US3065888A - Skin diving harness construction - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27, 1962 I. w. LANDE 3,065,888

' SKIN DIVING HARNESS CONSTRUCTION Filed March 2, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 W12! 11 Am I y aver/hr 6y%#a Nov. 27, 1962 w. LANDE SKIN nrvmc HARNESS CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2. 1959 FIG. 2

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Nov. 27, 1962 I. w. LANDE 3,065,888

SKIN DIVING HARNESS CONSTRUCTION Filed March 2, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 11711219 fl Land? @1001 tyyma Y m Nov. 27, 1962 l. w. LANDE 3,065,888

SKIN DIVING HARNESS CONSTRUCTION Filed March 2, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 nited States 3,065,888 SKIN DIVHJG HARNESS CGNSTRUCTION Irving W. Lande, 52 Grove Hill Ave, Newton, Mass Filed Mar. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 796,371 3 Claims. (Cl. 224-) vide a harness of the foregoing type comprising, in novel :association; a frame component including a medial portion to be held against the back of a wearer and a pair of hinged wing portions to be held against the sides of :a wearer; shoulder belting extending from one of the wing portions over one shoulder to the medial portion and over the other shoulder to the other of the wing portions; Waist belting extending around the waist from one of the wing portions, to the medial portion and to the other of the wing portions. The shoulder belting is adjustably connected to the central portion by slots which provide sufficient freedom to enable the diver to put on the harness himself without help. The waist belting is designed to hug the waist at spaced positions along its periphery in order to obviate any necessity for crotch straps of the type that have been used to prevent Wobbling and sliding in relation to the divers body. The center portion of the frame is provided with a hook and a resilient connector by which one or more tanks may be securely but readily connected to the frame and exchanged for a fresh tank quickly, even underwater.

Other objei of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the product pos :sessing the features, properties, and relation of components, which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a harness, embodying the present invention, as it would appear when carried out of the water on one shoulder of a diver;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective View of the harness of FIG. 1, as it would appear when worn in the water;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a component of the harness of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an inside front view of portions of the harness of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 3, taken substantially along the line 5-5;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 4, taken substantially along the line 6-6;

FIG. 7 is a side view, showing fragments of the harness of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the elements shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top view of FIG. 7, illustrating details thereof;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary top view of a multi-tank arrangement analogous to the single tank arrangement of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary top view of anther multi-tank 3,065,888 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 ice arrangement analogous to the single tank arrangement of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of an alternative harness of the present invention, as it would appear when Worn in the water;

FIG. 13 is a detail view of a fragment of the harness of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a detail view of another fragment of the harness of FIG. 12.

Generally, the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9 is a harness 20 to be worn upon the body of the skin diver for the purpose of enabling the skin diver to carry. one or more tanks 22 of air, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7. Harness 20 comprises a frame 24 to be substantially in contact with the back and waist of the diver, shoulder belting 26 to engage the shoulders of the diver and to fix certain portions of harness 24 with respect thereto, waist belting 28 to engage the waist of the diver and to fix other portions of frame 24 with respect thereto, and connecting elements by which tank 22 may be secured to frame 24.

'Frame 24 (FIG. 4) includes a medial yoke 32 including a vertical longitudinal section 34 and a pair of oppositely directed transverse sections 36 and 38. Oppositely extending from transverse sections 36 and 38 are a pair of wings 40 and 42. Wings 40 and 42 are pivoted to transverse sections 36 and 38 by interacting hinge elements 44 and 46, which are integral with their respective transverse sections and wings and are aligned by suitable pins (not shown). Wings 40 and 42 taper outwardly in the upward direction to accommodate the rib-cage of the wearer.

Shoulder belting 26 (FIGS. 2 and 4) includes a first portion 48 that is connected at one end to a slot 50 in wing 40 by a loop 52, that is threaded through a pair of offset slots 54 and 56 in longitudinal section 34 of yoke 32, and that extends over the other shoulder through an S-shaped locking clip 60 to a rectangular fastening ring 58. Shoulder belting 26 includes a second portion that is connected to wing 42 through a slot 62 by a loop 64 and to a cam buckle 66, which may be attached to or detached from loop 58, conveniently.

Waist belting 28 extends from -a fastening ring 68 through an S-shaped locking clip 70, a slot 72 in wing 42, a pair of slots 74 and 76 in yoke 32, a slot 78 in wing 40 and to a cam buckle 80 to which it is connected by a loop 82.

As shown in FIG. 7, tank 22 is provided medially with a strap 84, the opposite extremities of which are tied by a nut and bolt assembly 86. Strap 84 grips the upstanding arms 88 and 99 of a fastener 92 that is provided with a bight 94. Bight 94 operates in a manner now to be described.

The lower extremity of longitudinal section 34 of yoke 32 is provided integrally with a hook element 30. Hook element 30 includes (FIG. 3) a rearwardly extending intermediate section 96, an upwardly extending reverse section 98 and a transversely projecting extension section 100. Hook element 3%) is designed for locking insertion into the region between bight 94 of fastener 92 and tank 22. When tank 22 is in upright orientation with respect to longitudinal section 34, with hook 30 in engagement with fastener 92, a helical spring 102, which engages the neck of tank 22 and is connected at its opposite ends to longitudinal section 34, is capable of maintaining tank 22 in predetermined orientation with respect to yoke 32.

In practice the diver can put on this harness easily himself even when wearing a diving suit with full equipment. When putting the harness on, the diver picks up the harness by shoulder portion strap 48 and drops it upon one shoulder. The length of this portion may be adjusted by forcing increments of this portion through slots 54 and 56. When so adjusted, this portion will not slip because of the positioning of slots 54 and 56 with respect to the shoulders. Thereafter, ring 58 is secured to cam buckle 66. Similarly, fastening ring 70 is attached to cam buckle 80. It is apparent that shoulder belting 26 may be adjusted by S-shaped locking clip 60 and that waist belting 28 may be adjusted by S-shaped locking clip 70. The detachability of fastening ring 58 and cam buckle 66 avoids any necessity of shrugging a free elbow and shoulder into a tight shoulder strap. By virtue of hook 30, tank 22 may be secured to frame 24 with ease. In the water, rigidity of frame 24 prevents wobble and the points of contact provided by the shoulder belting 26 and waist belting 28 prevent any substantial movement of tank 22 from its intended position.

FIGS. and 11 illustrate multiple tank arrangements designed in accordance with the present invention. In FIG. 10, two tanks 104 and 106 are held together by the band 108, which is tightened between the tanks by a nut and bolt arrangement 110 and which is provided with a hook 112. Hook 112 is similar to hook 92 of FIG. 8 and is carried by a cross piece 114 that is affixed at its opposite ends to band 108. In FIG. 11, three tanks 116, 118 and 120 are held together by a band 122 that is tightened at its opposite extremities by a nut and a bolt arrangement 124, as well as by nut and bolt arrangements 126 and 128 between adjacent tanks. A hook 130, analogous in all respects to hook 92 of FIG. 8, is gripped between band 122 and the center tank 118.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, a frame 132, analogous in all respects to frame 24 of FIG. 4, is associated with shoulder and waist belting 134 of novel construction. As shown, frame 132 includes a yoke 136, analogous to yoke 32 of FIG. 4, and a pair of wings 138 and 140, analogous to wings 40 and 42 of FIG. 4. Belting 134 extends from a fastening clip 142, to which it is connected by a loop 144, through a pair of slots 146 and 143 in wing 138, over one shoulder to a pair of offset slots 150 and 152, over the other shoulder through a slot 154 in wing 140, through an S-shaped adjusting clip 156 and to a locking cam 158. Slots 146 and 148 are disposed at an angle of substantially 45 with respect to each other in order to permit adjustment but to prevent slippage. Slot 154, which is relatively wide compared to slots 146 and 148, is at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the horizontal. Slot 154 permits free slippage therethrough. A stop 160 is provided between slot 154 and adjusting clip 156 for the purpose of limiting the slippage through slot 154 when cam buckle 158 and fastening clip 142 are disengaged.

In practice, the diver first may lift the harness to one shoulder by means of the securely fastened portion of belting 134, next may readily insert his other shoulder through the remainder of the belting and then may tighten the remainder of the belting upon the latter shoulder and around the waist by attaching cam buckle 158 to fastening clip 142.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a pair of tanks 162 and 164, which may be carried by frame 132, may be provided with a hook element 166 generally similar to hook element 92 above, except for an outwardly splayed arrangement of its upstanding arms. These arms are gripped between strap 168 and tanks 162 and 164 by virtue of the tension generated by a nut and bolt assembly 170.

Since certain changes may be made in the above prodnot without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A harness for mounting an air supply upon the body of a skin diver, said harness comprising a frame including a yoke portion and a pair of wing portions pivoted thereto, and belting including waist portions extending through slots in said wing portions, a pair of shoulder portions extending through slots in said wing portions and slots in said yoke portion, and quick release means for said belting, one of said shoulder portions being adjustably fixed and the other of said shoulder portions being at least partially released when said quick release means is opened, an air supply in the form of at least one tank being connected to said harness, a loop fastened to one portion of said tank, a hook integral with said frame and including an intermediate section, a reverse section and a projection section in engagement with said loop, and a resilient connector connected to said yoke portion around another portion of said tank.

2. A harness for mounting an air supply upon the body of a skin diver, said harness comprising a frame including a yoke portion and a pair of wing portions pivoted thereto, and belting including waist portions extending through slots in said wing portions, and a pair of shoulder portions extending through slots in said wing portions and slots in said yoke portion, a quick release means for one of said waist portions and a quick release means for one of said shoulder portions, the other of said shoulder portions being adjustably fixed, an air supply in the form of at least one tank being connected to said harness, a loop fastened to one portion of said tank, a hook integral with said frame and including an intermediate section, a reverse section and a projection section in engagement with said loop, and a resilient connector connected to said yoke portion'around another portion of said tank.

3. A harness for mounting an air supply upon the body of a skin diver, said harness comprising a frame including a yoke portion and a pair of wing portions pivoted thereto, and belting including waist portions extending through slots in said wing portions, a pair of shoulder portions extending through slots in said wing portions and slots in said yoke portion, and quick release means for said belting, one of said shoulder portions being adjustably fixed and the other of said shoulder portions being at least partially released when said quick release means is opened, and at least one tank connected to said harness, whereby when said release means is opened, said harness and said tank may be readily freed from said body, said harness further having a loop fastened to one portion of said tank, a hook integral with said frame and including an intermediate section, a reverse section and a projection section in engagement with said loop, and a resilient connector connected to said yoke portion around another portion of said tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,613,440 Carek Ian. 4, 1927 2,864,361 Johnson Dec. 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 517,962 France Dec. 23, 1920 234,304 Switzerland Jan, 16, 1945

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