US2857078A

US2857078A - Inflatable life preserver

Info

Publication number: US2857078A
Application number: US628378A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wolfert Herbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-12-14
Filing date: 1956-12-14
Publication date: 1958-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1975-10-21

Description

Oct. 21, WQLFERT 2,857,078

INFLATABLE LIFE PRESERVER Filed Dec. 14, 1956 INVENTOR. HERBERT womea'r AT TOQHEY$ United States INFLATABLE LIFE PRESERVER Herbert Wolfert, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application December 14, 1956, Serial No. 628,378

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-) This invention relates to life saving devices for swimmers in distress and other persons in the water, and more particularly to an inflatable life preserver which automatically becomes inflated after throwing same into the water.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved life preserver of the automatically inflating type, said life preserver being simple in construction, being easy to use, and being provided with timing means so that it will become inflated a predetermined time period after it is released, whereby it may be thrown into the water in a deflated condition and will be subsequently' inflated after being thrown to a location which may be reached by the person in distress.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved life preserver of the automatically inflated type, said life preserver being inexpensive to manufacture, being relatively compact in size when in its deflated condit'ion, and being reliable in operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved life preserver according to the present invention, shown in its normal deflated condition.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view, taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, and showing the timing screw and the detent means associated therewith.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view, with parts in cross section, showing the elements associated with the punch member of the life preserver, said elements being illustrated in separated positions.

Referring to the drawings, the life preserver is designated generally at 11 and comprises an elongated tubular inflatable member 12 of suitable flexible waterproof material, such as flexible plastic material, the tubular member 12 being closed off at one end thereof, as shown at 13, and being connected at the other end thereof to a conduit element 14. The conduit element 14 is threadedly engaged on the neck 15 of a capsule 16 which contains compressed gas, such as carbon dioxide, the capsule 16 having the normally sealed top closure 17, formed on the neck 15, as shown in Figure 3, said closure 17 being reduced in thickness at its center, as shown at 18, to define a central recess 19.

The capsule 16 is made of any suitable material, such as plastic material, and the reduced closure portion 18 is relatively thin, so that it is readily frangible.

Mounted in the conduit 14 are the respective, spaced

disc members

20 and 21, and mounted in the space between said

disc members

20 and 21 is a disc segment 22 having a straight inner edge 23 formed with a V- groove 24.

"ice.

Designated at 25 is a punch element which is mounted axially in the conduit 14 and which extends slidably through a central guide collar 26 formed in the lower disc member 21, as is clearly shown in Figures 3 and 5. The punch element 25 is thus located directly over the relatively frangible top wall portion 18 of the capsule 16, and said punch element 25 is biased downwardly toward the frangible portion 18 by a coiled spring 27 which is engaged on the top end of the punch element 25 and which has its top portion received in a central seat 28 formed in the upper disc 20.

Secured on the upper portion of the punch element 25 is a circular flange 29, the lower end of the coiled spring 27 bearing on said flange. Secured on the lower portion of the punch element 25 beneath the segment 22 is another circular flange 30 which is engageable with the top end of the guide collar 26 to limit downward movement of the punch element 25 after its pointed tip 31 has been pushed through the frangible wall section 18 by spring 27.

The upper disc 20 is formed with a plurality of apertures 33 spaced thereover. The punch member 25 is formed with a central bore 35 which connects the inte'rior of capsule 16 to the interior of conduit 14 after the tip 31 of the punch member has pierced through the frangible top wall portion 18 of the capsule.

The upper portion of the conduit 14 may be sealingly secured to the tubular inflatable member 12 in any suitable manner. For example, the upper portion of the rigid conduit 14 may be formed with an annular sealing channel 36 and the tubular member 12 may be secured in said sealing channel by an elastic retaining ring 37, providing a gas-tight connection between the inflatable member 12 and conduit 14, as is clearly shown in Figure 3.

Journaled in the rigid conduit 14 parallel 'to the grooved edge 23 of the segment 22 is a threaded shank 39 having the outwardly projecting, generally T-shaped handle 40. The inner end portion of the shank39 is reduced in diameter, as shown at 41, and mounted thereon is a coiled torsion spring 42 havingoneend thereof anchored to the conduit wall and having the other end thereof secured to the shank 39, whereby the spring 42 may be employed to rotate the shank after being wound up to a suitable tension. The conduit 14 is formed adjacent the T-shaped handle with a recess 44 and removably mounted in said recess is a retaining pin 45 which is engageable with a portion of the handle 40 to restrain the shank 39 against rotation after the shank has been rotated to develop biasing tension in the torsion spring 42. The pin 45 is connected to the adja cent portion of the wall of conduit 14'by' a. flexible cable element 47, so that the pin will not be lost after it has been removed from recess 44.

The punch element 25 is formed 'at its intermediate portion with an annular groove 48, and engaged in the groove is the arcuately notched portion 49 of a detent arm 50, the detent arm 50 being pivotally connected at one end thereof to a lug 51 formed on the lower interior wall portion of conduit 14, as shown in Figure 3. The end of arm 50 is pivotally connected to lug 51 by a pivot screw 53, and mounted on the screw 53 is a coiled biasing spring 54 which engages arm 50 at one end 55 thereof and which engages the conduit wall at the other end 56 thereof, acting to bias the arm 50 toward the punch element 25 and acting therefore to maintain the arcuately curved notch portion 49 of the arm in the groove 48 of the punch element.

As shown in Figure 2, the arm 50 converges with respect to the threaded shank 39 and has its end portion 60 located relatively close to the shank. Mounted on the shank is a release nut 61 which is movable responsive 3 to-rotation of the shank and which is provided with a lug element 62 slidably engaged in the groove 24 of the segment 22, thus holding the nut 61 against rotation.

Therefore, when the shank 39 rotates, the nut 61 will travel alongthe shank'without rotating. Eventually the nut- 61 .will engage the end 60 of arm 50 and will rotate thearm counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, to disengage the notch 49 of the arm from the groove 48 of the punch element 25, releasing the punch element and allowing the spring27 to force the punch element downwardly and to open the capsule 16-at the frangible top wallportion 18 thereof. The shank'39 is pre-sct so that the torsion spring 42 connected thereto is at a predetermined tension and the nut 61 is located at a desired position on shank 39, said position beingin accordance with the amount of time desired between the release of shank 39 and the release of the punch element 25. The shank 39 is held against rotation by pin 45, which engages handle 40 as above explained, to prevent rotation of the shank.

Prior to use of the life preserver, the tubular member 13 is coiled in the manner illustrated in Figure l, and a retaining band 65 may be employed to hold the tubular member 12 in its deflated coiled position illustrated. In using the device, the band 65 is removed and the retaining pin-45' is withdrawn from its recess 44. This releases the shank. 39 and causes the nut 61 to begin moving toward the end 60 of arm 50. Meanwhile, the life preserver in its deflated condition is thrown toward the person in distress. When the nut 61 engages the end 60 of arm 50, the arm 50 is rotated away from the punch elemerit 25, releasing the punch element and allowing the spring 27 to force the punch eement through thefrangible wall portion 18 of capsule 16. The compressed gas in the capsule then escapes through the bore 35 and through the apertures 33 into the inflatable tubular member 12 and inflates said tubular member so that it may be employed to support the person in distress.

The device may be reused by resetting the punch element. and by engaging the threaded lower portion of conduit 14 on the threaded neck of a new capsule 16.

While a specific embodiment of an improved automatic life preserver has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a. life preserver of the type comprising an elongated tubular inflatable member, inflating means comprisingacapsule containing compressed gas and having a. frangible end wall, a conduit element connected to said capsule at said frangible end wall, a punch element slidablymounted in said conduit element adjacent the frangible end wall, spring means urging said punch element towardssaid' end wall and acting on said punch element with sufiicient force topierce the end wall when the punch element is released, a detent element movably mounted in said conduit element and interengaging with said punch element to restrain said punch element from movement towards said frangible end wall, a release element movably mounted in said conduit element and being formed and arranged to at times engage said detent element and to disengage said detent element from said punch element, and driving means operatively connected to said release element.

2. In a life preserver of the type comprising an elongated tubular inflatable member, inflating means comprising a capsule containing compressed gas and having a frangible end wall, a conduit element connected to said capsule at said. frangible end wall, a punch element slidably mounted in said conduit element adjacent the frangible end wall, spring means urging said punch element towards said end wall and acting on said punch element with sufficient force to pierce the end wall when the punch element is released, a detent element pivotally mounted in said conduit element and interengaging with said punch element to restrain said punch element from movement towards said frangible end wall, a release element movably mounted in said conduit element and being formed and arranged to at times engage said detent element and to rotate said detent element away from said punch element, and driving means operatively connected to said release element.

3. In a life preserver of the type comprising an elongated tubular inflatable member, inflating means comprising a capsule containing compressed gas and having a frangible end wall, a conduit element connected to said capsule at said frangible end wall, a punch element slidably mounted in said capsule element adjacent the frangible end wall, spring means urging said punch element towards said end wall and acting on said punch element with sufficient force to pierce the end Wall when the punch element is released, a detent element pivotally mounted in said conduit element and interengaging with said punch element to restrain said punch element from movement towards said frangible end wall, a threaded shaft journaled transversely in said conduit element, a release nut on said shaft, means restraining said nut against rotation, means on the nut engageable with said detent element to move the detent element away from said punch element responsive to travel of the nut along said shaft, spring means connected to the shaft and acting to rotate said shaft in a direction to cause said not to travel towards said detent element, an external projection on said shaft, and a removable holding pin engaged with said conduit element and being engaged with said projection to normally prevent rotation of said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 701,329 Graham June 3, 1902 1,117,639 Cooey Nov. 17, 1914 2,041,772 Mapes May 19, 1936 2,173,567 Shafer Sept. 19, 1939 2,675,143 Seeman Apr. 13, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 110,668 Great Britain Nov. 1, 1917 782,331 France June 3, 1935 826,932 France Apr. 13, 1938