Inflatable slide and raft apparatus

Claim 2

Slide apparatus for side-by-side evacuation from one elevated egress hatchway to a lower ground plane, comprising: a. a first end member adapted to be deployed and sEcurely positioned adjacent said egress hatchway; b. a second end member adapted to be deployed and positioned at rest adjacent said ground plane; c. side beam means adapted to space said first and second end members apart and in said positions; d. a flexible sheet of somewhat stretchably resilient material secured to said end members and said beam means to form therewith a slideway path for side-by-side escape of evacuees through said egress hatchway when said members are positioned, said sheet tending to be stretched somewhat into a generally concave configuration by the mass of said evacuees; and e. a separator strip of flexible but relatively non-stretchable material secured to said sheet and to said end members, the securement of said strip to said first end member being substantially mid-way between the ends thereof, said strip tending to separate said evacuees for noninterfering decent, the mass of each of said evacuees tending to cause separate concavities in said sheet on either side of said strip, one end of said strip being bifurcated for a substantial distance along the length thereof forming a pair of spaced-apart diverging leg portions secured to said second end member.

Claim 3

The slide apparatus of claim 1 in which said end members and said beam means are inflatable, flexible walled, fluid distensible elements which when inflated form a substantially elongate, rectangular slide apparatus frame.

Claim 4

Slide apparatus for side-by-side evacuation from one elevated egress hatchway to a lower ground plane, comprising: a. a first end member adapted to be deployed and securely positioned adjacent said egress hatchway; b. a second end member adapted to be deployed and positioned at rest adjacent said ground plane; c. side beam means adapted to space said first and second end members apart and in said positions, said end members and said beam means being inflatable, flexible walled, fluid distensible elements which when inflated form a substantially elongate, rectangular primary frame; d. a fluid distensible generally tubular secondary frame fixedly disposed relative to said primary frame and having a peripheral tubular member arranged to be deployed and spaced apart from said primary frame when inflated; e. means for detachably securing said secondary frame to said beam means when said secondary frame is uniflated; f. a flexible sheet of somewhat strechably resilient material secured to said end members and said beam means to form therewith a slideway path for side-by-side escape of evacuees through said egress hatchway when said members are positioned, said sheet tending to be stretched somewhat into a generally concave configuration by the mass of said evacuees; and g. a separator strip of flexible but relatively non-stretchable material secured to said sheet and to said end members, the securement of said strip to said first end member being substantially mid-way between the ends thereof, said strip tending to separate said evacuees for non-interfering descent, the mass of each of said evacuees tending to cause separate concavities in said sheet on either side of said strip.

Claim 5

Slide apparatus for side-by-side evacuation from one elevated egress hatchway to a lower ground plane, comprising: a. a first end member adapted to be deployed and securely positioned adjacent said egress hatchway; b. a second end member adapted to be deployed and positioned at rest adjacent said ground plane; c. side beam means adapted to space said first and second end members apart and in said positions, said end members and said beam means being inflatable, flexible walled, fluid distensible elements which when inflated form a substantially elongate, rectangular primary frame; d. a fluid distensible generally tubular secondary frame fixedly disposed relative to said primary frame and having a peripheral tubular member arranged to be deployed and spaced apart from said primary frame when inflated; e. means for detachably securing said secondary frame to said beam means when said secondary frame is uniflated; f. a flexible sheet of somewhat strechably resilient material secured to said end members and said beam means to form therewith a slideway path for side-by-side escape of evacuees through said egress hatchway when said members are positioned, said sheet tending to be stretched somewhat into a generally concave configuration by the mass of said evacuees; and g. a separator strip of flexible but relatively non-stretchable material secured to said sheet and to said end members, the securement of said strip to said first end member being substantially mid-way between the ends thereof, said strip tending to separate said evacuees for non-interfering descent, the mass of each of said evacuees tending to cause separate concavities in said sheet on either side of said strip.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 in which said primary and secondary frames are separately inflatable.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 in which said detachable securing means is comprised of mating fasting means of the hook and pile type.

Claim 8

Inflatable slide apparatus which is suitable for use as a life raft, comprising: first and second inflatable tubular end members; a pair of inflatable beams extending between said end members, said beams being spaced apart from each other, said end members and said beams being arranged in substantially coplanar relation and having an upper side and a lower side, a flexible sheet of water impermeable material, said impermeable sheet being secured between said beams and said end members and being spaced inwardly from said upper side to form an occupant receiving space; a flexible slide sheet superimposed on the upper side of each of said end members and extending along said beams to form a continuous slide surface from said first end member to said second end member, the intermediate portion of said slide sheet being secured along said beams at locations spaced inwardly from said upper side and being superimposed on said impermeable sheet, said beams serving as rails along said intermediate portion to retain evacuees on the slide; and separable connector means between said slide sheet and said respective end members and beams, thereby allowing said slide sheet to be disengaged from said end members and said beams for access to portions of said occupant receiving space.

Claim 9

Inflatable slide apparatus which is suitable for use as a life raft, comprising: first and second inflatable tubular end members; a pair of inflatable beams extending between said end members, said beams being spaced apart from each other, said end members and said beams being arranged in substantially coplanar relation and having an upper side and a lower side, a flexible sheet of water impermeable material, said impermeable sheet being secured between said beams and said end members and being spaced inwardly from said upper side to form an occupant receiving space; a flexible slide sheet superimposed on the upper side of each of said end members and extending along said beams to form a continuous slide surface from said first end member to said second end member, the intermediate portion of said slide sheet being secured along said beams at locations spaced inwardly from said upper side and being superimposed on said impermeable sheet, said beams serving as rails along said intermediate portion to retain evacuees on the slide; and separable connector means between said slide sheet and said respective end members and beams, thereby allowing said slide sheet to be disengaged from said end members and said beams for access to portions of said occupant receiving space.

Claim 10

The slide apparatus of claim 6 including a flexible strip extending longitudinally of said beams, said strip being supported on the upper side of said end members underlying said slide sheet and extending between said slide sheet and said impermeable sheet, said strip being spaced between said beams to divide said slide sheet into a plurality of slide passages.

Claim 11

The slide apparatus of claim 6 including a third inflatable tubular end member, said third end member being parallel to and adjacent to said first end member, and including a second pair of inflatable beams extending longitudinally of said first-mentioned pair of beams, said third end member and said second pair of beams being arranged in substantially coplanar relation and having an upper said and a lower side, said water impermeable sheet extending between the beams of said first and second pairs of beams and between said first and third end members, thereby providing a substantially flat floor when said slide apparatus is used as a raft.

Claim 12

The slide apparatus of claim 6 including a tension strip of relatively non-stretchable material secured between said intermediate portion of said slide sheet and said lower side of the respective end members, said tension strip being positioned for holding said intermediate portion of said slide sheet adjacent said water impermeable sheet, thereby causing said slide sheet between said end members and said intermediate portion to be arranged in inclined relations with said water impermeable sheet, whereby said slide sheet has an accelerator portion adjacent one end member and a decelerator portion adjacent the other end member.

Claim 13

The slide apparatus of claim 9 including a third inflatable tubular end member positioned parallel to said first end member on the lower side thereof, and including a second pair of inflatable beams extending along the first-mentioned pair of beams on the lower side thereof, said water impermeable sheet extending between said first and third end members and between said first and second pairs of beams, thereby providing a substantially flat raft floor.

Claim 14

Inflatable escape slide apparatus for side-by-side evacuation from one elevated egress hatchway to a lower ground plane, comprising: a. a first end member adapted to be deployed and positioned adjacent said egress hatchway; b. a second end member adapted to be deployed and positioned at rest adjacent said ground plane; c. a pair of inflatable side beams extending between said first and second end members and when inflated said beams space said end members apart; d. a separator strip of flexible, but relatively non-stretchable material extending longitudinally of said slide and spaced between said side beams, said strip being secured to each of said end members; e. a flexible sheet of material secured to said end members and along each of said beams, said sheet extending continuously across the width of said slide between said beams and being superimposed on said strip, said sheet thereby forming a slideway path for side-by-side escape of evacuees.

Claim 15

Inflatable escape slide apparatus for side-by-side evacuation from one elevated egress hatchway to a lower ground plane, comprising: a. a first end member adapted to be deployed and positioned adjacent said egress hatchway; b. a second end member adapted to be deployed and positioned at rest adjacent said ground plane; c. a pair of inflatable side beams extending between said first and second end members and when inflated said beams space said end members apart; d. a separator strip of flexible, but relatively non-stretchable material extending longitudinally of said slide and spaced between said side beams, said strip being secured to each of said end members; e. a flexible sheet of material secured to said end members and along each of said beams, said sheet extending continuously across the width of said slide between said beams and being superimposed on said strip, said sheet thereby forming a slideway path for side-by-side escape of evacuees.

Claim 16

The slide apparatus of claim 11 wherein said end members each are inflatable and have an upper side and a lower side, said strip being secured to each of said end members on said upper side, and including an auxiliary strip secured between said lower side of each of said end members, said auxiliary strip being secured to said separator strip intermediate said end members, whereby said auxiliary strip reduces sagging of said separator strip between said end members and provides a steeper slope of said separator strip adjacent said first end member than along said intermediate portion, and less slope adjacent said second end member.