Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-08
UNDER THE WAVES.
Divers Dress Weighs Nearly Two-Hun-
dred Pouuds and is Complicated.

Under the Sea" is an article about
divers in st. Nicholas. 1t is written by
James Cassidy. who says: The dress of a
fully equipped diver weighs. in round
numbers, 10 pounds. Taking off his every
day garb, the diver puiis on his thick
underclothing-a white knitted sweater
and trousers and pair of ribbed stock
ings. also white. Should he intend to work
i'm unusually deep water. he puts on two,
sometimes three, sets of underclot thing, to
relieve the pressure of the water.
The wooden clothing donned, the next
garment Is the diving dress. measuring.
for "A man of average height. five feet five
inches from the collar to the sole of the
foot. This dress is made of sold sheet
India rubber. covered on both sides with
tanned twill. 1t has a double collar, the
inner one 20 pull around the neck, and
the outer one. of red India rubber to- go
over the breastplate and form n water
tight joint. The cuffs also are of red In
dia rubber and fit tightly round tho
wrists, making when secured by the vul-
canzed India rubber rings, water-tight
joints, at the same time leaving the
divers hands free In the outer collar
twelve holes are bored for securing the
breastplatc This is made of timed cop
per. The outer edge is of brass and has
twelve screws firmly fitted to it ut IN
tcrNals and projecting upward. These
projections pass through the correspond
The band OF the breastplate is in four
sections and tho holes in the sections
pass over the projecting screws and are
secured in place by wlng-nuts or thumb
screws. "A little careful consideration will
make it clear that the dress is held in
position by its rubber collar. with the aid
of the breastplate hange and wing-nuts.
Tho upper edge of the breastplate is
fitted with neck-ring and a segmcntal
screw. Tho use of this we shall presently
explain.
The boots arc of stout leather. with
, leaden soles and are secured over the in
step by buckles and straps. The pair
weighs thrty-two pounds The lead soles
are firmly attached by copper rivets. The
tongues of the boots are wide. Boots In
tended for rough work are fitted with
metal toe-caps. Thus Misunderstanding
/, dress, breastplate and boots-is our diver
arrayed. He has now to be weighted
; Lead weights of forty pounds each, shield
or heart-shaped, are suspended back and
front by means of gun-metal clips and
studs or tabs, and lashings. He has now
only to put on his helmet and to affix the
/ air pipe.
The helmet like the breastplate, is OF
, timed copper, and is fitted with a seq
, ment bayOnet-screw at the neck, CORE
, spending to that mentioned as belonging
, to the broastplate. The eighth of turf
. and the helmet is firmly secured benl
both air and water tight 1t has three
, strong plate glasses in brass frames. pro
, tected by guards. two oval at the sides
and a round one in front. The front cal
, be unscrewed to enable the diver to Civ,
/ orders without removing any other por
, ton of the dress An outlet-valve is pro
, vided at the side or back OF the helmet
, which the diver can close should he wisl
: to rise to the surface, This valve allow
: the hreathed air to escape yet prevents
= the entrance of water
, At the side of the front glass Is n me
, chanical arrangement for getting rid o
q tho excess of air, and 1t also assists
when the back outlet-valve is closed, II
= regulating the expansion of the dress il
= rising 10 the surface. There is also an in
r let-valve, and this is constructed so as I,
. allow the air to enter, but not to escape
y in case of "A break in the alr-pipe. Tn
air-pipe is made in lengths of from forty
n five to sixty feet, fitted together b,
{ means of metal joints. Securely con
= GcCted with the helmet by means of tn
inlet-valve and an elbow-tubc, the othe
i end OF the air-pipc Is fitted on to tn
q nozzle of the air-dellvering diving-pump
: His leather belt is buckled on; hi
4 knife. we'll sharpened. and Of good stroni
a steel, covered with Il metal case to koe
T it dry and intact, is slung upon it; and
: after taking II drink or a little light re
q fire. shment the word is given, "All right,
: the faceglass screwed on. and receiving
~ tap on the helmet as signal to desce nd
n down he goes by rope or ladder eithe
s OF which must be weighted at the bottom