Abstract:
A firefighter&#39;s trousers and a safety harness combination garment. Preferably, the safety harness has connection parts which are connectable to secure the safety harness and the firefighter&#39;s trousers as a unit upon the firefighter who wears the garment.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In many large cities the duties of a firefighter include firefighting in the upper floors of a skyscraper type of building. In many situations, a firefighter is required to wear a safety harness and carry rope which is capable of extending over several floors. In this manner, if a firefighter is trapped above a fire floor and the fire may advance upwardly, the firefighter can use the safety harness and the rope to lower himself/herself outside the building to a safe location. 
     A problem exists as the firefighter wears such a safety harness. The bulk of the firefighter&#39;s garments plus the bulk of the safety harness is considered objectionable. Furthermore, the safety harness positioned upon the garments is subjected to high heat conditions as the firefighter fights a fire. The safety harness therefore may be damaged as the firefighting occurs. 
     Also, when a firefighter expects to fight a fire in the upper stories of a skyscraper type of building the firefighter must don a safety harness, in addition to donning firefighting protective clothing. Therefore, additional time is required to prepare for high level firefighting conditions. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide in combination, a firefighter&#39;s protective trousers and a safety harness. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide such a combination in which the firefighter&#39;s trousers and the safety harness are donned together, as a unit. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide such a combination of a firefighter&#39;s protective trousers and safety harness in which the safety harness is protected by the firefighter&#39;s trousers. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide such a combination of a firefighter&#39;s protective trousers and safety harness in which the trousers and the safety harness are secured to the firefighter by the same attachment means. 
     Other objects and advantages of this invention reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of production, the method of assembly, and the mode of use, as will become more apparent from the following description. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention comprises, in combination, a firefighter&#39;s protective trousers and a safety harness. The safety harness is carried by the firefighter&#39;s protective trousers and includes a support element which is exterior of the trousers. Preferably, the safety harness has attachment portions and the trousers have attachment portions, all of which are attached together in substantially the same operation. Thus, the trousers and the safety harness are donned together and secured together as a unit. Therefore, the time involved in donning the trousers and the safety harness is minimal. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing a firefighter&#39;s trousers and safety harness combination unit of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, drawn on a larger scale than FIG. 1, illustrating the assembly of a firefighter&#39;s trousers and safety harness combination unit. 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front perspective view, drawn on substantially the same scale as FIG. 2, illustrating attachment of the safety harness within the shell of the firefighter&#39;s trousers. 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front perspective view, drawn on substantially the same scale as FIG. 3, showing a portion of the firefighter&#39;s trousers and safety harness unit after assembly of the safety harness within the firefighter&#39;s trousers. 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front view, with parts broken away and shown in section and drawn on a slightly smaller scale than FIG. 4, illustrating the firefighter&#39;s trousers and safety harness unit. 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary rear view, drawn on substantially the same scale as FIG. 5, with parts broken away and shown in section, illustrating the firefighter&#39;s trousers and safety harness unit. 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front perspective view, drawn on substantially the same scale as FIG. 4, showing a portion of the firefighter&#39;s trousers and safety harness unit as the safety harness is prepared for use in supporting a firefighter who wears the trousers. 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary front view, drawn on a larger scale than the other figures, showing the safety harness support connection member in an inactive position. 
     FIG. 9 is a fragmentary front view, similar to FIG. 8 and drawn on substantially the same scale as FIG. 8, showing the safety harness support connection member in an active position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Trousers 10 of this invention comprise an outer shell 12 and an inner liner 14. The outer shell 12 is of abrasion resistant and flame resistant material. The inner liner 14 may comprise one or more layers and is of thermal protective material and moisture protective material. The outer shell 12 has leg portions 12a and 12b. The inner liner 14 has leg portions 14a and 14b. 
     A safety harness 20 of this invention is best shown in FIG. 2. The safety harness 20 comprises a belt 24, which includes a belt section 24a and a belt section 24b. The belt sections 24a and 24b are joined together by a slide fastener 28, which provides means for adjustment of the belt sections 24a and 24b, one with respect to the other. Attached to the end of the belt section 24a is an annular connector member 30. Attached to the end of the belt section 24b is a snap connector 32. 
     Attached to the belt section 24a adjacent the annular connector member 30 is a short strap 33. Secured to the end of the short strap 33 is an annular support connector member 34. 
     Attached to the belt section 24a intermediate the ends thereof, and extending downwardly therefrom, is a support strap 36. Also attached to the belt section 24a intermediate the ends thereof and extending downwardly therefrom is a support strap 38. It is to be understood that the support straps 36 and 38 may comprise a single strap. A slide fastener 40 connects the support strap 36 to the support strap 38. Thus, the support straps 36 and 38, and the slide fastener 40 form a support loop. At the end of the support strap 38 is a hook and pile element 44. 
     Attached to the belt section 24b and extending downwardly therefrom is a support strap 46. Also, attached to the belt section 24b and extending downwardly therefrom is a support strap 48. It is to be understood that the support straps 46 and 48 may comprise a single strap. A slide fastener 50 connects the support strap 46 to the support strap 48. Thus, the support straps 46 and 48, and the slide fastener 50 form a support loop. At the end of the support strap 48 is a hook and pile element 54. 
     Within the shell 12, at the upper part thereof, are pairs of tabs 60, as best shown in FIG. 2. Each tab 60 has an end portion secured to the shell 12. Each tab 60 also has an opposite end portion to which is secured a hook and pile member 62. The belt sections 24a and 24b are positioned between each of the pairs of tabs 60, and each of the pairs of tabs 60 is attached together by the hook and pile member 62, as shown in FIG. 3. The shell 12 has a flap 12c which has an opening 66 therethrough. The shell 12 has a flap 12d which has an opening 68 therethrough. The belt section 24b extends through the opening 68 in the flap 12d. Thus, the snap connector 32 is exterior of the shell 12. The belt section 24a extends through the opening 66 in the flap 12c. Thus, the connector member 30 is exterior of the shell 12, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the shell 12 carries the belt sections 24a and 24b , and the support straps 36, 38, 46, and 48 extend downwardly from the belt sections 24a and 24b, as the support straps 36, 38, 46, and 48 are within the shell 12. 
     After the safety harness 20 is so attached to the shell 12 and positionable therewithin, the inner liner 14 is positioned within the shell 12. The leg portions 14a and 14b, of the inner liner 14 are positioned within the leg portions 12a and 12b of the outer shell 12. As the inner liner 14 is positioned within the shell 12, the leg portion 14a is moved through the support loop which comprises the support straps 36 and 38, and the leg portion 14b of the inner liner 14 is moved through the support loop which comprises the support straps 46 and 48. 
     Then the inner liner 14 is attached to the shell 12 in any suitable manner. Herein the inner liner 14 is provided with button snap connectors 70 which are attached to complementary button snap connectors 72 within the shell 12. Thus, the shell 12, and the safety harness 20 and the inner liner 14 become an apparel unit for donning and for wear by a firefighter. 
     The flaps 12c and 12d of the shell include hook and pile strips 74 and 76, respectively. Thus, as a firefighter dons the trousers 10 and the safety harness 20 as a unit, the firefighter&#39;s legs are within the leg portions 12a and 12b of the outer shell 12 and extend through the leg portions 14a and 14b of the inner liner 14. The firefighter&#39;s legs also extend through the support loops formed by the support straps 36, 38, 46, and 48. As the trousers 10 and safety harness 20 are donned, the flap 12c is positioned upon the flap 12d of the shell 12, and the hook and pile strips 74 and 76 are attached together, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Then the snap connector 32 of the belt section 24b is attached to the annular connector member 30. Thus, the firefighter&#39;s trousers 10 and safety harness 20 are secured upon the firefighter in the single operation of attaching the snap connector 32 to the annular connector member 30. Thus, the firefighter&#39;s trousers 10 and the safety harness 20 are donned as a unit. 
     In normal firefighting use of the trousers 10 and safety harness 20, the hook and pile element 44 at the end of the support strap 38 is attached to a complementary hook and pile element 80 which is on the exterior of the shell 12 at the upper part thereof. Also, the hook and pile element 54 at the end of the support strap 48 is attached to a hook and pile element 82 on the exterior of the shell 12 at the upper part thereof, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Also, the short strap 33 hangs over the upper part of the shell 12 adjacent the front central part thereof and is retained in position by a pair of tabs 84 which are provided with complementary hook and pile attachment elements 86, as shown in FIG. 8. 
     Thus, as the firefighter wears the trousers 10 and the safety harness 20 as a unit the firefighter is prepared for firefighting activity in the upper floors of a skyscraper type of building or the like. Due to the fact that the safety harness 20 is within the trousers 10 and protected by the trousers 10, the safety harness 20 may be of lighter weight material than a conventional harness. Thus, the stress upon the firefighter is lessened. As stated and as shown, the only significant portion of the safety harness which is exterior of the trousers 10 is the short strap 33 and support connector member 34. Therefore, there are no hanging straps or the like exterior of the trousers 10 to become entangled in other elements as the firefighter is engaged in firefighting. 
     If a situation should occur in which the firefighter must descend outside the building, the firefighter detaches the end portions of the support straps 38 and 48 from the upper exterior part of the shell 12, from the positions thereof shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Then the firefighter pulls the end portions of the support straps 38 and 48 upwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 7. As the firefighter pulls the support straps 38 and 48 upwardly, the support straps 38 and 48 slidably move within the slide fasteners 40 and 50, respectively. Thus, there is relative movement between the support strap 38 and the support strap 36, and there is relative movement between the support strap 48 and the support strap 46. Thus, the support loops formed by the support straps 36, 38, 46, and 48 become smaller, and the support loops formed by the support straps 36, 38, 46 and 48 come into firm supporting relationship with the leg portions 14aand 14b of the inner liner 14 at the upper leg portions of the firefighter. Then the firefighter releases the short strap 33 from the tabs 84 and moves the short strap 33 and the support connector member 34 from the positions thereof shown in FIG. 8 to the positions thereof shown in FIG. 9. Then the firefighter passes a support rope through the support connector member 34. Then as the support rope is firmly attached to an element or structure within the building, the firefighter, supported by the rope lowers himself or herself outside the building to a safe location. 
     A garment of this invention may comprise a combination in which a safety harness is attached to a firefighter&#39;s trousers, as a unit, with the safety harness exterior of the trousers. 
     Therefore, it is understood that a garment of this invention which comprises the firefighter&#39;s trousers 10 and safety harness 20 comprises a unit which is much more desirable than the conventional safety harness and firefighter&#39;s trousers which are separately donned by a firefighter. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the firefighter&#39;s combination trousers and safety harness of this invention has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof, the method of construction and the method of use, which generally stated consist in a structure and a method within the scope of the appended claims.