GB2119660A

GB2119660A - A protective apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2119660A
Application number: GB08312723A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans-Peter Sauder
Original assignee: Maag Technic AG
Current assignee: Maag Technic AG
Priority date: 1982-05-12
Filing date: 1983-05-09
Publication date: 1983-11-23
Also published as: FR2526664A1; JPS58206763A; CH654179A5; DE3317043A1; GB2119660B; GB8312723D0; FR2526664B1

Abstract

The protective covering has a helmet part (2) and a body part (3) at least partly covering the body. An oxygen cartridge (8) is screwed in a line block (11) on the chest portion of the body part (3) and a cartridge opener is displaceably mounted in the line block, to open the sealed oxygen cartridge (8) when an actuating cord (25) attached to an actuating lever (24) is pulled. The oxygen is reduced to a lower pressure in a metering throttle (11) and conducted to the helmet part (2) with constant circulation. Using the oxygen cartridge (8) as the oxygen source provides a simple and cost-effective solution to enable the protective covering (1) to be used even in a harmful gas atmosphere as effective protection for the wearer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A protective apparatus This invention relates to a protective apparatus, and, more particularly, to a protective apparatus comprising a head portion for covering the head and a body portion for covering at least part of the body.

Various designs of protective coverings are known. They are worn by a wearer as protection against external conditions in cases of emergency and accident, such as fires, dust generation and explosions. As, in situations of this kind, the composition of the atmosphere usually changes, making normal respiration uncertain, protective coverings of this kind also serve as breathing apparatus.

A known protective covering consists of a cloth-like material and may be worn over normal clothing. As it is the head which is most at risk in the above-mentioned situations, the protective covering primarily covers the head, although other parts of the body are also covered. To ensure good vision, a window made of a transparent material is provided in the eye region of a head portion. The protective covering may be made of various types of material. Usually, a plastic which is not easily inflammable is used, if necessary with noncombustible additives. However, the disadvantage of this protective covering is that it is almost always impossible to remain in a harmful gas atmosphere.

Another known protective covering serves the purpose of allowing the wearer to work for a longer time in a harmful gas atmosphere. For this purpose the protective covering comprises at least one oxygen cylinder from which oxygen is supplied to the wearer. The oxygen supply in the oxygen cylinders is sufficient for a longer working time. The oxygen cylinders are equipped with a closing valve to which a pressure regulating valve is connected which reduces the pressure to a pressure suitable for the wearer, and maintains a constant circulation irrespective of the pressure in the oxygen cylinder. These protective coverings are equipped additionally with a mask to be worn by the wearer to ensure a reliable supply of oxygen in the region of the nose and mouth.The costly construction of this known protective covering makes it expensive and consequently it is only used where absolutely necessary.

Many protective coverings are only worn on infrequent occasions, for example, for accidents or fires, and usually they are only in use for a very short time. For the rest of the time the protective coverings are not in use, but are kept for such an emergency. It would be an extremely expensive solution if protective coverings of the secondmentioned type were used in this case, particularly for large-scale operations. On the other hand, it must be borne in mind that the first known embodiment mentioned ensures only a limited protection and, particularly in a harmful gas atmosphere, offers inadequate protection.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a protective apparatus comprising a head portion for covering the head, and a body portion for covering at least part of the body, the head portion being provided with a region which ailows vision; wherein a gas container is arranged to supply gas to the interior of the head portion, via a gas line, the gas line being provided with (a) means, actuable in response to a signal, for initiating the supply of gas and (b) a metering device.

The supply initiating means may be manually actuable.

Preferably the head portion and/or the body portion are made of a flexible material.

Thus, according to an embodiment of the invention, there is attached to the body portion at least one closed oxygen cylinder from which a connecting line leads into the body portion and opens in the region of the face inside the head portion, a manually operated cylinder opener and a metering device being arranged in the connecting line between the oxygen cylinder and the opening of the connecting line.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a protective apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a section through one embodiment of a connection member for the connection of a container and a metering device for a protective apparatus according to Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a connection member with connections for two containers and a metering device, for a protective apparatus according to Figure 1.

The protective covering 1 shown in Figure 1 is made of a flexible, cloth-like material. The material may also be coated in order to achieve an assembly which is not easily combustible or noncombustible. The protective covering 1 is composed of a head portion, or a helmet part, 2 and a body part 3. The helmet part 2 has, in the wearer's eye region, a window 4, covered by a transparent material to allow vision, connected to which is a neck part 5 which merges into the body part 3. The body part 3 is composed of a chest portion 6, a shoulder portion 7 and a back portion which cannot be seen in Figure 1.

A gas cylinder, normally an oxygen cartridge 8, is fixed to the chest portion 6 by means of a band 9. The oxygen cartridge 8 is a container full of oxygen at approximately 200 bars, which has a closed connection piece 10 having a seal which can be opened by a pin in a way yet to be described. The oxygen cartridge is screwed into a connection member or line block 11 into which a metering device comprising a metering throttle 1 2 is also screwed. A connecting line or gas line 1 3 leading from the metering throttle 1 2 is fixed to the chest portion 6 by means of a band 14 and extends through the neck part 5 into the inside of the helmet part 2 and opens in the lower region of the window 4 approximately at the position of the wearer's nose and mouth.

The line block 11 is described with reference to Figure 2. It consists essentially of a block which has two screw-threaded connections 1 5, 1 6. The oxygen cartridge 8 is screwed into the screwthreaded connection 1 5 (see Figure 3). In Figure 1 the screw-threaded connection 1 5 is arranged on the head-side. The position of this connection does not affect the function of the protective covering, i.e. the oxygen cartridge 8 may be either above or below the line block 11. The metering throttle 1 2 is screwed in the screw-threaded connection 1 6. This has a connecting piece 17 for the connection of the connecting line 1 3.Inside the metering throttle 12 are the components required for achieving a pressure reduction and a constant circulation: a piston 1 8 which is acted upon on one side by a spring 19 and on the other side by the oxygen pressure; and a fixed throttle point 20 which is connected in series with a variable throttle point 21. Various seals 22 are used to seal the interior of the line block 11 and the metering throttle 12.

A pointed pin is displaceably mounted in the line block 11. Mounted on the side opposite the point there is an actuating lever 24 with an actuating cord 25 which acts with one end 26 of the lever on the pin 23. When the actuting cord 25 is pulled, the lever 24 is turned about its axis of rotation 27 and moves the pin 23 in the direction of the screw-threaded connection 1 5 against the force of a spring 28. The point of the pin 23 presses onto the oxygen cartridge screwed into the screw-threaded connection 1 5 and pierces the membrane-like seal so that, when the pin 23 springs back, the oxygen can flow via the metering throttle 12 through the line 1 3 into the helmet part 2 of the protective covering 1.

Figure 3 shows a line block 11' in which two screw-threaded connections 29, 30 are provided into which two oxygen cartridges 8 are to be screwed. As in Figure 2, a pin 23 actuated by an actuating lever 24 is also provided in Figure 3, and is used for piercing the membrane-like seal of the appertaining oxygen cartridge 8. After one oxygen cartridge 8 has been opened, a pressure builds up in a connecting line 31 and acts on a piston 32 bearing a pin 33. The pressure forming in the line 31 causes the piston 32 with the pin 33 to move against the force of a spring 34 in the direction of the screw-threaded connection 30.This causes the membrane-like seal of the oxygen cartridge 8 screwed into the screw-threaded connection 30 to be pierced, whereupon the piston 32 is pushed back by the spring 33 and releases the oxygen flow which flows through a bore 35 in the piston 32 into the connection line 31. The combined oxygen flow from the two oxygen cartridges 8 flows via the metering throttle 1 2 via the line 1 3 into the helmet part 2 of the protective covering 1.

Seals 22 are also arranged here in the same way as in Figure 2.

The essential point of the protective covering 1 described is that the use of one oxygen cartridge ensures a supply of oxygen to the helmet part 2 of the protective covering 1 for a specific time, for example 10 to 30 minutes. This limited supply of oxygen is adequate in most of the dangerous situations occurring, for the wearer to leave the area of danger. It is not necessary for the protective covering 1 to be additionally sealed.

The body part 3 can be designed so that it is impossible for the arms to be restricted. The entire oxygen unit requires little space and may thus be advantageously arranged on the chest part 6 where the actuating cord 25 is also easily accessible.

Actuation may also take place by a means other than the actuating cord 25, for example by a precontrolled device which then requires only a slight force to actuate the pre-control. However, it is also possible for the actuation to be by the exertion of a pressure, for example by the hand or foot.

The protective covering described may also be equipped with cartridges which, instead of being filled with oxygen, are filled with another gas or a gas mixture.

The production costs of the described embodiment of the protective covering do not essentially exceed those of the first-mentioned known embodiment, but the covering nevertheless ensures protection even in a harmful gas atmosphere for a limited, but adequate length of time.

Claims

1. A protective apparatus comprising a head portion for covering the head, and a body portion for covering at least part of the body, the head portion being provided with a region which allows vision; wherein a gas container is arranged to supply gas to the interior of the head portion via a gas line, the gas line being provided with (a) means, actuable in response to a signal, for initiating the supply of gas and (b) a metering device.

2. A protective apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or both of the body portion and the head portion is/are made of a flexible material.

3. A protective apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said supply initiating means are such as to be manually actuable.

4. A protective apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the body portion comprises a sleeveless covering provided with respective portions for covering the chest, shoulders, and back of a wearer.

5. A protective apparatus according to claim 4, wherein one or more of the oxygen container, the supply initiating means and the metering device is/are attached to the chest covering portion.

6. A protective apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein one or more of the oxygen container, the supply initiating means and the metering device is/are attached to the exterior of the chest covering portion.

7. A protective apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said supply initiating means are at least partially housed by a connection member, connected or connectible to the gas container and the metering device.

8. A protective apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the connection member is provided with screw-threaded regions into which the container and the metering device may be securely screwed.

9. A protective apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein first and second gas containers are arranged to supply gas via the gas iine, said supply initiating means being associated with the first container and being manually actuatable; and wherein the second container is provided with opening means, actuatable in response to pressure caused by gas flowing from the first gas container, for opening the second container to allow gas to flow therefrom.

10. A protective apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first and second gas containers are connected in parallel with the gas line.

11. A protective apparatus according to claim 9 or 10 when appendant to claim 7 or 8 wherein the gas containers are mounted opposite one another on the connection member, the connection member housing the supply initiating means and the opening means and being connected to the metering device.

12. A protective apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the gas container(s) comprise(s) oxygen cartridges.

13. A protective apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.