US1458822A - Life-saving device - Google Patents

Description

E T HALTER LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16. 1922 Elrijah Tiialter.

Patented June 12, 1923.

assen E'LIJAH Er. HALTER, oF'rHrLann rHIn; PENNSYLV NIA.

Lira-SAVING nEvroEQ t Application filedJanuary 16, 1922 Serial No. 529,536.

To aZZ whom itmoy concern: i Be it known that LELIJAH T. HALTER, a citizen of the United States, -residing at Philadelphia, in the countyof Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Devices, of which the following is a specification.

.: This inventionrelates to life saving d vices and it has more particular reference to that class of device which is adapted to be used drowning. I v 7 1 a The main object of my invention -1s"to provide a simple and inexpensive life saving device of theabove'referred tofcla'ss which is of such a construction as to pe-rmitof its ready attachment to the body of the'user' or alternatively its easy carriage in such. a manner that i-rmay be promptly brought into use when desired. With the foregoing objects in view, my invention consists essentially of a container .for a material, which is readily adapted to generate a gas whenbrought intocontact with moisture, or in other words, a material which is readily soluble and when so dissolved generates a gas with suflicient rapidity to inflate a balloon of suflicient magnitude to adequate sup-port a human being when immersed in water. 7

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanyingsheet of explanatory drawings constituting a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference designate the same or correspondingparts in all the views.

Figure l is a view of the device in opera- I gagement on a tong 7. Intermediate the ends of the aforesaid casing or container 4, I provide spaced apertured diaphragms 8, 9 the former of which divides the casing into a compartment 10, which is adapted tohouse an inflatable balloon or casing of fiexi-- ble material 11 which when expanded underthe pressure of gas or filled-with gas as later 'onexplainedyis of suihcient for the purpose {of preventing condition awater' bagonthelike. 1 1 Said other hand when the lid or cover 15 is with- 7 water. A ringer-the like21 may be probuoyancy to support a person in the water. g g It is of;cou'rse to be understood'that-the diaphragm 8 as well as the diaphragm 9 are preferably made a friction it within. the

casing or container 4 and" their intervening space is conveniently filled withcalcium car-' bid, 12,- or :other' appropriate nateria'l which will readily generate a gasun'der the action o-fimoistureor water. g Q I Appropriately housed or fittedwithin what may be tlerme'dthe lower partofjthe.

casing or container 4 are elastic .stripsI 1 3' that-normally serve to keep" in collapsed 70. water bag is adapted, when the end-[cover or lid 15 is fitted'in place; to lie within the lower" compartment;- and, in order to provide asimple and efieotive 'means for preventing "the ingress" of" water through the aperture or feed opening 16 in said end cover, I fit therein a hinged flap valve 17,

e that is adapted to be held securely closed v by a pin or stud 18.

-- From the foregoing it will be readily seen that when the several parts occupy the position shown by Figure 2 that the end cover or lid 15 remains a friction fit; and

holds the parts collapsed asshown. On'the 5 drawn to extend the water bag 14:, said water will percolatethrough the opening 16 in opposition to the flap valve 17 and fill said bag 14: from whence it will flow through the valve aperture 19 and percolate through the diaphragm 9, thus generating gas which will flow through the diaphragm 8 and .infiatethe casing or bag 11 of flexible mate-" rial. It will of course be readily understood that the gas 'bagll is of a nature-to'contain sufiicient gas to adequately support a human body when exposed or unexpectedly immersed in water, I I c a a In attaching the device a suitable elasp' 20 forv the passage therethroughof-a strap or the like maybe employed so that when the said device is worn it may be secured to the outer clothing or wearing apparel where it will be readily exposed to the action of the m vided so that the cover orlid 15'canbe read ily or quickly withdrawn. f I It will be understood that as the pressure begins to rise in the gas compartment and a bag pressure ishad, the valve cover at 19 will be forced into sealing relation with the valve aperture 19- so' as to prevent theloss of the gas into the compartment containing the water bag.

From the foregoing description and an examination of the drawing it will be readily seen that my improved life saving device is of an extremely simple and eflicient construction and that by its use, a person wearing the same or holdingthe same in a substantially upright position may be prevented from sinking in shallow or deep water without any appreciable effort: on his or her part for a considerable period of time. \Vhilst there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention the same must not be too conservatively con st-rued in that it will be obvious, detailed I changes may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of said' invention as.- more specifically defined by the appended claims.

Having described myinvention, what. I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main casing, a plurality of apertured partitions therein, a cover hingedly mounted at one end, a gas bag secured to said main casing and normally contained therein between said cover and one of said partitions, gas forming material between said partitions, a water bag secured in said main casing and operable to supply water to said gas forming material, an end member secured to said Water bag, a fingerpiece for operating said end member, and automatic means for returning said end member to normalposition. i

2. In a device ofthe class described, the combinationao f a main easing, a plurality oii apertured' partitions therein, a cover liingedly mounted at one end, a gas bag secured to said main casing and normally contained therein between said cover and one of said partitions, gas forming material between said partitions, a water bag secured in said: main casing and. operable to 1! supply waten to said gas forming material, an end member secured to saidwater bag, a finger-piece for operating said end member, automatic-means for returning said end member to normal position, and valve mechanism associated with the aforesaid elements as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I a-flix my signature ELIJ AH T. HALTER.

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