US1827057A

US1827057A - Life belt

Info

Publication number: US1827057A
Application number: US471315A
Authority: US
Inventors: Silas D Wills
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-07-28
Filing date: 1930-07-28
Publication date: 1931-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1948-10-13

Description

- ()ct. 13, 1931, s. D. WILLS LIFE BELT Filed July 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 13, 1931.

"5. D. WILLS LIFE BELT Filed July 28. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 13, 1931 umren STATES PATENT .orrics Sims 1). wILLs, or BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA" Application filed-Tilly 28,

air through the said pipes for inflating the bags, means for securely fixing the lower ends of the bags to a belt that surrounds'the 1 waist of the wearer, togetherwith means for singly inflating any of the bags to cause the air therefrom to be directed into the remaining bags, and still further wherein the tubes may be disconnected to permit of the inflated 26 bags being arranged below the waistllne of the wearer. J The invention will befully'and comlprehensively understood from a consideration'of the following detailed descriptionwhen read 535 in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application, with the understanding, however, that the improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing 30 of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therefrom as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the improvement.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the clamp for holding the bags on the belt.

Figln'e 3 is a rear elevation thereof to illustrate the manner in which the bags are detachably connected with the clamp.

Figure 4 is an edge View of the clamp with one of the bags attached thereto.

' Figure 5 is a sectional view to illustrate the connection between the neck of one of the bags and the air introducing tube.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the bag BELT 1930. 'Serial No. 471,315.

" its ends closed but connected by coupling means 2. This tubular belt is designed to be arranged around the chest and back of the user and is provided with a tube extension 3 of a length whereby the same may be received in the mouth of the user and air introduced thereby into the tube 1. I I

As disclosed by the drawings the tubular and water-proof belt 1 may be constructed of sections or'slitted to 'receive therein the longitudinal branches of tubular T-shaped members 4 whose central depending branches are formed with angular heads on which are swiveled nuts 6. The nuts are screwed upon the reduced ends 7 of nipples 8, and between the nipple and the head 7 there is a compressible gasket 9.- The nipple has screwed therein the enlarged outer end '10 of a pipe-memher 11, the said pipe-member 11 being received in the neck 12 of a reinforced elastic and waterproof bag 13. The nipple 8 has its bore, at its connection with the coupling 10 c oncaved to provide a seat for a ball valve 14, the stem of the said ballvalve being received through the bore of the nipple. The

valve is normally held seated by a comparatively light' spring 16. Obviously the T- coupling 1 and the coupling 10 are firmly secured respectively in the tubular belt 1 and in the neck 12 of the bag 13 and by reference to'the drawings it. will be noted that any desired number of inflatable bags13 may be employed. a p

he bags 13, on one side adjacent to their. outeror lower endsare thickened and provided with'an open portion in which is seated a hollow metal body that affords a valve cage 17 for. a ball valve 18. The outer end of the cage is flared for the reception of a ball valve 18, and the inner end thereof isclosed but is provided with a series of apertures 19. A light spring 20 holds the valve seated.

' As disclosed by Figure 7 of the drawings the side walls of the bag 13 may be thickened and the tubular coupling 10' may have its bore shaped to provide a seat for a valve 14: which is normally held 011 its said seat by a spring 16.

On the lower or outer end of each of the bags 13 there is pivotally or otherwise fixed slotted plate 21. The slot of each of the plates is designed to receive therethrough a spring hook 22 engaged by a stop or keeper member 23 for limiting the outward movement oi the said hook. The hook and the stop element 23 are preferably integrally formed on the back of a substantially rectangular clamp 24L which has itsends rounded and its outer face slitted to provide the same with an inner arm 25 and an outer spring arm 26 designed to contact with the arm 25. The arm 26 is slotted and centrally formed with a tongue 2? which is rounded and which is received in a notch 28 in the end of the arm or lower portion 25 of the clamp. The clamps 24 are slidably arranged on a belt 29 which is positioned around the waist of the user of the device, the said belt, of course, having its ends connected by suitable buckle or like coupling means 30.

it will be apparent that the device maybe easily and quickly positioned upon the person of the user. It will be further apparent that air forced through the tube 5 will likewise be forced through the tubular belt 1 so that all of the bags may be readily inflated. By compressing and permitting the expansion of one or more bags, the valves 18 will be intermittently seated and unseate'd so that the said bags may be thus inflated and the air from these bags will unseat the valves 14 permitting such air to flow through the tubular belt to inflate other bags. In this instance only one or two of the bags is provided with the inwardly opening valve 18 and in this instance the inwardly opening valve 14 is dispensed with, the same being required only when air is introduced through the tube 3 and through the tubular belt 1.

'l-laving described the invention, I claim:

1. In a life saving device, a tubular belt, elastic air bags having their neck portions coupled to the belt, spring influenced valves between the air bags and the belt to permit of all the bags being inflated when air is introduced through the belt, slotted plates on the outer ends of the bags, substantially rectangular clamps having spring hooks to engage the slotted plates, stop elements on the spring hooks and said clamps designed to have passedtherethrough a waist belt.

2. In a life belt, a tubular water-proof belt iaving closed ends, coupling means for connecting the ends, a tubular member extending from the belt for introducing air into the belt, a plurality of equi-distantly spaced-elastic air bags having neck portions, removable coupling means between the neck portions of the bags and the belt, said coupling means being hollow and spring influenced valves for normally closing the passage therethrough, a slotted plate on the outer end of each of the bags, a spring bolt to be passed through the slotted plate, a keeper for the bolt, a substantially rectangular clamp on which the hook and keeper are formed, and said clamp having its ends rounded and its outer portion divided into two arms, one of such arms having an inwardly directed tongue, the end or" the second arm having a notch to receive the tongue therein and said clamps designed to be slidably arranged upon "a waist belt.

3, In a life belt, a tubular water-proof belt having closed ends, coupling means for connecting the ends, a tubular member extending from the belt for introducing air into the belt, a plurality of equidistantly spaced elas' tic air bags having neck portions, removable coupling means between the neck portions of the bags and the belt, said coupling means being hollow'and spring influenced valves for normally closing the passage therethrough, a slotted plate on the outer end of each of the bags, a spring bolt to be passed through the slotted plate, a keeper for the bolt, a substantially rectangular clamp on which the hook and keeper are formed and said clamp having its ends rounded and its outer portion divided into two arms, one of such arms having an inwardly directed tongue, the end of the second arm having a notch to receive the tongue therein and said clamps designed to he slid ably arranged upon a waist belt, and spring influenced valves for admitting air to the bags when-the said bags are compressed and released.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

SILAS D. VILLS.