Outside air breathing supply system

Claim 2

Small aircraft low altitude emergency outside ram air breathing supply apparatus comprising: ram air source means for scooping external ram air from outside of an aircraft, the ram air source means having an inlet adapted to be mounted outside of an aircraft and an outlet adapted to be mounted inside of an aircraft, said ram air source means including mounting means adapted to be mounted in a surface structure of the aircraft, opening and closing means connected to the ram air source means and extending inward in the aircraft for selectively opening and closing the ram air source means and thereby selectively scooping external ram air from outside of the aircraft, connection means connected to the outlet of the ram air source means inside the aircraft for connecting a conduction means to the ram air source means, ram air conduction means having first and second ends, the first end of the conduction means connected to the connection means for conducting ram air scooped from outside the aircraft by the ram air source means into the conduction means, the second end of the conduction means being freely movable within the aircraft in relation to the connection means and the ram air source means for positioning the second end of the conduction means near a face of a user, support means connected to the second end of the conduction means for supporting the second end of the conduction means near a face of a user, attachment means connected to the support means for attaching the support means to a user, distribution means connected to the support means and connected to the second end of the conduction means for distributing substantially unpressurized, free flowing ram air from the ram air source and the conduction means to a facial area of a user, thus providing emergency outside ram air from outside of an aircraft to a user inside of the aircraft whereby a small aircraft controlled by the user may be flown to a safe landing area and safely landed during an emergency in which smoke or noxious fumes fill an interior of the small aircraft.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the distribution means and support means comprises an upward opening mask having means for holding the mask on a chin of a user and means for directing air upward over the mouth, nose and eyes of the user.

Claim 4

Emergency outside air breathing supply apparatus comprising outward opening mounting means having an open outer end for mounting an outer surface of an aircraft body and extending into the interior thereof providing a passageway between said outer surface and said interior, valve means connected to the mounting means for opening and closing the passageway, means for extending outside of the aircraft body when the valve means is open for extending into an airstream and scooping air inward, distribution means connected to the valve means for conducting air scooped from the airstream, the distribution means including a flexible hose having a proximal end connected to either one of the mounting means and the valve means and having a distal end, and having a flow directing means at the distal end for directing flow from the distal end of the hose toward a face of a user, wherein the valve means comprises a valve body having a configuration similar to the mounting means and fitting within the mounting means and wherein the valve body has a closed outer end, a ram air opening in a wall of the valve body near the closed outer end, means for pushing the valve body partly outward through the opening in the outer end of the mounting means whereby the ram air opening in the wall of the valve body is exposed to the air flowing by the mounting means, whereby air is rammed into the opening, and connection means mounted in a side wall of the valve body in a position remote from the opening in the side wall and remote from its closed outer end for connecting the proximal end of the flexible hose to the valve body and further comprising a U-shaped opening in the mounting means extending from a second end of the mounting means toward a first end of the mounting means for receiving the connection means whereby the valve body may be moved in the mounting means to positions in which the ram air opening in the wall of the valve body is positioned fully within the mounting means out of air flow, and a position in which the ram air opening in the side wall is positioned outward of the outer opening in the mounting means, and intermediate positions in which the opening in the side wall valve body is partially exposed to air flowing outside the aircraft.

Claim 5

Emergency outside air breathing supply apparatus comprising outward opening mounting means having an open outer end for mounting an outer surface of an aircraft body and extending into the interior thereof providing a passageway between said outer surface and said interior, valve means connected to the mounting means for opening and closing the passageway, means for extending outside of the aircraft body when the valve means is open for extending into an airstream and scooping air inward, distribution means connected to the valve means for conducting air scooped from the airstream, the distribution means including a flexible hose having a proximal end connected to either one of the mounting means and the valve means and having a distal end, and having a flow directing means at the distal end for directing flow from the distal end of the hose toward a face of a user, wherein the valve means comprises a valve body having a configuration similar to the mounting means and fitting within the mounting means and wherein the valve body has a closed outer end, a ram air opening in a wall of the valve body near the closed outer end, means for pushing the valve body partly outward through the opening in the outer end of the mounting means whereby the ram air opening in the wall of the valve body is exposed to the air flowing by the mounting means, whereby air is rammed into the opening, and connection means mounted in a side wall of the valve body in a position remote from the opening in the side wall and remote from its closed outer end for connecting the proximal end of the flexible hose to the valve body and further comprising a U-shaped opening in the mounting means extending from a second end of the mounting means toward a first end of the mounting means for receiving the connection means whereby the valve body may be moved in the mounting means to positions in which the ram air opening in the wall of the valve body is positioned fully within the mounting means out of air flow, and a position in which the ram air opening in the side wall is positioned outward of the outer opening in the mounting means, and intermediate positions in which the opening in the side wall valve body is partially exposed to air flowing outside the aircraft.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the U-shaped opening is irregular, whereby the connection means is gripped by the opening for holding varied positions of the valve body with respect to the mounting means.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising positioning means connected to the valve body and to the mounting means for moving the mounting means with respect to the valve body to control exposure of the opening in the side wall of the valve body to air flowing outside the aircraft.

Claim 8

Emergency outside air breathing supply apparatus comprising outward opening mounting means having an open outer end for mounting an outer surface of an aircraft body and extending into the interior thereof providing a passageway between said outer surface and said interior, valve means connected to the mounting means for opening and closing the passageway, means for extending outside of the aircraft body when the valve means is open for extending into an airstream and scooping air inward, distribution means connected to the valve means for conducting air scooped from the airstream, the distribution means including a flexible hose having a proximal end connected to either one of the mounting means and the valve means and having a distal end, and having a flow directing means at the distal end for directing flow from the distal end of the hose toward a face of the user, wherein the valve means comprises a valve body having a configuration similar to the mounting means and fitting within the mounting means and wherein the valve body has a closed outer end, a ram air opening in a wall of the valve body near the closed outer end, means for pushing the valve body partly outward through the opening in the outer end of the mounting means whereby the ram air opening in the wall of the valve body is exposed to air flowing by the mounting means, whereby air is rammed into the opening, and wherein a second end of the mounting means is closed and wherein a second end of the valve body is open and further comprising a connection means connected to the mounting means for connecting the proximal end of the flexible hose to the mounting means.

Claim 9

Emergency outside air breathing supply apparatus comprising outward opening mounting means having an open outer end for mounting an outer surface of an aircraft body and extending into the interior thereof providing a passageway between said outer surface and said interior, valve means connected to the mounting means for opening and closing the passageway, means for extending outside of the aircraft body when the valve means is open for extending into an airstream and scooping air inward, distribution means connected to the valve means for conducting air scooped from the airstream, the distribution means including a flexible hose having a proximal end connected to either one of the mounting means and the valve means and having a distal end, and having a flow directing means at the distal end for directing flow from the distal end of the hose toward a face of the user, wherein the valve means comprises a valve body having a configuration similar to the mounting means and fitting within the mounting means and wherein the valve body has a closed outer end, a ram air opening in a wall of the valve body near the closed outer end, means for pushing the valve body partly outward through the opening in the outer end of the mounting means whereby the ram air opening in the wall of the valve body is exposed to air flowing by the mounting means, whereby air is rammed into the opening, and wherein a second end of the mounting means is closed and wherein a second end of the valve body is open and further comprising a connection means connected to the mounting means for connecting the proximal end of the flexible hose to the mounting means.

Claim 10

Emergency outside air breathing supply apparatus comprising outward opening mounting means for mounting on an outer surface of an aircraft body and extending into the interior thereof providing a passageway between said outer surface and said interior, valve means connected to the mounting means for opening and closing the means for scooping outside air inward when the valve is open, wherein an opening is provided in the outer end of the mounting means and the valve means comprises cover means for overlying the opening, and positioning means connected to the cover means and to the mounting means for closing or opening the cover means and for holding the cover means closed or open in preselected positions to scoop air flowing outside the aircraft into the mounting means, distribution means connected to the valve means for conducting air scooped from the air stream, the distribution means including a flexible hose having a proximal end connected to the mounting means and having a distal end and having a flow directing means at the distal end for directing flow from the distal end of the hose toward a face of a user, and wherein the mounting means has a closed second end and has a connection for mounting the proximal end of the flexible hose.

Claim 11

Emergency outside air breathing supply apparatus comprising outward opening mounting means for mounting on an outer surface of an aircraft body and extending into the interior thereof providing a passageway between said outer surface and said interior, valve means connected to the mounting means for opening and closing the means for scooping outside air inward when the valve is open, wherein an opening is provided in the outer end of the mounting means and the valve means comprises cover means for overlying the opening, and positioning means connected to the cover means and to the mounting means for closing or opening the cover means and for holding the cover means closed or open in preselected positions to scoop air flowing outside the aircraft into the mounting means, distribution means connected to the valve means for conducting air scooped from the air stream, the distribution means including a flexible hose having a proximal end connected to the mounting means and having a distal end and having a flow directing means at the distal end for directing flow from the distal end of the hose toward a face of a user, and wherein the mounting means has a closed second end and has a connection for mounting the proximal end of the flexible hose.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the positioning means comprises a lever pivoted to the cover means and extending outside of the mounting means.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a spring connected to the lever and cover means biases the lever into engagement with locking means on the mounting means.

Claim 14

Aircraft emergency breathing apparatus comprising air scoop means for scooping air from an air stream surrounding an aircraft, means for deploying the air scoop means in the air stream and means for withdrawing the air scoop means from the air stream, the air scoop means comprising a tubular body having a closed outer end and having an air scoop opening in a side of the tubular body facing an air stream, and a second tubular body having a closed inner end adapted to be mounted on the aircraft for slidably supporting the first tubular body, hose connection means being mounted on the second tubular body, a hose having a proximal end connected to the connection means, air directing means connected to a distal end of the hose, attaching means for attaching the air directing means to a head of a user to direct air onto a face of the user.

Claim 15

Aircraft emergency breathing apparatus comprising air scoop means for scooping air from an air stream surrounding an aircraft, means for deploying the air scoop means in the air stream and means for withdrawing the air scoop means from the air stream, the air scoop means comprising a tubular body having a closed outer end and having an air scoop opening in a side of the tubular body facing an air stream, and a second tubular body having a closed inner end adapted to be mounted on the aircraft for slidably supporting the first tubular body, hose connection means being mounted on the second tubular body, a hose having a proximal end connected to the connection means, air directing means connected to a distal end of the hose, attaching means for attaching the air directing means to a head of a user to direct air onto a face of the user.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the means for deploying the air scoop means and means for withdrawing the air scoop means comprise adjustable connection means between the first and second tubular bodies.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the adjustable connection means comprises a pin connected to the tubular body extending through an opening in the second tubular body and means for selectively immobilizing the pin with respect to the second tubular body.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the adjustable connection means comprises spring means connected to the tubular body extending through an opening in the second tubular body and detent means connected to the second tubular body for selectively engaging the spring means.