US1921658A - Life preserver - Google Patents

Description

J. CATARAU LIFE PRESERVER Aug. 8, 1933.

Filed Dec. 12 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l II II I! INVENTOR Aug 8, 1933- Q J CATARAU I 1,921,658

LIFE PRESERVE-R Filed Dec. 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR J. CATARAU LIFE PRESERVER Aug. 8, 1933.

Filed Dec. 12, 1931 5 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES,

a 9 Claims.

The mainobject of this invention is to provide a life preserver which can bev instantaneously adjusted on the body of a person and at the same time securely fastenedbya single quick action delivered by one hand. I p

A further object of the invention is to provide the life preserver with such fastening means as will permit'said life preserver to be operated with either'side next to the body and regardless of thesize and shape of the. said body.

Furthermore, one of the several objects of the invention is to design the body member of the ;life preserver and to dispose the fastening appurtenances so. that said life preserver may be worn in its requisite position and concealed indefinitely underneath any wearing. apparel without creating an incongruityin the correct appearance of the wearer's toilet. a

A life preserver constructed in accordance with this invention is substantially illustrated in the drawingscomprising three sheets accompanying this application.

.The Figure l-of the drawings thereof is aplane elevation of said life preserver unfolded.

.Figure 2 illustrates said life preserver adjusted .in.requisite.position on the body of a person.

Figure 3 is anenlarged plane view of the fastening means supplied by preference, in this invention.

uFigure 4 exposes a cross-section of broken line 11--11' of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a lane elevation of said we pre- .unfolded and showing a modification in a "Figure 6 illustrates the life preserver adjusted I on the body'of a person after the alteration has been made in itsfastening means.-

Figure ..'7 illustrates an additional fastening combination supplied for said life preserver in view of the alteration in its fastening means as showninFlgures 5 and 6.

: Figure 8 exposes a cross-section of broken line 12-12 of'Figure 7. m V p Figure 9is a plane elevation of said life preserver unfolded and showing its original combiination with two straps in co-actiqn with the ad- :uditional fastening means. illustrated intthe Figures 7 and 8, said-additional fasteningsm'eans simplified in view of cheapness qfqitsmanufac- Figure 10 illustrates" said simplified additional fastening combination on an enlarged-scale.

Similar I numerals refer f tosimilar parts thedrawings; 1 .Thebody member of thelife preserver consists i PATENT Q bB of an envelope endued with the capital property of buoyancy and adapted to envelop the body of I a person on and above the waist line and to terminate over the chest with two erect extensions spaced to avoid the interference of i said envelope with the correct appearance of the wearers toi let. These extensions are intendedto augment the buoyancy in front and thereby to bring and hold the wearer-when in water-in a safe position, erect and slightly inclined backward.

In order to permit the Wearingof life preserver concealed underneath anywearing apparel without creating an incongruity in the toilet of the wearer; the buoyancy is'obtainablethrough infiation and the envelope is perfectly collapsible when deflated. Alongitudinal partition, or parti- 'tions, divide the inflatable envelope intotwo independently inflatable chambers,-,subjacent 14 and superjacent 15. The specified division is intended to lessen the danger occurring from the vulnerability of anyfsuch envelope andfrom possible imperfection in the means for inflation espe- ,cially when self-inflating device is used. 1Said chambers areeach of such expansion and dispositionaround the body that the proper inflation of either chamberwill insure sufiicientbuoyancy provided and integrated each by one end tothe r and equilibrium necessary for the successful per-' two erect extensions respectively and purposed to be worn about the neckin a yoke-like manner;

ascending, each over a shoulder;pa ssing behind the neck through the frame v1'7, and returning, veach doubled upon itself, toward. their points of departure respectively to be fastened to the -,envelope in front. ,The connection of the. frame v1'7 with the envelope is optional and as illustrat-' Jed in the Figure 9 of the-drawingsisaid frame 17- may consist of two frames 17a and 170,- one for every strap 16, said frames 17a and 17c being securely connected together by the intermediate, portion 17b. The connection of the members 17a,-17b, and -17c with the envelope remainsalso optional. i .1 Frames 18 .18 are adapted each to r'etainsli'dably one ofthe loose secured to the envelopeand ends. of the-straps 16' 16. One way :engaging pawls 1 9 19 are arranged in the frames 518G18 so as to permit said straps to slide freely through the said frames forward only. A. tongue20 projects from each pawl 19 and facilitates the lifting x and thereby enable the removal of the life preserver.

To facilitate a better gripping of said pawls 19 19 on the straps 16 16 a plurality of bulges, or

the like, 21 21 21 is formed in series on a con-- venient portion of said straps.

The tips of the loose ends of the straps 16 16 are provided each with a stopper 22 and retained each by a ring, or the like, 23, the rings thereof being secured to the envelope on a convenient location in order to prevent the elusionrof said ends out of hands reach, and also to facilitate their handling when the life preserver happens to be worn with the straps next to the body.

This combination with the stoppers 22 22 and the rings 23 23 is claimed in the application for a life preserver, said application filed April 3, 1930, Serial No. i=41,245,"and allowed June 15, 1931. j

Such an arrangement in the fastening means insures v for the life preserver the possibility of being instantaneously adjusted and at the same time fastened in its requisite position on the body; but the operation requires simultaneous 'co-action of bothhands or repeated action of one hand. To accomplish said operation by a single quickaction delivered byone hand the following modification in the arrangement of the fastening means is envisaged. One of the straps 16 16' and its respective frame 18 are discarded as shownin the Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. The remaining strap 16 is elongated to extend behind the neck and over the other shoulder and to be retained slidably by the frame 24, said frame 24 secured to the envelope at the place where thediscarded frame 18 stood. A quick downward pull delivered by one hand on the loose end of the single strap 16 will give 'the result obtainable in the original combination through the useof both hands or the repeated action of one hand.

In the modified arrangement of the fastening =m'eansthe frame 17 may be discarded or used connected with the medial portion of the envelope as shown in the Figure 5 of the drawings. In the original combination with two straps the loose ends of thesaid straps for better security may be fastened together in front. In view of the fact thatthis advantage is lacking in the combination with one strap, additional fastening means are supplied. Said means comprises 'a tape, or like appendage, 25 secured to the envelope on a convenient location, a plurality of bulges, or the like, 26 26 26 formed in series on the' said tape 25 preferably, by knotting the same in a convenientmanner'as shown in Fig. '7, and a gapped' frame 27 secured to the envelope ona convenient location and adapted to receive (catch) said tape 25 in'a latch-like manner and retain it by one of the bulges 26. Said frame 27 rests rigidly on the surface of the envelope'to which it is secured preferably by embedding the -base-portion 28 into the envelope The medial portion 29 of said frame is pressed close to the surface of the envelope in order to prevent the escape of the tape 25 from within the gap 1 30. The prominence 31 ends with a gradual rising from the level surface of the envelope in order to lead the way into the gap and ease prevent indubitably the escape of the tape 25 out of the said gap 30. Said projection 33 may be an appurtenance of the frame 27 or of the envelope.

Frame 27 furnished in plurality on the parts to be connected together will enable tape 25 to lace rapidly said parts together, tape 25 being elongated for the occasion.

As the life preserver is wearable either side out, frame 2'7 is furnished on .both faces of the envelope.

This additional fastening combination with the 'l tape 25, bulges 26, and frame 27, is capable to perform independently in any life preserver of the category. If appropriated for co-action in the life preserver with combination of two straps, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the rings 23 23 may be discarded and the stoppers 22 22 shifted close to the frames 18 18 as shown in the Figure 10.

The bulges 21 formed in series on the straps" 16 and the bulges 26 formed in series on the tape 25 are supplied'in convenient plurality tocope with the variation in'the size and shape of th wearers bodies. 1

What I claim as my inventionis: v

1. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope endued with the property of buoyancy and adapted to envelop the body of a person on andabove the waist line, a combination of said envelope and two identical straps integrated eachby one end to the said envelope in front and purposed to be worn about the neck in a yoke-like manner; ascending, each over a shoulder, to pass freely behindthe neck through a coupling frame, and returning, each doubled upon itself, toward their points of departure respectively to bevfastened to said envelope in front; said coupling frame retaining slidably both saidstraps. I

2. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope endued with the property of buoyancy and adapted to envelop the body of alperson on and above the waist line, a combination of said envelope and two identical straps integrated each by one end to the said envelope in front and purposed to be worn about the neck in a yoke-like manner; ascending, each over a shoulder, to pass freely behind the neck through a coupling. frame, and'returning, each doubled upon itself,'toward their points of departure respectively to be fastened to said envelope in front; said coupling frame retaining slidably both said strapsand-being connected to the medial portion of said envelope.

3. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope 5130 one end to the said envelope in front and pinposed to be worn about the neck ina yoke-like manner; ascending, each over a shoulder, to pass freely behind the neck each through a frame, and returning, each doubled upon itself, toward their,

points of departure respectively to be fastened to said envelope in front; the frames thereof each retaining slidably one of said straps and being securely connected together. y 1

z 4. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope endued with the property of buoyancy and adapted to envelop the body of'a'person on and above the waist line, a combination of'said envelope and two identical straps secured each by one end to said envelope in front andpurposed to -beworn about the neck in a yoke-like manner} ascending, each over a shoulder, to pass freely behind the neck each through a frame, and returning, each doubled upon itself, toward their points of departure respectively to be fastened to said envelope in front; the frames thereof each retaining slidably one of said straps and being connected together and with the medial portion of said envelope.

5. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope endued with the property of buoyancy and adapted to envelop the body of a person on and above the waist line, a combination of said envelope and a strap secured by one end to said envelope in front and purposed to be worn about the neck in a yoke-like manner; ascending over a shoulder, passing behind the neck, extending over the other shoulder through a frame, and returning, doubled upon itself, toward its point of departure to be fastened to said envelope in front; the frame thereof retaining slidably the medial portion of said strap and being secured to said envelope in front.

6. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope endued with the property of buoyancy and adapted to envelop the body of a person on and above the waist line, a combination of said envelope and a strap secured by one end to said envelope in front and purposed to be worn about the neck in a yoke-like manner; ascending over a shoulder to pass freely behind the neck through a frame, extending over the other shoulder to pass freely through another frame, and returning, doubled upon itself, through the frame behind the neck toward its point of departure to be fastened to said envelope in front; the frame behind the neck retaining slidably the rear and forward portions 'of said strap and being connected with medial portion of said envelope; the other frame retaining slidably the medial portion of said strap and being securely connected to the said envelope in front.

7. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope endued with the property of buoyancy and adapted to encircle the body of a person on and above the waist line, a combination of said envelope and a strap secured by one end to the said envelope in front, said strapascending over a shoulder, passing freely through aframe connected with the rear part of said envelope, said strap then returning doubled upon itself toward its point of departure to pass its active endthrough another frame; said active end having a plurality of bulges set in series; said another frame being secured to the front of the envelope and having I a pawl descending obliquely so as to oppose the backward sliding of said strap; thepawlthereof having an outwardly projecting tongue and an acute edge reaching the base of said bulges close at the surface of; the strap.,

8. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope endued with the property of buoyancy and adapted to encircle the body of a person on and above the waist line and connected over the shoulders, a combination of said envelope and a tape, or like appendage, and a hook-like gapped frame; said tape being secured by one end to a convenient part of said envelope and having a plurality of bulges set in series, said hook-like frame being secured to another portion of said envelope and having its middle portion close to the sur- 7 face of the envelope and its point rising grad- 0 ually from the level surface of the envelope so as i v to receive (catch) said tape in a -latch-like 1 manner. n

9. A life preserver, consisting in an envelope endued with the property of buoyancy and adapted to encircle the body of a person on and above the waist line and connected over the shoulders, a combination of said envelope, and a tape, or like appendage, anda hook-like gapped frame; said tape being secured by on'e'end to a convenient part of said envelope and having a plu rality of bulges set in series, said hook-like frame being secured to another portion of the envelope and having its point 31 rising from the level surface of the envelope so as toreceive (catch) said 115 tape in a latch-1ike manner, and a barb-like projection intervening in the gap of the said hooklike frame, to prevent the escape of said appendage.

JULES CATARAU.

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