US932608A - Inflatable coat. - Google Patents

Description

F. F. HODGKINS.

INFLATABLE GOAT. APPLICATION runn'm'u e. 1909. v

Patented'Aug. 31, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

F. F. HODGKINS.

INFLATABLE GOAT.

APPLICATION rmzn MAY 6. 1909.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

2 SHEBT8BHEET 2.

. fgj

' universally used may ments or been made and patented; so far as I-am flated; and, second, are expensive. ently,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK 'F. Honexms, 01- EAST B'os'roN, MASSACHUSETTS.

nir-LATABLE ooA'r.

To all whom it may'comrn:

Be it knownthat I, FREDERICK F. Honc- KINS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of East Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Inflatable Coats, of which the following is a specificat1on.

My invention relatesfito the construction of waterproof garments such as are used by seamen and fishermen and conslsts 1n '11nprovcments whereby the ordinary waterproof r coat such as the oilskin garments now almost be simply, cheaply and effectively provided with an inflatable chamber which not only serves in emergency as a life preserver but a service of the ordinary uses to whichit is adapted.

I am aware that very many contrivances in the shape of inflatable life preserving garattachments thereto have heretofore aware, however, flatable adjuncts structed as more or less to detract from the ordinary utility of the garments themselves and have involved special ,con'trivances which make the garment too expensive to be available to the very class of people who such garments or the in-' more thanothers are likely to require a life chamber is necessary for the purpose and that, therefore, cially contrived My invention herein described, in contrast to the life preserving garments with which f I am acquainted, calls for nofspecial or exensive addition or le to the cheap universally used waterproof garments now in-vogue, and adds so little to the expense of constructing such garments, that the cost of'production or the selling special attachments or spe- Siiecific'a'tion of Letters iatent. Application filed May 6, 1909. SerialNo. 494,414.

'or coat and the linnig belng continuous throughout the composed of cotton 7 lso improves the co1nfort and efficiency of the garment 1n the thereto have been so con 'conve'nlent place 111 l nearly opposite'the. rear garments are indispensable.

attachment, isapplica-.

Preferably, lock stitch Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

price thereof need not be materially in-. creased.

In the drawings hereto annexed which illustrate my invention,-I igure 1 is a View of the back of an, ordinary oilskin coat embodying my improvement, and Fig. 2 is a view of the front thereof.

The'so-called oilskin coat as now constructed -is composed of the outer portion an inner portion or lining '1,

inside of the coat,

both as 'to' body and sleeves. Both these essential portions are cloth and after being stitched, are treated with boiled linseed-oil and dried. These coats for all practical pub poses are-waterproof, although they are by no means so impervious as rubber or rubher-coated; cloth, and for this reason, as well as on account of the cheapness of such garments, they are preferred to rubber clothing,

being lighter and on the whole better ventlv lated;

In applying my improvement to the construction of garments of the character above described, Iattach to the lining thereof at a I the breast portion, a, flexible rubber tube as T and provide this rubber tube with a simple constricting clip composed of spring metal as at- T. Such clips are an ordinary article of commerce and are easily attachable to a rubber tube. I then form an endless line of stitching which passes through the outer coat and the lining I joining the two and forming a chamber with which the tube T communicates. This line of stitchescrosses the back of the garment between the shoulders at s (Fig. 1) then downward on either side at a under the arm size, upward at the front of the garment at a, to a oint opposite or me of stitches s,

across at s, then downward adjacent to then button flap at 8 back at the line 8. lVhen the coat has been and entirely around the," 1100 so prepared, it is oiled and dried in the usual 2-,,

manner, the oiling taking effect upon thestitches made as aforesaid. above described may be applied to a coat after oilingand serve substantially as well as when the stitching is done beforepilin'g, though in such case the stitching had better be made with an oiled or waxed thread.- the stitching is a double thread and the stitching when finished The stitching surface.

' the sides will instantly displace the airto causing the. line of stitches beglnnmg and end.

from the col 40' should form a continuous or endless line. This may be elieetively accomplished by i to overlap at the W hen formed as above described, the chamber inclosed between the upper coat 0 and lining I is not absolutely air tight either in respect to the cloth walls thereof or the bordering line of stitches; it is however, sufficiently air tight for all practical purposes and will remain inflated without reinflation for a considerable time. The very circumstance that there is a slight eakage, I consider to be an advantage rather thana detriment. Clothing of thiskind' is worn by sailors I and fishermen in wet weather and after very long exposure to rain or sleet the garment as. usually constructed will be found to be damp on the inside. The in (iatable chamber above described when venVslightly inflated separates a considerable portion of the outer coat 0 from the lining 'I and makes the former serve with the latter somewhat a's the flap of a tent to the inner part thereof, so that the coat will remain dry over a large part of its inner The slow escape of air through the cloth 'outward effectively. prevents the entrance of water. By providing'only a. single inflatable chamber of the character ,described, even when this is filled or partially filled with air, it will not incommode the wearer, since any pressure of the arms upon other portions of the chamber.

In practical use the manner to berecommended is for the wearerto inflate the chamber very slightly so as to secure all the advantages of rotection from moisture and d while the coat is not so fully inflated as to make it awkward. If b chance thewearer falls overboard this sma 1 quantity of air in the chamber Will suffice to keep his head above water, making it easy for him to complete the full inflation by blowing through the tube T. p

The. formation of the endless line of stitches which makes the inflatable chamber is the Work of a moment only, does not in any degree modify the tion ract'ical construe: of the garment, an

is soinexpensive that such waterproof coats- Withthis im-- provement applied may be sold to sailors maybe supplied to people who need it most and who are the least able to purchase expensive contrivances of the kind while the garment itself is still as convenient for ordinary purposes as though there were no in-- llatable chamber incorporated therewith.

I have shown the inflatable chamber as occupying a conveniently large portion of the garment; if desired, alarger chamber may readily be made by running the endless line of stitches so as to include as much of the garment as the maker pleases.

'What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isf' 1. The combination of a coat and lining therefor, both composed of waterproof textile material, the lining and coat joinedby an endless line of stitches, which form a closed receptacle between the coat and lining, and means for inflating said receptacle.

2. The combination of a coat and lining therefor, both composed of waterproof textile material, the lining and coat joined by an endless line of stitches, passing across the back from shoulder to shoulder, under a sleeve and upward toward the collar, thence downward parallel to the bmtorrflap, around the back of the coat to the front at'the other flap, thence upward toward the collar, thence downward and to the rear belowthe other sleeve, and thence upward, forming-aclosed receptacle between the coat and lining, and means for inflating said receptacle.

, Signed by me at Boston, this fifth day of May 1909.

FREDERICK F. HODGKINS.

\Vitnesses ODIN ROBERTS, Cimunns D. W OODBERRY.

Massachusetts, '96

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