US2348286A

US2348286A - Life belt

Info

Publication number: US2348286A
Application number: US473641A
Authority: US
Inventors: Falanga Frank Andrew
Original assignee: ANDREW FALANGA; CONCETTA FALANGA
Current assignee: ANDREW FALANGA; CONCETTA FALANGA
Priority date: 1943-01-26
Filing date: 1943-01-26
Publication date: 1944-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1961-05-09

Description

May 9, 1944. F. A. FALANGA LIFE BELT Filed Jan. 26, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Invntor 212mb indren Fabyw BY a I May 9, 1944. F. A. FALANGA LIFE BELT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 26, 1943 Patented May 9, 1 944 LIFE BELT Frank Andrew Falanga, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignmof thirty-three per and thirty-four per both of Brooklyn,

cent to Concetta Falanga cent to Andrew Falanga,

Application January 26, 1943, Serial No. 473,641 '1 Claim. (01. 9-17) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in life saving apparatus and more particularly to a life belt.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a life belt constructed of such materials a will not readily become water logged.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a life belt which will not become ineifective because of partial damage.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a life belt which can be readily applied to a person and which will serve to maintain its head and shoulders well out of the water, in which capacity, the belt will be especially suitable for military purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents an of the belt.

Figure 2 is an inside elevational view of the belt.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through several float cells of the belt.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through a float unit of the belt.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a block of the floatable material.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the spring fasteners.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that the belt construction includes an elongated substantially wide band 5 of fabric or some other suitable material having upper and lower spring retainer hooks 6, I at one end thereof and complementary rings 8, 9, respectively, at its opposite end.

To the inside of the band 5 are secured vertically disposed strips l 0, the upper and lower ends of which are stitched as at l I to define guideways I2 through which longitudinally disposed upper and lower straps l3, M are disposed, each strap being provided at one end with a buckle I5.

Shoulder straps l6, I! are provided at the upoutside elevational view per edge of the band 5 and these strap cross each other as shown in Figures 1 and 2 so that they will cross the back of the belt wearer and preclude the likelihood of the belt becoming displaced even though the other fastening means becomes defective.

It can be seen that the belt after the shoulder straps l6, l1 are disposed over the shoulders of the wearer is first secured by the belts l3, I4, after which the hooks 6, 1 are engaged with the rings 8,v 9.

The outside of the belt has a fabric structure secured thereto in which a plurality of cells I8 are formed. These cells H! are formed in any desired manner and suitably secured to the complementary sheet l9 and the band 5 by suitable stitching 20.

Each of the cells l8 contains a float unit, such as generally referred to by numeral 2|. Each float unit 2| comprises a block or brick-shaped structure 22 of balsa wood having a jacket 23 of copper, brass, tin or some other suitable reinforcing material. This unit is disposed into the corresponding cell l8.

Whilevthe foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous change in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A life belt comprising a ,pair of coextensive fabric body-encircling bands, including an inner band and an outer band secured one against the other, said outer band having spaced apart offset portions forming cells at the outside of the belt, the inner band having a smooth surface adapted to lie next to a persons body, floatable elements in the cells, shoulder straps secured to the belt, said shoulder straps being secured with corresponding end portions in overlapping relation;

fabric strips secured vertically to the inner band, v

loops at the upper and lower ends of the strips, and upper and lower straps mounted in said loops and adapted for securing about the body of a erson.

FRANK ANDREW FALANGA.