US371781A - morgan - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 sheenssheen 1.

C. B. MORGAN.

LIFE PRESERVER. l

No. 871,781. /QMHM 001;; 18, 18877.-

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WITNBSSBS: 4 INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

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(No Model.)

Patented Oct. 18, 1887.

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C. B. MORGAN.

LIFE .PRBsERVl-m WITNESSBS:

. INVENTOR 2v a BY Si! .Y

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Nrrn @rares CHARLES B. MORGAN, OF UNCOMPAHGRE, COLORADO.

LlFEPRESERVER.

SPBCFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,781, dated October 18, 1857.

Application filed Man l1 25, i867.

To all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that l', CHARLES B. MORGAN, of Uncompahgre, in the county of Montrose and State of Colorado, have invented anew and Improved Life-Prescrver, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in l life-preservers, and has for its object to provide a device capable of being quickly applied to the person, and which, when worn, will not impede the progress of a swimmer, and which will support a person ignorant of the art of swimming upon the surface of the water. The object of the invention is also to provide a means of iniiating the device when in the water and the application of an air-pump in connection with the device.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement ofthe various parts, as will be hereinafter fully setforth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figures l and 2 are respectively front and rear views of the life-preserver, illustrating ils application to the person; and Fig. 8 is a central longitudinal section through the pump employed to supply air thereto. Fig. L is a `front elevation ot' said pump, and Fig. 5 is a section through line sr x of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the said pump. Fig.- 7 is a longitudinal vertical section through the device employed to inflate the preserver from the lungs, and Fig. 8 is a side elevationn thereof.

In carrying out the object of the invention the life-preserver is constructed of any suit able water-proof material, preferably rubber, and in virtually two sections, A and A', each section being made in the form of oblong bags adapted to extend vertically each side of the breast and back, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the opposite front and rear bags, a a', being respectively united by an integral bag, B, adapted to extend over the shoulders, and having the inner edges, b, curved for adjustment to the neck.

The interiors of the sections A and A are united in the back at the top by an incased Serial No. 232.3%. (No model.)

tube, C, as shown in Fig. 2, and they are further united exteriorly by two or more, pref. erabl y two, bands, D D', of the same material, which bandsare attached to the inner face of the front and rear bags, a, a', the one near the bottom and the other adistance below the arm'- pits.

The bands D D are adapted to encompass the body, one end terminating at the front in an apertnred strap, d, and the other having secured thereto a buckle, d', adapted to receive said strap. By means of these straps and buckles a quick and ready fastening for thc preserver upon the body is obtained. A third and upper similar fastening, d, is provided to unite the two sections at the throat lt will be seen from the above description that when the preserver is inflated the air is confined vertically parallel with the body of the wearer, and therefore does not act as an impediment in swimming, as is the case with preservers worn horizontally the body, which oli'er great resistance to the water. Again, it will be observed that the prcserver is substantially in one piece,whilein reality in two equal sections, thereby enabling a person to quickly apply the same, and that i'rom its peculiar shape the'device maybe conveniently worn under a coat.

The life-preserver above described is provided with two distinct mcans of inliation first, through the medium of an. air-pump, E, and, secondly, through the medium ot'a mouthpiece, F, either of which may be operated while in the water by turning and iloating upon the back, the arms beingfree, as no portion of the inflated sections passes beneath or over them.

The pump E is preferably located over or above the right breast, and consists of an annnlar centrally-apertured plate, E, provided with a tubular threaded central projection, e, integral with one side, and a conical. projection, e', surrounding the aperture therein, integral with the opposite side. Upon the face of the plate E having the said conical projection a cage, El, is supported, having a circular end plate, e2, and within saidlcage a spiral or coiled spring, h, is held, bearing respectively against the end plate, ez, and an annular washer, e3, which washer nds a seat IOO upon the conical projection e. One end of the spring is made fast to the end plate, c2, and the other end, extending through the washer, is secured to a suitable valve, 7L', sliding in the tubular projection e, which valve is supplied with aligning ports h2.

A suitable opening is made in the outer surface of the front bag, a, to ad mit the tubular projection e, and a washer, h, is entered over the said tubular projection to a bearing uponfhe said surface of' the bag. A lock-nut, 7c, is then screwed upon the'threaded projectlon e to a bearing upon said washer h3. Prior, however, to bringing the plate E and washer h3 together one end of a suitable bellows, H, is made to intervene the said plate and washer. Therefore, when thelock-nutk is screwed up tight,the bellows and surface of the bag a are completely sealed.

The outer end ef the bellows H is made larger than the inner end, and is securely held between two annular plates, H', re-enforced by a ring, H2, the said ring and plates being fastened by suitable bolts or rivets, so as to make a perfectly air-tight joint.

The plates H are apertured centrally and a thilnble, K, fitted in said aperture, against the under side of which thimble a cushion, K', is made to bear and to close the aperture, the said cushion being attached to a horizontal spring-stem, K2. Thus by working the bellowsH air is drawn into the same and pumped from thence into the bags a a', as will be readily seen by reference to Fig. 3. Vhen the bellows isnot in use,it may be secured by a strap and buckle, O, in close contact with the preserver, as shown in Fig. l.

By means ofa tube,f, connected with the bag al, preferably at the front, and a mouth-piece, F, the preserver may be inflated from the lungs. Thus an extra means of inflation is always at hand should one become damaged.

The mouth-piece F may be of ordinary construction, but is preferably formed as shown in Fig. 7, in which the inclosed and threaded nipple f s provided with aligning end apertures,f2, over which the mouthpiece proper, f3, is screwed. Vhen the said mouth-piece is screwed outward,las shown in dotted lines, Fig. 7,air may be forced into the bags through the nipplef, and when said mouthpiece is screwed down to a seat upon the nipple the vent is thoroughly closed.

Having thus fully described my invention, WhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isq

1. A life-preserver composed of two independent inflated sections united at the back only by a horizontal tube,one section providedv with an air-pump and the other section provided with a mouth-piece, whereby the entire preserver may be inflated either from the pump or mouth-piece, as set forth.

2. A lifepreserver composed of' two independent inated sections united at the back only by a horizontal tube, each section adapted to extend vertically of the body and across the shoulders, and retained in position upon the person by horizontal bands attached to each section and united in front by a buckle, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. A life-preserver constructed of two independent inflated sections united at the back only by a horizontal tube,each section adapted to extend vertically of the body front and rear and horizontally across the shoulder, and retained in position upon the person by horizontal bands attached to each section, united in front by buckles, the one section provided with an air-pump, the other with a tube for inflation from thelungs,substantiall y as shown and described, whereby the entire preserver may-be inflated from either pump or mouthpiece, as setforth.

4. The combination, with the united sections a a', adapted to extend vertically of the body and across the shoulders, provided with arear connecting-tube, C, and a series of attached horizontal bands, D, provided withV buckles d', and an upper strap and buckle, d d', of an air-pump attached to the said sec, tions a near the shoulder, a strap, O, for retaining said pump in a closed position, and a mouthpiece, F, attached to the section a', substantially as shown and described, whereby the entire preserver may be inflated by either the pump or mouth-piece either in or out of the water, as set forth.

5. The combination, with a life-preserver constructed substantially as herein shown and described, of an air-pump, E, attached thereto near the shoulder, consisting of the plate E', carrying a valve, It', and supporting a cage, E, a spring, h, held withoutsaid cage and actuating said valve, a bellows, H, and an outer centrally-apertured plate, H', together with a spring-actuated cushion, K, adapted to cover said central aperture, located within the said bellows, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes herein set fort-h.

CHARLES. B. MORGAN.

Witnesses:

J AMns A. FENLoN, F. W. CLARKE.

IOO

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