US1680757A

US1680757A - Flutter valve

Info

Publication number: US1680757A
Application number: US747437A
Authority: US
Inventors: Yablick Max
Original assignee: Mine Safety Appliances Co
Current assignee: MSA Safety Inc
Priority date: 1924-11-03
Filing date: 1924-11-03
Publication date: 1928-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1945-08-14

Description

Aug. 14, 192s. w'oas:

M.l YABLlcK FLTTER VALVE Filed Nov. 5, 1924 Patented Aug. 14, 19:28.

UNITED STATES 1,680,757 1PA-TENT orifice.

MAX YABLICK, orY NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNoR ro MINE SAFETY APPLIANE COMPANY, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or nENNsYLvANIA.

FLUTTER VALVE.

This application is a continuatiqn-inart of my application Ser. No. 552,529 led Apr; 14,1922. d y

This invention relates to one-way valves lil of flexible material and more specifically to improvements upon the type of valves commonly known as flutter valves which are i extensively employed in gas masks for the discharge of exhaled air therefrom, al-

' 10 though'not necessarily limited to such use.

It is customary to provide means in connection with respirators or gas masks to readily permit outflow of the exhaled air. This means should positively and effectively 'close during inhalation to prevent admission of air therethrough, so that the air which is breathed in is taken entirely from the fresh air compartment or through the air' purifying means as the case may be.

for this purpose consisted of a bag of soft, liable rubber, connected at one end with a tting through which the air is exhaled, and provided with slits at the other end. The

'25 walls of the bag were arranged to lie directly one upon the other, and inexhaling, the walls separated suiiciently to permit the air to pass therethrough and out through the, slits. In inhaling, the natural arrangement of the walls together with the suction caused by inhaling pulled' the walls of the tube or bag tightly together and prevented entrance of air therethrough. V

One of the disadvantages of this t pe of 35 valve is that it does not afford a solute safety against the entrance of atmospheric air therethrough into the mask when the wearer. inhales. Thus, if solid particles, such as sand, grit, etc., become, lodged be- 40. tween the walls of the bag,the valve will not close tightly and therefore fail to function roperly. The necessaryprotection is thus ost.

Another disadvantage of this type of valve is that when placed upon the tting 4of the mask through which the exhaledair passes, the valve projects a considerable distance 'beyond the facepiece of the mask, thus greatly interferring with the freedom of movement ofthe wearer. Thisdisadvantage is further accentuated bythe fact that these valves of pliable rubber are almost invariably protected. by a surrounding frame of rigid material, such as metal, .and this 'S55 rigid framev also projectslbeyond the face-1v The flutter valve heretofore employed piece ofthe mask atA even a greater distance than the valve itself.

In my co-pending application Ser. No. 552,529, I have disclosed an improved valve which overcomes these disadvantages and when this Valve `is placed upona `gas mask or respirator renders it more compact and more' efficient.

The present invention consists in a combnation of the valve disclosed in iny co-pending application with a sound-intensifying construction, preferably embodied in one of the walls of the flutter valve. The object of having ,this sound-intensifying portion is to render-audible the words or sounds produced within them kby the wearer and thus add to theeciency and comfort of the mask. f A A Otherz further and more specific objects of the invention will become readily ap parent to personsskilled in the art from a consideration of the following description taken in `conjunction with the4 drawings, wherein: j

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred formof my device.

Fig. 2 is a section through the center of f the valve, showing the position of the walls of the valve when in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, show- 85 ing the position of the walls when air is being exhaled through the valve. L l Fig. 4 is a modification showing specific means for adding rigidity to the neck.

Fig 5 is a modification illustrating the use of a perforated diaphragm at they base of the neck of m device. l

. My preferre device comprises the bagshapedr construction of the ordinary flutter valve Ihaving the walls land 2 of exible or liable material, which is usuallymolded rub er. The walls are joined at their edges, except at the openings 3 and 4. To one` of these walls is attached a neck 5 at a right angle or other angular relationship, preferably integral therewith y'and of the same material, and this neck is adapted to be placed over the litting'of the mask through which air is exhaled. The walls lkand 2 are `also preferably integral at the edges 6,v 7 and 8,- the smaller edges 9 being cemented at 10. l l

When exhaledr air from the mask enters the valve through the neck f5, the walls 1 and 2 will separate as shown in Fig. 3, 110( and the air will passout through the openings or lslits 3 and 4. On inhalation, suction occurs at the'neck 5 of the valve and the walls 1 and 2 will close together as shown in Fig. 2. The base 11 of the neck 5 forms a seat against whichthe wall 2 is drawn, thus closing the valve against incoming air. Ordinarily, when the wearer of a 'mask equipped with this valve inhales, the lbase '11 and wall 2 constitute the valve-closing mechanism, but if for any reason these parts should fail to function properly or perfectly, an additional protection is provided by the extendedwalls 1 and 2, since any suction at the base will cause the walls 1 and 2 to come together at the slits as in the ordinary flutter valve. It is, therefore, clear that my device provides additional protection to that aorded by the ordinary flutter valve.

When the wearer of an ordinary gas mask talks, the sound of the voice is consider.

ably decreased, and is in most cases practically inaudible. In order to amplify this sound, I have provided my flutter valve with I a sound-intensifying portion 12, which is preferably disposed adjacent to the base 11 of the neck 5. This sound-intensifying portion may consist of a disc secured to the wall 2 of the valve by an adhesive or other suitable binding means, or else this portion of the wall may be hardened, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The sounds produced within the mask will cause the hardened portion 12 or sound-intensifying disc to vibrate and thereby amplify the sounds to a material extent and render audible sounds which otherwise could not be readily heard.

In the construction shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the base 11 of the valve is thickened so as to add rigidityfto the neck of the valve. In the construction shown in Fig. 4, added rigidity is produced by means of an inner tube 13 of metal which may be the fitting of the mask over which the neck of the valve is placed. This tube 13 mayv extend below the wall 1 so as to engage with the bottom wall 2 or the disc 12 attached thereto to4 form the valve-closing"mechanism. In the illustration the tube 13 does not extend so as to engage the wall 2 or vibrating member 12 which engages the base 11 of the neck to form the auxiliary valve-closing mechamsm.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5, a perforated disc 14 of metal, -hard rubber or other suitable material is attached to the wall so as to embrace the opening from the neck 5 of the valve to the portion between the walls 1 and 2. This serves as a ,means for preventing indentionV of the wall 2 or'more specifically the sound-amplifying portion 12 of the wall 2 when suction is taking place in the valve.

i Using my device, the neck 5 is placed over the littlng of the mask through which the i would fail to give the necessary security, but

with my valve the additional valve-closing mechanism would afford the proper protection against 'inhaling air therethrough. Also, the additional sound-amplifying means enables the wearer to speak so as to be readily heard and understood.

The present invention is' not limited tothe specific details set forth in the foregoing examples which -should be construed as illustrative and not by way of limitation, and in view of the numerous modifications which may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention,l

i-t is desired that only such limitations be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

A'1. A flutter valve comprising a pair of walls, one of said walls including a vibrating, sound-intensifying portiongg and the other wall being provided with` a neck at an angle the eto and the base of said neck being adapted o engage with the first-named wall to form a valve-closing mechanism and means at the base of said neck for guarding the wall having the sound-intensifying portion against excessive inward indention by suction.

2. In a flutter valve, a flattened bag of pliable rubber slitted along the edge near an end thereof and forming a valve-closing mechanism, one wall of said bag including a vibrating, sound-intensifying portion and the other wall being provided with a neck at an angle thereto and the base of said neck being adapted to engage withfthe firstnamed wall to forman auxiliary valve-closing mechanism and' means at the base of said neck for guarding the wall having the sound-intensifying portion against excessive inward indention by suction.

3. A flutter valve of exible material comprising a pair of walls, one of said walls including a vibrating, sound-intensifying pliable rubber slitted kalong the edge near an end thereof and forming a valve-elosing mechanism, one wall of said bag including a vibrating, sound-intensifying portion and the other Wall being provided with a neck integral therewith and at an angle thereto and the base of said neck being adapted to engage with the first-named Wall to form an auxiliary valve-closing mechanism and of said neck.

' 5. In a flutter valve, a -flattened bag of pliable rubber slitted along the edge near an end thereof and forming a valve-closing mechanism, one wall of said bagincluding a vibrating, sound-intensifying portion and y a metallic perforated diaphragm at the base 4the other Wall being provided with a neck at an l`angle thereto and the base of said 1 neck being adapted to engage with the rstnamed wall to form an auxiliaryl valve-closing mechanism and means at the base of neck for adding rigidity thereto.

said neck for guarding the Wall having the sound-intensifying portion against excessive inward indention by suction and means for adding rigidity to said neck.

6. In a flutter valve, a attened bag lof pliable rubber slitted along the edges near an end thereof and forming a valve-closing, mechanism, one Wall of said bag including a Vibrating, sound-intensifying portion and the other Wall being provided with a neck integral therewith and at an angle thereto -and the base of said neck being adapted to engage With said disc to form an auxiliary valve-closing mechanism, a metallic perforated diaphragm at the base of said neck and stiffening means at the basel of said In testimony whereof I affix my 'signature.

MAX YABLICK.