US3084358A - Buoyancy apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 9, 1963 w. w. MCLEAN BUOYANCY APPARATUS Filed Aug. 3. 1959 INVENTOE.

tas

ire

This invention relates to buoyant apparatus adapted to be worn on the person to provide flotation to the wearer in water. By virtue of the novel features of this invention and their intrinsic characteristics, exclusive of the common resultant function thereof, some of the embodiments are exclusively suited for females and the other embodiments to males. In conjunction with the novel ostensible characteristics of the buoyant devices of this invention and the structural and operable features thereof, a novel method of providing buoyancy and flotation is provided and includes improvements in the art.

More particularly, the buoyant devices of this invention are adapted for use for children where a water hazard exists and in this respect they are intended to be life-preservers in that they can be conveniently attached to a child to form a part of their regular accoutrement in their recreational activities where there is a possibility of their falling into a swimming pool, for example, or any deep water. The increasing popularity of swimming pools and their increasing numbers, creates an environment that is always potentially dangerous to small children and the onus of care and supervision is no small one to the parents.

The devices of this invention, particularly those adapted for the female child, can be worn as a garment, or may form an integral part of their bathing suits so that a lifepreserver is always with them under conditions Where the need exists. Apart from their use as a precautionary measure, they offer diverse advantages for children indulging in recreational aquatic activities.

One species of this invention can be used to advantage even by those adept in water. By means of the novel method of providing buoyancy, as shown herein, one can dive into water without hindrance or injury while wearing them and they do not hinder swimming, in fact facilitate it, and moreover, they provide buoyancy and flotation when needed or desired.

It is an object of this invention to provide an eflicient life-preserver for tots that will not be disdained by them because of bulkiness or interference and one which can be conveniently worn by them at all times when or where a water hazard exists.

It is an object of this invention to provide an efficient buoyant device which will provide flotation for children in water and which can be conveniently worn over their regular clothes, or worn as a garment, or worn over a bathing suit or as an integral part of the latter.

it is an object of this invention to provide a buoyancy device which simulates the familiar Hawaiian hula skirt and one which the female child would be pleased to wear.

-It is an object of this invention for the provision of a convenient, buoyant apparatus which will permit the wearer to dive into water with no interference, hindrance or injury and which can be worn by those indulging in activities such as Water-skiing, boating and the like, where they may be impelled into the water or otherwise be forced to remain in the water for long periods or be required to swim long distances.

It is an object to provide a hingable buoyant device which will enable the wearer to float in water and, alternatively, facilitate swimming.

With the above objects in view, together with others which appear, an understanding of this invention may be 3,@34,353 Fatented Apr. 9, 1963 had by reference to the following disclosure and specification and accompanying drawings, to which latter, reference is first made and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment which simulates an Hawaiian hula skirt.

FIG. 2 illustrates the action in water of the buoyant shirt of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of one of the buoyant elements of FIGS. 1 and 2 and shows the hingable, pivotal action of the element.

FIG. 4 shows the structural detail of the buoyant skirt of FIG. 1.

FiG. 5 shows a method of attaching two layers of buoyant elements to the upper belt section and shows thtir pivotal action.

PEG. 6 shows an alternative method of pivotally connecting two layers of buoyant elements to the upper fixed section or belt.

FIG. 7 is an embodiment of the buoyant device and method adapted for use by males, which device is similarly depended from the Waist anteriorly thereof in the form of a shield.

FIG. 8 is a section through 8'8' of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side view in detail of the preferred form of the upper pivotal buoyant devices of FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 FIG. 10 shows two of the pivotal, buoyant devices coacting to provide vertical flotation to a child.

FIG. 11 shows one of the devices buoyantly acting from the waist, forwardly thereof.

FIG. 12 shows the device of FIG. 11 flipped downwardly and being utilized in swimming.

For a detailed description of this invention, reference is further made to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts thoughout and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a buoyant skirt which simulates an Hawaiian hula skirt. It consists of a multiplicity of hollow, thin-walled, resilient, pliant, flexible, inflatably dilated, hermetically sealed, plastic tubes 1, hingably fixed at the upper end to a Waist engirding band or belt 2 and gravitationally suspended therefrom. The tubes are contiguously arrayed about the waist as shown in the front view of FIG. 1. The skirt is atlixed to the body by the belt 2 which constricts the waist and is joined by the buckle 3'.

FIG. 2 shows the resultant buoyant action of the skirt in water. The tubular elements 1 move in an arc about the hingable position 5 adjacent the belt 2. All else being equal, the greater the lengths of the tubes 1, the greater will be the buoyant, air-confining volume and the more rapidly the wearer will rise to the surface after falling into water, but after having risen to the surface, the only effective volume which is contained by the tubes will be confined within that depth of Water from the interface of the lower part of the body being floated, with the surface of the Water and the hingable position 5. So far as floating equilibrium is concerned, lengths of tubing extending above the surface are superfluous but, of course, it does not preclude the use of longer tubes and a longer skirt. If the skirt were as long as the conventional hula skirt, the wearer would rise to the surface more rapidly and the excess lengths will project above the surface. A strap 6 is shown engaging the crotch of the wearer. The strap is integrally attached to the belt 2 anteriorly and posteriorily thereof in respect to the body, and serves to provide 'means, additional to the waist-constricting belt 2, of preventing the skirt from rising above the waist under the buoyant action in Water. The strap 6 has lapped-over, rounded edges to prevent chafing at the crotch. Alternatively, particularly for children, the skirt will form an integral part of the under garment or bathing suit. The band 2 may be elastic and sewn to the upper waist-engirding aos gsss '3 portion of the under garment 7. A bathing suit 7 may be provided with loops to receive the belt 2 to maintain waist location of the belt and buoyant tubes 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the hingable, pivotal action of a tubular element 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The upper extremity of tube 1 is flattened and heat-sealed and sandwiched between the overlapping, plastic band 2 as shown and heat-sealed thereto. The flattened portion of the tube 1 extends below the band 2 to form the hingable portion 5. The flattened hingable portion 5 is of suflicient extent to permit the inflated tube 1 to freely, hingably move from a position of gravitational suspension through a position of buoyant, substantially vertical elevation about the lower extremity of the band 2. without obstruction of the adjacent inflated portion of the tube 1. The flattened portion 5 serves the following functions: it permits of free, hingable movement as described; it provides strength by virtue of lamination; it prevents local elongation, stress, weakening of the walls of the tube. For a single layer of tubes as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a flattened portion at 5 of 4 mm. is considered a minimum, 7 mm. the optimum and mm. a maximum. A length of 4 mm. will provide a fairly suitable hingable action but a poor pivotal action and increasing lengths will increase the pivotal action. The latter action is advantageous to permit freedom of movement and eliminate stress at position 5 when, for example, the wearer falls into the water in a horizontal manner.

FIG. 4 shows the detail of an embodiment consisting of a single layer of tubes 1 which are flattened at the upper extremity 8 and heat-sealed to the waist engirding band 2 which overlaps the flattened extremities of the tubes 1, in part, and shows the free, flattened, hingable portions as at 5. A buckle 3 is shown attached to a strap 9 which is heat-sealed to the waist portion as shown and also a strap 14 to receive the buckle 3 and constrict the waist. Slots 11 and 12 are shown cut into the flap portion of the band 2 to receive the buckle 3 and strap 10 respectively. Loops 13 are attached to the flap on the upper side to receive the excessive length of the strap 19. A crotch-engirding strap 6 is shown attached to the band 2 at 14 and is similarly attached posteriorly of the skirt.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a very suitable means whereby two layers of tubes 1 are hingably affixed to form a buoyant skirt. An hermetically sealed dilated tube of determined length is simply flattened and heat-sealed medially thereof and bent over on itself as shown at 8 and fixably attach-ed to the plastic band 2, which comprises an inner and outer waist band, by heat-sealing with the provision of the flattened, hingable extent as at 5. The hingable action of the tubes is illustrated in phantom. When the skirt does not form an integral part of the wearers under garment, or bathing suit, a resilient lining olfering more intimate contact with the waist of the wearer, and more positive gripping may be incorporated as at in of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative method of securing 'two layers of tubes 1 to the waist-band 2'. The double length of tube 1 is flattened and heat-sealed along the portion 15 and looped over the band 2 and heat-sealed thereto along the intimate extent of contact, leaving the flattened extents 5 which provide free, hingable and pivotal movement of the tubes 1 as shown.

FIG. 7 illustrates a buoyant device for males, which device is of a scutiforrn shape and similarly hingable from the waist and consists of a plurality of hollow, pliant, flexible, inflated, hermetically sealed, plastic tubes 1', the upper extremities of which are similarly flattened and heat-sealed to the band 2 at 8, and having flattened, hingable portions at 5. The band 9 with buckle 3 and the strap it) are heat-sealed to the band 2 over the flattened portions 8. The tubes may be adhesively superposed over a light-weight, thin covering of cloth as shown at 17. The slit 18 is to minimize movement of the integral unit in walking and is of a length sufficient to provide that function but insuiflcient to allow side movement in water when utilized in swimming as shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 8 is a section through 3'8 of FIG. 7 and shows the tubes 1, the disjoined medial slit 18 and shows the tubes covered at the back and front by cloth covering 17. The lower extents of the tubes 1' are left uncovered to permit free drainage of water.

FIG. 9 shows a side view of the preferred method of hingably attaching the upper extremities of the tubes 1 to the waist-engirding band 2c of the devices shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12. Complete hingable freedom of movement is provided by this method and it has additional advantages of raising the pivotal position in respect to the band 2c and providing a buoyant volume immediately forward of the band 2c as shown along the portion 153 of FIG. 9. The tube 1' of FIG. 9 is flattened and heat-sealed at 20 to which the band 2c is heat-sealed over the intimate surfaces of contact as shown.

FIG. 10 shows two of the scutate buoyant devices of FIG. 9 attached to a child and illustrates the buoyant action in water. Two such devices provide a buoyant balance and. augments buoyancy. The band 2c may be elastic in part, along the sides 21 to fixably locate the band about the waist.

FIG. 11 illustrates the buoyant action of one of the devices of FIGS. 9 and 10. The wearer can simply flip the device downwardly in water and arch forwardly to assume the swimming position of FIG. 12. In the horizontal position, the buoyant volume provided as at 19 of FIG. 9 by the hingable method of FIG. 9, provides additional buoyancyimmediately in front of the waistband 20 to compensate in part, for the upward buoyant force at the lower trunk of the body. The natural tendency of the legsrof a swimmer to sink in water is obviated by the lower 30 percent of the device of FIG. 12 at 22 and the remainder provides a resultant buoyant vector at hip level. Swimming action of the arms provides the balance and swimming is greatly facilitated. To rest in water, the wearer can merely roll over chest upward or force his legs downward and the position of FIG. 11 is automatically assumed.

Concerning all of the embodiments shown in the drawings, it will be observed that the diameters of the hollow, inflated tubes 1 are minor in respect to the lengths of the tubes 1 and resistance resulting in falling, jumping, diving or being impelled into the water is negligible or nil and one can make a running dive into Water with ease and come up naturally, with the upper part of the body foremost.

The buoyant tubes 1 comprising the skirt of FIG. 1 may be longer or shorter than that illustrated. The following table provides the pertinent data relative to the buoyant, water-displacing volume required to provide flotation in water for children of various ages and the tube diameters and lengths which may be used to provide the requisite buoyancy. It will be observed that in the table, the waist girth, together with the diameter of the tube 1, determines the number of tubes that can be contiguously arrayed about the waist in one row and that this is a minimum. Encirclement of the body closer to the hips will permit of a greater number and also greater effective lengths to the surface of the water.

Two of the devices of FIG. 10 having a length extending from the cervicle to the waist and a width approximately equal to the width across the waist and having a diameter of 2 centimeters, will provide flotation for a child.

The tubes forming the skirt of FIG. 1 may be joined laterally at the front by a plastic band to provide the functional equivalent of the device of FIG. 7 as used in FIG. 12 for swimming. Adults may find it appropriate to wear the buoyant skirt of FIG. 1 at hip level, but for tots, waist location or constriction is necessary or advisable in order to provide buoyant action above the center of buoyancy of the body.

Although the tubular elements 1 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 are shown as independent, the skirt may be comprised of a continuous length of plastic tubing, intermittently flattened and heat-sealed as at in FIGS. 5 and 6, in which case, the suspended elements will be doubled.

A very suitable plastic for the purposes of this invention is extruded polyvinylchloride with additives to provide fungus resistance and a small degree of elasticity.

to form a free, pilant hinge, a second waist-encircling band overlying said flattened portions fixably attached to said first waist band; means to restrict said waist bands about the waist of the wearer, said buoyant elements moveable, in totality, from a position of gravitational suspension out of water, to a position of buoyant elevation in water through substantially 180.

2. In an article of apparel to provide buoyancy for Displacement Equivalent Knee length- Volurue Buoyancy Two Rows Tube: D=1.0 cm. Average Waist Cervical Weight Male and Female Weight, Girth, to Waist, of Head Single Double Single Double Age, Years Pounds Ceuti- GentiandNeck, Row: D= Row: D: Row: D: Row: D= Total meters meters Pounds 1.5 cm. 1.0 cm. 1.5 cm. 1.0 cm. Buoy Body ancy, Weight, Pounds Percent Cubic Centimeters Pounds 29 52 21. 6 2. 28 1, 330 l, 760 2. 92 2. 88 5. 82 33 53 22. 9 2. 60 1, 430 1, 930 3. l5 4. 24 6. 36 19. 3 37 54 24. 2 2. 96 1, 550 2,080 3. 44 4. 58 6. 87 18. 5 42 56 25. 4 3. 36 l, 660 2, 220 3. 66 4. 88 7. 32 17. 4 48 57 26. 7 3. 85 1, 800 2, 400 3. 96 5. 28 7. 92 16. 5 52 58 27. 2 4. 16 1, 890 2, 500 4. 15 5. 52 8. 28 15. 9 58 59 28. 2 4. 65 1, 960 2, 620 4. 32 5. 76 8. 64 14. 9 64 60 29. 2 5. 10 2, 060 2, 740 4. 55 6. 04 9. 06 14. 2 72 61 30. 0 5. 75 2, 160 2, 880 4. 76 6. 36 9. 54 13. 2 80 62 31. 0 6. 40 2, 270 3, 020 5. 00 6. 64 9. 96 12. 5

The inflated, tubular elements are best made by hermetfemale children in water, which device simulates an ically sealing one end of a plastic tube of considerable length and dilating the entire tube by inflation from the opposite end. The tube is then alternately constricted and flattened at determined, spaced-apart positions and heat sealed. The sealed, constricted portions are cut centrally across and form the bottom of the tubes; the flattened portions are cut centrally across and have flattened extents suflicient to form the freely hingable function, the remainder providing the fixed surface of attachment.

It will be noted that the device of FIG. 1 is also a garment and may be embellished, for example, with fibrous strands and that although the embodiments shown are described with particularity, a method of providing buoyancy is involved, and minor changes in the structures shown may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a buoyant device to provide buoyancy to the wearer in Water, consisting of a first waist-engird-ing band, a plurality of plastic, tubular, inflated, hermetically sealed, elongated, buoyant elements having upper and lower extremities, said upper extremities being flattened wall to wall and fixably attached to said first waist band with a portion of each of said upper flattened extremities being free of said waist band and depending therefrom and interconnecting said tubular elements to said first waistband Hawaiian hula skirt consisting of a waist band adapted to engird the body of the wearer medially thereof and a lower skirt portion comprising a multiplicity of contiguous, elongated strand elements attached to and suspended from said waist band, the improvement, consisting of an inner and outer waist band, said elongated elements being pliant, hermetically sealed plastic tubes, the upper extremities of :said tubes being flattened wall to wall and positioned between said inner and outer waist bands and affixed thereto with a portion of said flattened tubes extending below said waist bands; fastening means to secure said waist bands about the waist of the wearer, a second, adjustable band affixed to said waist bands and depend, ing therefrom and adapted to engage the crotch of the wearer and prevent upward movement of the waist bands, the flattened portions of said tubes extending below said waist bands providing freely hingable movement of said tubular elements from the depending position out of water to a position of buoyant levity in water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 710,275 Hunt Sept. 30', 1902 1,704,197 Journey Mar. 5, 1929 2,331,302 Brown Oct. 12, 1943 2,715,231 Marston Aug. 15, 1955

Claims (1)

1. IN A BUOYANT DEVICE TO PROVIDE BUOYANCY TO THE WEARER IN WATER, CONSISTING OF A FIRST WAIST-ENGIRDING BAND, A PLURALITY OF PLASTIC, TUBULAR, INFLATED, HERMETICALLY SEALED, ELONGATED, BUOYANT ELEMENTS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER EXTREMITIES, SAID UPPER EXTREMITIES BEING FLATTENED WALL TO WALL AND FIXABLY ATTACHED TO SAID FIRST WAIST BAND WITH A PORTION OF EACH OF SAID UPPER FLATTENED EXTREMITIES BEING FREE OF SAID WAIST BAND AND DEPENDING THEREFROM AND INTERCONNECTING SAID TUBULAR ELEMENTS TO SAID FIRST WAIST BAND TO FORM A FREE, PILANT HINGE, A SECOND WAIST-ENCIRCLING

Images