US2649583A

US2649583A - Work suit for farmers

Info

Publication number: US2649583A
Application number: US177655A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph J Schaeffer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-08-04
Filing date: 1950-08-04
Publication date: 1953-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 1970-08-25

Description

Aug 25, 1953 R. J. scHAEFl-ER WORK SUIT FOR FARMERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 4, 1950 Aug- 25, 1953 R. J. scHAEFFER 2,649,583

WORK SUIT FOR FARMERS Filed Aug. 4, 1950 y 2 Sheets-Sheet V2 JNVENToR. P744 P/f dgcwfffffff? BY Patented Aug. 25, 4A1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a work suit for farmers and more particularly to a Work suit for farmers which prevents the farmer from being adversely affected by fine chaff and dust during completion of his farm labors.

An object of this invention is the provision of a work suit for farmers which is airtight and dust-free, but which does not interfere with the farmers operation.

A further obje-ct is to provide a work suit for farmers having means for air-conditioning the interior of the suit.

Another object is the provision of a work suit for farmers which may be readily donned or removed by the farmer.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a work suit for farmers which is simple and economical of construction, requiring a minimum number of parts,'but which permits the farmer to operate in an air-conditioned atmosphere. v l n A still further object is to'provide a work suit for farmers in which the helmet and hand coverings are readily and rapidly removable without interfering in the air-conditioning or the dustfree operation of the suit.

The exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will readily be apparent from consideration of the following detailed description relating to the annexed drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the work suit of the present invention, together with a diagrammatic view of the air-conditioning apparatus; Y' y g Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the work suit of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevational View,Y

partly in section, of the helmet of Figure 1;A

Figure 4 is a front elevational View ofthe breast plate of the suit of Figure l;

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in section, of the arm and glove of the suit, illustrating one form of attaching and sealing means according to this invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, illustrating the leg and foot connection of the suit of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section of the breastplate of Figure 4, illustrating the mode of attachment of the garment to the breast plate;

Figure 8 is an enlarged elevational View of the mouthpiece of the helmet;

Figure 9 is a side elevatonal'vew of a portionv of the air-conditioning apparatus of Figure 1, illustrating its mode of attachment to a farm implement;

Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the mounting clamp of Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating a modified form of attaching means.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Figure 1 the suit of the present invention which comprises a garment, generally designated II, a helmet I2 and a breast plate I3.

Garment I I is made of any suitable flexible air tight material, such as rubber or a rubberized material. Garment II comprises a body portion I 4, arm portions I5 and leg portions I6. Detachably secured to the free end of each arm portion I5 is a glove I1, preferably made of a material similar to lthat of garment II. As shown in Figure 5, glove I1 is secured to arm portion I5 by means of a zipper I8. In order to make the connection or joint between arm portion I5 and glove I'I, a cover or flap I9 is secured to portion I5 and overlaps the joint, flap I9 being provided with an elastic band, not designated, which tightly fits around glove I'I.

In a modified form of glove attachment, as i1- lustrated in Figure 11, glove I'I is provided with an elasticized cuff I8 which extends over the elasticized cuff portion, not designated, of arm portion I5. A flap I 9 similar to nap I9, seals the joints.

f A leg connector 2|, which ts around the shoe 22 of the wearer as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is detachably secured to leg portion I6 by any suitable means, such as slide fastener 23, there being a flap 24, similar to flap I9, connected across the joint between leg portion I6 and connector 2I. In this manner, the suit remains airtight and dust-free when donned by the wearer. Furthermore, if either gloves I 1 or leg connector 2I are removed, the suit remains airtight since the elastic band will tightly grip the hand or shoe of the wearer.

' In order to enable the wearer to readily don or remove the suit, a slide fastener 25 is centrally mounted along the full length of the front of body portion I4, as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, one end 26 of body portion I4, overlaps the other, and is secured to this other end by any suitable means, such as snap fasteners 2l. In this manner, the suit is maintained airtight after being donned by the wearer. If desired, pockets 29 may be included with the suit.

To provide a simple and airtight connection between garment II and helmet I2, breast plate I3 is mounted on the shoulders of the wearer, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Plate I3 comprises a collar 3l, which is adapted to encircle the neck of the wearer, and a support 32. Support 32 is preferably made flexible, in order to permit the wearer to don as much clothes as he desires. Support 32 is -provided with a plurality of perforations 33, for better circulation of the air, and a pair of strap slots 34 for receiving straps 35 which support garment I I on the shoulders of the wearer. A belt 35 is provided for the exterior of the suit. Y'

To form the seal between plate I3 and the upper open end of body portion I4, an indented peripheral channel 3l is provided in plate I3 intermediate collar 3| and support 32. The upper end of portion I4 is provided with a draw string 38, which, when drawn tightly, pulls portion I4 into channel 37 thereby sealing the open end of the suit, as shown in Figure 7. In this manner, plates I3, which are preferably made of plastic, may be constructed in different sizes to accommodate different wearers, while the same garment may be used for more than one wearer.

Collar 3l is provided with a threaded portion 39 at the upper end thereof which receives the threaded portion, not designated, of helmet I2 to thereby detachably secure helmet I2 to plate I3. To form an airtight seal at the joint between helmet I2 and plate I3, a nap AI, similar to flap I9 is secured to helmet I2, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Helmet I2 is made of a light-weight material, preferably plastic, and may be entirely transparent. A pair of handles 42 are mounted on helmet I 2 in order to make .the helmet more readily removable. A sun visor 43 is mounted on helmet I2 by means of bolts 44, visor 43 being adjustable about bolts 44 and held in place by friction.

Helmet I2 is provided with a cushion 45 in order to cushion the head of the wearer, as shown in Figure 3. Space 46 is provided in the upper end of helmet I2 to receive a radio receiver 4l, which may be mounted in any suitable manner, as by bolts 48. A mouthpiece I may be provided in the front end of helmet I2 to permit the insertion of a cigarette holder 53. As shown in Figure 8, mouthpiece 52 comprises a plurality of nexible baies 28, preferably made of rubber, lying in contiguous relation to each other. Cigarette holder 52 is inserted at the junction point of all the Ibaffles 28. In this manner, the helmet remains dust-free and airtight.

In order to permit the interior of garment II to be air conditioned, a four-way permanent hose connection 53 is provided in body portion I4 in the upper end thereof, one arm 54 of connection 53 extending through portion I4 to one arm of a Y-type connector 55. The other arm of connector 55 is coupled to an air intake tube 56 which extends into collar 3I to supply air to the interior of helmet I2.

An air hose 5'! is connected to one arm of connection 53 and extends downwardly through arm portion I5. An air hose 58 is connected to another arm of connection 53 and extends downwardly through body portion I4 and leg portion I6 of garment II. The remaining arm of connection 53 is a two way hose 6I, the ends of which terminate in arm portion I5 and leg portion I6, respectively. By positioning the open ends of the air hoses adjacent the lower ends of portion I5 and I6, the fresh air will enter at the lower ends of .the garment, while the warmer stale air will rise and be exhausted through exhaust valves 62 in the upper end of body portion I4. Similarly the stale air in the helmet I2 will exhaust through exhaust valve 63 in the upper end thereof.

The air conditioning apparatus of .the present invention, as shown diagrammaticallyin- Figure 1, comprises a pre-cleaner or lter 64 coupled by means of tube 65 to a liquid air cleaner 66. Filter 64 is mounted a considerable distance above cleaner 66 in order to be out of the path of the dust. Cleaner 66 is preferably filled with an odorless liquid, such as water.

Cleaner 66 is connected by means of tube 6l to a fan 68 which is supplied with power overlines 69 from any suitable source, such as storage battery 1I. Fan 68 propels the clean air through tube 'I2 and exible hose 'I3 to connector 55.

Cleaner 66 is provided with a bracket 14, as shown in Figures 1 and 9, bracket i4 having a depending leg, not designated, which is mounted on any suitable farm implement 25 by means of mounting clamp 16. As shown in Figure l0, mounting clamp 'I6 is triangular in shape and has an upstanding V-shaped flange 1l. Clamp 'I6 is mounted on implement 'I5 by any suitable means with the apex of flange II downward. The depending leg of bracket 'I4 slides into flange 'I'I thereby providing an eicient and quickly detachable connection between cleaner 66 and implement 15.

If desired, a 6volt heating element, which may conveniently be operated from battery Il, may be mounted in garment II, or in the air conditioning apparatus, for the purpose of heating the suit.

It is believed to be an important characteristic of the invention that a joint structure is provided between the helmet and the flexible garment body portion, that is relatively inexpensive, is effective to form a substantially air-tight joint therebetween, yand permits ready removability of the helmet, while holding the helmet in proper position over the head of a wearer whenever the suit is in use. To this end, the joint structure includes the breast plate mentioned above, that is formed at its lower end with a support proportioned approximately to the contour of the shoulders, upper chest, and upper back portions of the wearers body, an intermediate portion having the circumferentialrchannel 3l, and an upstanding collar threaded to effect a separable connection with the lower end of the helmet, said lower end of the helmet vbeing concentric with the collar and the separable connection in question being removed from the channel, so that the helmet can be removed without interfering with the attachment of the flexible garment body portion to the breast plate. With reference to the attachment of .the garment body portion to the breast plate, a iiexible member, comprising the drawstring 38, is attached to the upper end of the garment, and contracts said upper end of the garment to the inner diameter of the channel 31 for snug engagement between the breast plate and garment, after which the ends of the drawstring are ltied in the manner illustrated in Figure 1.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that numerous modifications or alterations may be made there-` in without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an air-conditioned suit, a joint structure for effecting a substantially airtight connection between a helmet of rigid formation and a flexible garment portion having a chest covering portion provided in its upper end with a neck opening having a loop extending peripherally around said opening, comprising a breastplate integrally formed to include a support at the lower end thereof extending through said loop and underlying the chest covering portion of said garment body portion and proportioned to iit over and be supported upon the shoulders, upper chest, and upper back portions of the body of a wearer, an intermediate portion having a circumferential channel of substantially circular cross section and having a circumferential slot providing con munication between said channel and the exterior of said intermediate portion, and an upstanding rigid collar at the upper end thereof f concentric with and receiving the lower end of said helmet; a draw string extending through said loop and disposed within said channel to draw the loop through the slot into the channel and thereby contract said upper end of the garment body portion to the inner diameter of the channel for snug engagement with the breast plate; and means spaced from the channel and o draw string separably connecting said collar and the lower end of the helmet.

2. In an air-conditioned suit, a joint structure for effecting a substantially airtight connection between a helmet of rigid formation and a flexible garment body portion having a chest covering portion provided in its upper end with a neck opening having a loop extending peripherally around said opening, comprising a breastfplate integrally formed to include a support at the lower end thereof extending through said loop and underlying the chest covering portion of said garment body portion and proportioned to fit over and be supported upon the shoulders, upper chest, and upper back portions of the body of a wearer, an intermediate portion having a circumferential channel of circular cross section and having a circumferential slot providing communication between said channel and the exterior surface of said intermediate portion, and an upstanding, threaded, rigid collar at the upper end of the breast plate concentric with and receiving the lower end of said helmet, said lower end of the helmet being threaded for detachable connection to the collar; and a draw string extending through said loop and disposed within said channel to draw the loop through the slot into the channel and thereby contract said upper end of the garment body portion to the inner diameter of the channel for snug engagement with the breast plate, said draw string being disposed in spaced relation to the threaded connection between the helmet and collar.

RALPH J. SCHAEFFER.

References Cited in the i'ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 882,306 Hiler May 8, 1888 458,750 Stove Sept. 1, 1891 642,166 Sherman Jan. 30, 1900 2,171,337 Hellman Aug. 29, 1939 2,361,786 Morner Nov. 5, 1942 2,394,078 Krupp Feb. 5, 1946 2,512,990 Akerman June 27, 1950