U.S. patent number 3,780,972 [Application Number 05/255,793] was granted by the patent office on 1973-12-25 for mounting apparatus for gas containers.
Invention is credited to John C. Brodersen.
United States Patent |
3,780,972 |
Brodersen |
December 25, 1973 |
MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR GAS CONTAINERS
Abstract
A mounting apparatus is disclosed for mounting oxygen filled gas
containers used in conjunction with breathing apparatus during
rescue operations. A base piece includes retaining members for
positioning and retaining the gas container in the longitudinal
axis. A pair of selectively actuated clamping arms extend from the
base piece for positioning and retaining the gas container in the
remaining two axes. A manually operated lever mechanism engages
each of the clamping arms and locks the clamping arms about the gas
container in a first position. In a second position, the manual
lever mechanism releases the pair of clamping arms to permit the
gas container to be withdrawn from the mounting apparatus.
Supporting apparatus is also disclosed for supporting and storing
the gas container in either a vertical or a horizontal position.
The support apparatus includes quick release locking mechanisms
operating in conjunction with pivotable support apparatus to permit
quick access to the mounted gas containers.
Inventors: |
Brodersen; John C. (Phoenix,
AZ) |
Family
ID: |
22969892 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/255,793 |
Filed: |
May 22, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/313;
211/85.18 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A62C
13/78 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A62C
13/78 (20060101); A62C 13/00 (20060101); A62c
039/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/309,311,313,316R,316D ;211/88,71,75 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Foss; J. Franklin
Claims
I claim:
1. A mounting mechanism for mounting pressurized gas containers
used in conjunction with breathing apparatus, said mechanism
comprising:
a. a base member oriented along the longitudinal axis of the gas
container;
b. retaining means secured to said base member for constraining
axial movement of the gas container in the longitudinal axis, said
retaining means being rigidly affixed to said base member;
c. clamp means resiliently secured to said base member for
restraining movement of the gas container in the remaining two
axes, said clamp means including a pair of arcuately shaped clamp
arms; and
d. a positionable lever, pivotally mounted to said base member,
engaging with said clamp means in a first position to prevent
displacement of said clamp means away from the gas container and
disengaging from said clamp means in a second position to permit
displacement of said clamp means; whereby, the gas container is
locked within said base member when said lever is in said first
position and the gas container is removable from said base member
when said lever is in said second position.
2. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base member
comprises a U-shaped channel having a base and extending sides with
the edges of said sides contacting the periphery of the gas
container.
3. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining
means includes at least one arm extending from each end of said
base member for engaging each end of the gas container.
4. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein each one of said
pair of clamp arms includes a free end and a fixed end, said fixed
end being secured to said base member.
5. The mechanism as set forth in claim 4 wherein a resilient
mounting is disposed intermediate said fixed end and said base
member.
6. A mounting mechanism for mounting pressurized gas containers
used in conjunction with breathing apparatus, said mechanism
comprising:
a. A base member oriented along the longitudinal axis of the gas
container;
b. Retaining means secured to said base member for constraining
axial movement of the gas container in the longitudinal axis, said
retaining means being rigidly affixed to said base member;
c. clamp means resiliently secured to said base member for
restraining movement of the gas container in the remaining two
axes, said clamp means includes a pair of arcuately shaped clamp
arms; and
d. a U-shaped lever having a pair of legs extending from a base
piece, said base piece being rotatably mounted on said base member
said lever engaging with said clamp means in a first position to
prevent displacement of said clamp means away from the gas
container and disengaging from said clamp means in a second
position to permit displacement of said clamp means; whereby, the
gas container is locked within said base member when said lever is
in said first position and the gas container is removable from said
base member when said lever is in said second position.
7. The mechanism as set forth in claim 6 including an end piece
secured to each of said legs, each said end piece slidably engaging
one of said pair of clamp arms and urging said pair of clamp arms
toward the gas container as said U-shaped lever is rotated from
said second position to said first position.
8. The mechanism as set forth in claim 7 including limit means for
constraining the amount of rotation of said U-shaped lever.
9. The mechanism as set forth in claim 8 including biasing means
for urging said U-shaped lever to said second position.
10. The mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lever
comprises a U-shaped lever having a pair of legs extending from a
base piece, said base piece being rotatably mounted to said base
member.
Description
The present invention relates to mounting apparatus for gas
containers, and more particularly, to readily accessible,
quick-release mounting apparatus for oxygen-filled gas
containers.
During rescue operation in inhospitable gaseous environments, such
as found in the vicinity of a fire, it is mandatory that the
rescuers employ some type of breathing apparatus. Without breathing
apparatus to supply the rescuers with an abundance of oxygen gas,
the rescuers cannot perform to the full extent of their abilities,
or they will succumb to the debilitating effects of the
environment.
The breathing apparatus in rescue operations generally includes a
supply of oxygen or oxygen enriched air, a regulator for regulating
the flow of oxygen and a face mask to direct the oxygen to the nose
and/or mouth of the wearer. The supply of oxygen is generally
contained within a high pressure gas container. These containers
are strapped to the back of the wearer, thereby permitting the
wearer to carry his needed oxygen supply wherever he goes and
without being dependent upon lengthy oxygen supply lines connected
to a central source of oxygen. These so-called self-contained
breathing apparatus enable the wearer to move through the rooms of
a house, among the trees and shrubbery within a forest, or in any
other location where there may exist noxious or poisonous fumes
without having any imposed restrictions on his freedom of
movement.
The containers for the oxygen are relatively heavy for several
reasons. The container must be sufficiently strong to withstand the
pressure of the oxygen contained therein. The weight of the filled
container includes not only the pressurized oxygen container
itself, but the weight of the pressurized oxygen contained therein.
In addition, the valve disposed at the outlet of the container
contributes to the overall weight. Because of the weight of the
self-contained breathing apparatus, rescuers are loathe to wear the
apparatus except when there is a distinct hazard to their personal
well-being. When such a hazard arises, it is necessary that the
breathing apparatus be readily available for use.
In the prior art, various mechanisms have evolved for the storing
of breathing apparatus for rescue crews. The gas container is the
heaviest item comprising the breathing apparatus and therefore the
previously known mounting mechanism have all employed some type of
mounting apparatus secured to the gas container. The additional
element of the breathing apparatus has usually been strapped to or
in some way attached to the gas container. The mounting apparatus
in the prior art can be categorized by function into several forms.
In one type, the container must be slid along the longitudinal axis
to obtain separation from the mounting apparatus. This sliding
requirement is unsatisfactory in that the space required for
mounting the container must be sufficient to permit the container
to be slid, usually for a distance equivalent to the length of the
container itself. If the container is first strapped onto the
rescuer, the rescuer had to undergo uncomfortable and sometimes
impossible contortions to effect a release. In another type of
mounting apparatus, a latch-like mechanism was used to effect
release of the gas container from the mounting apparatus. Although
these systems were capable of working well, they often imposed a
severe handicap on the rescuer himself. The latch usually placed so
that the rescuer himself could not reach behind him to effect
release. Thus, the system required a second person to insure that
release was effected. This problem is further aggravated for
rescuers, such as firemen, who normally wear heavy and bulky outer
garments. In yet another family of gas container release
mechanisms, an handle was used to unclamp a set of arms, the latter
partially extending about the gas container. This family of release
mechanisms operated fairly well in terms of ease of operability and
effective release. However, these mechanisms were not suited for
use in conjunction with cars or trucks operating upon bumpy roads
at high speeds. These mounting apparatus did not have positive
means for restraining movement of the gas containers in the
longitudinal axis and therefore bumping or jarring of the mounting
plate tended to cause the gas container to move axially and
possibly slide out of the mounting apparatus.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to
provide mounting apparatus for gas containers.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a
quick-release mechanism for mounted gas containers.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
readily-accessible mounting apparatus for self-contained breathing
apparatus.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide
mounting apparatus for gas containers which will not release the
gas containers despite bumping and jarring.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means for
storing self-contained breathing apparatus in a horizontal position
without sacrificing ready accessibility.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide means
for storing self-contained breathing apparatus in a vertical
position without effecting the accessibility of the self-contained
breathing apparatus.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide means
for single-handedly removing self-contained breathing apparatus
from a stored position to a position where the apparatus is ready
for use.
The present invention may be described with more specificity and
clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates the gas container mounting apparatus of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the present invention taken along
lines 2--2 as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken
along lines 3--3 as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 illustrates storage and retrieval apparatus for storing the
present invention in a vertical position.
FIG. 5 illustrates a frontal view of the present invention in the
vertical storage position.
FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the locking apparatus
taken on lines 6--6 shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a top view of horizontal storage apparatus for the
present invention.
FIG. 8 is a side view of horizontal storage apparatus for the
present invention.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the latching apparatus taken
along lines 9--9 shown in FIG. 7.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the outline of a gas container
1 mounted within the mounting apparatus of the present invention. A
mounting member 2 is shaped as a channel including a base 5 and
sides 3 and 4. A retaining arm 6 is secured to one end of base 5 by
means such as triangular plate 9. In the alternative, retaining arm
6 may be directly connected to plate 5. Each of a pair of retaining
rods 7 is connected to one side of mounting member 2. The retaining
arm 6 and pair of retaining rods 7 are curved to conform with the
generally hemispherical shape of the ends of gas container 1. The
extent of the curvature of retaining arm 6 and pair of retaining
arms 7 is such that in the vertical position, the gas container 1
cannot be released in the horizontal direction without deforming
the retaining arm or retaining rods. However, by pivoting the gas
container 1 about either end, the opposite end of the gas container
will rotate within either the retaining arm 6 or the retaining rods
7 until that end rotates clear of restraint. The angle of rotation
required to be free of further restraint can best be determined
through experimentation and is readily understood to those skilled
in the art. The width between the pair of retaining rods 7 can vary
depending upon the type and make of gas container 1. The governing
criteria with respect to the width is that the outlet 10 and valve
11 of gas container 1 does not interfere with the retaining rods 7
on removal of the gas container. It has been found that a width
slightly less than the diameter of the gas container 1 is
sufficient to clear all presently used outlets 10 and valves 11 for
any given size gas container 1.
Each of a pair of clamp arms 12, 13 is mounted to sides 3 and 4,
respectively, by a nut and bolt combination 18 and 19,
respectively. The clamp arms 12 and 13 are resiliently mounted to
sides 3 and 4 through resilient mounts 16 and 17, respectively.
Resilient mounts can be of rubber or rubber-like material and are
retained in position by the nut and bolt combinations 18 and 19
passing through an aperture disposed within each of the resilient
mounts. A pair of U-shaped channels 14 and 15 are permanently
secured to sides 3 and 4, respectively. U-shaped channels 14 and 15
receive the apertured ends of clamp arms 12 and 13 and prevent
rotation of the clamp arms about the nut and bolt combinations 18
and 19. The resilient mounts are, of course, mounted within the
channels 14 and 15 between the apertured ends of clamp arms 12 and
13 and the base of the U-shaped channels, as shown with greater
clarity in FIG. 3.
Again referring to FIG. 3, the central part of clamp arms 12 and 13
are arcuate-shaped to conform with the cylindrical surface of gas
container 1. The pivoting ends of clamp arms 12 and 13 are straight
and bent away from the central part to permit the pivoting end to
be parallel with the respective sides 3 and 4. The free ends of
clamp arms 12 and 13 are bent away from the central part so that
the free ends will aid in laterally displacing the clamp arms when
a gas container 1 is inserted therebetween, as will be explained in
more detail below. A generally U-shaped, manually operated lever
22, including a base 23 and a pair of arms 24 and 25 has its base
23 pivotally mounted within apertures 26 and 27 disposed in sides 3
and 4 respectively. The lever 22 further includes a handle 28
secured to arm 24 via extension 29. As shown in FIG. 2, a first
limiter 30 is secured to base 23. Limiter 30 extends from base 23
and contacts base 5 to limit the clockwise rotational movement of
lever 22. A second limiter 31 also extends from base 23 and
contacts base 5 to limit counterclockwise rotational movement of
lever 22. A yet third limiter 32 (as shown more clearly in FIG. 3)
is disposed on clamp arm 12. Limiter 32 co-acts with limiter 30 to
limit the clockwise rotational movement of lever 22. A bias spring
34 is secured to both base 5 and base 23 of lever 22 to bias lever
22 in the most counterclockwise position when a gas container 1 is
not mounted within the mounting apparatus of the present invention.
By biasing lever arm 22, the lever arm is inhibited from flopping
about and possibly causing damage to the mounting apparatus.
The gas container 1 is inserted and removed from the mounting
member 2 in the following manner. When the mounting member 2 is
empty, the lever 22 and handle 28 are biased by bias spring 34 so
that the lever and handle are essentially parallel to base 5 of
mounting member 2, as shown in FIG. 2. The gas container 1 is
inserted within mounting member 2 by positioning the valved end of
gas container 1 adjacent the retaining rods 7. The gas container 1
is thence rotated such that the remaining end of the gas container
engages and is retained by retaining arm 6. As described above,
these arms prevent axial movement of the gas container 1. As the
gas container 1 is rotated to engage retaining arm 6, the sides of
the gas container engage the free end of clamp arms 12 and 13,
forcing them to move laterally outwardly. The lateral movement of
clamp arms 12 and 13 is possible due to the resilient mounts 16 and
17. There may also be some outward flexing of the clamp arms 12 and
13. When the bottle is positioned within the retaining arm 6 and
retaining rods 7, the central part of clamp arms 12 and 13,
conforming to a part of the periphery of gas container 1, are held
adjacent thereto by the previously compressed resilient mounts 16
and 17. The gas container 1 is locked into position between clamp
arms 12 and 13 by raising lever 22. That is, by grasping handle 28
and rotating lever 22 is the clockwise direction, as shown in FIG.
2. The distance between the ends 20 and 21 of arms 24 and 25,
respectively, is such that the ends will provide a compressive
force against clamp arms 12 and 13 to position clamp arms firmly
against the periphery of gas container 1. The rotationl movement of
lever 22 causes the ends 20 and 21 to engage clamp arms 12 and 13
and exert pressure thereon. The extent of rotational movement of
lever 22 is such that ends 20 and 21 travel beyond the lateral apex
of clamp arms 12 and 13, that is, the greatest lateral width
presented by the clamp arms. The rotational movement of lever 22 is
inhibited by limiter 30, as previously discussed, and by limiter
32. Limiter 32 is secured to clamp arm 12 and cooperates with end
20 of arm 24. As the ends 20 and 21 travel beyond the apex of the
clamp arms 12 and 13, there may be some flexing of arms 24 and 25
to accommodate the increased width at the apex. Thus, when lever 22
is in the limited position as shown in FIG. 3, arms 24 and 25 exert
a compressive force upon the clamp arms 12 and 13. The compressive
force prevents inadvertent travel of ends 20 and 21 toward the base
5 as they must travel up to and beyond the apex of the clamp arms
12 and 13. Such travel would increase the compressive force exerted
by the ends 20 and 21 and the travel is therefore prevented.
To remove the gas container 1 from the mounting member 2, the
handle 28 is grasped and forced in a counterclockwise direction
(see FIG. 2) toward base 5. Such movement of lever 22 will cause
arms 24 and 25 to expand and accommodate the travel of ends 20 and
21 beyond the apex of clamp arms 12 and 13. Lever 22 is rotated
counterclockwise until limiter 31 contacts base 5 and prevents
further rotational movement of lever 22. With the lever arm 22 in
this position, gas container 1 may be grasped, usually at the end
adjacent retaining arm 6, and pulled away from mounting member 2.
The valved end of gas container 1 will rotate within retaining rods
7 until the other end is free of retaining arm 6. Further pulling
of gas container 1 will force the gas container clear of clamp arms
12 and 13. As the gas container 1 is removed from mounting member
2, clamp arms 12 and 13 will be forced outwardly to permit the free
ends of clamp arms 12 and 13 to accommodate the width of the gas
container 1. There may be some flexing of the clamp arms 12 and 13
themselves; however, the major outward movement of clamp arms 12
and 13 is accommodated by the compressing of the resilient mounts
16 and 17. As previously discussed, lever 22 is maintained
essentially parallel to base 5 by means of bias spring 34
maintaining limiter 31 in contact with base 5.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, there is shown apparatus for storing
the mounting member 2 within an enclosure and yet permitting quick
access to the gas container 1. The enclosure, pictorially defined
by top 40, bottom 41 and side 42 can be a compartment within a
rescue vehicle such as an ambulance or a fire truck. It is intended
that this compartment open at the side of the vehicle. A brace 43,
shown as a triangular structure, is secured to side 42. Brace 43
houses and supports a pivoting member 44. The rear side of base 5
has attached thereto a flange 45 extending away from base 5. A
cylindrical member 48 is secured to flange 45. The internal
dimension of cylindrical member 48 permits the cylindrical member
to fit about the extending portion of pivoting member 44. A cap 46
secured to pivoting member 44 retains the cylindrical member 48
between the cap 46 and brace 43 and prevents axial movement of the
cylindrical member. In this manner, mounting member 2 is pivotally
secured within the compartment. The weight of the pivoted
combination of mounting member 2 and gas container 1 will tend to
cause the combination to rotate counterclockwise (see FIG. 4) until
a state of equilibrium is reached. Such a state normally causes the
combination to extend outside of the confines of the compartment.
In addition, the pivoting capability of the combination will permit
the combination to swing in response to movement of the vehicle and
cause damage to the compartment itself or to the combination. To
prevent such free pivoting movement and to secure the combination
within the compartment, a latching mechanism is used.
The latching mechanism includes an extension 52 welded or bolted
(as shown) to the bottom of base 5. The extension 52 extends to one
side of the mounting member 2. At the extremity of the extension,
there is attached a latch mechanism shown in FIG. 6. The latch
mechanism includes a cylinder 53 attached at the approximate
extremity of extension 52. A spring 54 is disposed within the
central part of cylinder 53. A pair of latches 50 and 51 are
disposed within opposite open ends of cylinder 53. Each of the
latches 50 and 51 includes a guide 50 and 56, respectively,
extending through slots 57 and 58 within cylinder 53. The latches
50 and 51 are retained within the cylinder 53 by the guides 55 and
56 being constrained to limited axial movement by slots 57 and 58.
The spring 54 acts against the inner extremities of latches 50 and
51 and applies a force tending to maintain the latches 50 and 51 in
their outermost permissible position. A lip 46 is secured to the
bottom 41 of the compartment. Latch 50, as shown in FIG. 4, engages
lip 46 and thereby prevents rotational movement of the mounting
member 2 and gas container 1 combination in response to the weight
of the combination pivoting about pivoting member 44. To withdraw
the gas container 1 from within the compartment, guide 55 is
grasped and moved upwrdly within slot 57. The upward movement of
guide 55 forces latch 50 to move upwardly, compressing spring 54.
The upward movement of latch 50 disengages latch 50 from lip 46 and
permits the gas container to be swung outwardly from within the
compartment.
The configuration shown for the latching mechanism is such that an
operator, wishing to withdraw the gas container 1, can grasp the
latch mechanism with one hand, release the latch 50 from lip 46 and
withdraw the gas container. The importance of the one-hand
operation is made more significant by realizing that the total
weight of the mounting member 2 and the gas container 1 may be
fifty pounds or more. Should this weight unexpectedly swing out as
the latching mechanism is released, injury to the operator or
adjacent persons might occur. By grasping the latching mechanism
with one hand and using the fingers or thumb of that hand to
release the latch insures that the operator will be able to control
the sudden outward swinging of the mounting member 2 and gas
container 1.
In order to remove the gas container 1 from the mounting member 2,
the combination is rotated one hundred and eighty degrees, as shown
in FIG. 4. The top of a compartment 40 includes a second lip 59
positioned proximate to the outside edge of the compartment. The
180.degree. rotation of the mounting member 2 causes latch 51 of
the latching mechanism to engage lip 59. The weight of the mounting
member and gas container will tend to swing the combination in a
counterclockwise direction. The counterclockwise swinging is
inhibited by latch 51 locked against lip 59. The gas container 1
may now be removed from the mounting member 2 as previously
discussed with respect to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.
Harness 60 is secured to gas container 1 and is used to mount the
gas container 1 onto the back of the user. As previously discussed
and shown in FIG. 4, the assembly carried by the user includes not
only the gas container 1, but outlet 10, valve 11, oxygen hose 63,
regulator 61 and face mask 62. All of these elements are strapped
to the gas container 1 by straps 64. The straps 64 are secured to
base 5 of mounting member 2 and wrap around gas container 1 to
secure the above-mentioned elements thereto and thereby provide a
convenient unitary module. After the gas container 1 has been
removed from within the compartment and locked in the upright
position, straps 64 are unwound from about the harness 60 and the
gas container. The user dons the harness 60 and thereby straps the
gas container 1 to his back. The gas container 1 is then released
by grasping handle 28 and forcing lever 22 toward the mounting
member 2. This lever movement unlocks clamp arms 12 and 13 from
about the gas container 1 and permits the user to withdraw the gas
container from the mounting member 2. The face mask 62 and
regulator 61 are, of course, also released when straps 64 are
unwrapped and they may be used when needed by the user. After the
oxygen supply from the gas container is no longer needed, the
harness 60 can be unfastened and the container replaced within the
mounting member as previously described.
After the gas container has been replaced within mounting member 2,
the gas container and attached harness are once again stored within
the compartment of the vehicle. The replacement of the mounting
member 2 and gas container 1 within the compartment can be simply
effected by an operator grasping the latch mechanism and
disengaging latch 51 from lip 59. The disengaging operation is
performed by grasping or simply forcing guide 56 toward the central
part of cylinder 53, thereby partially withdrawing latch 51 within
cylinder 53. As the mounting member 2 and gas container 1 swings
downwardly, latch 50 will once again engage lip 46 and lock the
unit within the compartment.
Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, there is shown apparatus for storing
the present invention in a horizontal position and yet permit easy
access to the gas container 1. The horizontal platform 70 upon
which the gas container 1 is stored, may be the top of a fender of
a rescue vehicle or the top of a cabinet mounted onto the rescue
vehicle. The side 71 can be the front side or rear of the vehicle.
The mounting member 2 is secured to platform 70 via a hinge 72,
which hinge is similar to a standard door hinge. One side of the
hinge 72 is secured to the bottom of base 5, with the other side of
the hinge being pivotally attached to platform 70. The pivotal
attachment includes a bolt 73 extending through an aperture within
the hinge side and an aperture within platform 70. A washer 75 is
disposed between the hinge side and platform 70 to reduce
rotational friction therebetween. A nut 74 secures the bolt 73 to
platform 70. The purpose of the pivotal attachment between hinge 72
and platform 70 is best illustrated in FIG. 7, which figure shows
one position of mounting member 2 being generally parallel with
platform 70 and the second position wherein the mounting member
extends beyond side 71.
The vehicle carrying the gas container 1 must of course travel over
rough roads. These roads will jar the gas container 1 and may cause
damage unless the gas container and its mounting apparatus is
secured to the vehicle. The means for securing the mounting member
2 to the platform 70 is illustrated in FIG. 7 in combination with
FIG. 9. An extension 78, generally resembling a truncated triangle,
is secured to the underside of base 5 by bolts 79 engaging matched
apertures within the base and the extension. A latch 80 is secured
to extensions 78 by screws 84. Catch 82 of latch 80 engages
vertical member 83 of striker plate 85, the latter being secured to
platform 70. When thus engaged, the extension 78, and hence
mounting member 2 is prevented from rotating beyond side 71 of
platform 70. A handle 81 is secured to latch 80. The purpose of
handle 81 is to provide an operator with a means for grasping the
apparatus upon which the gas container 1 is mounted to swing the
apparatus about the pivot point. A second function of handle 81 is
that of disengaging latch 80 from striker plate 85 by lifting latch
80 until catch 82 is free of vertical member 83. Necessarily, this
requires that the latch 80 be of resilient material. However, latch
80 must be sufficiently rigid to prevent the bumping or jarring of
the vehicle from inadvertently raising latch 80 to free it from
striker plate 85.
When an operator desires to remove the gas container 1 from the
mounting member 2, he performs a simple operation of simply
grasping the handle 81 and lifting upwardly to release the latch 80
from the striker plate 85. Without letting go of the handle 81, the
operator swings the mounting member 2 about the pivot point until
the mounting member is approximately perpendicular to side 71. The
length of side 77 of hinge 72 in combination with the location of
pivot point 76 in platform 70 is such that as the mounting member 2
is approximately perpendicular to side 71, the pivot of the hinge
permits the mounting member 2 to rotate downwardly to the vertical
position as shown in FIG. 8. Further rotation beyond the vertical
position is of course inhibited by the base 5 of mounting member 2
contacting side 71. During the above described operation, the
operator has continuous grasp of handle 81 and therefore is able to
control the movement of the gas container 1 to prevent inadvertent
dropping or dislocation which might cause injury or damage.
Although not shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, gas container 1 has
attached thereto the harness and other accouterments mentioned with
respect to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. These attachments are similarly
secured to the gas container by similar straps. When the gas
container 1 has been positioned in the vertical position as shown
in FIG. 8, the rescuer can don the harness and strap the gas
container 1 to his back. Release of the gas container 1 from the
mounting member 2 can again be effected by rotating lever 22 as
described above.
After use, the gas container 1 and the attendant harness can be
replaced within mounting member 2 as described above. After being
secured within mounting member 2, an operator would grasp handle
81, lift on handle to rotate the mounting member 2 to the
horizontal position, rotate the mounting member through 90.degree.
in the horizontal plane to engage latch 80 with striker plate 85.
Thus, the mounting member is once again securely attached to and
stored upon platform 70.
In the preferred embodiment for storing the gas containers, whether
it be in a vertical or horizontal position, is such as to place the
gas container, when ready for use, at a vertical height
approximately equivalent to the middle of a rescuer's back. Such an
arrangement permits the rescuer to don the harness before the gas
container 1 is released from the mounting member 2. When release is
effected, the weight of the gas container 1 will be already
supported by the rescuer's back and thereby reduce the danger of
dropping or otherwise manhandling the heavy gas container.
While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in
an illustrative embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to
those skilled in the art many modifications of structure,
arrangement, proportions, the elements, materials, and components,
used in the practice of the invention which are particularly
adapted for specific environments and operating requirements
without departing from those principles.
* * * * *