Raft adapted for use as a water rescue or recovery litter

Claim 2

A raft adapted for use as a rescue or recovery litter, comprising an elongated body section, elongated parallel floatable pontoons on opposite sides of said body section, a frame structure connecting said body section and pontoons together, said body section having a flat horizontal upper surface adapted to support a person thereon, said upper surface being disposed below the tops of said pontoons and when said raft is afloat unloaded being disposed near water level, said upper surface extending continuously to the rear end of said raft to provide an unobstructed loading deck portioN by means of which a person may be floated onto said upper surface, the undersurfaces of said body section and pontoons having upwardly and forwardly inclined front end portions to facilitate forward movement through the water, said pontoons being spaced laterally outwardly from said body section, said body section having opposite sides extending downwardly beneath said upper surface thereof in opposed confronting relation to said pontoons and cooperating with said pontoons to provide longitudinally extending slots in the underside open at the front and rear for the free flow of water therethrough when said raft is pulled lengthwise through the water, thereby to reduce any tendency of the raft to fishtail, said body section being relatively hard, tough and shock resistant on its surfaces.

Claim 3

The raft defined in claim 1, wherein brackets are rigidly secured to said frame structure, said brackets being adapted to have lifting rings or life lines or the like secured thereto.

Claim 4

The raft defined in claim 1, including side rails extending lengthwise of said body section along opposite sides thereof and rigidly secured to said frame structure, said side rails serving as anchors for transverse straps adapted to extend across said body section to secure the body of a person thereon.

Claim 5

A raft adapted for use as a rescue or recovery litter comprising an elongated floatable body section, elongated parallel floatable pontoons on opposite sides of said body section, a frame structure connecting said body section and pontoons together, said frame structure being of unitary construction having laterally spaced parallel outer side frame members extending lengthwise through and secured to said pontoons, said frame structure also having laterally spaced parallel inner side frame members extending along opposite side portions of and secured to said body section, said body section having a flat horizontal upper surface adapted to support a person thereon, said upper surface being disposed below the tops of said pontoons and when said raft is afloat unloaded being disposed slightly above water level, said upper surface extending continuously to the rear end of said raft to provide an unobstructed loading deck portion by means of which a person may be floated onto said upper surface when said loading deck portion is depressed to or below water level, the undersurfaces of said body section and pontoons having upwardly and forwardly inclined front end portions to facilitate forward movement through the water, said pontoons are spaced laterally outwardly from said body section, said body section being of substantial thickness and having opposite sides extending downwardly beneath said upper surface thereof in opposed confronting relation to said pontoons and cooperating with said pontoons to provide longitudinally extending slots in the underside which are of uniform width throughout their length and open at the front and rear for the free flow of water therethrough when said raft is pulled lengthwise through the water, thereby to reduce any tendency of the raft to fishtail, said body section being relatively hard, tough and shock resistant on its surfaces.

Claim 6

A raft adapted for use as a rescue or recovery litter comprising an elongated floatable body section, elongated parallel floatable pontoons on opposite sides of said body section, a frame structure connecting said body section and pontoons together, said frame structure being of unitary construction having laterally spaced parallel outer side frame members extending lengthwise through and secured to said pontoons, said frame structure also having laterally spaced parallel inner side frame members extending along opposite side portions of and secured to said body section, said body section having a flat horizontal upper surface adapted to support a person thereon, said upper surface being disposed below the tops of said pontoons and when said raft is afloat unloaded being disposed slightly above water level, said upper surface extending continuously to the rear end of said raft to provide an unobstructed loading deck portion by means of which a person may be floated onto said upper surface when said loading deck portion is depressed to or below water level, the undersurfaces of said body section and pontoons having upwardly and forwardly inclined front end portions to facilitate forward movement through the water, said pontoons are spaced laterally outwardly from said body section, said body section being of substantial thickness and having opposite sides extending downwardly beneath said upper surface thereof in opposed confronting relation to said pontoons and cooperating with said pontoons to provide longitudinally extending slots in the underside which are of uniform width throughout their length and open at the front and rear for the free flow of water therethrough when said raft is pulled lengthwise through the water, thereby to reduce any tendency of the raft to fishtail, said body section being relatively hard, tough and shock resistant on its surfaces.

Claim 7

The raft defined in claim 4, wherein said grooves are closed at the top throughout the length thereof.

Claim 8

The raft defined in claim 5, including side rails extending lengthwise of said body section along opposite sides thereof, means rigidly securing said side rails to said inner side frame members, said side rails serving as anchors for transverse straps adapted to extend across said body section to secure the body of a person thereon.

Claim 9

The raft defined in claim 6, wherein said means rigidly securing said side rails to said inner side frame members comprise brackets rigidly secured to said inner side frame members in spaced relation longitudinally thereof, said brackets being adapted to have lifting rings or life lines or the like secured thereto.

Claim 10

A raft adapted for use as a rescue or recovery litter, comprising a body section adapted to support a person, elongated parallel pontoons on opposite sides of said body section, frame structure connecting said body section and pontoons together, said frame structure being of unitary construction having laterally spaced parallel outer side frame members extending lengthwise through and secured to said pontoons, said frame structure also having laterally spaced parallel inner side frame members extending along opposite sides of and secured to said body section, said frame structure including transverse front and rear frame members respectively connected to the front and rear ends of said inner and outer side frame members, and to the front and rear ends of said body section, said body section having a flat horizontal upper surface adapted to provide a support for a person, said pontoons being spaced laterally outwardly from said body section, said body section being of substantial thickness and having opposite sides extending downwardly beneath said upper surface thereof in opposed confronting relation to said pontoons and cooperating with said pontoons to provide longitudinally extending open ended slots for the flow of water when said raft is pulled lengthwise through the water, to reduce any tendency to fishtail, said upper surface being disposed below the tops of said pontoons and when said raft is afloat unloaded being disposed slightly above water level, said upper surface extending continuously to the rear end of said raft to provide an unobstructed loading deck section by which a person may be floated onto said upper surface when said loading deck section is depressed to or below water level, said flat upper surface extending horizontally from the rear end of said raft in a forward direction and terminating at the front end of said raft in an upwardly inclined headrest portion, said body section and said pontoons having upwardly and forwardly inclined front end portions to facilitate forward movement through the water, brackets rigidly secured to said outer side frame members and projecting through the surfaces of said pontoons in spaced relation longitudinally thereof, said brackets being adapted to have lifting rings or life lines or the like secured thereto, side rails extending lengthwise of said body section along opposite sides thereof and rigidly secured to said inner side frame members, said side rails serving as anchors for transverse straps adapted to extend across said body section to secure the body of a person thereon, said body section being relatively hard, tough and shock resistant on its surfaces.

Claim 11

A raft adapted for use as a rescue or recovery litter, comprising a body section adapted to support a person, elongated parallel pontoons on opposite sides of said body section, frame structure connecting said body section and pontoons together, said frame structure being of unitary construction having laterally spaced parallel outer side frame members extending lengthwise through and secured to said pontoons, said frame structure also having laterally spaced parallel inner side frame members extending along opposite sides of and secured to said body section, said frame structure including transverse front and rear frame members respectively connected to the front and rear ends of said inner and outer side frame members, and to the front and rear ends of said body section, said body section having a flat horizontal upper surface adapted to provide a support for a person, said pontoons being spaced laterally outwardly from said body section, said body section being of substantial thickness and having opposite sides extending downwardly beneath said upper surface thereof in opposed confronting relation to said pontoons and cooperating with said pontoons to provide longitudinally extending open ended slots for the flow of water when said raft is pulled lengthwise through the water, to reduce any tendency to fishtail, said upper surface being disposed below the tops of said pontoons and when said raft is afloat unloaded being disposed slightly above water level, said upper surface extending continuously to the rear end of said raft to provide an unobstructed loading deck section by which a person may be floated onto said upper surface when said loading deck section is depressed to or below water level, said flat upper surface extending horizontally from the rear end of said raft in a forward direction and terminating at the front end of said raft in an upwardly inclined headrest portion, said body section and said pontoons having upwardly and forwardly inclined front end portions to facilitate forward movement through the water, brackets rigidly secured to said outer side frame members and projecting through the surfaces of said pontoons in spaced relation longitudinally thereof, said brackets being adapted to have lifting rings or life lines or the like secured thereto, side rails extending lengthwise of said body section along opposite sides thereof and rigidly secured to said inner side frame members, said side rails serving as anchors for transverse straps adapted to extend across said body section to secure the body of a person thereon, said body section being relatively hard, tough and shock resistant on its surfaces.

Claim 12

The raft defined in claim 8, wherein said body section and said pontoons are made of polyurethane.