Vehicle Extraction Method and Tool

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of expanding a vehicle for extracting a person trapped therein by providing a structural bar with a plurality of receiving points, securing the structural bar to the vehicle such as by placing against the back seat of an interior of a vehicle or by chaining to structural elements of the vehicle. One end of an expansion ram is then set into one of the receiving points of the structural bar with the other end of the ram set into a point in the vehicle to be expanded, or against a structural plate placed in a vehicle. The ram is then activated or expanded, thus resulting in an expansion of the interior of the vehicle to permit a person trapped therein to be extracted.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of expanding a crushed vehicle for extracting a person trapped therein comprising:
 a) providing a structural bar with a plurality of receiving points;   b) placing said structural bar against the back seat of an interior of a vehicle;   c) providing an expansion ram with a first end and a second end;   d) setting said first end of said expansion ram to one of said receiving points in said structural bar;   e) setting said second end of said expansion ram to a point in said vehicle to be expanded;   f) activating said expansion ram, causing linear expansion of said ram and thereby the expansion of said interior of a vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a support plate or second structural bar is displaced between said second end of said expansion ram and said point in said vehicle to be expanded. 
     
     
         3 . A method of expanding a crushed vehicle for extracting a person trapped therein comprising:
 a) providing a structural bar with a plurality of receiving points;   b) securing said structural bar to structural elements of a vehicle;   c) providing an expansion ram with a first end and a second end;   d) setting said first end of said expansion ram to one of said receiving points in said structural bar;   e) setting said second end of said expansion ram to a point on said vehicle to be expanded;   f) activating said expansion ram, causing linear expansion of said expansion ram and expansion of said interior of said vehicle.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the means of securing said structural bar to structural elements of a vehicle comprises the further steps of:
 a) providing end anchors at each end of said structural bar; 
 b) securing a first end anchor to a structural element of said vehicle such as though chaining; and 
 c) securing a second end anchor to a structural element of said vehicle such as through chaining. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said structural bar is secured external to said vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein a support plate or second structural bar is displaced between said second end of said expansion ram and said point in said vehicle to be expanded. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein a support plate is displaced between said second end of said expansion ram and said point in said vehicle to be expanded. 
     
     
         8 . A vehicle extraction tool comprising:
 a structural bar with a first end and a second end;   a plurality receiving points along the length of said structural bar disposed between said first end and said second end.   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 8  wherein affixed proximate said first end is an anchor and affixed proximate said second end is a second anchor. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 8  wherein said structural bar is between 48 inches and 120 inches long. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 8  wherein said structural bar is between 60 inches and 108 inches long. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 8  wherein said structural bar is approximately 96 inches long. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 8  wherein said structural bar is square tubular steel. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 13  wherein said receiving points are holes in a wall of said structural bar. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 8  wherein said structural bar is solid aluminum. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 8  wherein said receiving points are recesses of between ¼ inch and 1 inch in depth. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 9  wherein said anchors are u-type anchors. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle extraction tool of  claim 9  wherein said anchors are swivel mounted u-type anchors.