US691118A - Inflatable article. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Ian. M, I902.

No. same.

c. INFLATABLE AHTIELE.

w. cunum.

(Application filed Feb. 14, 1901.)

Z-Shaets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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CHARLES V. CURLIN, OF HIOKMAN, KENTUCKY.

ENFLATABLE ARTICLE.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,118, dated January 14, 1902. Application filed February 14, 1901. Serial No. 47,299- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. CURLIN, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at Hickman,in the county of Fulton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inflatable Articles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in what may be termed air and water bags, beds, pillows, cushions, and other inflatable articles.

In the making of air-tight articles composed of textile fabrics and air and water proofed with alinseed-oil or other compound, as heretofore, they have been made by cutting and sewing the pieces together without due reference to the final or inflated contour. The pieces have been brought together andthe article closed before the water or air proofing was applied. Such goods have been of but little practical value, for the reason that the same were non-elastic and the strain thereon was exerted unequally, not being conformed to the final shape of the article or when inflated. The receptacle or body being closed and then the water or air proofing compound applied excluded the airthe drying agent-from the inside of the article, and as linseed-oil is dried by absorption of oxygen the compound on the inside could only be partly dried and left in a wet tacky condition. Such goods have but little strength and soon become sticky and rotten and have proved to be dangerous, as drying oil, especially linseedoil, when exposed to air gradually absorbs oxygen, and the chemical combination causes the evolution of heat, and spontaneous combustion has been the result.

I am aware that air beds, pillows, and other inflatable articles have been made by cutting the canvas or other cotton goods and sewing the pieces partly together, leaving an openingin the body to allow the passage of air to facilitate the drying of the applied compound and after the goods were water or air proofed the article was closed and the seams finished and a liquid was poured into the article to seal the seams. The disadvantages of such manufacture are: First, insufficient attention was paid to the making of the body to conform it to the shape of the article after it was inflated, and the goods being non elastic pulled at certain places and puckered at others, causing the walls to break and leak; second, the articles being closed the liquid was introduced through the air-tube and had to be drained out through the same small tube, and in this way too much of the liquid was left on the inside of the article and collected in the seams, and puddles were formed in other places in such quantities that the compound would not dry, and when the goods Were infiated and submitted to weight or pressure the liquid, not being dry, would be forced through the needle-holes produced in sewing the goods to the outside, which allowed the air to escape.

Ithas for its object to predetermine the final inflated shape of the article, with the view of securing a uniformity of surface pressure when the article is inflated; further, to facilitate the waterproofing and air-proofing of the article, the same being permissible before the completion of the article, but heretofore not having been done until after the manufacture thereof; also, to promote the durability of the article, consequently its eX- tended utility, lessen liability to premature wear,and otherwise add to longevity of use,&c.

The invention therefore consists of a closure or receptacle of peculiar construction and in its manufacture, substantially as hereinafter more fully disclosed, and specifically pointed out by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 is a perspective view thereof. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the principal sections constituting myinvention, the closure orarticle made up of three principal sections. Fig. 4 is a modification disclosing similar binding or reinforcing strips as employed in the preferred form or the other figures. applied at the corners instead of centrally of the article. Figs. 5 and 6 are a side view and a cross section of a second modification showing the closure or article without stays. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed section showing more fully the manner of connecting or joining the principal sections of the article or closure together and the binding or reinforcing strips applied at said point of union or connection.

Latitude is allowed herein as to details, as they may be changed or varied at will without departing from the spirit of my invention and the same yet remain intact and be protected.

In carrying out my invention I first suitably shape or out the material of textile character, preferably as shown in Fig. 3, thus producing the continuous top and partial side portions 1 2 and the continuous bottom and partial side portions 1 2, respectively, of the principal sections or halves 3 of the article. The end portions 4 of each of such sections are cut, as disclosed in Fig. 4. Said continuous top and side portions or blanks 1 2 are preferably generally rectangular or square in outline, while said end portions or blanks 4:

are preferably scalloped or undulatory, as at 6, upon their edgesjoining said top and side portions or blanks, imparting to the closure or article in its finality or inflated condition a symmetrical contour, as disclosed in Fig. 1. By thus producing or forming the parts of each section 3 the closure or receptacle formed thereby is rendered free from folds, puckers, orwrinkles orotherwise being affected, which would prevent it from presenting a uniformity of pressure-surface in its final inflated contour or shape. Unequal strain or pulling of the material is thus removed from the article at the seams as well as elsewhere, as would be the case if the material forming said parts of the closure or receptacle were pro duced, as heretofore, without reference to its final inflated contour or form.

To the inner surfaces of the top and bottom of the sections 3 are suitably attached at desired intervals strips 7 and to these strips are sewed or connected the half-stays 7 along one of their longitudinal edges, which are connected together, as at 9. The attachment between the stays and said sections is effected while the water andair proofing compound application is yet moist to provide for forcing or expressing the water and air proofing compound application into the needle-punctures as the fabric is passed under the sewing-machine pressure-foot.

The sections 3 have their joining or meeting edges hemmed or reinforced and turned outward, as at 7, and to the inner surfaces of said sections at these points are suitably applied or sewed strips 7 with their meeting edges also turned outward and returned or: folded upon themselves, as at 7, and to these portions or surfaces is applied in asemisolid or fluid state a suitable water and air proofing compound, and over these portions or surfaces is applied a binding or reinforcing strip. Said portions or surfaces, together with said binding-strip, are sewed together while the compound application is yet moist or wet for the like purpose as mentioned in connection with the attachment of the stays to the closure or article sections. As a finality a freely-flowing or fluent water or air proofing compound may be applied to the inner surface of the completed article to more effectively insure the closing of any needle punctures or openings at any point which might not possibly have been previously treated or subsequently made after such treatment.

Two tubes 12, with caps 12 are provided for closing openings in opposite ends of the closure, one of said openings permitting of placing or inserting ice or water therein, the other opening provided for the ready inflation of the closure or article. Also its tube permits of the attachment thereto of a hose or pipe in applying the device as a syringe.

In event of the article becoming punctured it may bereadily repaired by separating the section 3 near the puncture along the line of union between said sections to obtain access and apply the patch to the inner surface of the closure or article.

The article-sections are as above made permitted before the final connecting together thereof to receive and have applied to them a water and air proofing compound, the principle ingredient of which is linseed-oil, which is applied to the inner surface and may also be applied to the outer surface thereof and allowed to thoroughly dry with said parts still in their unconnected condition. Heretofore this has been done after the article has been closed or partly closed. This last-named way of water and air proofing said parts is greatly objectionable, because it has been found impossible to thoroughly dry the same, partly owing to its not being directly exposed to the air, but mainly because of the inability to sufficiently drain oi the surplus liquid compound, Which by accumulation within the article as formerly made is prevented from hardening. My construction permits of the application of several coats of the water and air proofing compound and of each being separately and thoroughly dried by thus applying the same and being able to keep the parts unconnected until such drying is ef fected.

In the modification as disclosed by Fig. 5 it will be seen that in lieu of making the receptacle or article as aforesaid the top and bottom and end portions thereof may be made as shown therein. In Fig. 6 the same construction of the parts named is provided and all stays are omitted, the basis of the invention resting upon the fact of so constructing the article that it shall assume in its finality an equal or uniform pressure-surface to its contained air or liquid. It is observed that the closure thus adapted to be inflated, may be used, in addition to the aforesaid purposes, also in connection with an atomizer, 850.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of making inflatable water and air proof articles of textile material,

which consists in partially making the article; coating the folded meeting edges of the sections of said fabric with a suitable liquid and applying a binding-strip by sewing to said edges; and subjecting the whole while yet moist to pressure, forcing the liquid into the needle-punctnreaas set forth.

2. The process of making inflatable water and air proof articles of textile material, which consists in partially making the article; coating the normally inside of the parts of said article, in its incomplete condition, with a water and air proofingliquid and thoroughly drying the same before completing the article; coating the infolded meeting edges of said article upon the inside with a water and air proofing liquid, and applying a binding-strip by sewing to said edges; and subjecting the same while yet moist or wet to pressure; substantially as set forth.

3. The process of making inflatable water and air proof articles of textile material, which consists in partially making the article; coating the normally inside of the parts of the article in its incomplete condition with a water and air proofing liquid and thoroughly drying the same before completing the article; connecting stays to the parts of said article while yet moist or wet; coating the folded meeting edges of said article with a water and air proofing liquid, and applying a bind ing-strip by sewing to said edges; and subjecting the same to pressure while yet moist or wet, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 35 in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. OURLIN. lVitnesses: V

H. F. REMLEY, G. L. CARPENTER.

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