US1705888A

US1705888A - Life-saving suit

Info

Publication number: US1705888A
Application number: US194210A
Authority: US
Original assignee: DAVID M AUD; JENNIE A AUD; JENNIE L CURTICE; JESSE V AUD; MARY A HUTCHISON
Current assignee: DAVID M AUD; JENNIE A AUD; JENNIE L CURTICE; JESSE V AUD; MARY A HUTCHISON
Priority date: 1927-05-25
Filing date: 1927-05-25
Publication date: 1929-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1946-03-19

Description

March 19, 1929.

W. 5'. AUD

LIFE SAVING SUIT Filed May 25, 192'.

2 Sheets-

Sheet

1 ,5. Aud.

' March 19, 1929. 5 w. 5. AUD 1,705,888

LIFE SAVING SUIT Filed May 25, ,192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lookingtoward oneside of the closure of the Fatentecl Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM SfAUD, or HERNDON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-SIXTH To JENNIE A. non, ONESIXTTI T0 DAVID M. AUD, ounsrxrrr 'ro MARYA; HUrcHIsoN, 01m

.SIXTH 'IO JESSE v. Ann AND ONE-SIXTH T0 JENN E L. CURTICE, ALL or SOUTH BOSTON, VIRGINIA;

.llpplicationgfiled May 25,

This invention relates to life saving suits, and particularly to means for closlng the en trance opening thereof, and one obyect of the invention is to providea novel and Improved construction of sealing and fastenlng means whereby the meeting edges of the entrance opening of the garment may be securely fastened and sealed against the admisslon of water. l

A further object of the inventlon is to provide a suit adapted for life saving, swimming and analogous purposes, whlch may be quick- 1y, easily and conveniently apphed, and in which the meeting edges of the entrance opening may be closed and sealed without trouble or material exertion on the part of the operator.

The invention consists of the featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in W l1lClflZ- a Figure 1 is a front. vlew of the sult as applied for use and showing the entrance opening partly closed. I t p Figure 2 is a similar view showing the entrance opening fully closed and the collar fastened about the neck of the wearer.

Figure 3 is a perspective view on, an enlarged scale of the upper portion of the gar .ment.. a

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vlew 1n elevat on entrance opening. I

Figure 5 is a view in elevationlookingto- I ward the inner face of one of the sealing strips. Y i o Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspect ve v ew showing the inner faces of the seallng stri-ps and the members of one of the fasteners.

Figures 7 8 and 9 are sections taken, respectively, on the lines 77, 88 and 9- -9 of Figure 4. o. l s

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a life savlng suit of integral or union type, in which the trousers portion 2 and jacket portion 3 of the suit are permanently united. The legs of the trousers portion 2 as shown, terminate. in foot portions, socks or boots 4, while-the packet portion 3 is provided with sleeves 5 terminatlng in gloves or mittens 6. The jacket portion 3 LIFE-SAVING SUIT.

1927 Serial No. 194,210. I

is provided at the front with an entrance openlng 7, and is provided at its upper portion with a collar or neck band 8. This collar or neck band may include a section 9 of elastic material, and a strip or other fastening member 10 may be employed, with suitable tongue 7 and buckle connections, for adjustably securmg the collar or neck band about the neck of the wearer. All of such parts of the suit, wlth the exception of the strip lOand its connections, are made of some suitable strong 1 and durable Waterproof material, suchas soft vulcanized rubber. or any suitable combination of rubber and fabric, any seams used for uniting the parts where necessary being of water-tight character.

Along the margins of the entrance opening 7 are provided

sealing strips

11 and 12, which extend the full length of the opening froma point adjacent to the crotch portion to the upper edge of the collar 8 of the garment. These

sealing strips

11 and 12 are also made of rubber or rubber and fabric, of a proper degree-of flexibility and rigidity to maintain I their shape. Preferably these sealing strips are secured below the collar portion to

backlngfor reinforcing strips

13 and 14 whereby the are strengthened and their deformation -un er pressures and strains prevented. The

backingor reinforcing strips are also preferably; made of rubber or rubber and fabric of a sultable degree of rigidity and serve as sup ports for the fasteningv devicesemployedfon 5 holding the sealing strips united to close-the opening 4 and to maintainv the sealing-elements thereon permanently in contact toprevent the entrance of water. V I

- As shown, the fastening devices consist of a series of keeper members 15,- mounted on the strip 11 and backing 13, and a coacting series of locking plates '16 mounted-on the sealing strip and backing 12 and 14:. The 'i keeper members 15 arein the form of eyelets linked in a vertical direction parallel with through said keeper members and to engage the same for a locking action. The slots or passages of the eyelets l5 are offiaringfo'rmbetween the inner and outer surface of each eyelet', so as to accurately guide the coactlng locking plate into engagement" therewith.

Each locking plate 16 is provided at its lower edge with a series of ratchet-shaped locking teeth 17 for adjustable locking engagement with the lower wall of the eyelet at its outer side beyond which the applied locking plate projects, when fully inserted, the shape of the teeth being such as to adapt the plate to be freely applied while holding it from casual separation after the locking action. The locking plates are adapted to be inserted by bringing the sealing strips together with a certain degree of forcing pressure, in which operation the inclined surfaces of the teeth of each locking device slide over the lower wall of each keeper, the final teeth of the locking devices, when the latter are fully applied, dropping by gravity and presenting their straight shoulders for engagement with the outer surfacesof the keepers to hold the sealing strips compressed together and securely locked. A releasing action may be effected, however, by compressing the strips and raising one relatively to the other, whereupon the fasteners may be disengaged and the sealing strips moved apart to spread the opening "4' and thusallow the suit to be removed. With the construction described, it is merely nece saryto apply the suit to the person, in which operation the operator steps through the entrance opening into the trousers portion of the garment and then inserts his arms into the sleeves and draws the jacket portion 3 about him, and then properly adjusts the collar 8, after which by merely pressing upon thesealing strips at the points where the fasteners are located an instantanenous closing and locking action will be effected. The projecting ends of the

strips

11 and 12 lying above the upper ends of the

backing strips

13 and 1 1- are of greater flexibility than those portions of the sealing strips reinforced by the backing strips to adapt them to permit free movements of the collar or neck band 8. These u oer aro ectin ortlons of the stri as

l c

11 and 12 are provided with a keeper and fasv.tener ofthe character described for locking and sealing connection.

Means are provided upon the mner faces -ofthe

sealing strips

11 and 12 for efiecting a tight sealing connection between them when fastened together, in order to provide an absolutely water-tight joint. The sealing means shown consists of a pair of spaced

parallel sealing ribs

18 and 19 upon the inner face of the strip 11 and a coacting pair of

ribs

20 and 21 upon the inner face of the strip 12. The

ribs

18 and 19 are preferably made of semi-elastic rubber or rubber and fabric, while the

ribs

20 and 21 which they respectively engage are of special construction. These

ribs

20 and 21 are of much greater breadth than the

ribs

18 and 19 and are provided. with central. longitudinal grooves or recesses to receive the rounded outer edges of the

ribs

18 and 19, whereby, in addition to rigidity than the cushioned rib- 21.

the locking connection the sealing strips, when coupled, will be held from lateral shifting or displacement, while at the same time the received portions of the

ribs

18 and 19 will form a water-proof joint connection with the

ribs

20 and 21. Preferably inner and outer sets of ribs are provided, as shown, in order to secure double assurance against the entrance of water, the inner ribs serving to effectually prevent any entrance of water which might possibly creep past the outer ribs. The rib 21 of the strip l2ipreferably comprises a hollow cover or face portion 22 which is or may be integral with the strip 12'and a backing portion 23 of a material having a high degree ofelasticity, such as sponge rubber. The rib2O may be of the same construction as therib 21, but preferably is of solid character, so that it is of a greater degree of stiffness or W hen the rib 19 is brought under pressure into'e'ngagement with the lb 21 the elastic backing 23 will allow the cover portion 22 to recede under the pressure of the rib 19, thus deepening the groove in said rib 21 and allowing the rib 19 to project thereinto to a. greater extent, and with the result that the sealing surfaces are not only increased but the bacle,

ing 23 is maintained under tension: to con stantly keep the sealing surfaces of the'ribs in contact to maintain at all timesthe watertight integrity of the joint. As stated, the rib 20 may be of'the same construction as the rib 21 and have the same action, but is preferably made, as shown, solid and stationary, so that, when the sealing strips arebrought together, and the fasteners interlocked, the rib 21 being more resistant to the pressure of the rib 18, will allow the sealing strips to rock to a certain degree on the

ribs

18 and 20 as an axis so as to adapt the-ribs 1-9. and 21 to be brought still closer together and have a tight sealing action.

Figure 1 shows the suit applied for use with the two lower fasteners of the four fasteners shown locked, while Figure: 2 shows the suit applied with all four fasteners-locked andthe collar or neck band drawn-snugly I From aninwill be firmly pressed together. to hermetically close the opening 7., The use of fasteningdevices of the type disclosed whichare always in position for use, obviates the necessity of employingauxiliary fastening means, or of adjusting fastening devices lengthwise of the strips, and also obviates the necessity of employing fasteners ofa type liable to a course, that fastening and sealing means of any equivalent type, falling within the scope of the appended claims, may be employed without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim:

1. A life saving suit having. an entrance opening, closure st ips along the marginal 1 edges of said opening, said strips having sealing faces, slotted keeper members upon one of said strips, and fastening members upon the other strip adapted to be passed through said slotted keeper members and each having a plurality of locking surfaces for adjustable enga ement with its keeper member.

2. A life saving suit having an entrance opening, closure strips along the marginal edges of said opening, said strips having sealing faces, slotted keeper members upon one of said strips, and locking members upon the other strip comprising plates adapted to be passed through said slotted keeper members, each locking plate having a ratchet toothed surface for engagement with the coacting keeper member.

A life saving suit having an entrance opening, keeper strips along the marginal edges of said opening, said strips having sealing faces, slotted keeper members upon one of the strips, and locking members upon the other strip. comprising plates adapted to be passed through the slots in the keeper members, each plate having a toothed locking surface for locking engagement with the coacting keeper member. 4. A life saving suit having an entrance opening, closure strips along, the marginal edgesv of said opening, pairs of opposed outer and inner resilient sealing ribs upon said strips, and fastening means for connecting the strips and holding said ribs pressed tightly into engagement with one another.

5. A life saving suit having an entrance opening, sealing strips along the marginal edges of the opening, inner and outer resilient sealing ribs upon one of said strips, said ribs having rounded faces, outer and inner sealing ribs upon the other strip having grooves toreceive the rounded faces of the first-named ribs, and fastening means for uniting the strips and holding said ribs pressed together.

6. A life saving suithaving an entrance opening, sealing strips along the marginal edges of said opening, resilient sealing ribs upon the opposed faces of said strips, slotted keeper members upon one of the strips, and toothed fastenin members upon the other strip for interloc ds keeper members.

ing engagement with said 7.,A life saving suit having an entrance opening, closure strips along the marginal edges of the opening, spaced outer and inner elastic sealing ribs upon the opposed faces of said strips, slotted keeper members upon one of the stripsbetween the ribs thereof, and

fastening members upon theother strip be tween the ribs thereof for engagement with said slotted keeper mcmbers. I

8. A life saving suit having an entrance opening, sealing strips along the marginal edges of said opening, an elastic sealing rib upon one of said strips, a grooved rib upon the'other strip adapted toreceive the firstnamed rib and including a body of elastic material compressible under pressure when the ribs are brought together, and fastening means upon the strips for holding them connected.

9. A life saving. suit having an entrance opening, sealing strips along the marginal edges of said'ope'ning, inner and outer ribs extending along one of said strips,'said ribs having contact faces, inner and outer ribs upon theother strip havmg grooved faces to receive the contact faces of the first-named I ribs, one of said grooved ribs being of greater elasticity than the other, and fastening means upon-the strips for holdingtheinconnected and pressing the ribs firmly together. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

l/VILLIAM S. AUD.