Abstract:
The rescue toboggan of the present invention includes at least one hook arm mounted generally medially along the length of the toboggan. The hook arm extends away from the toboggan and has a rigid cantilevered member cantileverable over the toboggan so as to engage a portion of a chair lift underneath the cantilevered member, between the cantilevered member and the toboggan so that lifting translation of the chair lift causes corresponding lifting translation of the toboggan.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/176,495 filed Jan. 18, 2000 titled Ski Patrol Toboggan. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of toboggan used by ski patrols to evacuate an injured person from a mountainside. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Downhill skiing and snowboarding involves risk of injury. Typically a ski resort or the like provide assistance and first aid services administered by trained “ski patrol” personnel. When a skier or snowboarder is injured, ski patrol personnel attend at the scene of the accident and at their first safe opportunity evacuate the injured person from the mountain or ski hill for later treatment in hospital if necessary. 
     An injured person is typically evacuated by the use of a toboggan. The toboggan may have shallow sides and be sufficiently long so that the injured person may be laid prone within the toboggan. The toboggan may have a generally parallel pivotally mounted pair of rigid handles which may be pivoted so as to extend the handles from one end of the toboggan allowing a ski patrol attendant to hold the handles while standing and skiing between the handles. In this fashion, the descent of the toboggan may be controlled. Additionally, other ski patrol personnel may use guide cables, for example extending in a V-shape from the toboggan, so as to assist in controlling the descent of the toboggan. 
     It is quite often necessary to send a toboggan uphill mounted onto a ski lift chair on available ski lift facilities. In the prior art, such mounting has been difficult, often requiring a separate mounting apparatus affixed to the ski chair, the use of such apparatus made cumbersome by the often inclement conditions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In summary, the rescue toboggan of the present invention includes at least one hook arm mounted generally medially along the length of the toboggan. The hook arm extends away from the toboggan and has a rigid cantilevered member cantileverable over the toboggan so as to engage a portion of a chair lift underneath the cantilevered member, between the cantilevered member and the toboggan so that lifting translation of the chair lift causes corresponding lifting translation of the toboggan. 
     The toboggan may have a pair of pivoting handles pivotally mounted thereto. The hook arm may be mounted to at least one of the handles. The hook arm may be pivotally mounted to the handles, one hook per handle, or for example, a single hook arm extending between the handles, so that the cantilevered member is pivotable between a lowered stowed position and an extended position operatively cantilevered and spaced apart from the handles. The hook arm may be U-shaped and the opposite ends of the U-shape may be pivotally mounted to opposite handles of the pair of pivoting handles. 
     The pair of pivoting handles are pivotally mounted at ends thereof at a first end of the toboggan. Distal ends of the handles are adjacent an opposite second end of the toboggan when the handles are pivoting so as to lay generally flush along the toboggan. The distal ends of the handles are laterally spaced apart sufficiently to allow a user to stand between the distal ends while holding the distal ends. 
     The hook arm may be mounted to the toboggan so as to align the cantilevered member over a center of gravity of the toboggan for stable lifting translation of the toboggan by the chair lift. The cantilevered member may be adapted to fit over a seat portion of the chair lift. 
     The hook arm may include a support member rigidly mounted at one end thereof to the cantilevered member, and at an opposite end pivotally mounted to the toboggan. The support member spaces the cantilevered member over the toboggan so as to engage the cantilevered member over the chair lift seat when the toboggan is stationary on a chair lift loading ramp and the chair lift seat is translated over the loading ramp so as to slide under the cantilevered member into abutting engagement abutted against the support member. 
     The distal ends of the handles may be releasably lockable to the second end of the toboggan by a first releasable fastener. The cantilevered member when in the stowed position may be releasably locked to the handles by a second releasable fastener. The first releasable fastener may be a patient restraining belt mounted in the toboggan. The second releasable fastener may be a resilient cord. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is, in perspective view, the toboggan of the present invention with the handles in their folded down and stowed position. 
     FIG. 2 is, in enlarged partially cut-away view, the toboggan of FIG. 1 with the handles in their deployed position. 
     FIG. 3 is, in partially cut-away enlarged side elevation view, the U-shaped arm of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 a  is the view of FIG. 3 with the U-shaped arm in its deployed position. 
     FIG. 3 b  is, in enlarged view, the fastening of the U-shaped arm to the handle cross member in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 is, in side elevation partially cut-away exploded view, the front of the toboggan of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line  5 — 5  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along line  6 — 6  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is, in partially cut-away exploded perspective view, the pivot mounting plates for mounting of the handles to the sides of the toboggan of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 8 is, in plan view, the interior lower surface of the toboggan of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along line  9 — 9  in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view along line  10 — 10  in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 11 is, in partially cut-away enlarged view, the pivotal mounting of the struts in their housings for supporting the handles in their deployed position of the toboggan of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 11 a  is the view of FIG. 11 with the strut deployed and a handle locked therein. 
     FIG. 12 is, in plan view, the toboggan handles of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 12 a  is, in side elevation view, the toboggan handles of FIG.  12 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As seen in FIG. 1, toboggan  10  may be a conventionally shaped toboggan having sides  12 , a lower surface  14  and an upturned front surface  16 . A pair of generally parallel handles  18 , respectively handles  18   a  and  18   b , are pivotally mounted to corresponding sides  12  for example by pins  20  as better seen in FIG.  7 . Handles  18 , better seen in FIGS. 12 and 12 a , are spaced apart sufficiently so that a ski patrol attendant may stand between the handles and so grip the handles on either side while maneuvering the toboggan. 
     Handles  18  may be pivoted in direction A from an operational position as seen in FIG. 2 into a storage position wherein the handles lay flush along the inside surfaces of sides  12 . Stub ends  22   a  and  22   b  of handles  18   a  and  18   b  respectively terminate generally adjacent the rear  24  of the toboggan when the handles are in the storage position. The handles may be pivoted into their elevated operational position and releasably locked in that position by means of folding locking struts  26  so as to extend over the front end  28  of the toboggan. As better seen in FIGS. 11 and 11 a , struts  26  are pivotally mounted in housing  27  to the interior surface front end  28  by means of pins or bolts  30 . Thus struts  28  may be folded in direction B from the lowered storage position of FIG. 1 to the elevated position of FIGS. 2 and 11 a  wherein handles  18   a  and  18   b  may be supported within collars  32  mounted on the ends of struts  26 . Locking arms  34  are pivotally mounted to one side of their respective collars  32  so that, with handles  18  nested within collars  32 , locking arms  34  may be pivoted in direction C so as to lock the handles within the collars. Resilient cords  35  mounted to housings  27  so as to form loops may be used to hook over protruding arms  34   a  on locking arms  34  to releasably lock them over the handles. The handles are thus locked at an operative angle α relative to the toboggan for their use as described above. 
     The stub ends  22   a  and  22   b  of the handles may have a rigid yoke member  36  releasably mounted between the handles by means of pins  38 . A flange  40  is rigidly mounted at the center of the length of yoke member  36 . A hole in flange  40  provides a mounting point for example for use when it is desired to pull or lower the toboggan using lines instead of using handles  18  directly. 
     When handles  18  are in their folded-down storage position within toboggan  10 , the handles may be retained in that position by use of releasable belt  42  or other releasable fastener. Belt  42  may be coupled across the handles and snugged down onto the handles in the manner of a lap belt. Belt  42  may be one of an array of patient restraining belts  44  mounted spaced apart along the length of the interior of toboggan  10 . 
     U-shaped arm  46  is pivotally mounted to handles  18  by mounting one end of U-shaped arm  46  to each of handles  18   a  and  18   b . In particular, as better seen in FIG. 3, U-shaped arm  46  is pivotally mounted at its ends  46   a  to handles  18   a  and  18   b  by means of pins  48  or for example by means of a shaft journalled through cross member  50 . U-shaped arm  46  may be rigidly mounted to cross member  50  so that rotation of U-shaped arm  46  in direction D from its folded-down stowed position to its operative extended position rotates U-shaped arm  46  and cross member  50  about the shaft or pins  48 . 
     A pair of folding linkages  52  are mounted to U-shaped arm  46 , one folding linkage  52  corresponding to each end  46   a . Folding linkages  52  are pivotally mounted at one end to U-shaped arm  46 , for example by means of rigid flange  53 , and at their opposite end to handles  18   a  and  18   b . Folding linkages  52  are bi-folded when U-shaped arm is folded-down into its stowed position. When U-shaped arm  46  is rotated in direction D into its operative extended position, folding linkages  52  unfold about their bi-fold joints  52   a  so as to limit the movement of U-shaped arm  46  about pins  48  once the folding linkages  52  are straightened as seen in FIG. 3 a . In an alternative embodiment, an over-center releasable locking mechanism may be employed on folding linkages  52  so that, for example in the manner of folding table legs, U-shaped arm  46  may be releasably locked in its fully extendable position until it is desired by user to unlock folding linkages  52  to allow folding of the linkages and rotation of U-shaped arm  46  down into its stowed position. 
     Once in its stowed position, the cross-arm end  46   b  of U-shaped arm  46  may be releasably fastened or tethered to rigid cross member  18   c  which extends between handles  18   a  and  18   b . End  46   b  may be releasably fastened or tethered to cross member  18   c  by means of a resilient cord  54  such as seen in FIG. 3 b  or by other releasable fasteners. 
     Rotation of U-shaped arm  46  relative to handles  18  allows U-shaped arm  46  to be either deployed so that intermediate portions  46   c  of arm  46  lie in a plane generally parallel to the floor of the toboggan, or folded down into the stowed position for storage in which end  46   b  of U-shaped arm  46  is adjacent to cross member  18   c  of handles  18 . 
     When U-shaped arm  46  is deployed, intermediate portions  46   c  and end  46   b  are cantilevered over handles  18  so that intermediate portions  46   c  provide a laterally spaced apart pair of rigid cantilevered members generally parallel to and spaced apart from their corresponding handles  18 . With handles  18  locked in their folded down storage position, the entire toboggan  10  may be mounted onto a chair lift seat using U-shaped arms  46  in their deployed position. In particular, a chair lift seat  56  is translated relative to toboggan  10  in direction E so as to slide the chair lift seat into the space between inner ends  46   a  and distal end  46   b  on U-shaped arm  46 . Chair lift seat  56  is translated in direction E until the leading edge of the chair lift seat contacts the corresponding vertices  46   d  of U-shaped arm  46 . The weight of the entire toboggan including handles, restraining belts, etc. may then be taken up by intermediate portions  46   c  of U-shaped arm  46  resting downwardly onto chair lift seat  56  for transport of toboggan  10  up the chair lift. 
     U-shaped arm  46  may be mounted to handles  18  so as to position center line  58  corresponding to the center of gravity of toboggan  10  below intermediate portions  46   c  of U-shaped arm  46  when in its extended position so that toboggan  10  is balanced when suspended from chair lift seat 56 , that is, when distal end  46   b  and intermediate portions  46   c  are hooked over the chair lift seat. Thus, when it is desired to uplift toboggan  10 , an operator of a chair lift merely has to position toboggan  10  on the loading ramp with U-shaped arm  46  in its extended position and with the opening between distal end  46   b  and ends  46   a  directed towards an oncoming chair lift chair seat  56 . Conventional movement in direction E of chair lift seat  56  across the loading ramp then hooks seat  56  into engagement with U-shaped arm  46 . Toboggan  10  may then be uplifted to the top of the chair lift. At the top of the chair lift, the chair lift may then be slowed or stopped and toboggan  10  quickly removed by sliding U-shaped arm  46  away from seat  56  so as to remove the chair lift seat from between distal end  46   b  and ends  46   a.    
     As seen in FIGS. 5,  6  and  8 - 10 , the lower surface  14  of toboggan  10  may have longitudinally extending runners  60 , for example a parallel pair of UHMW runners  60  in parallel spaced apart relationship rigidly mounted to lower surface  14 . Runners  60  may extend rearwardly from upturned front surface  16  along the length of toboggan  10 . A longitudinally extending concavity or tunnel  62  may extend between runners  60  along the length of a rear portion of lower surface  14 . 
     As seen in FIG. 10, a length of, for example, T-shaped rail  64  may be rigidly mounted along the longitudinal center-line of the toboggan, so as to intersect center-line  58 . The lower leg  64   a  of rail  64  protrudes downwardly and is aligned with the longitudinal center-line. A pair of L-shaped rails  66  may be rigidly mounted parallel to, and aft of, rail  64  on either side of runners  60 . The lower legs  66   a  of rails  66  protrude downwardly and may be formed as skegs at their aft ends such as seen in FIG.  6 . The runners, rails and tunnel provide for tracking stability of the toboggan. As also seen in FIG. 4, a detachably mountable skid plate  68  may be mounted under front surface  16  for wear resistance. Hard points  70  may also be mounted around the sides and back of the toboggan to provide for mounting slings, lanyards, ropes, handles or the like. 
     As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.