US967983A

US967983A - Life-preserver.

Info

Publication number: US967983A
Application number: US45466908A
Authority: US
Inventors: William Schweikert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1908-09-25
Filing date: 1908-09-25
Publication date: 1910-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1927-08-23

Description

W. SCHWBIKERT.

LIFE PRESERVBR. APPLICATION FILED 3321225, 1903:

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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W. SGHWBIKERT.

LIFE PBBSEBVER. APPLICATION FILED 811F125, 1908.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SGHWEIKERT, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SGHWEIKERT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Life-Preservers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in life preservers, and has for its object to provide a device of this character, of a simple and comparatively inexpensive nature, and of a compact construction adapted to be formed completely from metal or other refractory material, so as not to be liable to deteriorate with age, and which shall present certain features of novelty whereby the device is rendered particularly serviceable by reason of the readiness and convenience with which it may be adjusted for use.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction, and combinations and arrangements of the several parts of the improved life preserver, whereby certain important advantages are obtained, and the device is rendered cheaper, simpler, and otherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate the inventionFigure 1 is a plan View of the improved life preserver; Fig. 2 is a front view of the device; Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary view illustrating the inner surface of a portion of the improved life preserver; Fig. 4 is a face view showing two of the connected buoyant members, at the front of the improved life preserver; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view showing one of the hinged connections between the buoyant members; and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken in the plane indicated by the line a-a in Fig. 5, and showing certain features of construction of said hinged connection.

As shown in these views, the improved life preserver is made in the form of a belt or band adapted to be adjustably arranged about the waist of the person, and is formed from a series of buoyant

metallic members

1, 1, each of which comprises inner and

outer plies

2 and 3 of sheet metal, the inner ply 2 being concave upon its inner surface, in order to accommodate itself to the waist Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 25, 1908.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910. Serial No. 454,669.

of the wearer, and the outer ply 3 having its edge portions lapped flush upon the outer surface of said inner ply 2, and having its central portion pressed outwardly therefrom to produce a central convex portion 4 projecting outwardly from the inner ply 2 of the member, as clearly shown on the drawings, whereby a space or hollow is produced between the two plies in order to give buoyancy to said members. By this arrangement of the parts it will be seen that each of the buoyant

hollow members

1, 1 is provided with a thin flattened marginal flange portion integrally produced around it and formed from the lapped edge portions of the respective inner and

outer plies

2 and 3. Each such marginal flange portion encircling the hollow central portion of the member whereon it is produced, and being in substantial alinement with the inner surface of the inner ply 2, fits closely against the body of the wearer during use of the improved life perserver, and permit-s each two adjacent members to be folded flush one upon the other so as to permit of more compactly arranging said members for storage or shipment. For securing the inner and outer plies of the

members

1, 1 to each other in forming said members, a double seam is preferably extended around the outer edges of the flange portions afforded by said lapped edge portions of the inner and outer plies, in order to produce a bead or rib extended around the edges of each member, as clearly shown in the drawings. The upper and lower ends of the

members

1, 1 are each made rounded, in order to readily accommodate itself to the body, and the ribs or heads 5 around the edges of the members serve not merely to render the members water-tight, but also afford increased strength and stiffness, and permit of the employment of extremely thin metal ior the manufacture of the buoyant memers.

As shown herein, the buoyant members are made elongated in form, and are eX- tended side by side with their long lateral edges as closely adjacent to each other as possible, and said members are pivotally connected at their adjacent edges by means of hinge devices which, as herein shown, comprise thin metal clips 6 having their opposite end portions lapped over the opposite surfaces of the flattened marginal flange portions of the members and secured therea manner as to permit free pivotal movement of. said members relatively to each other.

Any preferred number of the

buoyant members

1, 1 may be "employed in the formation of the improved life preserver, there being seven such members shown herein,

and the members. pivotally connected by means of the hinge devices as above described, are adapted to be passed about the waist of the wearer, the said hinge devices and the concaved inner surfaces of the members insuring accommodation to the body as will be readily understood.

At its forward part the device is herein shown provided with a detachable fastening which permits the improved life preserver to be readily passed around the waist and secured in position and also affords a certain degree of adjustment necessary to permit the device to accommodate different persons. This detachable fastening comprises a snap-hook or equivalent device connected with one of the terminal members 1, and a chainof flexible apertured part 15 attached to the opposite terminal member 1 in such 7 a manner that said snap-hook may be detachably engaged with one or another of the links of said chain in a well known way to permit the device to be snugly fitted about the waist of the wearer. A similar chain 15 is also fastened in any preferred way to the opposite side of member 1 whereon chain v15 is carried so that its links are engageable with the snap-hook to permit the device to be accommodated to a child or very slender person. The attachment of the chain 15 is effected by means of a metal strip 9 extended transversely across the concaved inner surface of the member 1, its opposite ends being secured in place by

rivets

11,11 passed through the lapped edge portions of the

plies

2 and 3 of said member, and one of its ends being formed into a loop 12 wherein is pivotally held a clip 10 projecting from the edge of member 1 and having a central eye or loop 1 1 wherewith the terminal link of said chain 15 is coupled. A similar strip 9 and clip 10 is provided upon the opposite terminal member 1 at the front of the improved life pre- 1 serverfor the attachment'of the snap-hook 16' thereto, a link being herein shown interposed between said snap-hook and the loop 14: of its attaching clip in order to a'iford freedom of movement in engaging and disengaging the snap-hook with and from the 1 links of chain 15. For the attachment of the chain 155*, one of the rivets '11 atthat end of strip 9 is herein shown provided with an eye with which the terminal link of said chain is engaged. This chain 15, as well as the chain 15 may have any preferred length dependent upon the service for which the improved life preserver is designed.

The improved life preserver constructed according to my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use not merely by reason of the simplicity and strength of its construction, and of the convenience and security with which it may be applied about the person when desired for use,'but also by reason of being capable of being rolled compactly so as to occupy but little space, and of its durability, being constructed entirely of metal so that there is no liability of deterioration, and no part liable to be consumed by fire.

If desirable, shoulder straps or equivalent parts, preferably of metal, may be provided, connecting the members 11 at opposite sides of the device and adapted to be passed over the shoulders of the wearer, and I have provided loops at suitable points for the attachment of said shoulder straps where the same are employed.

From the above description it will also be obvious that thedevice is susceptible of some modification without material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for this reason I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the precise formation and arrangement of the several parts as herein set forth in carrying out my invention in practice. Nor do I desire to be understood as limiting myself to the employment of any special material for the construction of the improved life preserver, the invention not being limited in this respect. Various metals, such as steel, copper, aluminium, etc., may be employed with good results.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of hollow watertight metallic members having flattened inner surfaces adapted to fit against the body of the wearer and provided with chambered central portions and thin flattened marginal flange portions, clips having ends 1. ped upon the flattened flange portions of the members and secured thereto, and links engaged with the clips and extended between the members and aifording pivotal connection between the same.

2. A device of the character described having a plurality of hollow watertight members flexibly connected and adapted to be fitted around the body of the wearer, each such member being produced from two plies of metal spaced apart at their central portions to produce a watertight air chamber within such member, and having marginal portions lapped flush one upon the other to produce a flange surrounding such member, the edge portions of said lapped marginal portions of the metal plies being provided with a double seam affording watertight connection therebetween and separated from the air chamber of such member by such surrounding flange.

3. A device of the character described having a plurality of hollow Watertight members each provided with chambered central portions and thin flattened marginal flange portions integrally produced around said chambered central portions, and links extended between said marginal flange portions and aflording flexible connections between the members.

4. A device of the character described having a plurality of hollow watertight elonl gated members each provided with elongated chambered central portions and thin elongated flattened flange portions integrally produced along opposite sides of said chambered central portions and extended parallel with each other, and links extended between said marginal flange portions and affording flexible connections between said members.

5. A device of the character described having a plurality of hollow watertight members extended side by side, each two adj acent members being provided with parallel thin flattened marginal flexibly connected flange portions integrally produced along their contiguous sides.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SCHWEIKERT. Witnesses:

J. D. CAPLINGER, F. W. WIMAN.