Abstract: A marine propulsion system, supported by a strut, comprising an inner propeller shaft supporting a first propeller adjacent a trailing end thereof, and the inner propeller shaft is connected to the drive shaft for receiving and supplying a first portion of torque to the first propeller as well as transfer thrust, generated by the first propeller, along the inner propeller shaft back to the drive shaft. An outer propeller shaft supports a second propeller adjacent a trailing and thereof, and the outer propeller shaft surrounds the inner propeller shaft. A differential gear set receives a second portion of the torque and supplies the second portion to the outer propeller shaft so that the second propeller rotates in an opposite rotational direction to the first propeller. The thrust, generated by the first and the second propellers, is conveyed along either the inner or the outer propeller shafts, to the drive shaft.

Abstract: A launch and recovery system for a towed body is provided in which uninflated air beams extrude from winches where the beams enter a deployment frame and are inflated. Sealing rollers near the winches seal the air beams when the desired length of the air beams is inflated. To deploy the towed body, a positioning cart moves along the inflated air beams from an end of a deployment frame. A translating arch moves from the forward to the aft end of the positioning cart on the rails to where the tow body is released from the capture boom and swing support. The positioning cart can retract back into the deployment frame when not in use.

Abstract: A multifunctional walking staff, to aid in balance and support on an ice surface, and to function as a survival or a rescue tool in the event of breaking through thin ice into water. Secure traction on ice is attained by a metal tip, which may be further pressed onto the ice by a foot peg, serving also as a grapple hook. Secured onto the ice, the staff affords reliable anchorage to an attached rescue line, which is ordinarily stowed in multiple folds therewithin. An adjustable loop is formed integrally with, or adjoined to the rescue line, which loop may be maneuvred by the staff to facilitate engagement with the rescuee. A buoyant projectile linked to the loop is releasably disposed within a top section of the staff, and is of such weight that it and the loop may jointly be cast the full extent of the rescue line.

Abstract: A buoyant rescue device for retrieval of drowning victims, particularly those that have fallen through floating ice, in the configuration of a catamaran with an opening in the bow to allow a ladder structure to rotate into the water. The ladder is pivotally mounted to the center of the craft and is lowered into the water the so the victim can climb the ladder onto the craft, or if the victim is injured or too weak to do so, a rescuer can provide a downward force at the top of the ladder and lift the victim out, such as a teeter totter would operate. The centrally located pivot point alleviates most of the listing or tilting and potential capsizing that would occur if a person were to climb onto the edge of the boat or if rescuers were reaching into the water to retrieve the person.

Abstract: An aid system includes a base element, an expandable tube arrangement including at least one tube portion to form a tube run extending between a base portion assigned to the base element and a head portion at a free end of the tube run, and a pressurized fluid system that fills the tube portion with pressurized fluid, wherein (i) the tube portion is guided between a tube store and the head portion by a tube guiding device with a tube guiding opening constricting a cross section of the tube portion, and (ii) at least one pressurized fluid inlet leading into the interior of the tube portion in the region of the head portion.

Abstract: Apparatus for cold weather survival comprises an elongated belt body comprising a piece of buoyancy-providing material. The belt body is sized such that end portions thereof overlap when the belt body is wrapped around a user's waist. The belt body has an inner side which faces the user and an outer side which faces away from the user. One or more fasteners are provided for holding the belt body in place around the user's waist. A plurality of flotation devices and a plurality of pockets are attached to the outer side of the belt body. A sleeve is attached to the outer side the belt body, and positioned such that when the belt body is wrapped around the user's waist, the sleeve is horizontally-oriented and located in front of the user. A telescoping pole is held by the sleeve across the front of the user.

Abstract: A portable, roll-able or fold-able mat for supporting one or more individuals includes a non-inflatable, buoyant core. The core includes buoyancy sufficient to support the one or more individuals on a surface of the mat. The core includes at least one layer of foam and a non-foam layer connected with at least one surface of the layer of foam.

Abstract: A portable, roll-able or fold-able mat for supporting one or more individuals includes a non-inflatable, buoyant core. The core includes buoyancy sufficient to support the one or more individuals on a surface of the mat. The core includes at least one layer of foam and a non-foam layer connected with at least one surface of the layer of foam.

Abstract: An apparatus that provides for rescue of victims trapped in a body of water is disclosed. The invention utilizes a conventional fire hose as the main component of the invention. One end of the hose is capped with a retrieval end comprising a solid cap with a swivel based tether. The end is also provided with a pair of removable rudders which aid in the guiding have said apparatus in a controlled manner through the water. The opposite end of the fire hose is capped with a pressurizing mechanism that allows for the inflation and deflation of the fire hose. When inflated, the preferred embodiment floats upon the water surface thus providing for simplified water rescues. The invention is also envisioned as providing simplified ice rescues as well. The use of the present invention provides a greatly simplified method of water rescue which not only provides for quicker rescues for victims, but increased safety for rescue personnel as well.

Abstract: A portable ice rescue craft includes a plurality of locking raft sections that are foldable for storage and transport. A drive unit includes a drive wheel driven by an electric motor via a drive belt. The drive wheel may include a plurality of spikes configured to engage ice and a plurality of paddles that are centripetally urgeable outward to pull the rescue craft through water. A forward raft section may include a pair of outboard pontoons to provide stability and minimize lateral rocking. An aft raft section includes at least one rudder. A pair of rudders may be mounted to a plate on a pivoting, biased system. The rudders automatically fold upwardly when the ice rescue craft is on ice or land. The rudders automatically activate downwardly when the ice rescue craft is in water.

Abstract: A rescue sled for picking up victims of water or ice accidents and transporting them to safety, which sled can be carried in the back of an ambulance or other vehicle.

Abstract: A rescue aid device and method for using same includes a base that can be affixed to ice or snow, for example, using spikes or mechanical fasteners. The affixed base is used as a secure platform for effectuating a rescue. The rescue aid device may include a winch to help pull a victim or other load to safety.

Abstract: A water or land rescue system is provided which includes a spring loaded firearm and rescue device. The firearm includes a barrel, a shoulder stock and a trigger. The rescue device is adapted to be releasably secured to one end of the spring situated within the firearm. The system further includes a supply of safety line having one end secured to the firearm and a second end secured to the rescue device. The spring is adapted to be releasably locked in a loaded position so that when the trigger is depressed, the restoring forces of the spring cause the rescue device to be propelled into the air carrying the supply line therewith toward a rescue victim.

Abstract: A rescue clamp rescues precariously located victims, such as swimmers in water, such as seas, rivers, streams, ponds or swimming pools, climbers in deep ravines, persons on top of a burning building or persons fallen down a well. The rescue clamp includes an orifice clamp into which a victim inserts the hand and forearm. A handle trigger is grabbed by the victim's hand, to cause the clamp to snugly engage and grip around the victim's wrist or forearm. The rescue clamp grips the wrist or forearm by off-centered hour glass shaped jaws that rotate in unison to reduce the size of the orifice therebetween. To facilitate rotation, there is an eccentric off-center cam motion of the clamping jaws contributing to a grasping action in general. The clamping jaws automatically tighten around a victim's wrist or forearm.

Abstract: A rescue clamp rescues precariously located victims, such as swimmers in water, such as seas, rivers, streams, ponds or swimming pools, climbers in deep ravines, persons on top of a burning building or persons fallen down a well. The rescue clamp includes an orifice clamp into which a victim inserts the hand and forearm. A trigger is activated by being in spring loaded physical contact with a user's forearm or is activated when a trigger handle is grabbed by the victim's hand, to cause the clamp to snugly engage and grip around the victim's wrist or forearm. The rescue clamp grips the wrist or forearm by off-centered hour glass shaped jaws that rotate in unison to reduce the size of the orifice therebetween.

Abstract: The ice gripping device is provided with hand and wrist straps and is designed to be worn on the hand or glove of the wearer. It includes an elastic hand strap designed to fit over the hand. It also includes a non-elastic heavy duty wrist strap having a pair of end portions, with one end portion folded over itself and having the end thereof secured by stitching to an intermediate portion of the wrist strap. A buckle is retained by the folded over end portion of the wrist strap and is engageable with the tab end of the strap to secure the wrist strap on the wrist or over the glove of the wearer. The hand and wrist straps are connected by a non-elastic connecting member having a pair of ends, with one end in surface-to-surface contact with the wrist strap. A generally flat metal plate has one or more perpendicular tines extending therefrom for gripping the ice. The other end of the non-elastic connecting member overlies the hand strap and the metal plate.

Abstract: A rescue ramp is provided having a dual lobed, hinged inflatable ramp having two pairs of spaced inflatable tubes and a flexible floor mounted between each and connecting the tubes. A rope ladder is mounted to the floors of the lobes.

Abstract: A retractable/extensible spike normally mounted in retractable disposition for slidable advance motion from within a protective sleeve-like retainer and held within a glove or other hand-engaging arrangement so that the tip of the spike may be extended outwardly to enable the user to obtain a grip on a slippery surface. The device is particularly useful as protection for individuals who may be engaging in wintertime activities on a frozen lake surface or frozen slope, particularly when there is a risk or danger of either falling through the ice into the frigid water, or falling from a slippery slope.

Abstract: A safety device comprising an ice spike having a mounting piece strapped to the forearm of the wearer with a spike support plate attached to the mounting piece by a hinge. An opener is biased to position the spike support plate in an open position and the spike support plate is held in a closed position using a hook and loop fastener. When the spike support plate is in the open position, a spike attached to the spike support plate is positioned by a spring or the equivalent such that its pointed end points outwardly from the spike support plate. The ice spike provides a person who has fallen through a hole in the ice with a device capable of gripping the slippery edges of the hole such that the person can extricate himself from the hole.

Abstract: An inflatable ice mud water rescue craft has an inflatable closed-loop tube that encircles a floor member and two rescue openings, one inboard at the bow and one inboard at the stern of the craft. Preferably the floor member is inflatable. The tube and floor member form the boundaries for the two rescue openings. The tube turns upward fore and aft of the floor member at an angle in the range of 30 to 65 degrees relative to the plane of the floor member and encircles the rescue openings. The tube and rescue openings at the bow and stern arch more than half as high as the overall beam of the craft above the surface of the rescue scene. Drowning victims or imperiled persons may be brought into the craft through the rescue openings.

Abstract: A cold weather life saving device, useful in surviving a fall through ice into water, provides an elongate belt, sized to be worn about the waist of an individual, typically over heavy clothing. The belt provides a tubular center portion that is typically two feet in length and approximately three inches in diameter. Flotation devices are carried at evenly spaced intervals within the center portion of the elongate belt. In a preferred embodiment, four closed-cell ethylene cubes having 2.5 inch sides are used. The four flotation devices define three storage pouches between them, which may be isolated by divider walls within the tubular center portion. These pouches are typically square in lengthwise cross-section and provide zippered openings which allow the secure storage of survival supplies. A plurality of utility rings are carried by the elongate belt, and provide support for attachment of a number of tools, including a telescoping pole or a sportsman's saw, or other bulky equipment.

Abstract: An ice rescue vehicle used to aid a victim who has fallen through thin ice. The ice rescue vehicle is capable of traveling over ice, water, a broken ice and water mixture, mud, snow and solid ground. The vehicle has a buoyant hollow sled pulled behind a traction wheel that includes a plastic, buoyant, rotating drum. The drum has a number of fins to propel the vehicle in water. Mounted to the fins are three annular rings having tangs for traction on ice. A small internal combustion engine provides power to turn the drum via two gear belt drives on each side of the drum. Handle bars are used to steer the vehicle, and a throttle control, similar to those used on motorcycles, provides the rescuer with a means to control the engine and vehicle speed. The sled and drum both provide flotation during travel over broken ice and open water.

Abstract: An inflatable bag which can be attached to an ordinary ladder quickly and easily. Also, the bag can be used to secure multiple ladders together, thereby extending the distance a rescue team can go in order to rescue a victim. Also, since most fire department rescue teams already have ladders attached to their vehicles, the inflatable bags will not take up much of their valuable storage space. The bags can be inflated by a valve similar to a vehicle, or it can have a self inflating mechanism similar to an inflatable life boat. This means a substantial savings in time to assemble the equipment.

Abstract: A self-propelled ice rescue device component, as well as the device itself. The component includes (a) a main support frame; (b) a motor attached to the main support frame; (c) a power source connected to the motor for driving the motor; (d) a control mechanism attached to either the power source or the motor or both; (e) a flexible cord member having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached at least to the control mechanism said second end being remotely located from the main support frame so as to be freely useable by an operator; (f) a plurality of rotator members driveably connected to the motor; and, (g) a connector on the main support frame for attaching the self-propelled ice rescue device component to a floatable base platform. The device itself is one which encompasses the aforesaid component with a floatable base platform removably or permanently attached thereto. In one preferred embodiment the floatable base platform is a ladder with floatation devices thereon.

Abstract: A rescue device for use by an operator on an ice surface and in water. The device has a pair of elongated buoyant bodies which are pivotally connected for movement relative to each other between an operative position in which the bodies are spaced and lie in the same horizontal plane to a folded or inoperative position in which the bottom surfaces of the bodies are abutting. A handle is connected to each body.

Abstract: An emergency aid is provided along with a recovery method incorporating same for use by a person who has fallen through the surface of a frozen body of water. The aid includes a pair of support elements that each have a hand grip. Each support element includes at least one tooth for limiting lateral movement of the element relative to the ice surface. The support elements are releasably connected together along a common axis. In first and second embodiments of the invention, a bore is defined in at least one of the hand grips for receiving a corresponding portion of the other hand grip. In a third embodiment of the invention a collar surrounds both hand grips. The recovery method comprises the steps of accessing the emergency aid, disconnecting the support elements, thrusting the teeth of the support elements into the ice surface, and pulling upon the hand grips to move oneself onto the ice surface.

Abstract: An accessory serving as an aid for saving the life of an "ice" fisherman, snow mobile operator, or other recreation or sports minded person who ventures onto an ice covered lake, pond or other body of water and breaks through the ice. The accessory includes two ice picks connected together by a floatable cord. Each ice pick includes a casing forming a handle having elongated external recesses helpful for hand gripping, and a pair of notches or grooves to facilitate gripping by the thumb and index finger. Each casing has an internal bore configured to receive an ice pick, a spring biased sheath, and a molded floatation plug, enabling the accessory to float when dropped into a body of water. The floatation plug may be formed of a closed cell, foamed plastic. The floatation plug has circumferentially spaced slots which engage fins connecting a central pick holder to an inner surface of a bore within the handle.

Abstract: The invention provides an inflatable rescue ramp having a pair of spaced inflatable tubes which join at one end to define a bow. A flexible web is mounted between and connects to the tubes at outside seams. That is, the web passes under each tube and is attached thereto on outside longitudinal seams, such that downward pressure on the web or ramp floor will cause adjacent portions of the tubes to axially rotate outwardly from each other to provide and enhance passageway on the web between the tubes. The rescue ramp is carried to the scene in a folded and compact state, with the above tubes being connected to a compressed air source. The rescue ramp is positioned on or near a firm surface and pointed toward a victim on an unfirm surface e.g. in an icy pond and the tubes inflated causing the ramp to pop or snake out of its packed condition and extend toward the victim with anchor lines from the tubes trailing.

Abstract: Foam is sandwiched between baffles and two sheets of low friction enameled aluminum. The aluminum is bent to form waterproof seams between the sheets along the top edge and small runners along the bottom sheet. The body of the sled is shoulder width and narrow in depth to permit easy and rapid manual propulsion over ice and in water. All seams are riveted together, a top edge seam is a waterproof standing seam and the others are silicone treated for waterproofing. Side handles are secured to the body for carrying the sled. A hand-held combination ice grab and water paddle is secured to each side rail for propelling the sled. A front grasping rail is secured by protrusions from the front of the sled for the rescue. A harness cord with a snap hook at both ends is secured to the protrusions for harnessing the victim to the sled if necessary. A long tow line is attached to a rear hook.

Abstract: A flat rigid rectangular plate has four corners bent down to form rigid V-shaped points to grip on an ice surface. The plate is larger than an adult hand and serves as a hand-held paddle in water. A longer spike or triangular point extends away from the plate at a right angle to the V-shaped points for gripping an ice surface through a snow cover. A handle extending from the top of the plate maybe equipped with a safety cord to loop over the wrist of the user. The handle may be permanently upright or foldable.

Abstract: An ice prod set comprises two ice prods, each of which comprises a handgrip having attached to one end thereof a metal spike which extends coaxially with the handgrip and each of which prods is held detachably in a two-part prod holder. A first safety line extends between respective parts of the two-part holder, such as to form a loop for placing the ice prod set around the neck of a bearer, and a second longer safety line is securely fastened to the handgrip of each ice prod and to the holder. Each of the handgrips incorporates a hollow or cavity in which the second longer line can be stowed when the ice prods are carried in their respective holder parts. According to the invention the cavity has a part which extends axially within the handgrip of respective ice prods and merges with an opening provided in a lower outer wall-surface of respective handgrips.

Abstract: A lifesaving craft comprises a flat-bottomed elongate buoyant structure 91) which on its lower side is free from projections and on its upper side has a number of grab means (5, 17, 20) and means for keeping a person in distress on the craft. At least at one of its two opposite ends (11, 12) the craft has to projections (13, 13') extending in prolongation of the sides of the craft, between which projections a preferably gently curved recess (14) is provided to receive and center the person in distress when he is taken up on the craft.

Abstract: The Toboggan Platform consists of a platform which may be connected to a snow toboggan on one side by means of a brace and two hinges. Opposite said hinges is a snow ski connected to said platform by bolts through said platform, two blocks and said ski. Atop said platform are: two knee braces connected to said platform by screws, an adjustable kicker plate communicating with said platform by two bolts through said plate having wing nuts on their top end and large washers on their opposite end, said kicker plate being adjustable by means of sliding said bolts through two slots in said platform, and a vertical support operably connected to said platform by means of a brace on one side, and two hinges having a common pin on the opposite side, enabling the removal of said vertical support.