US3512196A - Buoyancy vest for commercial diving - Google Patents

Description

May 19, 1970 J. J. CARROLL ET AL V BUOYANCY VEST FOR COMMERCIAL DIVING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 26, 1968 JOSEPH J. CARROLL JOHN B. GALLETTLJR.

INVENTORS BY M FIGURE 1 ATTORNEY J. J. CARROLL ETAL 3,512,196.

BUOYANCY VEST FOR COMMERCIAL DIVING May 19, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. '26, 1968 1 '1 IIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIJ'II FIGURE 2A FIGURE 3 FIGURE 7 FIGURE 6 JOSEPH J. CARROLL JOHN B. GALLETTI INVENIOR.

ATTORNEY May 19, 1970 J. J. CARROLL ET AL 3,512,196 I BUOYANCY VEST FOR COMMERCIAL DIVING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 26, 1968 FIGURE 5 I 25 JOSEPH J. CARROLL 2 JOHN B. GALLETT|,JR.

FIGURE 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,512,196 BUOYANCY VEST FOR COMMERCIAL DIVING Joseph J. Carroll and John B. Galletti, Jr., Pasadena,

Tex., assignors to J & J Marine Diving Company, Pasadena, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Dec. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 786,878 Int. Cl. B63c 11/14, 9/08 US. Cl. 9-342 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A garment to be worn by commercial divers as a substitute for a full diving suit. The vest is essentially a thin bag of water impervious material, having a length twice that of a mans torso and substantially equal to it in width. A pair of centrally located, registering openings permit the diver to pull the vest over his head so that half of it drapes over his chest and abdomen while the other half lies against his back. An elastic collar bonded to the bag area adjacent the lower opening extends transversely of the bag and fits snugly around the divers neck to form a seal therewith.

The bag material adjacent and surrounding the upper opening in the bag wall is adapted by various means to fit any of the commercially available divers helmets, e.g., by a thickened reinforcing strip pierced with a series of holes to fit the studs of the breastplate which supports the type of helmet used with a full diving suit, or a termination fitting as a seal between the locking ring and sidewall of the type helmet supported on the divers head.

The vest or bag is preferably provided with straps, and connecting eyes and hooks, the straps being secured to the lower edges of the bag so that one set .may be run under the divers crotch and fastened together to hold both vest and helmet against the buoyant force of the water the diver is working in. The crotch straps thus replace longer crotch straps used with a helmet and a wet suit, and minimize the possibility of entanglement in the straps. Girth straps and connectors may also be provided to keep the vest from flapping.

With this construction, the helmet is always flow connected to the bag, in the space between the upper bag opening and the neck collar bonded to the lower opening. No supply or exhaust connections need be made to the vest, as the diver controls the extent of inflation of his vest by adjusting the flow valves of his helmet, principally the exhaust valve. If he leaves the exhaust valve adjustment at a wide open setting, the vest remains uninflated, the condition appropriate for working on bottom. When the diver wishes to ascend, he closes his helmet exhaust valve to reduce the rate of exhaust, causing the bag to inflate. By proper adjustment of such valve the diver may control his buoyancy to rise to the surface or to remain suspended at any desired intermediate depth between bottom and surface.

The present invention lies in the field of clothing and equipment worn by commercial divers, and more specifically in a vest adapted for connectionto a divers helmet so that some of the breathing gas from the helmet can pass into the vest and inflate it. By proper adjustment of the valves of the helmet, particularly the exhaust valve, the pressure in the vest can be adjusted to any value between a condition of complete deflation to a condition of flotation which will bring the diver to the surface.

Prior to the prior invention, commercial divers had One of three choices of clothing in addition to a helmet: (1) a full diving suit, sometimes called a dry suit, (2) a wet suit =which clings tightly to the body and has no connection to a helmet, and (3) ordinary swimming or work clothes, again having no connection to the helmet.

3,512,196 Patented May 19, 1970 A full diving suit essentially surrounds all of a divers body including his feet and all of his upper appendages except his hands, head and neck. The arm sleeves of the suit terminate at the wrists in sealed wristlets, while the body of the suit surrounding the upper torso terminates in a reinforced lip surrounding a large opening which fits over the shoulders or chest. The reinforced lip is adapted for sealing connection to the divers helmet, so that the entire suit becomes a bag depending from the helmet and flow connected to it. Most of the time the diver keeps his dry suit empty and thus uses it mostly as a heat (cold) barrier, but by proper adjustment of his helmet valves he can inflate the suit to control his buoyancy.

Commercially available full diving suits have only a single wall, typically of relatively thick fabric and rubber. While they have won widespread acceptance for use under certain operating conditions, in other circumstances they have several disadvantages. Probably the worst disadvantage is the discomfort experienced by the diver inside the suit. Since most of the time there is no gas or liquid circulating over his body, his perspiration accumulates inside the rubber bag, and this condition becomes aggravated as the temperature of the surrounding fluid increases. Any fluid that does flow over his body is limited to some of his breathing gas, flowing between his body and the single wall of the dry suit, as the water in which he is working is completely excluded. The diver cannot take advantage of the fact if the temperature of the water happens to be a comfortable temperature. Such suits are also somewhat bulky and awkward to Work in.

There is an added disadvantage when the full suit is inflated, particularly by an inexperienced diver. There is a danger that the diver may get into an inverted, feet-up position. If this should happen, the diver may not be able to right himself immediately, because the legs and feet of his suit are inflated as much as the arms and chest, and because the heavy helmet tends to sink to a natural bottommost position. There is also a psychological problem in that the diver may feel himself trapped, even in the proper heads-up position, as he wants to be able to shed all excess gear and equipment rapidly in an emergency, e.g., loss of air supply. A full diving suit cannot be divested quickly, and this fact, known to the diver, may cause him some anxiety. When an emergency does occur, the pressure of time to get out of the suit may even cause the diver to panic.

The main object of the present invention is to supply a divers garment which serves as a replacement for a full diving suit but lacks the many disadvantages of the full suit. A second object is to supply such a garment which is attachable to a divers helmet in sealing relationship therewith so that the breathing mixture flowing through the helmet can pass into the garment and inflate it. A third object is to provide an inflatable buoyancy vest, securable to a divers helmet in common gas flow relationship therewith, which permits the water in which the diver is working to flow over and cool his entire body. A fourth object is to provide such a buoyancy vest which can be inflated toany pressure within a range from complete deflation to a pressure which will float the diver on the surface or at any intermediate level. A fifth object is to provide a buoyancy vest which, when inflated, keeps the diver in a heads-up position. A sixth object is to provide such a vest which can be secured about the divers body and to his helmet so that neither member can be accidentally floated free of the divers body, and yet both vest and helmet can be rapidly removed in an emergency.

These and other objects are achieved according to the present invention by fashioning a vest in the form of a thin and elongated bag adapted to be draped over a divers chest and back and sealably securable to his helmet and neck. Preferably the bag consists essentially of a pair of substantiaiiy identical, rectangular panels of a tough, Water-impervious material such as a rubbery plastic like PVC reinforced with nylon filaments, plus an elastic collar or sleeve for the divers neck. Gne rectangular panel is laid on top of the other, and their coinciding edges are bonded together to prevent the escape of any gas. A centrally located opening is formed in each panel, such openings being substantially coaxial and opposed to one another. I

The elastic collar is sealingly bonded to the inner panel to extend through the central opening therein, and is sized so that a diver can pull the collar over his head and bring it to rest around his neck to form a gas-tight seal. The outer panel is terminated adjacent its central opening with a shape adapting it for connection to a helmet (also known as a hard hat or pot), the termination used varying somewhat with the type of helmet used. In the type of helmet using a breastplate, the outer panel is preferably provided with a reinforced lip contoured to fit the breastplate, and such lip is pierced with a set of spaced holes to accommodate a series of connecting members to join it to the breastplate. In helmets employing a metal neck ring secured to the bottom of the helmet, the outer panel is terminated so that it fits ino the neck ring and is clamped therein to make a sealed connection.

In all forms of the invention there is an annular gap between the collar surrounding the divers neck and the connection of the outer panel of the vest to the lower part of the divers helmet. This gap establishes fluid communication between helmet and vest, but such communication can either be ignored or exploited, at the will of the diver. If he leaves the exhaust valve of his helmet wide open, the vest will stay deflated, the condition usually employed when working on bottom. If the diver wishes to surface without assistance from a surface vessel, he may do so by partially closing his exhaust valve to inflate his bag and control his rate of ascent and also to make stops while suspended at intermediate depths, as required for his safety. (It may sometimes be necessary or desirable to pass to the surface by means of a hand line any weights he may have been carrying for various purposes, e.g., to hold his footing in a strong underwater tide.) The diver can use the vest to suspend himself at any desired distance between bottom and surface, a flexibility particularly useful when working on underwater structures built on a sea floor, e.g., pipe risers, bridges and drilling rigs.

Since there is some danger under all conditions that a divers helmet may be floated off his head, it is common practice t secure the helmet to the divers body by one rneans or the other. With a full diving suit, the suit itself holds the helmet down and cannot in itself be pulled loose. With wet suits and when no suit is worn, the helmet is provided with front and rear eyelets into which are snapped the ends of straps passing through the divers crotch. Such long straps can be eliminated in the present invention, as the crotch strap need extend only between the lower edges of the vest.

When the diver has inserted his head through the neck seal and the larger opening of the outer panel, the pair of joined panels hang over both his chest-abdomen and his back, somewhat in the manner of a short poncho, and the lower edges hang down approximately the same distance from his shoulders, *both terminating at about his waist or hips. The consequently short crotch strap extending between such edges eliminates a source of potential entanglements present in the long straps of the prior art.

When such straps are used, the inner and outer panels are preferably stifi'ened by securing them together over an area additional to their peripheral junction, e.g., along a line substantially midway between the long edges of the panels, as illustrated. Girth straps may also be provided at the lower edges of the vest, to keep the ends of the vestkfrom flapping and perhaps interfering with the divers wor The invention will probably be more quickly comprehended by referring to the attached drawing depicting several physical embodiments of the inventionfor the purpose of illustration only. In such drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a vest laid out on a flat surface with the outer panel uppermost, this particular embodiment having a termination on the outer panel adapted for connection to a helmet including a breastplate,

FIG. 2. is a cross section of the same vest, as indicated by the sectioning plane and arrows marked 2-2 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 2A is a cross section similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified form of the bag constituting the principal member of the vests of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a centrai cross section of the same vest, as indicated by the sectioning plane and arrows 3-3 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing the vest of FIGS. l3 as worn by a diver,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a diver wearing an other type helmet and a matching vest of the present invention,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section showing the connection between the helmet and vest of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section, similar to that of FIG. 6, showing another modified form of the invention adapted to fit another type of divefs helmet.

The preferred form of vest shown in FIGS. 1-4 consists basically of the bag 10, closed except for the pair of registering and opposed head openings 12 and 14, and a stretchable collar 16. Opening 12 is somewhat smaller than opening 14, and is substantially equal to the cross-section of collar 16. The collar is bonded or otherwise integrated with the portion of the bag surrounding and defining the smaller opening 12, and it extends transversely (upwardly in FIG. 1) from such portion so that it is surrounded by the outer portion of the larger opening 14. This space between the two openings forms a flow channel for gas to flow into the bag when the diver dons the vest so that the collar 16 forms a seal to his neck and the portion of the bag defining the opening 14 is secured and sealed to his helmet, as shown in FIG. 4.

While the bag 10 may be formed in various ways, including seamless constructions and the single cavity bag 10 of FIG. 2A, the preferred form is as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, utilizing an inner panel 18 and an outer panel 20 tightly joined at their peripheries 22 to form a gas-tight seal. The joint is preferably a combination of bonding the peripheral edges 22 to each other and to the outer reinforcing strip 25 and inner reinforcing strip 27. Each panel is substantially rectangular, and has a width substantially equal to the width of the average mans torso and about twice its length. Openings 12 and 14 are formed respectively in inner panel 18 and outer panel 20 at about their geometric centers, so that when the diver puts the vest on by pulling the bag panels down over his head about one-half the length of the joined panels fall down over his chest and abdomen while the other half falls over his back, each half terminating at about his waist, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The two panels are preferably joined along the center of their length, as indicated by the reinforcing webbing 23, to supply additional structural strength. This divides the air space in the bag into two halves 24 and 26, each connected to the annular portion of opening 14 surrounding the collar 16 (and of course each half space 24 and 26 or 28 is so connected, whether in the part on the front of the the divers body or lying along his back). In the FIG. 2A embodiment, there is only the single space 28.

Secured to each of the shorter ends of bag or vest 10 are straps 32, one of which mounts an eye 34 and the other a spring-locked hook 36. These straps are adapted to pass under the divers crotch so that the hook 36 and eye 34 can be secured together to hold the vest in place, together with the helmet H. Similar straps 42, eyes 44, and hooks 46 are secured to the longer joined edges of the bag, adjacent their ends, to pass girth-wise around the divers waist to further secure the vest in position. While it is not essential that any of these straps be integrated with the vest, the unitary construction does have the advantage of eliminating a longer pair of straps that would otherwise have to run from the front of the helmet, under the divers crotch and then be fastened to the back of his helmet. Some such strap is an almost imperative safety measure to avoid accidentally floating the helmet off the divers head.

When the reinforcing webbing 23 is used, it may be extended below the bottom edge of the bag, as shown at 33, and may be joined to straps 32 to further strengthen the crotch or jock strap.

The vests of FIGS. 1-4 have reinforcing 50 secured to the portion of bag surrounding the larger opening 14 of a type adapted for connection to a breastplate P, as shown in FIG. 4. Such breastplate P, which in itself is not a part of the present invention, is contoured to fit over the upper part of the chest, pass over the shoulders and part way down the back, and the thickened web or reinforcing 50 is similarly contoured. It is provided with a series of spaced bolt holes 52 which register with a like series of stud bolts 54 secured to breastplate P. The two members are joined with a contoured locking ring R and by wing nuts 56, with sufficient pressure to insure a tight seal.

Helmet H, which also is not a part of the present invention, has the usual breathing mixture connection C and various windows W. Not shown are valves mounted on the outside of the helmet, one to control the flow of gas into the helmet and the other to control the rate of exhausting gas frm the helmet, plus an internal exhaust valve controlled by the divers pushing his jaw against a thrust button. The diver will decrease the exhaust rate when he wishes to inflate his vest, but since the valve and its operation are uncomplicated and form no part of the present invention they are not further illustrated or discussed.

The vest 10*" of FIGS. 5 and 6 differs from that illustrated in FIGS. l-4 principally in the termination of the bag adjacent the outer opening 14, and this difference in turn is caused by the use of a different type helmet. Whereas the helmet H of FIGS. 1-4 is designed to be supported by breastplate P so that no weight rests on the divers head, the helmet H of FIG. 5 is designed for use without a breastplate and with the helmet H resting on the divers head. A suitable suspension means (not shown) inside the helmet cushions the weight sothat shock loads are softened and largely absorbed by the suspension means.

Helmet H is closed except at the bottom (like other helmets), and the bottom closure takes the form of a neck ring N fitted to an inside corner formed in an outturned flange F forming the lower part of helmet sidewall S. An O-ring seal 0 is included in the assembly, and both it and the neck ring N are detachably and sealingly secured to the helmet H with the aid of a pair of circumferentially spaced latches L, each of which is a member extending part of the distance around flange F and is pivoted to F at one end for movement out of engagement with the neck ring N. This latch L is channel shaped in cross-section and has parallel arms above and below the L-shaped flange F to hold the neck ring in place.

Such helmet assembly is secured to the vest 10 of the invention by running the upper end of outer panel above neck ring N and into the illustrated O-ring groove of the neck ring so that it underlies the O-ring. Since the preferred material for the bags and panels of the invention is in itself pliable and suitable for sealing (but preferably is not stretchable), the introduction of panel 20 into the neck ring connection forms a superior seal to prevent leakage between any of the vest, the neck ring and the helmet. Of course, similar means may be used for clamping these members together, e.g., neck ring N could be made without the O-ring groove and the edge of the vest could be used as the only sealing member.

In other respects the bag or vest 10" is similar to those previously discussed. A collar 16 of elastic material is bonded to the opening 12 of the bag formed in inner panel 18 to form a gas-tight seal therebetween, and such collar is of a size to form a similarly tight seal around the divers neck, as in all forms of the present invention. Also as in other forms, the outer peripheries of the panels are joined together to effect a mechanically strong, gastight connection, or the bag may be of seamless construction. The collar 16 should be folded inwardly under the divers chin, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, to form a fully effective seal to his neck.

FIG. 7 is another illustration of the fact that the vests of the invention are adaptable to fit any type diving helmet. In this instance the helmet H is another of the types designed to be supported on the divers head. Its sidewallS terminates in a slightly thickened bottom portion T having internal threads as shown adapted for threaded connection to a neck ring N. Neck ring N has a series of circumferentially spaced blind openings extending up from its lower surface, as shown, and such openings are tapped to receive a like number of machine screws M extending up through a set of registering openings in a locking ring R.

This FIG. 7 helmet H sealingly secured to the vest 10" of the invention by interposing the upper terminal portion of the bag 10 surrounding the outer opening 14", as defined by the upper end of panel 20", between neck ring N and locking ring R. The bag material is squeezed between N and R as machine screws M are tightened, and thus completes a gas-tight seal between these members.

In other respect the vest 10" is like those previously described, including the collar 16 and the gas-tight connection between the peripheral portions of the pair of walls 18 and 20".

The curious reader may be interested to know that the helmets H and H of FIGS. 5-6 and 7 were originally designed for use with wet suits (or no special clothing), and not with the buoyancy vests of the present invention. When so used, in the prior art, each helmet comes equipped with an elastic rubber collar similar to those illustrated herein. Such collar fits around the divers neck with a free end curling under his chin, as herein, but the other end is secured in the locking assembly of FIG. 6 or 7 in lieu of the upper end of panel 20' or 20". Of course, with such an arrangement the diver obtains none of the advantages of the present invention, as the collar so used simply keeps water out of his helmet and confines his breathing gas to the helmet. (Leakage of gas along his neck under the collar may not be significant, and it is of no value in maintaining or controlling his buoyancy.)

As previously mentioned, the diver wearing one of the vest of the invention may leave it completely deflated by setting the exhaust valve of his helmet in a wide open position, and indeed this is the preferred condition when working on bottom. When he wishes to inflate the vest to rise somewhat olf bottom, he resets his exhaust valve to a slower flow rate, and this action causes some of the breathing gas to flow into the vest to partially inflate the bag. When the buoyant force slightly exceeds the gravitational force on the diver and his equipment, he will rise through the water to a depth at which these forces are equal, and will remain suspended there until he makes a further adjustment of his exhaust valve. By repeated such adjustments, he may rise to the surface in steps, may re-descend to bottom, or rise all the way to the surface and remain as desired in a floating position.

The diver wearing such a vest has the full and unfettered use of both his legs and both his arms. His entire body is washed by the water he is working in, and thus he does not become overheated nor made uncomfortable by accumulated perspiration. He cannot become dangerously inverted, as the inflated vest keeps him in a headsup attitude. He is not trapped in his gear and feels no anxiety comparable to a diver in a full diving suit, as he knowns that he can quickly strip off the vest merely by disconnecting any crotch straps and girth straps he is using, and slipping his helmet and vest from his head.

It should also be noted that any one of the vests of the invention, when inflated, provides a bonus advantage in that it contains emergency breathing gas. If the diver should lose his fresh air connection and be obliged to rise to the surface, the one or two minutes reserve of gas in the vest will frequently insure him suflicient breathing to make his ascent without stripping oif his gear (depending on depth). If his depth is too great for the complete ascent, he can always utilize the vest reserve gas for a part of his ascent, and this part may be instrumental in saving his life or preventing the injuries attendant on too rapid an ascent.

It may also be mentioned that the invention has been reduced to practice in experimental dives made in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent waters, dives as deep as 225 feet. These tests amply demonstrated that the stated objects are achieved, including control of the divers position at any position between bottom and surface by controlling the extent of inflation of the vest by adjustment of the helmet exhaust valve.

While not specifically illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide a buoyancy vest differing from those described above only in that the vest halves shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 as draping separately over the divers chest-abdomen and back are made in a unitary construction, and some of the claims below are intended to embrace such an embodiment. The vest as thus modified has a shape similar to that of a turtle-neck sweater or shirt, either with or without sleeves. Some small amount of stretch may be required of the fabric to pass over the divers shoulders, but in other respects it would be like the vests illustrated, including the double wall, the neck seal or collar, and the sealing of the outer wall to the divers helmet.

This form of the invention would not be easily pulled from the diver by the buoyant force of his working medium and hence 'would not require straps, although they may be provided if desired. Some sacrifice in body cooling would be entailed, however, in comparison with other forms of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A buoyancy vest comprising a pair of inner and outer panels of water impervious material and of substantially the same overall dimensions, said panels being longer than wide and being sealingly secured to one another along their edges to define a gas space, a pair of substantially coaxial central openings through said panels intermediate the joined edges thereof, and an elastic col lar in the shape of a sleeve sealingly secured to the portion of said inner panel surrounding the opening therethrough to form a means for a diver to thrust his head through the vest until the collar surrounds his neck and forms a seal therewith, the portion of the outer panel surrounding the opening therethrough being terminated with means for clamping or other sealing connection to a lower peripheral portion of a divers helmet or breast- .plate at a location spaced from said neck collar, whereby the breathing gases supplied to the helmet are in flow communication with the gas space between said pair of panels of the buoyancy vest.

2. The buoyancy vest of claim 1 wherein the pair of panels of the buoyancy vest are also secured together along their length, substantially midway between their longer edges.

3. The buoyancy vest of claim 1 which includes fastening means secured in part to one shorter edge of the joined panels and in part to the other shorter edge, said parts of the fastening means being readily securable to and detachable from one another and being adapted to extend between the divers legs adapted to serve as a crotch strap, whereby the vest and helmet to which it is secured are prevented from being floated ofi the diver when the fastening means is secured but are readily removable in emergencies by detaching said fastening means.

4. The buoyancy vest of claim 3 in. Which the pair of joined panels of the vest are also joined together along their length by a strip of reinforcing material located about midway between the longer edges of the panels, said strip also extending beyond one or both the shorter edges of the panels and joining said crotch strap.

5. A buoyancy vest comprising a thin and elongated bag of gas impervious, said bag having a wall forming a complete enclosure except for a pair of registering inner and outer head openings through said wall, and an elastic collar providing a seal around a divers neck sealingly secured to the portion of said wall adjacent said inner opening and extending coaxially with such opening, the portion of the wall surrounding the outer opening being spaced from said collar to define a flow channel into said enclosure, said outer opening portion being terminated with clamping means or other sealing connection to a divers helmet.

6. The buoyancy vest of claim 5 in which the portion of the wall surrounding the outer opening therein is terminated for sealing connection to a divers helmet of the type having a lower end terminating in a neck ring having a locking ring secured thereto by a cir-cumferentially spaced series of connecting members, comprising a similar set of openings in said portion of the bag wall registering with said connecting members, whereby said portion of the wall may be squeezed between said neck ring and locking ring with said connecting members passing through the registering openings in the bag wall.

7. The buoyancy vest of claim 5 in which the portion of the wall surrounding the outer opening therein is terminated for sealing connection to a divers helmet of the type supported on a breastplate contoured to conform to the divers shoulders, chest and upper back, such breastplate having a central opening therein surrounding and spaced from the divers neck and a series of spaced connecting members extending from the portion of the plate surrounding such opening, comprising a similarly formed and disposed series of registering openings formed in the portion of said bag wall.

8. The buoyancy vest of claim 5 in which the portion of the wall surrounding the outer opening therein is terminated for sealing connection to a divers helmet of the type having a lower end adapted to receive a neck ring and seal ring and squeeze the same to effect a seal, comprising providing suflicient length in the portion of the bag wall surrounding the outer opening therein to extend into said connection between the lower end of the helmet and the neck ring to serve in itself as a sealing member, said portion of the bag disposed in said connection being squeezed in assembly to effect a gas-tight seal between helmet and vest.

9. The buoyancy vest of claim 5 in which the portion of the wall surrounding the outer opening therein is terminated for sealing connection to a divers helmet of the type having a lower end adaptedto receive and support a neck ring, comprising providing suflicient length in the portion of the bag wall surrounding the outer opening therein to extend into said connection between the lower end of the helmet and the neck ring to serve as a sealing member, said portion of the bag disposed in said connection being squeezed in assembly to effect a gas-tight seal between helmet and vest.

10. A buoyancy vest comprising a double-walled bag of Water-impervious sealable fabric of length and width to fit a divers torso and terminate at about his waist, said walls being spaced apart to define a gas compartment which is relatively thin compared with its length and Width, the wall closer to the diver having a head opening therethrough and the material surrounding such opening having bonded thereto a sleeve-like elastic collar passing over the divers head and fitting snugly around his neck to form a seal therewith, and the outer wall also having a head opening therethrough substantially coaxial with the inner wall opening, the portion of the wall surrounding such outer opening being terminated with means for clamping or sealing connection to a divers helmet, whereby when such vest is donned by a diver and connected to his helmet a flow space from the helmet to the gas compartment of the vest is formed between said collar and said outer connection, a portion of the breathing gas supplied to the divers helmet being diverted through such flow space to inflate the vest to a pressure determined by the settings of the air flow valves connected to the helmet.

' 11. The buoyancy vest of claim 10 in which said bag is strengthened by a reinforcing web securing said two walls together along their length substantially halfway of the width of the bag.

12. The buoyancy vest of claim 11 which includes a pair of straps secured to the ends of the bag terminating at about the divers waist, each of said straps having a free end with a connecting member secured thereto, said connecting members being complementary and readily engaged and disengaged to provide a quick means for securing the ends of the vest to one another.

13. The buoyancy vest of claim 12 in which said straps are adapted to pass under the divers crotch to secure both vest and helmet against accidental removal by the buoyant force of the water in which the diver is working.

14. The buoyancy vest of claim 12 which includes at least one such pair of straps passing girthwise around the diver to secure the ends of said bag to each other.

15. The buoyancy vest of claim 13 in which said reinforcing web also extends beyond one or both shorter edges of the vest and each such extension is secured to one of said crotch straps to further strengthen the same.

' therein, said neck collar being formed of an elastic sealing material and in a size to pass over a divers head and form a gas-tight seal with his neck, and the portion of the bag surrounding the opening in the outer wall having a termination means securable in sealing connection to a divers helmet at a location spaced from said neck collar to provide a flow channel connecting the helmet and the gas enclosure of the bag for the inflation of said bag by the breathing gas supplied to the helmet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,209,200 12/ 1916 Perotti 9-338 1,226,148 5/1917 Walters l28142.5 1,915,818 6/1933 Di Cara 9313 2,316,101 4/1943 Norred 9313 2,906,262 9/1959 Braunstein 128-142.2 3,042,947 7/1962 Bashore 9338 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner J. T. PITTENGER, Assistant Examiner

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