Our long-range transport vehicle has been fitted with a loading ramp which is unique in cryonics, since it allows a portable ice bath weighing as much as 500 lbs, total, to be moved into the vehicle by just one team member. Under normal circumstances we would want at least two and preferably three people to assist in this process, but in an emergency it is possible for a single person to deploy the ramp, load the ice bath, secure the ice bath, and stow the ramp. The side-extending ramp avoids the problem of another vehicle obstructing a conventional lift gate by parking close behind (which has occurred in at least one cryonics case).

In this sequence of photographs, a team member weighing only 105 lbs is able to lower the aluminum ramp and unfold its second section.

A cable extends from a winch mounted inside the vehicle. The cable attaches to dual U-bolts near the wheels of the ice bath. The cable and winch are rated at 1,500 lbs lifting capacity, and each stainless-steel U-bolt is able to take the entire load if necessary.



The Thumper mounted on the rails of the ice bath can run continuously during the entire loading process.

As the electric winch pulls the ice bath up the ramp, the team member uses a specially designed leveling device to keep the bath horizontal. The linkage of the leveler provides sufficient mechanical advantage so that one person can level the ice bath even when it is carrying a patient and at least 100 lbs of ice. As the winch pulls the ice bath up the ramp, the team member follows it. The winch does all the lifting work.

In the future, for maximum flexibility, we may add a lift gate to utilize the rear door of the vehicle, which is just tall enough to allow access by the ice bath with Thumper mounted across it.