Inflatable roadway

Abstract

An inflatable roadway includes elongate flexible upper and lower panels sred and sealed together about their peripheries. The roadway is stored and transported in a laterally rolled configuration and when it is placed on the near side of an area of unfirm terrain, it is immediately ready for deployment. Coupling a source of pressurized gas to an appropriately disposed fitting on the roadway inflates at least one longitudinal envelope to cause an unrolling of the roadway across the unfirm area. A multitude of strands extending between the upper and lower panels ensures that the exposed surface of the upper panel maintains an essentially flat configuration. Personnel and vehicles can safely traverse a body of water, thin ice, swamp or similar unfirm areas, safely. An air bearing cargo transportor also can traverse the unfirm terrain since the strands ensure that a smooth upper exposed surface is presented for pneumatic cooperation with the air bearing.