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Air Cushions
The principle of moving, lifting or rolling
large heavy loads by the use of low and high pressure air cushions
has been developed by many years of tests and improvements conducted
on the original air cushion invention. For rescue work the wide experience
of fire and rescue services throughout the world, has resulted in
the production of a range of air cushions which when deflated can
be inserted into gaps of only 25mm and yet, when inflated, can produce
sufficient movement to effect the release of trapped casualties. For
recovery work the vertical lift of an air cushion, when inserted
under a load, can have a lift and roll effect of almost twice the
lifting capacity of the air cushion.
Rescue organisations throughout the world have
already adopted the smaller range of air cushions, both high and low
pressure but as gross vehicle weights increase, the need for greater
lifts has become more apparent. Specialised cushions have been designed
for lifting of railway coaches and carriages, aeroplanes,underwater
salvage,tankers and containers, down to the very simple operation
of lifting the front or rear of vehicles in order to change wheels
or to assist in raising a vehicle to pick it up with an underlift.
Air Cushions may be inflated either from an air bottle or from a purpose
built compressor. Air is supplied via a valve block incorporating
overload safety release valves for each cushion so that when the maximum
pressure is reached the safety device takes over.
Should leaks occur through carelessness, in the sidewalls, these can
be repaired on site in a few minutes.
For rescue work the use of air cushions are unlimited, but the basic
purpose is always the same; to increase the size of the gap by some
mm. in order to release trapped casualties. Generally speaking, in
all accidents a casualty can be moved through a gap of 300mm. And
this can be produced in a few minutes.
Case histories where air cushions have effected rescues include persons
trapped under overturned vehicles, fallen trees, collapsed steelwork
or scaffolding, trenches or casualties trapped in tunnels, against
walls or in railway accidents.
 The
cushions are light and can be carried by any rescuer, coupled to normal
breathing cylinders, producing a highly mobile rescue combination.
For recovery they overcome one of the major problems today bought
about by the increasing size of vehicles on the road. Coupled with
their delicate structure designed to produce lower unladen weights
but in turn, leading to very considerable problems for normal recovery
equipment and operators. In the case of such vehicles as tankers,
high sided vehicles and containers where it is necessary to effect
the initial lifting to avoid the cutting action of wire ropes, chains
and in some cases nylon straps, the insertion of air cushions will
provide the initial lift of some 900mm to 1200mm enabling the recovery
to be completed in the normal way without further damage to the vehicle.
Each cushion, when deflated, requires only a 300mm gap and a combination
of small cushions with the larger cushions, enables loads of 40 to
50 tonnes to be lifted in a matter of minutes.
Seen here are a selection of photographs taken over many years showing
air cushions in use right up to their use today.
For a quotation please contact us.
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