Radio-balloon distress signal

• US 4,042,882 A
• Filed: 10/18/1976
• Issued: 08/16/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward J. Shackleford
• Original Assignee: Edward J. Shackleford, Gustavo G. Camacho
• Inventors: Camacho, Gustavo G., Shackleford, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Queisser, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yasich, Daniel M.
• Application Number:
  US05/733,438
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: 116/124 B, 340/224, 40/214, 46/88, 46/90, 244/98, 325/112, 325/114, 325/118
• US Class Current: 455/98
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/002 Distress signalling devices, e.g. rescue balloons vehicle optical signalling for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters

Abstract

A signal for indicating the location of one or more people in distress comprising a rectangular tank containing helium, an inflatable balloon enclosed by a casing of aluminum foil and tubular connections between the tank and the balloon and which include valves. A radio transmitter is connected to the balloon by a short cable and a nylon cord which functions as a tether is connected to the transmitter. The other end of this tether is taken up on a reel. A trigger on the transmitter is tripped when the tether is payed out a predetermined distance to activate the transmitter. The balloon, the transmitter, and the reel are all mounted on the top of the tank together with a first aid survival kit and a cover which is hinged at one end to the tank encloses these elements. A clip is provided for securing the entire unit to the person of a user.

Claims

1. In apparatus for identifying the location of a person in distress:

a. a gas-tight tank comprising rectangular top and bottom walls, side walls and end walls, and a lighter than air nonflammable gas in the tank,

b. a neck protruding from one of said end walls having a conduit section communicating therewith,

c. valve in said neck held in closed position by a locking device and spring forced to open position when said locking device is rendered ineffective,

d. a balloon package comprising a collapsed balloon enclosed in a casing of metallic foil, said package being positioned on the top wall of said tank adjacent to the end wall having the neck protruding therefrom,

e. said balloon having a neck with a one way check valve therein and a conduit section extending therefrom and communicating with the conduit section on the tank neck by way of a breakable connection,

f. a radio transmitter resting on and releasably clamped to the top wall of said tank adjacent to said balloon package and includes a trigger, which activates the transmitter when it pulls free of said top wall,

g. a cable having one end secured to the neck of said balloon and its other end to said transmitter,

h. a reel secured to the top wall of said tank adjacent to said transmitter,

i. a tether taken up on said reel and having one end anchored thereto and its other end secured to said transmitter, and

j. a cover hinged to the upper edge of a tank wall and in closed position covering the elements on the top wall of said tank.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 together with a first aid survival kit on the top wall of said tank and enclosed by said cover.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the cover comprises a top wall and side and end walls depending therefrom with one end wall being hinged to the tank and the other end wall being formed with a recess that receives the neck on the balloon when the cover is in closed position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the gas in the tank is helium.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the tether is a nylon cord.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 together with a clip on the bottom wall of said tank and which is attached to an article of wearing apparel on the person of a user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the valve in the neck of the tank comprises a valve seat, a disc normally resting on said seat and mounted on one end of a valve stem with a head on the other end of said stem;

and an expansion coil spring about said stem and interposed between said head and said tank neck, and in which said locking device comprises a locking pin which passes through diametrically aligned openings in said tank neck and a passage in said stem when the disc is seated on said seat.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the breakable connection between the conduit sections take the form of a slidable overlap of said conduit sections.