Patent ID: 8251064

Claim:
An articulated firefighter breathing pack, comprising: a plurality of polymeric pressure vessels, each of said vessels having an elongated cylindrical shape, a first end and a second end; each of said first and second ends having an attached section of flexible conduit; each of said sections of flexible conduit being attached to either of a sealing fitting, another section of flexible conduit attached to another vessel and a manifold; each of said pressure vessels being attached to at least one other pressure vessel with one of said sections of flexible conduit; said pressure vessels and said sections of flexible conduit being encased in high strength fiber material; said pressure vessels being wrapped with a high strength ballistic ribbon material; a manifold, said manifold connected to a plurality of sections of flexible conduit connected to said pressure vessels, and providing connections for a high pressure regulator and an air fill source; a high pressure regulator, a low pressure hose connected to said high pressure regulator, a low pressure regulator connected to said low pressure hose and a mouthpiece connected to said low pressure regulator; a pressure vessel container, said container being formed of flexible material, fireproof material and being sized and shaped to accommodate said plurality of pressure vessels, said sections of flexible conduit and said manifold; said container having a closable opening for introduction and removal of said pressure vessels, said sections of flexible conduit and said manifold and having openings sized and shaped to accommodate passage of at least one low pressure connecting hose and connection to said air fill source; said container having means for removably attaching to a harness; a harness, said harness being formed of flexible, fireproof material and comprising a waist portion having a fastener, a front portion extending upwardly from said waist portion and connecting to a back portion extending downwardly to said waist portion, said back portion having means for removably attaching to said pressure vessel container; and wherein said harness is worn over an outer garment of a firefighter, said pressure vessel container is attached to said harness, said manifold is connected to said high pressure regulator, said pressure vessels are filled with air through said connection to said air fill source, rendering said breathing pack ready for use by a firefighter.