US3611460A

US3611460A - Lifebelt

Info

Publication number: US3611460A
Application number: US857130A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lino Rossetti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-09-24
Filing date: 1969-09-11
Publication date: 1971-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-12
Also published as: GB1260899A; FR96362E; DE1807163A1

Abstract

A SAFTE LIFTBELT ADAPTED TO BE INFLATED BY HAND AND AUTOMATICALLY BY HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE ACTING UPON A PANSHAPED PORTION OF A ROCKING LEVER OPERATING A VALVE TO OPEN A GAS BOTTLE PROVIDED IN AN AIR TUBE TO ALLOW THE GAS

TO ESCAPE FROM THE BOTTLE INTO THE AIR TUBE TO INFLATE THE LIFEBELT.

Description

Oct. 12, 1971 1 ROSSETTI 3,611,460

- LIFEBELT Filed Sept. 11, 1969 INVENTOR Linn Russa-Ui United States Patent O U.s. cl. 9-319 4 claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A safety lifebelt adapted to be inflated by hand and automatically by hydrostatic pressure acting upon a panshaped portion of a rocking lever operating a valve to open a 'gas bottle provided in an air tube to allow the gas to escape from the bottle into the air tube to inflate the lifebelt.

This invention relates to a lifebelt which can be in lated by hand and automatically by hydrostatic pressure.

In the Italian Main Pat. No. 746,170 of Aug. 30, 1965 and the three patents of addition Nos. 821,087; 830,818 and 833,439 filed by the applicant on Apr. 12, 1966, Mar. 18, 1967 and Dec. 28, 1967, respectively, there has been described and illustrated a tubular lifebelt provided with braces, adapted to be put on in the manner of a jacket, and inatable by compressed air contained in one or more gas bottles accommodated in the air tube of the lifebelt. The transfer of the compressed fluid from the gas bottle to the lifebelt was effected by manual pressure exercised by the palm of the hand on a rocking lever type element exerting a pull on the shaft of the Valve body to remove it from its seat.

The above-mentioned lifebelt, although it is considered safe by the applicant, could not guarantee absolute safety as its operation depends on the human factor.

It is the object of the present invention to eliminate this disadvantage by providing a safety lifebelt which not only can be inflated by hand, as the above-mentioned previous lifebelts, but also automatically due to the hydrostatic pressure of the water, the lifebelt being adjustable to the desired pressure.

More specifically, the lifebelt according to the present invention carries in its interior at least one gas bottle having incorporated at its head lend a cylindrical member having an open end while the other end, which dips into the gas bottle and communicates therewith, is closed by a mushroom valve sealingly guided in the cylindrical member and having its stem surrounded by a spring inter posed between the valve plate and a circular disc having a curved periphery and sealingly slidable on the valve stem within the cylindrical member, said circular disc being kept in the valve closing position by a rod working Within a small cylindrical housing secured transversely t0 the cylindrical member, said rod` extending with one of its ends through the wall of the cylindrical member to serve as an abutment for said disc while the other end of the rod located outwardly of the cylindrical member has an enlarged portion adapted to lift the rod with the aid of the bifurcated end of a rocking lever pivotally mounted on the gas bottle, extending along the outside thereof and terminating in a pan located at the inlet of a recess provided in the gas bottle, said rod being returned into its initial position by a spring surrounding it.

The valve plate or valve head is provided with an orifice for conducting the compressed air from the gas bottle to the air tube of the lifebelt through apertures provided in the cylindrical member and communicating with the interior of the air tube. The gas bottle is further provided with a valve for the admission of compressed air through a single stub pipe located outwardly of the Patented Oct. 12, 1971 air tube near the valve to permit its closing by a suitable device by loading the spring.

The accompanying drawing shows exclusively the automatically inflatable lifeblt of the present invention in a preferred non-limiting `embodiment thereof. In the drawing:

FIG. l shows the lifebelt with a gas bottle in transverse section;

FIG. 2 shows the device for manually closing the mushroom Valve.

Referring to the drawing, the gas bottle is indicated by 1 and has secured therein at its head end a cylindrical member 2 having an open end while the other end, which dips into the gas bottle, communicates therewith through an orifice 3 which can be closed by a mushroom valve 4 sealingly guided in the cylindrical member 2. The valve stem 5 is surrounded by a spring 6 interposed between the valve plate 4 and a disc 7 having a curved periphery and sealingly slidably mounted on the stem 5 within the cylindrical member 2. By compressing the spring 6 the disc 7 keeps the valve 4 closed with the aid of a rod 8 slidably mounted within a small cylindrical housing 9 screwed transversely to the cylindrical member 2 on an annular boss 10 projecting therefrom. One end of the rod 8 extends through the wall of the cylindrical member 2 and bears against the outer wall of the disc 7. The other end of the rod 8 located outwardly of the cylindrical housing 9 has an enlarged portion 11 serving t0 lift the rod 8 through the bifurcated end 12 of a rocking lever 13 pivotally mounted at l14 on a support 15 secured to the gas bottle 1. The other end of the rocking lever 13 terminates in a pan 16 located at the inlet of a recess 17 provided outwardly on the gas bottle 1. The rod 8 is surrounded by a spring 18 located within the cylindrical housing 9 and interposed between its bottom and a cap 19 fixed to the rod 8. 'Ihe spring 18 returns the rod 9 to its initial position.

The plate 4 of the valve is provided with an orice 20 which in the open position of the valve allows the compressed air to pass from the gas bottle 1 to the air tube 26 of the lifebelt through stub pipes 21 and exible tubes 21 communicating with the interior of the air tube 20. The gas bottle 1 is further provided with a valve 22 for the admission or filling in of compressed air through a stub pipe 23 located outwardly of the air tube 20 and sealingly closed by a plug 24.

According to FIG. 1 of the drawing it is supposed that the gas bottle 1 be filled and the valve 4 closed and the rocking lever 13 is supposed to be adjusted (position of the pivot 14 with respect to the fork 12 and the pan 16) for a depth of ten meters. Thus the wearer of the safety lifebelt may consider safe any diving up to a depth of ten meters. In the case of an accident, for example in the case of sudden illness of the wearer, he will sink inanimate, `but on reaching the hydrostatic pressure corresponding to a depth of ten meters the pan 16 will be urged into the recess 17 (Which is possible as there is only atmospheric pressure in the recess). The opposite end of the lever .13l will then be lifted and move the rod 8 so that the disc 7 urged by the spring 6, due to` its curved periphery, will move against the abutment 25 and the spring 6 will extend and its pressure will diminish so that the pressure of the fluid within the gas bottle 1 will open the mushroom valve 4 and the iiuid will pass through the

ducts

3, 20, 21 and 21' to fill the air tube or lifebelt 26. At the same moment the wearer will be carried to the surface of the water.

To ensure the proper operation of the rocking lever '13, a protective apron 2.7 is provided between the lever and the air tube.

For refilling the gas bottle 1 the plug 24 is removed and taking in hand the device of FIG. 2, its rod 28 is inserted in the stub pipe 23 so as to push the disc 7 which due to its curved periphery will push the rod 8 upwardly into the position shown in the drawing to thereby compress the spring 6 and close the valve 4. When the disc 7 has been moved toI the left of the rod 8 the latter will descend to -keep the disc irn the position shown in the drawing. After the gas bottle 1 has been thus closed it is lled through the valve 22 and through the stub pipe Z3.

Obviously when the valve 4 is to Ibe actuated manually for transfering the compressed air from the gas bottle to the air tube it is only necessary to depress with the palm of a hand the pan 16 from the outside of the lifebelt as is done in the preceding patent applications.

The karrangement of the members and constructional elements may of course vary without departing from the principle of the invention. Especially the position of the pivot 14 with respect to the pan and the rod 8 may vary to obtain the opening of the 'valve 4 fand thus the inflation of the lifebelt at the desired pressure and thus at the desired depth Without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A safety lifebelt adapted to be automatically inflated comprising a compressed-air bottle accommodated in the lifebelt and provided with an automatically operating valve in accordance With the hydrostatic pressure of the water, a cylindrical member incorporated at the head end of the air bottle and having an open and an opposite end, said opposite end communicating with said air bottle, a valve sealingly guided in the cylindrical member for preventing said communication in a valve closing position and comprising a valve plate carrying a stern surrounded by a spring interposed between said plate and a circular disc sealingly slidable on the valve stem within the cylindrical member, 4a cylindrical housing carried by said cylindrical member, a rod operative within said housing for maintaining said circular disc in said closing posi- 4 tion and extending with one of its ends through the wall of the cylindrical member to serve as an abutment for said disc while the other end of the rod located outwardly of the cylindrical member has an enlarged portion adapted when engaged to lift the rod, 1and a rocking lever for so engaging said enlarged portion and extending along the exterior of the air bottle and terminating in a pan located at the inlet of a recess provided in the air bottle, said rod being returned into its initial position by a spring surrounding it.

2. A lifebelt as claimed in claim 1, wherein an orifice extends `through the valve plate or head 'and serves to convey the compressed air from the gas bottle to the air tube of the lifebelt through apertures provided in the cylindrical member and communicating with the interior of said air tube.

l 3. A lifebelt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pan of the rocking lever operates in 'a recess containing air at atmospheric pressure.

4. A lifebelt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifebelt is provided with a stub pipe closed by a stud to permit the introduction of compressed air into the air bottle for lling it and to permit the introduction of a suitable device adapted to push down the slidable disc for closing the Valve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,374,200 4/ 1945 Heigis 9-319 (X) 3,145,573 8/1964 Hebenstreit 9-319 (X) 3,5 01,7'89 3/ 1970 Rossetti 9--3'19 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 222-5