Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 13th May, 1887..
Complete Accepted, 24th June, 1887.
LT
We, GUSTAV RUNGE, Architect, of No. 2 Wilhadistrasse, Bremen, in the German
Empire, and ALEXANDER STUDE, of No. 1ª Dorenthorssteinweg, Bremen in the
German Empire, Director of Fire Brigade do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
Our invention relates to an improved apparatus for enabling persons to breathe
pure air freely when in a poisionous atmosphere; we will proceed to describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A strong blowing machine is connected with a pipe a as shewn in Fig. 1 in
order to supply the person to be protected against smoke and poisonous gases with
a sufficient quantity of fresh air.
The connection with the air pipe is at the back of the belt of the person and
from there the fresh air flows into the head covering in shape of a helmet, which,
owing to its inner construction, conveys the air in different directions to the
opening for the face, which is left free without any covering.
The helmet is for this purpose provided with a double lining between which are
formed channels through which the air is forced to the rim surrounding the opening
for the face; this rim is supplied with a slit running all round the opening, through
which the air escapes, thereby covering the face with a bell shaped current of fresh
air through which neither smoke nor gas can penetrate; these are propelled along
the outside of the current and meet again in the current which at some distance
drives the smoke or gas before it. The necessary air for breathing purposes is
supplied by holes in the inside of the opening for the face, near the mouth.

page_text: The helmet has inside a leather cushion so that a close fit to the head can be
obtained.
A modification of the construction described before is represented by Figs. 2, 3, 4
and 5. Fig. 2 shows the apparatus in use, Fig. 3 represents a front view and Figs. 4
and 5 a vertical and horizontal view on lines m n and op. On a breastplates, which
is fastened on the breast of the person by means of straps, is fixed a pipe R with
a trumpet mouthed opening at the top, which is in connection with the air supply
pipe a, the opening of the pipe R is so near to the mouth of the person that the
current of air which escapes through the same keeps all poisonous gases etc. off.
Dated this 14th day of August 1886.
ABEL & IMRAY,
28, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Enabling Persons to Breathe Pure Air in
a Vitiated or Poisonous Atmosphere.
We, GUSTAV RUNGE, Architect, of No. 2 Wilhadistrasse, Bremen in the German
Empire, and ALEXANDER STUDE, of No. 1ª Dorenthorssteinweg, Bremen in the
German Empire, Director of Fire Brigade, 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:-
.
The object of our invention is to provide a new and improved safety-helmet,
which enables a person wearing the same to enter and work in a room or space
filled with smoke or poisonous gases.
The invention consists in a helmet having a double lining and fitting closely on the
head, but leaving the face or part of the same uncovered, and of means for forcing
fresh air into the said double lining, so that the fresh air passes to the uncovered part
of the face, whereby the smoke or poisonous gases are kept off.
The invention also consists of various parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be fully described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of our improvement; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a
modified form of our improvement; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of part of the same;
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the same on the line op of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a
sectional plan view of the same on the line m n of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a vertical section
of another modified form of the safety-helmet and Fig. 7 a front view of the same.
A strong blowing-machine of any approved construction is used to supply the
necessary quantity of fresh air, and is connected with the pipe a, preferably attached
to the belt of the person, either at the rear, as shewn in Fig. 1, or in front, as shewn
in Fig. 2. From the pipe a a number of smaller branch pipes a', lead to the helmet A,
which fits tightly on the head of the person, but leaves part of the face uncovered, as
shewn in Fig. 1. The helmet A is provided with a lining so arranged as to form a
space between the lining and the exterior of the helmet. Into this space the branch
pipes a¹ discharge and the space opens in front into the rim e of the front opening,
which leaves the face partly uncovered.
It will be seen that when a person provided with our helmet enters a room or space
filled with smoke or poisonous gases, and the necessary amount of air is supplied by
the blowing machine, the person can remain and work in the said room without injury
to his health. The air passes into the helmet and out through the rim e in front,
whereby the person is supplied with fresh air to breathe, and the air escaping through
the front opening forces the smoke or poisonous gases away from the face, as shewn in
Fig. 1.

page_text: The lining in the neighbourhood of the mouth of the person is provided with
apertures through which the air from the helmet can be supplied directly for
breathing.
The central air pipe a² (Figs. 6 and 7), which conducts the air from the pipe a up
to the lining of the helmet, and then takes its way over the middle of the skull of the
person has for its main object to protect the eyes; the fresh air escaping through the
slit-like opening c (Fig. 6) forms a floating veil impenetrable to the smoke and striking
against the inside of the dome-shaped upper part of the helmet is thrown towards the
face, from whence it falls into the bag-like lower part d of the helmet, thus adding
to the quantity of fresh air carried there by the pipes arranged along the cheeks. The
air after having been used is then forced by the combined pressure of all the currents
to the only exit viz. the aperture opposite the eyes. To insure a complete success it is
necessary that the ejected current is at all points once more directed against the outer
surface of the upper part of the helmet so that not a particle of smoke or foul air
is allowed to enter that aperture, the same being protected by a double veil of floating
air viz. the escaping as well as the injected current as will readily be understood by
examining the drawing. Instead of using the helmet as described, we may supply
the air for breathing purposes by the device shewn in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. This
device consists of a shield or breast plate, S, fastened by means of straps to the neck
of the person and carrying a pipe. R, which is connected at its lower end with the
air supply pipe a and is open at its upper end, which is so near to the mouth of the
person that the current of air which is forced up through the pipe a will serve for
breathing purposes, and the part which escapes at the side holds the smoke or poisonous
gases at a distance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A safety-helmet provided with an outer covering and an inner lining, having
between the same an inner air-space extending from the rear to the front, and with an
opening at the front about opposite the eyes of the wearer, the said air space having
an outlet around the edges of the said opening of the helmet, in combination with
means for forcing air into the said space, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
2. A safety-helmet provided with an outer covering and an inner lining, having
between the same an inner air-space extending from the rear to the front, and with an
opening at the front about opposite the eyes of the wearer, the said air space having
an outlet around the edges of said opening of the helmet, in combination with a pipe
and branch pipes connecting with the air-space of the helmet, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
3. The use of a shield or breast plate S carrying a pipe R connected at its lower end
with an air supply pipe a and open at its upper end so that the current of air escaping
at the opening of the pipe R prevents the smoke and deleterious gases from coming
in contact with the operators face.
Doted this 13th day of May 1887.