US1772674A

US1772674A - Inflating device for safety belts and the like

Info

Publication number: US1772674A
Application number: US372164A
Authority: US
Inventors: Markus Peter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1929-06-19
Filing date: 1929-06-19
Publication date: 1930-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1947-08-12

Description

F. MARKUS Aug. 12, 1930.

INFLATING DEVICE FOR SAFETY BELTS AND THE LIKE Filed Jim@ 1'9, 1929 n Patented Aug. 12, 1930 UNITED 'STATES PETER MARKUS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI INFLATING DEVICE FOB SAFETY BELTS AND THE LIE Application led June 19,

This invention relates to infiating devices for safety belts, vests', coats, bathln suits and the like, and more especially to cgievices of that class involving the employment of compressed Huid cartridges and means to puncture them at the proper time for transforming objects into buoyant bodies for safely sustaining persons in water.

Consideration of the subject of safety devices of the class mentioned indicates that it is desirable to make provision for initiating the inflation operation by a tug or pull, and it has also been found desirable with a device operated by applying a tug or pull to minimize the chance of such action occurring accidentally. It has furthermore been found that in a device of the type under consideration, it is very desirable that the part on which the pull or tug is applied shall bear a Aswivelled relationship to the part which carries it, in fact where the device upon which force is exerted is in the form of a lever, it is very desirable that the lever shall be swivelled so that its handle end shall be positioned read ily to be fastened against accidental operation.

It is the object of the invention therefore to provide a simple, efiicient. durable, and economical infiating device which possesses the features setforth as desirable. and hereinafter described and claimed; and in orderthat it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary section of an inflatable body equipped with an inflating device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a. pla'n view of the construction illustrated by Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective of a lever for operatingr the device.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section disclosing a modified form of theouter member of the container.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 indicates an inflatable body to be worn in deflated 1929. Serial No. 372,164.

condition normally, by one when swimming,- bathing or boating. In its preferred form the device is in the form of a vest, but as the type of the body is unimportant, no particular form of it has been illustrated, though in any case it will have an opening such as 2, and the opening preferably will be enclosed f by a cylindrical flange 3, the flange being shown as depending into the body 1.

A tubular cartridge container member 4 of aluminum or equivalent metal, is fitted in the opening 2 with an air-tight relation. This connection must not only be air-tight but hold the container againstmovement relative to the body 1. One way of making a substantial connection is to provide the container member with exterior annular grooves, so that the flexible flange?, may be forced by a suitable wrapping cord or wire 5 into said grooves, and thus insure against slippage of the container and prevent any chance of a leakage of air from the body portion when inflated.

The inner end of the container member is provided'with a perforated plug 6 equipped with a puncturing pin 7, and exterior to the body 1, the container is preferably enlarged diametrically and formed with a circular groove 8 wherein fits a compressible gasket 9. The wall inward of the groove and indicated at 10, preferably projects a substantial distance beyond the outer wall and is externally threaded.

An outer or cap member 11 of the container, of cylindrical form, has a threaded internal bore 12 engaging the threaded wall 10, and said member engages the groove mentoned and applies sufficient force on the compressible gasket 9, to establish an airtight relationship with the inner member.

The bore 12 of the member 11 is diametrically reduced at 13 to provide at the junction of the bore with the larger threaded bore, a downwardly-facin annular shoulder 14, providing a seat4 or a rubber or equivalent diaphragm 15. A gasket 16 engages the diaphragm and a. threaded ring 17 engaging the threaded bore of the ofiter member engages the gasket and through the same clamps the diaphragm upon the said shoulder 14 with an air-tight relation. The upper end of the bore 13 is diametrically enlarged to rovide an u wardly-facingshoulder 18 an a circum erential circular wall 19.

A circular plate 20 swivelled in member 11, rests on shoulder 18 and is held in place by rolling or bending the wall 19 inward upon it as shown, the enga ement being such that the plate is left free or turning movement. Said late is formed with a depending boss 21 having a central passave 22 which opens through the upper end of the plate, and projecting upward from the plate is a pair of ears const1tuting a bifurcated boss 23 provided with a cross pin 24.

A lever 25 is pivoted eccentrically on pin 24 in the bifurcated boss 23, and its cam or pivoted end 26 is adapted normally to lie 1n contact with or close proximity to the upper end of a reciprocatory plunger stem 27 fitting in passage 22, the lower end of the said stem having a head 28 for abutment against the lower end of boss 21 and for similar engagement with the upper side of the dia hragm l5. The lever 25 is preferably of rig t angle form so that when its pivoted arm is in horizontal or normal position as mentioned the other or handle arm shall extend inwardly at one side of the container. The handle arm is equipped with a permanent flexible extension 29 terminating in a loop 30 for most convenient engagement by a finger or thumb of the operator, and the loop 1s equipped with spring clasp 3l for engagement with va button 32 projecting exteriorly from the body 1. The button and clasp in effect constitute an ordinary sna fastener such as found on gloves and the lilie, the arrangement being such that the clasp member can be snap ed onto the button by pressure and can be isengaged from the button by a pull on the loop 30.

A compressed air cartridge 32 of a conventional type and therefore not detailed, fits snugly in the container, with one end engaging or in close proximity to the inner face of the diaphragm and the other end resting on the puncturing pin 7 the last-named end being closed by a metalhc cap or closure 33 susceptible of being readily punctured by the pin 7 when the cartridge is for'ced downward by the plunger, through the instrumentality of the cam lever, it being noted that when the cam lever is swung upward it forces the plunger downward and this movement through the intermediacy of the diaphragm, imparts corresponding movement to the cartridge and effects the puncturing of the latter so that the compressed air shall escape therefrom through the perforated plug 6 of the container and instantly elect inflation of the body 1. In this connection it will'be noted that when the lever is secured in normal or inoperative position by the snap fastener there is no chance of accidentally puncturing the cartridge but that when one applies suflicient pull on the loop to unfasten the flexible extension from body 1, the disengagement will be so sudden and extended that the cam lever will unavoidably eiect the puncture of the cartridge.

It will be understood that the cartridge shall be of capacity-to sup'ply sufficient air to sustain the wearer of the device in the water for an indefinite period of time. The body l'of the device will preferably be of such form and arrangement as not to interfere with the wearer swimming to land or to! a boat or other su port, but it will be understood that the bo y must be strong, durable and of such character that it shall be impenetrable b air or water and thus serve as a most e cient device for insuring the safety of a wearer in the water.

It will be noted that under repeated replacements of the capmember on the inner member of the container, the gasket 9 may become packed enough to permit the cap member to screw a somewhat greater distance upon the inner member of the container, and it will therefore be apparent that if the lever did not bear a swivelled relation to the cap member, this variation in the position of the cap member might dispose the lever in such a position that it could not readily be fastened in place by the snap fastener elements. With the lever swivelled, the degree of turnirg of the cap on the other member need not e ect relative displacement of the fastener elements, thou h if this occurred, the lever could be readi y swung back to such a position that its clasp member can be readily engaged with the button member, and the loop 30 therefore occupy a readily accessible position when the emergency arises for inflation of the body 1.

In Figure 4, a modification of the cap construction is shown. In this case the ca member 11 terminates in a reduced externa ly threaded upper end 34 having a central opening 35 to accommodate the boss 21 of the swivelled plate 22, the plate resting on the upper end of the member, and to secure the plate in position without interfering with rota-V tion thereof, a ring 36 is screwed upon the upper threaded end 34 and is provided with an inturned flange 37 overlapping plate 22. In other words the construction shown by Figure 4 as compared with the construction of Figure 1, shows a cap member composed of two sections, the upper one being readily removable to permit of the removal of the swivelled plate.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced an inflating device for safety belts and the like which embodies tlie features of advantage set forth as desirable in the 1statement of the objects of the invention, and while I have shown the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent that it is susceptible of various changes in the detailed construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An inflating device, comprising a compressed fluid cartridgecontainer having a cartridge puncturing means, a pair of openings and a diaphragm partitioning the container between said openings into inner and outer non-communicating compartments, and manually-operable means for applying pres sure on the outer side of the diaphragm for effecting inward movement thereof, to cause the same to impart similar movement to a cartridge Within the inner compartment of the container and engaging said puncturing means to effect the punctuiing of the cartridge; said manually-operable meansl bearing a swivelled relation to the container.

2. An inflating device, comprising a compressed fluid ,cartridge container, having a cartridge puncturing means, a pair of openings and a diaphragm partitioning the container betweensaid openings into inner and outer non-communicating compartments, a reciprocatory plunger in the outer compartment, and means swivelled on the. container,

` for imparting inward movement to the plunger to cause the same to press inwardly on the diaphragm to effect corresponding movement of a cartridge in the inner compartment of the container until the cartridge is punctured by the puncturing means.

3. The combination with a flexible hollow air-tight body, of an inflating device comprising a compressed fluid cartridge container secured in the inflatable body with an air-tight relationi and consisting of an inner member communicating with the interior of said inflatable body, and an outer member bearing a threaded and air-tight relation to the inner member and having an opening at its ou'ter end, a flexible diaphragm partitioning the cartridge container between said openings into inner and outer noncommunieating compartments, a puncturing device in the inner compartment for engaging a cartridge therein, and manually-operable means swivelled on the outer member of the container and adapted for imparting inward movement to the diaphragm to cause the saine to press the cartridge against the puncturing device until punctured by the latter.

4. The combination with a flexible hollow air-tight body, of an inflating device comprising a compressed fluid cartridge container secured in the inflatable body with an air-tight relation, and consisting of' an inner member communicating with the interior of said inflatable body, and an outer member bearing a threaded air-tight relation to the inner member and having an opening at its outer end, a flexible diaphragm partitioning the cartridge container between said openings into inner and outer non-communicating compartments, a puncturing device in the inner compartment for engaging a cartridge therein, manuallyoperab e means swivelled on the outermember of the container and adapted for imparting inward movement to the dia hragm to cause the same to press the cartri ge against the puxicturing device until punctured by the latter, and a flexible extension for the manually-operable means for detachable engagement with the inflatable body to prevent accidental operation of the manually-operable means.

5. A compressed fluid 'cartridge container, having a cartridge puncturing means, a pair of openings and a diaphragm partitioning the container between said openings into inner and outer non-communicating compartments, a plunger in the outer compartment for effecting inward movement of the diaphragm and of a cartridge engaging the puncturing device and disposed at the opposite side o the diaphragm from the plunger, and lever-actuated means swivelled on the container and operable to cause the plunger to eii'ect movement of the diaphragm and cartridge until the latter is punctured by the puncturing device.

6. A compressed fluid cartridge container,

having a cartridge puncturing means, a pair of openings and a diaphragm partitioning the container into inner and outer non-communicating compartments, a plunger in the outer compartment forv effecting inward movement of the diaphragm and of a cartridge engaging the puncturing device and disposed at the opposite side of the diaphragm from the plunger, and lever-actuated means operable to cause the plunger to effect movement of the diaphragm and cartridge until the latter is punctured by the puneturing device; said means and lever bearing a. swivelled relation relative to the container and the cartridge therein.

7. A compressed fluid cartridge container, having a cartridge puncturing means, a pair of openings and a diaphragm partitioning the container into inner .and outer non-communicating compartments, a plunger in the outer compartment, a plate swivelled on the container and held against inward or outward movement relative thereto and constituting a guide for the plunger, and means carried by the swivelled plate and operable to cause the plunger to apply pressure through the diaphragm on the cartridge and the latter to press against and be punctured by the puncturing device.

. of openings an 8. A compressed fluid cartridge container, having a cartrid e puncturing means,a pair a. diaphragm the container between said openings into inner and outer non-communicating compartments, a plunger in the outer compartment, a plate mounted on and swivelled to the container and having a guide perforation slid- 'ingly receiving the plunger, and an external boss, and a cam lever pivoted on the boss and engageable with the plunger to im art inward movement thereto and to t e diaphragm and a cartridge in the inner compartment of the container and resting on said puncturing means.

In testimony whereof I affix m PETER si ature. AR US.

partitioning 1