US1164312A - Life-saving garment. - Google Patents

Description

W. R. PIKE & T. S. MORTON. LIFE SAVING GARMENT. APPLICATION man iuLY28. 191s.

/ liTTORMEV' Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

WILLIAM R. PIKE AND THOMAS s. ivron'ron, or TUXEDO rann, new "roan.

LIFE-SAVING GARMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. Mt, iota.

Application filed July 28, 1915. Serial No. 42,462.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that we, WILLIAM R. PIKE and THOMAS S. Monro), citizens of, the

that they may become buoyant and present means whereby the wearer may be sustained when in a body of water.

' The objects of the invention are,'first, to provide a garment which may be preferably made close and neat fitting, in the manner of underwear, having suitable openings through which the arms of the wearer may extend, the lower limbs being also engaged, the entire device being opened and closed in the style of a coat.

Another object is to provide a device which may be worn constantly, or as occasion may require, without discoinfort or interference. with the outer clothing commonly Worn, and finally, to provide such devices unobjectionable in appearance and arranged in such manner as to have portions readily inflatable, the entire construction being such that it can be folded compactly, easily carried and manufactured at a moderate expense.

These and other objects are attained by the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the, accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a general perspective View of the device, indicatingthe manner of its applicaticn and method of inflation, and, Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing the upperportion of the garment is similar to a common shirt, of any preferred textile fabric, provided with arm holes 10, a neck opening 11 and side por- 'tions 12 which are adapted to be disposed over thebreast or bosom of the wearer,

while immediately below are doubled portions comprised of inner and outer walls 13 and 14 arranged in the form of a band and adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer, being of such length astomeet in front and be secured by buttons or snap fastenings 15,

similar to the constraining means 16 as applied to the upper portion of the garment.

-In order to hold these inflatable portions in their proper downward position, straps 17 are applied respectively at the front and rear of the casing, the lower ends of the straps being engaged with elastic bands 18, secured at their ends in any preferred manner, as the spring snaps 19, to the lower limbs of the individual making use of the device, their function being to hold the inflated belt down when in use.

The casings indicated by the numerals 13 and 14 have between them an inflatable pneumatic sack 20, preferably made of rubher or other material impervious to water and air, and so arranged that when fullyinflated, it will fill the space in the interior of the surrounding walls.

Attached to the upper end of the casing and extending into the inflatable collapsible sack 20 is "a flexible tube 21, passing freely through the outer member 14 and having at its inner end a flap valve 22 adapted to allow air to enter into the sack but prevent ing its return passage.

This tube 21 is carried up from the waist aboutthe breast of the garment, to which it is attached by means of suitable loops 23, and is furnished at its outer end with a mouth piece 24 having combined therewith worn without discomfort at any and all times and which, when necessity arises, can be thoroughly and easily inflated as to preserve by its buoyant properties the wearer from all danger of drowning and furthermore that the same may be used as an aid to swimming and other aquatorial performances in general.

Whilewe have indicated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious that minor changes may be made from the exact construction shown, without (18'.

parting from the scope of claims hereto appended.

Having thus described our invention, to

gether with the manner of its application and use, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a garment adapted to closely fit the bodyof a wearer, means for securing said garment in an adjusted position, an impervious sack combined with the lower portion of said garment, straps depending therefrom, means for engaging said straps to the lower limbs of the wearer, a flexible tube communicating therewith, said flexible tube extending into a position accessible for inflation and a flap valve at the inner end of saidtube whereby the discharge of the compressed air is prevented.

2. In a device of'the class described, the combination with a textile fabric garment fitted to the body of the wearer, a band surrounding the waist thereof, said band being provided with inner and outer sections, an inner impervious lining for said band, a flexible tube connecting with the interior of said impervious lining, said tube being arranged in such manner as to be inflated by 'for securing said garment in position, of a doubled lower section having a space between the walls thereof and constituting an encircling belt, an inflatable sack contained in the mentioned space, a tube leading from said sack to the mouth of the wearer, means engaging the lower limbs whereby said doubled lower section is prevented from rising, a valve combined with said tube for controlling the passage of air and means for automatically preventing the egress of air from said sack. a

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

WILLIAM R. PIK-E. THOMAS S. MORTON.

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