GB2026853A - Life jacket installation in seat - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a life- jacket (9, 10) in conjunction with a seat, particularly for hovercraft or hydrofoils. A combined seat pan and back support (5) forms a tray to stow a life-jacket (9, 10), and a seat squab (13) fits over the life-jacket. The squab is readily liftable and a pull tag (8) is provided to lift the forward edge of the life jacket out of the tray in the support (5). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Life jacket installation This invention relates to the installation of lifejackets in conjunction with seats, particularly in hovercraft hydrofoils and similar high speed vessels. The invention may also have application in aircraft seats.

It has long been accepted that where an emergency escape from a public transport craft or vessel might be into the sea, then it is necessary to provide lifejackets and/or life rafts. In aircraft, and also high speed crafts such as hovercraft and hydrofoils, it is the established custom to provide lifejackets associated with each passenger seat. Normally an inflatable jacket is stowed under each seat.

Inflatable lifejackets do have the advantage that they occupy a small stowage space, and are reasonably convenient to put on within the confined space normally available, but they do have the disadvantage of needing to be inflated, in the case of aircraft in particular, after leaving the aircraft. There is thus a very vital step to be performed after leaving the aircraft, and this can cause considerable difficulties with children or elderly or infirm passengers. Also it must be remembered that where a lifejacket is to be used, then there will be a considerable element of fright which would impair the normal faculties. The lifejackets are generalyautomatically inflatable, and inflatable lifejackets of this type are fairly expensive, both to manufacture and to maintain in the constant state of readiness which is necessary.Being automatically inflatable, there is also the problem that premature inflation is possible which leads to a risk of a passenger being trapped within the vessel through being unable to leave through the exit door while wearing the lifebelt.

Non-inflatable lifejackets are available but they are more bulky and present a considerable stowage problem which militates against adoption in the comparatively confined spaces, particularly of high speed marine passenger craft, in which a lifejacket has to be provided adjacent each seat.

According to the present invention, a non inflatable lifejacket is installed in the seat by being supported at least partially within a hollow provided between a seat cushion and a seat pan, and is readily withdrawable for use.

Preferably, the seat also includes a combined seat squab and back squab which has a hollow to accommodate the lifejacket, which then extends upwardly into the seat back at the rear of the seat pan on which it is supported.

The combined squab may pivot about the upper end of the back squab portion to provide easy access to the life-jacket.

The forward end of the lifejacket may be rested on a pull-tag to lift the said forward end when required so as to aid rapid removal of the lifejacket.

The invention will be further described with refer ence to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a seat installation incorporating a lifejacket according to a form of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a set of seats, two of which are partially cut away, and from one of which the lifejacket has been removed; and Figure 3 is a further perspective view illustrating the sequence of operations in removing the jacket from its stowed position.

The drawings show a group of seats mounted on a transverse beam member 1 supported on laterally spaced leg-structures 2 which are located in floor rails 3. Beam member 1 carries longitudinal frame members 4, and these support a seat pan and back support combined, indicated generally by the reference 5. A forward portion 5a of the seat pan is shown as having an upstanding forward wall 6 so that it forms a tray, the size of which are limited by spacer blocks 7. A pull-tag 8 is mounted in each forward portion 5a so that on being pulled taught to the position shown in the nearest seat visible in Figure 2 it will serve to lift a lifejacket stowed on the seat pan.

The lifejacket has been omitted from this particular seat to show the arrangement of the pull-tag 8, and on the other two seats it is shown in its normal position.

The central seat of those shown in Figure 2 is shown with its seat and back squab cut away to reveal the position of a lifejacket of an approved marine type with buoyancy provided by blocks of rigid foam. This lifejacket is illustrated as having a front portion 9, a back portion 10 and an intermediate shoulder portion 11 which has a neck aperture 12. As can be seen from Figure 2 in particular, the lifejacket consists of blocks of the foam material located within a tough outer casing. The seat pan and back support 5 is contoured so that the lifejacket fits snugly thereon, and as can be seen from the drawings, the lifejacket is surmounted by a combined seat and back squab 13 which with the seat pan and back support 5 forms a hollow cavity for the lifejacket.The upper portion of the squab 13 is also seen, in the centre seat shown in Figure 2, to provide a hollow for a stowed position of a table 14 to extend rearwardly over that seat.

Referring in particular to Figure 3, a procedure for removing the lifejacket from its stowed position wholly within the seat is illustrated by a series of arrows. The first stage is to lift the combined seat and back squab 13 so that it pivots about its upper edge as indicated by the arrows 15 and 16. The pull-tag 8 is then pulled down as indicated by the arrow 17 and this pulls that tag into its support position so that the front end of the lifejacket is lifted over the front wall 6 and the whole lifejacketcan then be withdrawn as indicated by the arrow 18 by a steady pulling action.

it was appreciated that the lifejacket, being of rigid foam, does not provide any contribution to the upholstering of the seat so that the squab 13 must provide all of the cushioning required. If a suitable lifejacket were available which had resilient properties, then these could be used to assist in the upholstering of the seat with the consequent reduction in the required thickness of the squab 13.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. A seat, in or for a marine vesel or aircraft, comprising a seat pan supporting a seat cushion, in which the seat pan and seat cushion define a cavity therebetween which receives or is adapted to receive a life jacket in a readily withdrawable manner.

2. A seat as claimed in claim 1, in which the cavity continues into the seat back.

3. A seat as claimed in claim 2, in which the seat pan is integral with a seat back support.

4. A seat as claimed in claim 2 or 3, comprising a combined seat and back squab having a hollow at least partially to form the said cavity.

5. A seat as claimed in claim 4, in which the combined squab is pivotable about the upper end of the back squab portion to provide readily access to the life jacket.

6. A seat as claimed in claim 5, in which the forward end of the life jacket is rested on a pull-tag to lift the said forward end when required so as to aid rapid removal of the life jacket.

7. A seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims, including a life jacket of the type wherein the buoyancy is provided by blocks of rigid foam.

8. A seat substantiaily as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 19.9.79.

Superseded claims 1-8.

New or amended claims:- 1-8

1. Aseat,in orfora marine vessel or aircraft, comprising a seat pan and a seat back support, seat cushion means supported on the seat pan and seat back support, wherein the seat pan and seat back support define, in conjunction with the said seat cushion means a cavity to receive a lifejacket for stowage in a readily withdrawable manner, the said cavity extending from a location adjacent the front area of the seat pan to a location at least partially up the seat back support.

2. A seat as claimed in claim 1, in which the seat pan is integral with the seat back support.

3. A seat as claimed in claim 1 ot 2, comprising a combined seat and back squab having a hollow at least partially to form the said cavity.

4. A seat as claimed in claim 3, in which the combined squab is pivotable about the upper end of the back squab portion to provide readily access to the lifejacket.

5. A seat as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, in which a pull tag is provided to receive and support a forward end of the life jacket to lift the said forward end when required so as to aid rapid removal of the life jacket.

6. A seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims, including a life jacket of the type wherein the buoyancy is provided by blocks of rigid foam.

7. In combination, a non-inflatable life-jacket of the type wherein buoyancy is provided by blocks of rigid foam, and a seat for a marine vessel or aircraft, the seat comprising a seat pan and a seat cushion supported on the seat pan, in which the seat cushion and seat pan define a cavity therebetween which receives the life-jacket in a readily withdrawable manner.