Abstract: The life preserver for an infant or young child includes a pair a vertically stacked, peripherally disposed, inflatable tubes. A life vest is sized to enclose the torso of the infant or young child. The life vest is attached at a plurality of locations to the interior or inboard region of one of the vertically stacked, peripheral tubes. Preferably, the life vest is attached to the tube via short straps such that the vest can move with respect to the inflated or deflated tubes. A seat for the infant or young child is attached at a plurality of locations to the interior of one of the vertically stacked peripheral tubes. Preferably, the seat is attached at a forward and an aft region to the top tube. The life preserver also includes a drag bag attached at a plurality of locations to the interior of one of the vertically stacked, peripheral tubes. The drag bag acts as a ballast for the loaded and deployed life preserver.

Abstract: The raft with a water displacing floor includes at least one peripherally disposed, inflatable tube. The raft includes a flexible floor which has a larger spatial area than the spatial area of the raft when the peripheral tube is inflated. The floor is attached to the raft along the floor's peripheral regions. When the raft is in an elevated, horizontal, free-standing position, a lower region of the floor hangs at least a distance fifty percent greater than the vertical cross-sectional dimension of the inflated peripheral tube. In other embodiments, the floor hangs a distance more than the vertical cross-sectional dimension of the inflated tube. The raft can be configured using two vertically stacked peripheral tubes. In such construction, the floor is attached at the interface between the two vertically stacked tubes. The method of enhancing the buoyancy of the raft includes buoyantly supporting at least fifty percent of the loaded raft with a displacement of water caused by the floor.

Abstract: A seat for a railway car is mounted on and slidable along a floor mounted track having upwardly facing openings interconnected by undercut slots. A base for a leg of the seat carries studs which have heads insertable in the openings of the track and engageable with the track when lifted. The leg's base also carries a threaded plunger between the studs which can be screwed into and out of a selected track opening for locking and releasing the seat and for lifting and lowering the heads into and out of engagement with the track.