GB2081660A - Personal escape garment - Google Patents

Abstract

An inflatable garment which is close fitting at neck, ankles, and wrists is worn by a person getting into it through an aperture which extends from neck to crutch and which is closed by a zip fastener or other suitable means. Canisters of a compressed gas which is lighter than air are fitted to the waist band of the garment. For fire escape the gas must also be non-inflammable. The gas is released by a quick release mechanism into voluminous pouches at the sides, on top and behind the shoulders. The gas will provide lift to the body. overcoming much of the body's weight to the extent of allowing the person to step off the level at which there is danger and descend to a lower level more slowly than without the garment. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Personal safety garment This is a design for a garment to be worn by a man woman or child for the purpose of effecting an escape from danger at a height. The shape and fitting to which the garment is designed to be made and the method by which it is designed to be operated and used is described in the following paragraphs.

The garment is of an overall design, loose fitting about the legs arms and body, so as to allow its use by a wide range of sizes of persons. It is gathered at the ankles, wrists and neck into a belted, elasticised, or similar closure, to grip tightly and firmly. It is also fitted with an adjustable belt or similar adjustable closure at the waist. From crutch to neck the garment is open, with a zip fastener to close it; the opening is to allow the wearer to get into it and close the fip fasteners.

The wearer also closes the waist belt and the neck fastening.

At the back of the shoulders, on the shoulders, in front of the shoulders, on the upper arms, the garment has voluminous pouches or pockets built into a single layer of the material forming the garment or between two layers of material.

At the waist is provided a canister of compressed gas which is lighter than air. When the garment is being used as a fire escape apparatus the gas must also be non-inflammable. The canister may be fitted at any other suitable place on the garment if desired. The canister is fitted with outlet valves which may be operated by any suitable method, including cord, toggle, tap, switch, pressbutton, lever, or any other suitable method. The released gas will fill the pockets provided, to give lifting power to the body and to overcome the force of gravity. The gas will also fill other space between the material of the garment and the upper body, or the space between the two layers of material.

To be ready for use the garment will be open from neck to crutch, and the belt at the waist will be open. Also the closures at wrists and ankles will be open, or easily openable. The person who is to use it steps into the legs of the garment pushing the feet through the ankle bands; the arms will be pushed into the arms of the garment and the wrists into the wrist bands. Both wrist and ankle bands will be tight around wrists and ankles. The zip fastener, or similar closure for the opening from crutch to neck will be fastened.

When all closures are secure, the valves on the gas canister(s) are released and the expending gas fills the pockets provided.

When sufficient lift has been provided in the garment for the wearer, he or she should be able to step off the high point at which the danger exists, and descend to a lower level at a safe speed.

The garment in front and side views, deflated, and inflated is shown on the accompanying drawings which show Figures 1 and 2 for the deflated garment and Figures 3 and 4 for the inflated garment.

Throughout the drawings numerals are used for the structural parts, and suffix letters to indicate left or right, front or back.

Numeral 1 refers to the neckband, numeral 2 to the waist band, numeral 3 to the wrist bands, 3a to the left and 3b to the right. Numeral 4 refers to the ankle bands, 4a to the left and 4b to the right.

Numeral 5 refers to the zip fastening from neck to crutch. Numeral 6 refers to the garment itself, 6a to the left leg, 6b to the right leg, 6c to the left arm and 6d to the right arm.

Numeral 7 is used for the inflatable gas pouches, 7a to the left shoulder pouch, 7b to the right shoulder pouch, 7c to the pouch behind the neck. Numerals 7d and 7e to the pouches on the front shoulders. Numeral 8 refers to the gas canister(s). Numeral 9 refers to the gas release valve(s), and numeral 10 refers to the tube connecting the canister to the pouches. Both tubes connect both valves to all pouches, to ensure the quickest possihle inflation.

1. A personal garment which, when worn and used, will reduce the effect of gravity on the body as measured by its effective weigh, to allow the body to descend from one level to a lower level at a speed slow enough to reduce the effects of striking the surface at the lower level.

2. A design of garment which when properly put on by a person is close fitting at the neck, wrists, ankles and waist to ensure the complete enclosure of gas when released from the canisters between the body and the garment or between two layers of the garment, above the waist level, and particularly above the shoulders where the garment is particularly voluminous with pouches to contain the released gas.

3. A design of garment which has aitached to it canisters of compressed gas which is lighter than air, and which may be released through control valves into the space between two layers of garment above the waist. The valve release may be effected by any suitable method, as described in the description. In addition to being lighter than air, the gas must also be non-inflammable when used as a fire escape apparatus.

4. A design of garment which is openable at the front to allow any person to get into it and then closed tightly enough to be gas-tight by any person wearing it.

5. A design of garment which has outlet valves for letting out the gas after the garment has been used. This may be achieved by unfastening the connecting unit where the gas release tubes join the gas canister.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Personal safety garment This is a design for a garment to be worn by a man woman or child for the purpose of effecting an escape from danger at a height. The shape and fitting to which the garment is designed to be made and the method by which it is designed to be operated and used is described in the following paragraphs. The garment is of an overall design, loose fitting about the legs arms and body, so as to allow its use by a wide range of sizes of persons. It is gathered at the ankles, wrists and neck into a belted, elasticised, or similar closure, to grip tightly and firmly. It is also fitted with an adjustable belt or similar adjustable closure at the waist. From crutch to neck the garment is open, with a zip fastener to close it; the opening is to allow the wearer to get into it and close the fip fasteners. The wearer also closes the waist belt and the neck fastening. At the back of the shoulders, on the shoulders, in front of the shoulders, on the upper arms, the garment has voluminous pouches or pockets built into a single layer of the material forming the garment or between two layers of material. At the waist is provided a canister of compressed gas which is lighter than air. When the garment is being used as a fire escape apparatus the gas must also be non-inflammable. The canister may be fitted at any other suitable place on the garment if desired. The canister is fitted with outlet valves which may be operated by any suitable method, including cord, toggle, tap, switch, pressbutton, lever, or any other suitable method. The released gas will fill the pockets provided, to give lifting power to the body and to overcome the force of gravity. The gas will also fill other space between the material of the garment and the upper body, or the space between the two layers of material. To be ready for use the garment will be open from neck to crutch, and the belt at the waist will be open. Also the closures at wrists and ankles will be open, or easily openable. The person who is to use it steps into the legs of the garment pushing the feet through the ankle bands; the arms will be pushed into the arms of the garment and the wrists into the wrist bands. Both wrist and ankle bands will be tight around wrists and ankles. The zip fastener, or similar closure for the opening from crutch to neck will be fastened. When all closures are secure, the valves on the gas canister(s) are released and the expending gas fills the pockets provided. When sufficient lift has been provided in the garment for the wearer, he or she should be able to step off the high point at which the danger exists, and descend to a lower level at a safe speed. The garment in front and side views, deflated, and inflated is shown on the accompanying drawings which show Figures 1 and 2 for the deflated garment and Figures 3 and 4 for the inflated garment. Throughout the drawings numerals are used for the structural parts, and suffix letters to indicate left or right, front or back. Numeral 1 refers to the neckband, numeral 2 to the waist band, numeral 3 to the wrist bands, 3a to the left and 3b to the right. Numeral 4 refers to the ankle bands, 4a to the left and 4b to the right. Numeral 5 refers to the zip fastening from neck to crutch. Numeral 6 refers to the garment itself, 6a to the left leg, 6b to the right leg, 6c to the left arm and 6d to the right arm. Numeral 7 is used for the inflatable gas pouches, 7a to the left shoulder pouch, 7b to the right shoulder pouch, 7c to the pouch behind the neck. Numerals 7d and 7e to the pouches on the front shoulders. Numeral 8 refers to the gas canister(s). Numeral 9 refers to the gas release valve(s), and numeral 10 refers to the tube connecting the canister to the pouches. Both tubes connect both valves to all pouches, to ensure the quickest possihle inflation. CLAIMS

1. A personal garment which, when worn and used, will reduce the effect of gravity on the body as measured by its effective weigh, to allow the body to descend from one level to a lower level at a speed slow enough to reduce the effects of striking the surface at the lower level.

2. A design of garment which when properly put on by a person is close fitting at the neck, wrists, ankles and waist to ensure the complete enclosure of gas when released from the canisters between the body and the garment or between two layers of the garment, above the waist level, and particularly above the shoulders where the garment is particularly voluminous with pouches to contain the released gas.

3. A design of garment which has aitached to it canisters of compressed gas which is lighter than air, and which may be released through control valves into the space between two layers of garment above the waist. The valve release may be effected by any suitable method, as described in the description. In addition to being lighter than air, the gas must also be non-inflammable when used as a fire escape apparatus.

4. A design of garment which is openable at the front to allow any person to get into it and then closed tightly enough to be gas-tight by any person wearing it.

5. A design of garment which has outlet valves for letting out the gas after the garment has been used. This may be achieved by unfastening the connecting unit where the gas release tubes join the gas canister.