DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like references indicate like or similar elements throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a rescue apparatus suitable for water and land rescue operations constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention and designated generally by reference numeral 10 .

[0026] Rescue apparatus 10 preferably comprises a spring loaded firearm 12 , rescue device 14 which is desirably aerodynamic and adapted to be launched through the air, and a supply of suitable safety line 16 which has one end secured to the firearm 12 and an opposite end secured to the rescue device 14 . In the event rescue apparatus 10 is to be used in a water rescue operation, rescue device 14 is desirably a floatation device fabricated from suitable buoyant materials such as foamed or hollow plastics, rubber, or the like.

[0027] Firearm 12 includes a barrel 20 , a shoulder stock 22 and a trigger 24 . The barrel 20 includes a muzzle 26 and preferably has an elongated groove or slot 28 formed along the length thereof ( FIG. 2 ). A ratchet 30 is mounted for axial movement along the length of the barrel 20 of the firearm 12 . The ratchet 20 includes a plurality of notches and a plurality of teeth shown by way of example at 32 and 34 , respectively, in FIG. 3 . Each of the notches 32 in the ratchet 30 is situated between two adjacent teeth 34 . As seen in FIG. 2, a gripping member 33 is connected to ratchet 30 and extends laterally outwardly from the firearm 12 through an unillustrated elongated groove formed in the side thereof.

[0028] A pawl 35 is connected to trigger 24 and is adapted to extend into one of the notches 32 and engage one of the teeth 34 . The trigger 24 and associated pawl 35 are mounted for pivotal movement about pin 36 as more fully described below.

[0029] Extending upwardly from the ratchet and through the groove or slot 28 in the barrel 20 of the firearm 12 is a rescue device engaging segment 38 ( FIG. 1 ). According to a first preferred embodiment of apparatus 10 , situated within the barrel 20 is a tension spring 40 which has one end secured adjacent the muzzle 26 and an opposite end 42 secured proximate to the rescue device engaging segment 38 .

[0030] In the preferred embodiment, a container 50 , which includes a removable lid 52 , is mounted to the firearm 12 as shown in FIG. 1 . The supply of safety line 16 is preferably disposed within the container. The supply of line is desirably passed through an opening in the lid 52 of the container 50 and the distal end 54 of the supply of line 16 is secured to the rescue device 14 .

[0031] Referring to FIG. 4, a first preferred aerodynamic rescue device 14 is shown which comprises a body preferably including first and second half segments 56 and 58 , respectively. Each half segment includes a planar surface and an accurate surface. The segments are adapted to mate with one another to preferably form a generally football-shaped rescue device. Each of the half segments is preferably comprised of a rigid polymeric material and includes a generally Y-shaped channel 60 and 62 , respectively, formed in the planar surface thereof. Half segment 56 includes a pair of opposed recessed portions 63 and 65 formed therein. Similarly, half segment 58 includes a pair of opposed recessed portions formed therein.

[0032] Further, half segment 56 preferably includes two projections 55 and 57 extending outwardly from the planar surface thereof. Each of the projections includes a threaded opening formed therein. Half segment 58 includes two screw holes 59 and 61 which are each designed to fit over a corresponding one of the projections 55 and 57 as more fully described below.

[0033] Preferably, a spring biased elongated bar member 76 is mounted in the channel 60 of half segment 56 adjacent one end thereof. The bar member 76 includes a plurality of teeth and a plurality of notches. A spring biased elongated pin member 78 is slidably mounted through the half segment 56 . An end of the pin member is adapted to extend into the channel 60 when force is applied to the opposite end thereof against the restoring forces of the associated spring (not shown).

[0034] According to the first presently preferred embodiment, the supply of safety line 16 is preferably comprised of two intertwined lines 64 and 66 . Each of the lines includes a diverging end portion 68 and 70 , respectively. Each of the diverging end portions preferably terminates in a knot 82 and 84 .

[0035] A bar member 80 is preferably secured to the intertwined lines 64 and 66 . Bar member 80 includes a plurality of teeth and a plurality of notches. The teeth of bar member 80 are adapted to engage the notches in spring biased bar member 76 as more fully described below.

[0036] The intertwined lines 64 and 66 are partially positioned in channel 60 of half segment 56 as shown in FIG. 4 . Each diverging end portion, 68 and 70 , is preferably formed into a loop so that it can extend outwardly from the half segment 56 . Each knot, 82 and 84 is positioned by corresponding recessed portion 63 and 65 provided in one or both of half segments 56 , 58 thereby capturing the knots 82 , 84 within and affixing the knots to the rescue device 14 in substantially tamper-resistant and environmentally protected fashion. The half segment 58 is positioned on top of half segment 56 so that the Y-shaped channels, 60 and 62 , in each of the segments overlie one another to define a Y-shaped passageway. The two half segments are preferably secured to one another by two screws 90 and 92 which are each positioned through a corresponding screw hole 59 and 61 in half segment 58 , and threaded into a threaded opening in a corresponding projection 55 and 57 . It should be noted, however, that the two half segments can be releasably or permanently secured to one another by a variety of conventional means.

[0037] Each loop defines an opening. The openings, defined by the loops, can be enlarged or reduced by either pushing the intertwined lines 64 and 66 into the rescue device 14 or by pulling the lines outwardly therefrom.

[0038] In order to facilitate an understanding of the principles associated with the foregoing apparatus, its operation will now be briefly described in connection with a water rescue operation. It will be appreciated, however, that the following discussion is equally applicable to the manner by which apparatus 10 may be deployed to conduct a rescue on land. A user grasps gripping member 33 and pulls the same in order to extend spring 40 a predetermined amount and dispose the spring into a predetermined loaded or stressed condition. More specifically, the further the person to be rescued is from the rescuer, the further the spring must be extended so that the restoring force is sufficient enough to propel the floatation device the requisite distance. As the gripping member 33 is pulled back, the teeth 34 , which extend from ratchet 30 , contact the pawl 35 . The pawl is inserted into and engages one of the notches 32 between adjacent teeth 34 to restrict movement of the ratchet 30 as the same is pulled back and sufficiently extended.

[0039] Thereafter, the rescue device 14 is positioned atop the firearm 12 in such a manner that the rescue device engaging segment 38 engages a notch or similar formation in rescue device 14 . The user then pulls back on the trigger 24 in order to urge the pawl 35 to pivot about pin 36 and move out of the selected notch 32 in the ratchet 30 . The restoring force of the spring 40 causes the ratchet 30 and rescue device engaging segment 38 , which is connected thereto, to move axially along the length of the barrel 20 of the firearm 12 . Once the rescue device engaging segment 38 reaches the muzzle 26 of the barrel it is immediately brought to a halt, thereby causing the rescue device, and the supply of safety line attached thereto, to be propelled toward the person in distress.

[0040] The victim then grasps the rescue device 14 and preferably inserts one or both of his or her hands through the loops formed by the diverging end portions 68 and 70 of the lines 64 and 66 . The victim then signals the rescuer to pull him or her ashore. As the victim is pulled in, the openings, defined by each of the loops, are tightened around the wrists of the victim. The loops are locked in place when the teeth in the bar member 80 engage the notches in the spring biased bar member 76 to prevent over-tightening of the loops about the victim's wrists. After the victim is pulled to safety, his or her wrists are freed by pressing the spring loaded pin member 78 so that a portion of the intertwined lines is forced against the spring biased bar member 76 and the same is detracted thereby causing the teeth of bar member 80 to be disengaged from the notches in spring biased bar member 76 . This allows the intertwined lines 64 and 66 to be pushed inwardly so that the opening in the loops can be enlarged thereby enabling withdrawal of the victim's hands therefrom.

[0041] FIGS. 5, 6 , and 7 illustrate further embodiments of a rescue apparatus and rescue device in accordance with the present invention. For brevity, except where necessary for a proper and thorough depiction of the present invention, only those features of rescue apparatus 10 ′, firearm 12 ′ rescue device 14 ′ which depart in structure and/or function to their counterparts in the earlier drawing figures will be described in detail with regard to FIGS. 5 - 7 .

[0042] Rather than the tension spring 40 utilized in firearm 12 , firearm 12 ′ of FIGS. 5 and 6 are desirably provided with a compression spring 40 ′ as the source of motive energy for launching rescue device 14 ′ toward a person in distress. One end of spring 40 ′ is secured to ratchet 30 and the opposite and is secured to the shoulder stock end of the barrel. Loading or stressing of spring 40 ′ is achieved by pulling rearwardly or gripping member 33 to compress the spring 40 whereby the pawl becomes in engaged in one of the plurality of notches 32 ( FIG. 3 ) in ratchet 30 . Desirably, the spring 40 ′ is compressed sufficiently to enable the spring when released, to propel the rescue device 14 ′ (or line 18 ) to within reaching distance of the victim.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 7 , there is shown a presently preferred construction of rescue device 14 ′, which like rescue device 14 , is preferably aerodynamic and, if used for water rescues, buoyant. Rescue device 14 ′ comprises a body preferably including first and second half segments 56 ′ and 58 ′ which are substantially similar to half segments 56 , 58 of rescue device 14 . Half segments 56 ′ and 58 ′ respectively include matable safety line accommodating channels 60 ′ and 62 ′. When the half segments 56 ′, 58 ′ are positioned in facing relation and secured to one another (e.g., by screws 90 , 92 ) the opposed channels 62 ′, 64 ′ establish a single passageway through which the safety line 16 may slide. Such a construction minimizes the number of passageways through which the line 16 slides and, correspondingly, reduces the likelihood of malfunction of the rescue device under rescue conditions.

[0044] Line 16 preferably terminates in a knot 82 which is adapted for positioning in a recessed portion 83 of half segment 56 ′. When the knot 82 is received in recessed portion 83 and the half segments 56 ′, 58 ′ are joined to one another, a single slip-loop is formed through which a victim may insert his or her wrists or other body part to execute the rescue operation described above. And, when fully assembled, rescue devices 14 and 14 ′ disclosed herein provide reliable slip-loop rescue devices wherein the terminus of the rescue line is affixed to the rescue device and, preferably, protected from the elements.

[0045] Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made thereof by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention except as it may be limited by the claims.