REFUGE SHELTER, COUPLER AND METHOD

摘要

A refuge shelter 10. The shelter 10 may be for miners in a mine, or may be for individuals or may be subject to a hazardous environment, whether it be above ground or below ground. The shelter 10 includes a container 12. The shelter 10 includes a tent 14 that is disposed in the container 12 in an undeployed state which is expandable to a deployed state and extends from the container 12 to provide a protected atmosphere for the miners, the container 12 accessible from inside the tent 14. The tent 14 includes an inflatable support structure 16 which is inflatable from an undeployed state to a deployed state, and a seal 18 which seal 18s the tent 14 to the container 12 in a deployed state. The support structure 16 is having a plurality of hoses 20interconnected by couplers. The hoses 20have an inside diameter of less than 5 inches. The container 12 includes a bank of compressed gas bottles 24 that are operable to inflate the support structure 16 thereby expanding the tent 14 to the deployed state. A gas flow apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing having at least three distinct barbed fittings, including a first, a second and a third barbed fitting. The apparatus includes a first fireman hose 56 having an end disposed over the first barbed fitting. The apparatus includes a second fireman hose 56 having an end disposed over the second barbed fitting. The apparatus includes a third fireman hose 56 having an end disposed over the third barbed fitting. The apparatus includes a first clamp which fits over the first fireman hose 56 end and the first fitting to clamp the first fireman hose 56 to the first fitting. The apparatus includes a second clamp which fits over the second fireman hose 56 end and the second fitting to clamp the second fireman hose 56 to the second fitting. The apparatus includes a third clamp which fits over the third fireman hose 56 end and the third fitting to clamp the third fireman hose 56 to the third fitting. A refuge shelter 10 for miners in a mine to protect the miners from the external environment. The shelter 10 includes a container 12. The shelter 10 includes a tent 14 that is disposed in the container 12 in an undeployed state which is expandable to a deployed state and extends from the container 12 to provide a protected atmosphere for the miners. The container 12 is accessible from inside the tent 14. The tent 14 has a test support to which a sample of the external environment can be obtained from inside the tent 14. A method for providing a refuge chamber for miners in a mine. The method includes the steps of opening a container 12 made of metal. There is the step of expanding a tent 14 that is disposed in the container 12 in an undeployed state to a deployed state that extends from the container 12 to provide a protected atmosphere for the miners. The container 12 is accessible from inside the tent 14. The tent 14 includes an inflatable support structure 16 which is inflatable from an undeployed state to a deployed state, and a seal 18 which seal 18s the tent 14 to the container 12 in a deployed state, the support structure 16 having a plurality of hoses 20interconnected by couplers. The hoses 20have an inside diameter of less than 5 inches. The container 12 includes a bank of compressed gas bottles 24 that are operable to inflate the support structure 16 thereby expanding the tent 14 to the deployed state.