sufficient to lift the body to a horizontal or lO substantially horizontal rescue position.

13. A method according to claim 10, 11, or 12, including as a preliminary step before step 1): launching the device where it is to be deployed, by dropping it from an attachment on a stable support.

14. A method according to claim 13, including moving the stable support forwards to assist in tilting the inflated device.

15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, including turning the stable support, once in the rescue position, so as to be assisted by a following wind.

16. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 15, including as a subsequent step 3): moving the body along the device to safety.