US3336599A

US3336599A - Diving masks

Info

Publication number: US3336599A
Application number: US417272A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gatti Fernando; Barbieri Ettore De
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-12-10
Filing date: 1964-12-10
Publication date: 1967-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-22

Description

Aug. '22, 1967 F. GATTI E -L DIVING MASKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 10, 1964 lNVENTORS Fernando Gufli 8| Ettore Dg Borbieri by Sparrow 0nd Sparrow ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 22, 1967 F. GATTI ETAL DIVING MASKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 10, 1964 FIG.6A

INVENTORS Fernando Gufli 8| 7 Ettore De Borbieri by Sparrow and Sparrow ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,336,599 DIVING MASKS Fernando Gatti, Via Cavour 37, Recco, Italy, and Ettore de Barbieri, Via Solimano 7-9, Santa Margherita, Italy Filed Dec. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 417,272 7 Claims. (Cl. 214) This invention relates to diving masks, and particularly to a diving mask provided with a single sight-glass which is fixed by means of a suitable quick-coupling frame, and with a selectively or optionally usable exhalation valve.

In recent years the use of diving masks for sub-water observation has considerably increased, and this has obviously led to an increase of requirements from users, many of whom are fond of sub-water fishing, which requires improved masks, perfectly suitable for this particular use. On the other side, commercial reasons have led to improvements in the shape, colour and aspect of masks, as well as to the features that can facilitate their rapid production on an industrial scale. As to the use thereof, improvements have been devised to attain an easy and efficient water-tight mating on the face of the user, to improve the fixing of the transparent sight-glass on the rubber or palstic body of the mask, to provide the mask with a special, selectively usable exhalation valve, and to facilitate the replacement of the sight-glass by virtue of a particular quick-coupling frame that is locked by an outer ring or strap that is joined by a device free of projections and of screws such as the one disclosed in the US. Patent No. 3,141,208 registered on July 21, 1964, invented by Giuseppe Stradella and entitled Locking Device for Pressure Ring. As to the appearance, and in order to obtain a distinctiveness with respect to the existing products on the market, said particular frame for fastening the sightglass, being made partly projecting outwardly with respect to the coupling edge of the mask, and therefore well visible from outside, can be used to obtain a very pleasant ensemble of colours, also because the frame straddles the I nose and has, therefore, a wide central shaped portion that is necessary in order to have the sight-glass very close to the eyes, so as to widen the View.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is shown, as a non-limiting example, in the enclosed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the mask according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section on line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the frame surrounding the sight-glass;

FIG. 5A is a cross section of the frame of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a closure frame complementing the frame of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6A is a cross section of FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of the assembly comprising the frame, the closure frame and the transparent sight-glass after the regular assembling thereof without any sealing compound.

As clearly shown in the several views, the mask according to the invention comprises generally a suitably shaped body 1, of a rather soft rubber composition, plastic material or any other suitable material, provided on its front side with a shaped, channelled edge 2 adapted to receive the framing means 3 having the transparent sight-glass 4 locked therein. The body 1, seen on its front side, is of elliptic form and has a suitably shaped lower portion 5 to receive the nose. The bottom of this portion has a cup-shaped recess 7 wherein a diaphragm-operated exhalation valve 8 can be snap-introduced. Inasmuch as the use of this valve is optional, depending upon the diving technique of the user, the bottom of the circular recess 7 has a set of hollow projections 7 that, if desired, can be cut 3,336,599 Patented Aug; 22, 1967 by means of scissors, so that the valve 8 can be connected to the outside.

The edge 6 defining on the rear of the body of the mask and designed to correctly mate on the face, that is on the front, temples and between the mouth and the nose, is finely tapered so as to be extremely flexible and adaptable. A laminate projecting flap 9 is adjacent to the inner side of the rim 6, which flap is adapted to co-oper-ate in attaining the watertight mating on the face.

In order to fasten the transparent sight-glass, which for safety reasons is of toughtened nature, this invention provides framing means 3 having several features that are clearly shown in FIGS. 5, 5A, 6, 6A and 7. Frame 3 (FIG. 5) is of molded semi-rigid plastic; its profile permits an easy embedding of the sight-glass 4, which is disposed in the seat therefor after arranging therein a soft sealing packing 10. A suitably shaped closure frame 11 (FIG. 6) is provided for locking the sight-glass in its correct position, and has a plurality of holes 12 wherein suitable studs or pins 13 integral with frame 3- project. When members 3 and 11 are assembled, the projecting ends of pins 13 are pressed and riveted by means of a suitable hot tool, so as to obtain a perfect pressed conjunction. This arrangement provides a perfect framing around the glass, which is important inasmuch as a sight glass has seldom a neat and smooth contour. The plastic framing means 3 has a shaped lower portion adapted to straddle the nose, which makes possible to have the sight glass 4 very close to the eyes, so as to ensure a very wide angular view. In the lower portion of the framing means 3 there is a projecting reference and engagement pin 15 designed to be introduced into a suitable seat formed along the inner side of the grooved edge 2 of the mask body. By virtue of this pin, the proper assembling of the frame 3 with sightglass 4 is greatly facilitated. Moreover, the free end of pin 15 being provided with a slight enlargement that is adapted to positively engage as a hook in the seat therefor, said pin functions also as a tension member to properly 'hold the edge 2. The shaped merging portion of the framing means 3, which is designed to straddle the nose, is clearly visible on the front side and, therefore, if molded with a material of a different colour with respect to the colour of the mask body, this can be advantageous to obtain a twocolour assembly that gives the mask a better appearance and, moreover, enables the construction of masks having, for example, the distinctive colours of a sporting association or the like.

For the pressure-tight final locking of the framing means 3 on the mask body, we provide a conventional quick coupling metal outer ring 14, preferably of stainless steel. This ring, however, according to the previously mentioned patent, has a special quick-junction device eliminating the usual tightening screws or other auxiliary means, whereby such a ring is free from projections, which is important in this field. A

As to the framing means 3, it is to be noted that it has also the advantage of eliminating the use of any cement or jointing compound for fixing the transparent sight-glass, which is very important for a quick assembling in the mass-production of masks. In case the sight-glass breaks, it can be replaced very quickly, inasmuch as it is possible to use a new frame having a regularly mounted sight-glass, which can be commercially bought as a replacement part marketed by the maker of the mask.

The two outer sides of the mask-body are provided with conventional means enabling the controllable engagement of the elastic belt for fixing the mask on the head of the user.

Obviously, changes and modifications can be made to the invention herein shown and described, all falling Within the scope of the basic principles of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a diving mask having a body consiting of rubber or the like flexible material, said body having a front side and a rear edge, a single transparent flat sight glass, a quick-coupling ring sealingly locking said body around said sight glass, an an exhalation valve on the lower portion of said body: a channelled edge on said front side of said body, framing means disposed between said channelled edge and said sight glass, said framing means consisting substantially of a relatively rigid plastic material, a closure frame fitted on said framing means, and a sealing packing between said framing means and said sight glass, said closure frame locking said sight glass in said framing means, said framing means further constituting a stiffening member of said mask.

2. In a diving mask according to claim 1, said framing means further having a profile section, said profile arranged for embedding the entire thickness of said sight glass and of said sealing packing therein, first pins projecting from the inner side of said framing means, said first pins forming integral parts of said framing means, and said first pins having free ends for hot pressing and riveting said framing means and said closure frame together for pressure locking said sight glasses and said sealing packing at assembly.

3. In a diving mask according to claim 2, and said framing means having at least one projecting second pin on the lower peripheral portion thereon, and said channelled edge having at least one cavity fitting over said second pin for holding said frame and said sight glass in proper relationship with one another.

4. In a diving mask according to claim 3-, and said second projecting pin having an enlarged free end, said enlarged end providing a positive engagement of said second pin with said edge portion of said body.

5. In a diving mask according to claim 1, and a cupshaped seat located in said lower portion of said body, said exhalation valve snap-fitted in said seat, and said seat having a projection thereon, said projection normally sealing said valve.

6. In a diving mask according to claim 5, and said rear edge of said flexible body having a first very thin tapered section and a second thin edge adjacent the inner side of said rear edge, said first and second thin edge adapted for cooperating with one another for achieving a tight sealing elfect of said diving mask body on the face of the user with a substantially low pressure.

7. In a diving mask according to claim 1, and said framing means having at least one projecting second pin on the lower peripheral portion thereon, and said channelled edge having at least one cavity fitting over said second pin for holding said frame and said sight glass in proper relationship with one another.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,430,881 11/1947 Lehmberg 214.4 2,835,250 5/1958 Austin l28l41 2,895,138 7/ 1959 Miller 214.1 2,952,852 9/1960 Corey Z14.1 3,141,208 7/1964 Stradella 2420 3,186,005 6/1965 Gentile 214.1 X

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. BOLER, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A DIVING MASK HAVING A BODY CONSISTING OF RUBBER OF THE LIKE FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, SAID BODY HAVING A FRONT SIDE AND A REAR EDGE, A SINGLE TRANSPARENT FLAT SIGHT GLASS, A QUICK-COUPLING RING SEALINGLY LOCKING SAID BODY AROUND SAID SIGHT GLASS, AN AN EXHALATION VALVE ON THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID BODY: A CHANNELLED EDGE ON SAID FRONT SIDE OF SAID BODY, FRAMING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CHANNELLED EDGE AND SAID SIGHT GLASS, SAID FRAMING MEANS CONSISTING SUBSTANTIALLY OF A RELATIVELY RIGID PLASTIC MATERIAL, A CLOSURE FRAME FITTED ON SAID FRAMING MEANS, AND A SEALING PACKING BETWEEN SAID FRAMING MEANS AND SAID SIGHT GLASS, SAID CLOSURE FRAME LOCKING SAID SIGHT GLASS IN SAID FRAMING MEANS, SAID FRAMING MEANS FURTHER CONSTITUTING A STIFFENING MEMBER OF SAID MASK.