Fluid distensible truss

Claim 2

Apparatus for the egress of personnel to a ground plane surface from a structure having an egress hatchway elevated above the surface comprising: a. a first fluid distensible body deployable by fluid inflation from a stowed to a deployed position, said body arranged to have a first end portion supported adjacent said egress hatchway and a second end portion extending away therefrom when inflated and deployed, said body thereby providing for personnel a first passageway surface from said hatchway; b. a deployable second body having one end thereof coupled to said first body adjacent said second end portion thereof, said second body being deployable with said first body from stowed to a deployed position with the other end of said second body deployed adjacent said ground plane surface; and c. means defining a second surface on said second body for the passage of personnel from said first surface to said ground plane, said first and second bodies cooperating to support said second surface in an inclined position having a greater slope than said first surface.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first surface is substantially horizontal upon inflation and deployment of said bodies, and said first body provides a substantially vertical support column upon inflation and deployment thereof.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 including inflation means for inflating said first and second bodies, said inflation means providing inflation of said bodies by said inflation means is progressive with inflation of one of said bodies being initiated before inflation of the other of said bodies.

Claim 5

Apparatus for the emergency escape of personnel to a haven surface from an egress hatchway elevated above the surface, comprising: a. a fluid distensible structure deployable by fluid inflation from a stowed to a deployed position, said structure having body members disposed at an angle to each other, one of said members arranged when inflated and Deployed to have one end thereof supported substantially adjacent said hatchway and the other end thereof supported above said haven surface by said other body member, said one of said members thereby providing for escaping personnel a first passageway surface from said hatchway; b. means for inflating said structure; and c. deployable slide means having one end coupled to said structure, said slide means being deployable with said structure from stowed to a deployed position with the other end of said slide means deployed adjacent said haven surface, said slide means providing a second passageway surface for escaping personnel, said second surface having a greater slope than said first surface.

Claim 6

Apparatus for the emergency escape of personnel to a haven surface from an egress hatchway elevated above the surface, comprising: a. a fluid distensible structure deployable by fluid inflation from a stowed to a deployed position, said structure having body members disposed at an angle to each other, one of said members arranged when inflated and Deployed to have one end thereof supported substantially adjacent said hatchway and the other end thereof supported above said haven surface by said other body member, said one of said members thereby providing for escaping personnel a first passageway surface from said hatchway; b. means for inflating said structure; and c. deployable slide means having one end coupled to said structure, said slide means being deployable with said structure from stowed to a deployed position with the other end of said slide means deployed adjacent said haven surface, said slide means providing a second passageway surface for escaping personnel, said second surface having a greater slope than said first surface.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 in which said first surface is essentially flat and said second surface extends downwardly therefrom at an angle.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 in which said slide means is comprised of an inflatable fluid distensible member and means are provided for the fluid inflation thereof.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 in which said means for inflating said body and said member are arranged such that initiation of inflation of said body precedes initiation of inflation of said member whereby substantial deployment of said body occurs before deployment of said member.

Claim 10

Apparatus for emergency escape of personnel to a haven surface from an emergency exit elevated above the surface, comprising: a. a first fluid distensible body deployable by fluid inflation from a stowed to a deployed position, said first body arranged when inflated and deployed to have a first end portion thereof supported adjacent said exit and a second end portion extending away from said exit, said inflated and deployed first body thereby providing for escaping personnel a first passageway surface from said exit; b. a second fluid distensible body deployable by fluid inflation from a stowed to a deployed position, said second body having one end thereof coupled to said second end portion of said first body and adapted when inflated and deployed to provide a substantially columnar support between said second end portion of said first body and said haven surface; c. deployable slide means having one end thereof coupled to said first body adjacent said second end portion thereof, said slide means being deployable with said bodies from stowed to a deployed position with the other end of said slide means deployed adjacent said haven surface, said slide means providing a second passageway surface for escaping personnel, said second surface having a greater slope than said first surface and d. means for inflating said bodies.

Claim 11

Apparatus for emergency escape of personnel to a haven surface from an emergency exit elevated above the surface, comprising: a. a first fluid distensible body deployable by fluid inflation from a stowed to a deployed position, said first body arranged when inflated and deployed to have a first end portion thereof supported adjacent said exit and a second end portion extending away from said exit, said inflated and deployed first body thereby providing for escaping personnel a first passageway surface from said exit; b. a second fluid distensible body deployable by fluid inflation from a stowed to a deployed position, said second body having one end thereof coupled to said second end portion of said first body and adapted when inflated and deployed to provide a substantially columnar support between said second end portion of said first body and said haven surface; c. deployable slide means having one end thereof coupled to said first body adjacent said second end portion thereof, said slide means being deployable with said bodies from stowed to a deployed position with the other end of said slide means deployed adjacent said haven surface, said slide means providing a second passageway surface for escaping personnel, said second surface having a greater slope than said first surface and d. means for inflating said bodies.

Claim 12

An inflatable walkway apparatus for the ambulation of persons from end to end thereof comprising: a. impervious fabric means defining a walkway surface extending transversely from side to side and longitudinally from end to end of said apparatus; b. wall means extending from the side and end edges of said fabric means to form therewith, when inflated, a mattress-like configured walkway bed adapted to retain a fluid pressure above that of ambient as substantially the sole resistance to dimpling of said fabric means by the mass loading of persons ambulating across said walkway surface; and c. tension tie means disposed within said bed and coupling said wall means to said fabric means for restraint of said fabric means against excessive ballooning and thereby configuring said fabric means as an essentially flat walking surface, said apparatus being supportable at two spaced apart points, and said fabric means forms with said wall means, when said apparatus is inflated, a fluid trussed structure adapted to support ambulating persons without substantial bending deflection of said structure between said points, said spaced apart points of said apparatus being adjacent said ends thereof, support for one of said ends being comprised of an inflatable walled body which when inflated, extenDs angularly from said one of said ends to a ground plane support surface.

Claim 13

An inflatable walkway apparatus for the ambulation of persons from end to end thereof comprising: a. impervious fabric means defining a walkway surface extending transversely from side to side and longitudinally from end to end of said apparatus; b. wall means extending from the side and end edges of said fabric means to form therewith, when inflated, a mattress-like configured walkway bed adapted to retain a fluid pressure above that of ambient as substantially the sole resistance to dimpling of said fabric means by the mass loading of persons ambulating across said walkway surface; and c. tension tie means disposed within said bed and coupling said wall means to said fabric means for restraint of said fabric means against excessive ballooning and thereby configuring said fabric means as an essentially flat walking surface, said apparatus being supportable at two spaced apart points, and said fabric means forms with said wall means, when said apparatus is inflated, a fluid trussed structure adapted to support ambulating persons without substantial bending deflection of said structure between said points, said spaced apart points of said apparatus being adjacent said ends thereof, support for one of said ends being comprised of an inflatable walled body which when inflated, extenDs angularly from said one of said ends to a ground plane support surface.

Claim 14

Inflatable evacuation device comprising: a. an elongated fluid distensible, flexible walled body, said body when inflated being distended in the form of a truss; b. attaching means for attaching said body to a structure adjacent one end of said body, the opposite end of said body being adapted to rest on a surface at an elevation spaced downwardly from said attaching means; c. said body when inflated having a walkway surface adjacent said one end and a slide surface adjacent said opposite end, said slide surface joining said walkway surface at a junction between said ends; d. said body when inflated being capable of maintaining said walkway surface substantially horizontal and said slide surface in downward sloping relation while evacuating persons are supported on said walkway and slide surfaces.

Claim 15

Inflatable evacuation device comprising: a. an elongated fluid distensible, flexible walled body, said body when inflated being distended in the form of a truss; b. attaching means for attaching said body to a structure adjacent one end of said body, the opposite end of said body being adapted to rest on a surface at an elevation spaced downwardly from said attaching means; c. said body when inflated having a walkway surface adjacent said one end and a slide surface adjacent said opposite end, said slide surface joining said walkway surface at a junction between said ends; d. said body when inflated being capable of maintaining said walkway surface substantially horizontal and said slide surface in downward sloping relation while evacuating persons are supported on said walkway and slide surfaces.

Claim 16

The inflatable evacuation device according to claim 10 wherein said attaching means is arranged along one side of said body, whereby the length of said body extends laterally from said attaching means.

Claim 17

The inflatable evacuation device according to claim 11 wherein said attaching means includes a girt extending outwardly from said side of said body, said girt being spaced from said junction between said walkway surface and said slide surface.

Claim 18

The inflatable evacuation device according claim 10 including inflatable handrails projecting upwardly along opposite sides of said body, said handrails extending across said junction and providing additional support against deflection of said body.

Claim 19

The inflatable evacuation device according to claim 10 wherein said slide surface includes a flexible sheet superimposed on said body, and includes an elongated support member extending longitudinally of said body, said support member being interposed between said sheet and said body, whereby said support member divides said slide surface into a plurality of side-by-side chutes.

Claim 20

The inflatable evacuation device according to claim 14 wherein said body includes internal tie means limiting expansion of said body in response to inflation fluid pressure, said tie means being coextensive with said walkway surface and said slide surface, whereby both of said surfaces have a substantially greater width than thickness, and said walkway surface being substantially flat.

Claim 21

The inflatable evacuation device according to claim 10 wherein said body includes an inflatable support member projecting downwardly from adjacent said junction, the lower end of said support being adapted to rest on a surface at an elevation spaced downwardly from said attaching means, said support maintaining said junction at a predetermined elevation relative to said support lower end.

Claim 22

The inflatable evacuation device according to claim 16 including an inflatable walkway ramp adjacent said one end of said body, said ramp having a walkway surface adapted to be aligned with said walkway surface of said body.

Claim 23

The inflatable evacuation device according claim 17 wherein said walkway ramp includes a pair of inflatable handrails spaced apart across said ramp surface and defining a continuous passage from adjacent one end of said ramp to the opposite end of said ramp. 19 The inflatable evacuation device according to claim 17 including means for independently inflating said body and said ramp.

Claim 24

The inflatable evacuation device according to claim -10 wherein said body maintains said junction substantially rigid when said body is inflated.