Improvements in and connected with Metallic or Armoured Diving Dresses.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Metallic or Armoured
Diving Dresses.
I, JOHN MACLEOD, of 71 Dover Street, Glasgow, Diver, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Under this invention the diving dress is made of the usual material and is lined
with rubber fashioned after the style of the old dress with rubber collar band and
cuffs but without the inside purse or bib to allow the dress to be drawn over a
metallic breast plate which I use. The legs and arms of the dress are made three.
ply or four ply according to the pressure of water the dress is to withstand.
body of the dress need only be two or three ply as it is supported by the metallic
breast plate.
The
The breast plate, which is preferably made of aluminium or steel, is formed in
two parts an upper and lower one which are joined together by means of a screw
coupling. The upper part passes over the shoulders and down to or about the
waist where it is coupled to the lower part which is forked so as to fit on to and
over the legs and lower part of the body. The helmet is screw jointed on top of
the top part as usual. The shoulder parts, back and front, are studded and fitted
with plates provided with thumb screws to form a tight joint where the dress
collar and the breast plate join. The metal faces of the joint are preferably
tapered or bevelled so as to rest on top of one another and at the same time give
the full thickness of metal.
The arm holes of the breast plate are preferably made about 8 inches in
diameter and under the left arm pit an oblong hole or slot is made in the metal and
fitted with a covering piece to be placed in position when the diver puts on the
breast plate. By having this hole greater freedom in putting on the breast plate is
obtained.
The forked lower part of the armour has the short leg parts made just long
enough to protect the lower parts of the body and at the same time to give
freedom of movement to the legs when walking.
A specially constructed air inlet and exhaust valve is fitted on the front of the
collar plate or on the breast plate. This valve is enclosed in a casing provided
with a cover and stuffing box through which passes a regulating screw spindle
having a wheel at its outer end. The valve which opens outwardly is provided
with a guide pin and also a spiral spring which normally tends to close the valve.
This spring bears against the lower end of the regulating spindle, being held in
place by a socket, so that by screwing the spindle up or down the tension of the
spring can be regulated. The valve casing has two connecting couplings one for
the air supply and one for the escape. These couplings are preferably projected
backwards so that the pipe connections can be taken back over the shoulders and
up one under each arm and made fast to the neck by means of a lanyard provided
for the purpose.
If desired the valve may be made in two separate parts one for the escape and
one for the inlet.
The inlet coupling is preferably provided with a separate shut off cock.
By having the valve or valves on the breast they can be easily operated and are
alee out of the

page_text: A passage way is preferably made in the metal of the collar leading from the
inlet towards the mouth of the diver for fresh air supply.
A single double channeled pipe connection can be used for both inlet and escape
or two separate pipes may be used.
The helmet is preferably made egg shape with gradually diminishing sides. It
can be made of the same material as the breast plate.
The helmet is preferably provided with three plate glass windows one removable
and two fixed the removable one is for the mouthpiece and has a rim casting round
the glass which is screwed to fit a rim fitted on the helmet. This mouthpiece is
the first thing screwed off when the diver comes to the surface and the last thing
put on before he descends.
Should it be necessary to weight the diver leather bags can be provided which
are filled with shot or the like.
With this new invention a diver can descend to great depths as the air pressure
is almost done away with and the body is protected from the water pressure by
means of the body armour which is made of a material heavy enough to bear an
external pressure of 150 lbs. per sq. inch. The diver's legs and arms are the only
parts exposed to the full pressure of water and these can be protected by putting
on extra flannels when the diver is safe to descend to depths of 200 feet or more.
The armoured rubber air and escape pipes will be made of the best material and
inlaid with best steel wire sc as to be capable of sustaining a great pressure.
The lower part of the shield need not be used unless the diver has to descend to
10 fathoms or more.
The air can be supplied by any ordinary air pump either single or double-
acting as very little pressure is required.
Dated this 7th day of November 1895.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Metallic or Armoured
Diving Dresses.
I, JOHN MACLEOD of 71 Dover Street, Glasgow, Diver, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in metallic or armoured diving dresses
for use in deep water.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the metallic armour.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a valve and Fig. 4 shows a slight modification
thereof.
Figs. 5 and 6 show methods of jointing the parts of the armour.
Fig. 7 shows a slight modification of the valve arrangement.
Under this invention the diving dress is made of the usual material and is
lined with rubber fashioned after the style of the old dress with rubber collar
band and cuffs but without the inside purse or bib to allow the dress to be
drawn over a metallic breast plate which I use. The legs and arms of the
dress are made three ply or four ply according to the pressure of water the dress
is to withstand. The body of the dress need only be two or three ply as it is
supported by the metallic armour.
The armour, which is preferably made of gun metal or steel, is formed in two

page_text: parts, an upper part or breast plate proper a which passes over the shoulders:
and extends down to or about the waist and a lower or leg part 6 which is forked so as
to fit over the upper part of the legs and lower part of the body. These two
parts are, preferably, jointed together by a screw coupling joint of the character
shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 5, which consists in making the upper edge of the part b
of the armour with a thickened ring c provided on the inner side with a ground.
tapered face c and in slightly thickening the lower edge d of the breast plate a and
providing it with a correspondingly ground and tapered or bevelled face d¹. When
the parts a and are fitted together the ground faces bear against each other and
make a tight joint. The lower part b is held in position to the upper part by
means of screws e which pass through tapped holes in the ring c and enter slight.
recesses in the edge d of the part, a as clearly shown at Fig. 5.
Instead of using a joint as above described an ordinary screw coupling consisting
of a ring which works on the part a and screws on to the part 6 can be used as.
shown at Fig. 6.
The shoulder parts ġ back and front, are studded and fitted with plates provided
with thumb screws g to form a tight joint where the dress collar and the breast.
plate join. The metal faces of the joint are preferably bevelled or tapered in a
similar manner to the joint Fig. 5, so as to rest on top of one another and at the
same time give the full thickness of metal.
The helmet is screw jointed on top of the armour in the usual way.
The arm holes of the breast plate are preferably made about 8 inches in
diameter and under the left arm pit an oblong hole or slot is made in the metal
and fitted with a covering piece which is only closed or fitted in position after
the diver puts on the breast plate. By having this hole greater freedom in.
putting on the breast plate is obtained.
The piece, which is strengthened by cross bars j, indicated in dotted lines
Fig. 2, is secured in place at one side by binges k and, at the other side, by clasps
and screws. Both sides of the breast plate can, as shown, have these covering or
door pieces.
If desired rings may be fitted on the inside of the armour to strengthen it and
support the doors, in this case the cross bars j¹ would be dispensed with.
The forked lower part of the armour has the short leg parts b¹ made just long.
enough to protect the lower parts of the body and at the same time to give freedom.
of movement to the legs when walking. As will be seen the parts 61 are of a
special shape so as to fit the lower part of the body and the upper part of the
legs. The back parts 62 extend down further than the front parts. The piece b³.
extends from front to back between the legs.
A specially constructed air escape valves is fitted on the front of the collar
plate or on the breast plate. This valve which is shown at Fig. 3 is enclosed in a
casing m provided with, a cover n and stuffing box o through which passes a
regulating screw spindle p having a wheel pl at its outer end. The valve, which
opens outwardly, is provided with guide pins 80, 81, and also a spiral spring &
which normally tends to close the valve. This spring bears against the lower end
of the regulating spindle, being held in place by a socket p₁ so that by screwing
the spindle up or down the tension of the spring can be regulated. The valve
casing has a coupling branch q for the escape of air. A separate cock or valve r
is provided for controlling the air supply. This cock is also provided with a
coupling branch. The coupling branches of both valves are preferably projected
backwards as shown at Fig. 1 so that the pipe connections t, t, leading to the
surface of the water can be taken back over the shoulders and up one under each
arm, and made fast to the neck by means of a lanyard provided for the purpose.
The inlet and escape valves can be both fitted into a single plate u secured, as
hown at Figs. 1 and 2, to the front shoulder piece, or they may be fitted at a
light distance apart and directly into the shoulder piece as shown at Fig. 7. In
the former case the casing m of the valve may be made in one with the plate u as
shown at Fig. 3 and in the latter case each valve may be screwed direct into the

page_text: shoulder plate as shown at Fig. 4, jam nuts and also washers if necessary being
used on both inside and outside of the shoulder plate.
By having the valve or valves on the breast they can be easily operated and are
also out of the way.
A passage way as indicated in dotted lines at y is preferably made in the metal
of the collar leading from the inlet towards the mouth of the diver for fresh air
supply.
A single double channeled pipe connection can be used for both air inlet and
escape or two separate pipes as shown may be used.
The helmet is preferably made egg shape with gradually diminishing sides.
It can be made of the same material as the breast plate.
The helmet is preferably provided with three plate glass windows one removable
and two fixed the removable one is for the mouthpiece and has a rim casting
round the glass which is screwed to fit a rim fitted on the helmet. This mouth-
piece is the first thing screwed off, when the diver comes to the surface and the
last thing put on before he descends.
Should it be necessary to weight the diver leather bags can be provided which
are filled with shot or the like.
With this new invention a diver can descend to great depths as the air pressure
is almost done away with and the body is protected from the water pressure by
means of the body armour which is made of a material strong enough to bear an
external pressure of 150 lbs. per sq. inch. The diver's legs and arms are the only
parts exposed to the full pressure of water and these can be protected by putting
on extra flannels when the diver is safe to descend to depths of 200 feet or more.
The rubber air supply and escape pipes will be made of the best material and
inlaid with best steel wire so as to be capable of sustaining a great pressure.
The lower part of the armour need not be used unless the diver has to descend
to 10 fathoms or more.
The air can be supplied by any ordinary air pump either single or double acting
as very little pressure is required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. Armour for diving dresses constructed substantially as herein before described
and shown on the drawings annexed.
2. In combination, the part a made with side covering pieces j, the part 6 jointed
to the part a, and the air inlet and escape valves, all substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown on the drawings annexed.
Dated this 30th day of April 1896.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.