Improvements in Life-belts.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life-belts.
We, FRIEDRICH WILHELM BÖHME, Brewer, and HEINRICH HOFFSÜMER,
Mechanic, both of Limburg-on-the-Lahn, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to life belts which may be worn continually without
inconvenience and inflated automatically in case of need.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 shews a plan of the belt frame collapsed as when worn.
Figure 2 is a plan of the frame after inflation of the belt.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the belt.
Figures 4 and 5 shew a face view and section of a spring valve which may be
employed.
Figure 6 is a plan on a larger scale of the front or closing portion of the belt.
Figure 7 shews a special locking device.
Figure 8 shews a front view corresponding to Figure 6 but having the spring
valves shewn in Figures 4 and 5 on each side of the locks.
Figure 9 shews in section the position of the catch k of the fastening when
released.
The air bags are made of waterproof material enclosed within expanding frames
composed of outer and inner pairs of semi-circumferential frames respectively
formed of top and bottom bars a a and b b connected by pillars d and the outer and
inner pairs being jointed together by means of spring-actuated toggles c situated at
the middle of each of the two frames ab the two frames being further connected by
slotted links e engaging with the pillars d. To expand the frame strong springs f
are applied to the toggles, as shewn, or are otherwise so applied thereto as to tend
to force the outer members a of the frame outwards. When collapsed the spring
frame and its enclosed air bag is compressed in any convenient way, e.g. by means
of encircling cords h h which are attached to the rear end of one of the frames and
after encircling the other frame fastened to the front end of the first frame by
hooks ii. To permit the springs ff to expand the frames the cords must be
released and to enable this to be readily done the cords h h are provided with a
hook i adapted to engage with a hooked latch k pivoted at the front of the frame
and locked in position of engagement by means of a pivoted and spring-actuated
thumb catch with which the tail end of plate k engages. When released therefrom,
the plate k owing to the pull of the cords on it turns on its pivot and the hooks i i
become disengaged therefrom. This release may be quickened by applying a spring
beneath plate k tending to turn it. In order therefore to cause the life belt to
become automatically inflated, it is only necessary to press back the catch where-
upon the cords are loosed and the springs expand the frame and so cause the
air bag to become inflated by drawing in air through a suitable valve.
Spring valves have been found very suitable connected with the frame in such
manner that their closure is automatically effected on the release of the springs ff.
For this purpose the valve chambers g g are attached at any convenient place to
the front of the air bags. The valve m is held against the seat o by a spiral
spring n which when the valve is to be opened is overcome by pressing the knob
of the valve stem. The valve is held in this position by a latch 9 operated by a
spring and engaging in a notch in the valve stem. To ensure that the belt may
be always in readiness and not fail the valves must be kept open when the frame is
ID.
P

page_text: 9 are auto-
collapsed around the body. When the frame is expanded the latches
matically disengaged so as to allow the valves to close, each latch q being for this
purpose connected by a cords to the other half of the main frame the length of the
?
cord being regulated according to the position of the valve on the air bag so as to
cause the latch q to be actuated by the expansion of the frame. The valve may be
locked in the closed position by causing the catch q to enter a second notch in the
valve stem so that the latter can not be pressed inwards. Should the catches fail
to be released from any cause there would still be time to release the catches and
close the valves by hand. However, if the apparatus be properly constructed
failure of action is scarcely possible. As the belt may be made of very light
materials and sits close round the body, it can be worn by sailors and workpeople
without causing the least impediment to their movements. But even if only put on
at the time of an accident the inflation does not require to be performed by the
wearer as with other belts as it is here effected automatically.
Dated this 21st day of June 1802
F. W. BÖHME,
H. HOFFSÜMER,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life-belts.
We FRIEDRICH WILHELM BÖHME, Brewer, and HEINRICH HOFFSÜMER,
Mechanic, both of Limburg-on-the-Lahn, in the Empire of Germany 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 life belts which may be worn continually without
inconvenience and inflated automatically in case of need.
Reference is to be had to the drawings accompanying our Provisional. Specifica-
tion, in which
Figure 1 shows a plan of the belt frame collapsed as when worn.
Figure 2 is a plan of the frame after inflation of the belt.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the belt.
Figures 4 and 5 show a face view and section of a spring valve which may be
employed.
Figure 6 is a plan, on a larger scale, of the front or closing portion of the belt.
Figure 7 shows a special locking device.
Figure 8 shows a front view corresponding to Figure 6 but having the spring
valves shown in Figures 4 and 5 on each side of the locks.
Figure 9 shows in section the position of the catch of the fastening when
released.
The air bags are made of waterproof material enclosed within expanding frames
composed of outer and inner pairs of semi-circumferential frames respectively
formed of top and bottom bars a a and b b connected by pillars d and the outer and
inner pairs being jointed together by means of spring actuated toggles c situated at
the middle of each of the two frames ab the two frames being further connected
by slotted links e engaging with the pillars d. To expand the frame strong
springs are applied to the toggles, as shown, or are otherwise so applied thereto
as to tend to force the outer members a of the frame outwards. When collapsed
the spring frame and its enclosed air bag is compressed in any convenient way,
e.g. by means of encircling cords h h which are attached to the rear end of one of
the frames and after encircling the other frame fastened to the front end of the
first frame by hooks i i. To permit the springs ff to expand the frames the cords

page_text: must be released and to enable this to be readily done the cords h h are provided
with a hook i adapted to engage with a hooked latch k pivoted at the front of the
frame and locked in position of engagement by means of a pivoted and spring-
actuated thumb catch with which the tail end of plate k engages. When released
therefrom, the plate k owing to the pull of the cords on it turns on its pivot and
the hooks i i become disengaged therefrom. This release may be quickened by
applying a spring beneath plate & tending to turn it. In order therefore to cause
the life belt to become automatically inflated, it is only necessary to press back the
catch whereupon the cords are loosed and the springs fexpand the frame and so
cause the air bag to become inflated by drawing in air through a suitable valve.
Spring valves have been found very suitable connected with the frame in such
manner that their closure is automatically effected on the release of the springs ff.
For this purpose the valve chambers gg are attached at any convenient place to
the front of the air bags. The valve m is held against the seat o by a spiral
spring n which when the valve is to be opened is overcome by pressing the knob p
of the valve stem. The valve is held in this position by a latch q operated by a
spring and engaging in a notch in the valve stem. To ensure that the belt may
be always in readiness and not fail, the valves must be kept open when the frame
is collapsed around the body. When the frame is expanded, the latches
automatically disengaged so as to allow the valves to close, each latch q being for
this purpose connected by a cord s to the other half of the main frame, the length
of the cord being regulated according to the position of the valve on the air bag
so as to cause the latch 7 to be actuated by the expansion of the frame. The valve
may be locked in the closed position by causing the catch g to enter a second notch
in the valve stem so that the latter can not be pressed inwards. Should the catches
fail to be released from any cause, there would still be time to release the catches
and close the valves by hand. However, if the apparatus be properly constructed
failure of action is scarcely possible. As the belt may be made of very light
materials and sits closely round the body, it can be worn by sailors and workpeople
without causing the least impediment to their movements. But even if only put on
at the time of an accident the inflation does not require to be performed by the
wearer as with other belts as it is here effected automatically.
2°
9 are
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
1. A life belt which is automatically inflated by releasing springs on an expanding
frame enclosing the air bag which is thus opened out and sucks in air through a
suitable valve, said frame comprising outer and inner peripheral members a b
connected by spring actuated toggles and links, substantially as specified.
2. In the herein described life belt, the application of spring valves upon the air
bags, in combination with the catches which keep the valves open or closed and
cords s connected with the opposite half of the expanding frame so that when the
latter is expanded and the bag is inflated the catches are disengaged and the valves
allowed to close as described.
Dated thin 7th dan of Bahn 1802
F. W. BÖHME,
H. HOFFSÜMER,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.