US1561086A

US1561086A - Apparatus for supplying air to workmen

Info

Publication number: US1561086A
Application number: US627254A
Authority: US
Inventors: Victor K Korjibski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1923-03-24
Filing date: 1923-03-24
Publication date: 1925-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1942-11-10

Description

Nov. 10 1925.

919.561,08 K. KoRJlBsKl APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO WORKMEN Filed March 24, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nw, w, w25. 156mg@ V. K. KORJIBSKB APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO WORKMEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1923 vwamtoz Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES VICTOR K. KORJIBSKI, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO WORKMEN.

Application led March 24, 1923. Serial No. 627,254.

To all who/m. t may concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR K. KonJmsKI,

a citizen of the UnitedStates, and residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Air to Workmen, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an apparatus for supplying air to workmen in what is known as caisson work, tunnelling, mining and may also be used in factories or other establish'- ments in the handling and treatment of chemicals and other substances, where poisonous fumes, gases or the like are prevailing; and the object of the invention is to provide an apparatus involving a helmet adapted to be worn by a workman and particularly over the head of a workman, whereby fresh air under slight pressure 'may be supplied to the workman; a further object being to provide means for circulating the air through the helmet worn by a workman,

whereby a constant supply of air under slightpressure may be passed into and through the helmet without causing any depressive, objectionable or undesirable feeling to the workman; a further object being to provide means for indicating the action of the air supplied to the workman at all times; ra further object being to provide means for introducing a small quantity of oxygen into the air supplied to the workman; a further object being to provide an apparatus of the class specified with means, whereby a workman or other individual may enter a chamber in which a high pressure of air prevails without danger of being affected by the high pressure of air prevailing in a chamber of this class; and with vthese and other objects in view, the invention consists in an improved method and apparatusl for supplying air to workmen and others, and which is constructed and operated as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which :-l

Fig. `lA is a diagrammatic sectional View showing my improved apparatus for use in what is known as .caisson work, indicating the method of its use.

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 4-4 ofFig. 1 and on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and on an enlarged scale; and,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the helmet which I employ.

'In the drawing I have indicated at 10 a caisson construction or a part of a caisson construction, in which is an air chamber 11 adapted to be suppliedwith air under high pressure through a pipe 12, and at 13 I have shown a doorcontrolling the entrance to the chamber 11, whereby workmen may pass into and out of said chamber. The door 13 is provided with a valve construction 14 having operating wheels 15 at both sides of the door whereby the valve 14 may be moved into an open or closed position to permit of the opening and closing of the door 13 as may be desired. The framework of the of the door, is provided with an aperture 16 which opens through both sides of the door frame as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, in which are placed a number of removable blocks 17, said blocks being preferably composed of rubber and being keyed in position as shown at- 18. The adjacent faces of the blocks are rounded or arc-shaped in form to receive flexible tubings or

hose

19 and 20 as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawing.

Within the air chamber 11 is positioned an air supply pipe 21 which is coupled as shown at 22, with an air discharge pipe 23, and the air supply pipe 21 extends to a street or other surface and is coupled with an air compressor 24 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing and a valve 25 is employed for controlling the passage of air through the pipe 21. The pipe 23 also extends to the street or other surface, and the f upper end of said pipe is enlarged as shown at 26 and provided with a fan 27 .mounted on a shaft 28 having a worm 29 and mounted at right angles to the shaft 28 in suitable bearings is another shaft 30 having a worin gear 3l, and a dial 32 for indicating and designating the pressure of air discharged from the pipe 23.

I also employ with the air supply pipe 21, an oxygen supply tank 33, said tank having a similar pipe 34 which opens into the pipe 21 and is provided with a valve 35 to control the supply of oxygen to the pipe'21 whereby the degree of oxygen may be varied in the air supplied to the workmen through the pipe 21 as hereinafter described.

The pipe 21 or that part thereof that eX- tends horizontally of the chamber 11 1s provided with a plurality of spaced nozzles 36 while the horizontal portion of thepipe 23 is provided with similarly spaced nozzles 37 and these nozzles are adapted to recelve the ends of the flexible tubings or

hose

19 and 20 within the chamber 11 as shown at the right of Fig. 1, the tubing 19 being connected with one of'the nozzles 36, while tubing 20 is connected with one of the nozzles 37. The other ends of the tubings 19'and 20 are connected with a helmet, 38, the tubing 20 being connected with the top of the helmet as shown at 39 while the tubing 19 is connected with the back of the helmet as shown at 40.

The helmet 38 is preferably composed of strong, substantial metal andmay be composed of other materials, such for, example as hard rubber, papier-mch or the like.

The helmet 38 is providedat the front thereof with a transparent panel 41 as is the usual custom in helmets of this class,

- and the base 42 of the helmet is fashioned to workman or other conform with the body of the wearer over the shoulders and around the neck and is provided with a gasket or other facing 43 of resilient material to insure an air-tight connection of the helmet with the body of the wearer, and suitable straps 4:4 are employed for holding the helmet in position on the body ofthe wearer.

In the use of the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that one side of the

tubes

19 and 20 will normall be mounted in and between the yblocks 1 with the inner ends of said tubes joined to the

nozzles

36 and 37, and the outer ends of said tubes 'attached tothe helmet 38 as shown at 39 and 40 and if a individual desires to enter the chamber 11, the helmet 38 is first placed upon the body of the wearer, and the valve 14 1s opened to permit of the opening of the door 13, and the wearer through the door opening and' removes two of the blocks 17 and the

tubes

19 and 20 of his helmet and places two other tubes in position and 'when within the compartment 11, the last named tubes are attached to two of the

nozzles

36 and 37 and the tubes of the helmet worn by such individual are attached to two'other nozzles 36 aid 37 as of the helmet passes shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The workman may then move around in the chamber this circulation of air will permit of the free and easy breathing of the workmen in practicall Vnormal conditions, and'without being subJect to the high air pressure Within the chamber 11. It will also be understood that the workmen may move from place to place in the lchamber 1l by shifting the attachment of the

tubings

19 and 20 on the

respective nozzles

36 and 37, and any Vnumber of workmen, within certain limits, may work within the chamber 11, a suitable number of nozzles 36. and 37 being employed for this purpose. l

It will also be understood that by attaching and detaching the

tubings

19 and 20 in the manner above set out, that any number of workmen or others may enter the chamber 11 or pass out throughsaid chamber as the case may be. It will also be understood that the usual supplemental or auxiliary chambers employed in caisson work will be employed and the door 13 will open into one of these supplemental or auxiliary chambers in order that a workman or other l party may gradually enter the chamber -11 or gradually return to the street level or` normal atmospheric pressure in successive chambers havmg a different degree of air pressure, but as this last named feature is commonly, known, no specific comment is made or illustration shown of the other chambers, for the reason that they form no part of the invention.

One of the distinctive features of the invention resides in the` provision of a helmet to be worn upon the head of a workman or other party and into which air under slight pressuremay be passed and from which air may be discharged into atmos here,` and preferably through a pipe or tu mg `which leads to atmospheric pressure, andfurther to the provision of means for intrdueing a slight amount of oxygen to the air supplied to the helmet, if it should be foundnecessary so to do, and particularly whenV working under certain conditions. While in the accompanying drawing, I have shown m in vention as used in what is known as caisson work, I amnot necessarily limited to this use, as my improved helmet may be worn 'by workmenjor others in mining, tunnelling and also: in rooms or compartments of factories orjother establishments where a workman is subject to poisonous fumes, gases or other substances, which tend to break down the constitution of the workman by being subjected to and constantly inhaling and breathing the fumes, gases or other substances, and this is especially so in the 'handling and treatment of certain chemicals and metals of various kinds and classes. Regardless .of the specific use of my improved apparatus or ,the method of supplying air to a workman, in all cases, I provide means for introducing air into a helmet worn by the workman or otherparty which will facilitate lsubstantially normal respiration in that the air introduced into the helmet is under but slight pressure, while the air discharged from the helmet passes into a pipe, in which the air is of less pressure than in the supply pipe or tubing, or if desired the airmay bedischarged into atmospheric pressure in a room or compartment where atmospheric .pressure prevails but it is essential that the air introduced into the helmet be pure or substantially pure and if not puie may be treated to render the same pure, the latter being probably necessary in the use of my improved helmet or air supplying means when a workman, wearing such helmet, is exposed to poisonous fumes, gases or other substances.

It will be understood that while I have described one method and shown certain details of construction for carrying my invention into effect, that I am not necessarily limited to these respects and various changes in and modifications of the construction herein shown and described may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desir-e to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. An apparatus for supplying air to workmen when working within a compartment, comprising a helmet having intake and discharge passages, an air supply and discharge element comprising means for supplying air under pressure and involving air supply y and discharge pipes having a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally thereof, said pipes being coupled together and provided with a valve for controlling the communication therebetween and for regulating pressure in the discharge pipe, flexible tubings mounted in connection with the intake and discharge passages of the helmet and adapted to be detachably connected with the nozzles of said supply and discharge pipes and the free end of said discharge pipe opening to atmosphere.

2. An apparatus for supplying air to work' men when working within a compartment, comprising a helmet having intake and discharge passages, an air supply and discharge element comprising means for supplying air under pressure and involving air supply and discharge pipes having a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally thereof, said ipes being coupled together and provided with a valve for controlling the communication therebetween and for regulating pressure in the discharge pipe, iexible tubings mounted in connection with the intake and discharge passages of the helmet and adapted to be detachably connected with the nozzles of said supply and discharge pipes, the free end of said discharge pipe opening to atmosphere, means for mounting the helmet in connection with the body of the wearer, means for forming an air-tight connection between the helmet and the body of the wearer.

3. An apparatus for supplying air to Work'- men when working within a compartment, comprising a helmet having intake and discharge passages, an air supply and discharge element comprising means for supplying air under pressure and involving air supply and discharge pipes having a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally thereof, said pipes being coupled together and provided with a valve -for controlling the communicaltion therebetween and for regulating pressure in the discharge pipe, flexible tubings mounted in connection with the intake and discharge passages of the helmet and adapted to be de` tachably connected with the nozzles of said supply and discharge pipes, the free end of said discharge pipe opening to atmosphere, means for mounting the helmet in connection with the body of the wearer, means for forming an air-tight connection between the helmet and the body of the wearer, and means for introducing oxygen into said air supply pipe.

4. 'An apparatus for supplying air to workmen when working Within a compartment comprising a helmet having intake and discharge passages, anair supply and discharge element, comprising means for supplying air under pressure and involving air supply and discharge pipes having a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally thereof, said pipesbeing coupled together and provided with a valve for controlling the communication therebetween and for regulating pressure in the discharge -pipe, flexible tubings mounted in connection with the intake and discharge passages of the helmet and lil partment in parallel relation, the intake pipe being coupled with saidv air` supply apparatus and said discharge pipe being acontln` nation of said intake pipe and opening out- Wardly to atmosp-hiere externally of Said compartment, a. plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally of the intake and discharge pipes within said com Vartment, a helmet having intake and disc arge passages, and means for lacing the intake and discharge passages o the helmet -in communication with the nozzles of said intake and discharge pipes.

6. An apparatus for supplying fresh air to Workmen when working Within a compartment, comprising an apparatus for supplying air under slight pressure, intake and discharge pipes extending into said compartment in parallel relation, .the intake pipe being coupled with said air supply apparatusA and said discharge pipe being a continuation of said intake pipe and opening outwardly to atmosphere externally of said compartment, a plurality of nozzles spaced longitudinally of the intake and discharge passages, means for placing the intake and discharge passages of the helmet in communication with the nozzles of said intake and discharge pipes, and a valve controlling the communication between the intake and discharge pipes.

lln testimony that l claim the foregoing.

as my invention l have sig'nedfniyw name this 22nd day of March i923.

VlCTR-'K KORJIBSKI.