Improvements in Diving Apparatus and in Apparatus for Working in Irrespirable Gases.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Diving Apparatus and in Apparatus for Working in
Irrespirable Gases.
I, WILLIAM AUGUSTUS GORMAN, trading as Siebe Gorman & Co., of 187, West-
minster Bridge Road, in the County of London, Engineer, 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:-
My invention relates to a valve for releasing the air from the interior of a
diver's dress and which can be regulated at will by the diver according to his
requirements as regards air supply.
To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a side view of my valve:
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same:-
Figure 3 is an underside view; and
Figure 4 shows in outline a helmet and breast-plate having one of these valves
fitted upon the breast-plate.
My valve comprises the valve proper A working in and upon the body B, the
upper portion A₁ of the valve A being inside a spiral spring C which bears upon
the top of the valve A and upon the inside of the perforated cap D; the cap D
is perforated so as to allow the air to escape into the water, after having passed
the valve. This cap 1) can be screwed up or down upon the body B, and is pre-
vented from being detached by the screwed guard ring E also screwed to the
body B and which in its turn is held in place by the small set screw F.
The air pressure is regulated by turning the perforated cap D in one direction
to compress the spiral spring C and therely increase the resistance to the air con-
tained inside the diver's dress, or in the other direction to allow the spiral spring C
to expand and thereby decrease the resistance to the air contained inside the
diver's dress at the option or discretion of the diver according to his requirements.
Figure 4 shows this valve fitted to the breast-plate of a diver's dress but I can
with equal facility fit it to the helmet, and in some instances I prefer to fit the
valve upon both helmet and breast-plate.
With diving dress having a valve or valves of the kind above described fitted
thereto the diver can regulate the pressure at which the air is to escape at his
discretion and whenever he deems it desirable so that no regulation of the valves
is necessary before the diver is submerged as has hitherto been the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A valve A having a cap or cover D adapted to be moved nearer to or farther
away from the valve and so compress a spiral spring C or allow it to expand and in
this manner enable the valve to offer greater or less resistance to air pressure
upon its underside, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 2. Diving or like apparatus or dress having fitted to the breast-plate or helmet
one or more valves consisting of the parts constructed; arranged and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated the 17th day of Navamlar 1800
G. F. REDFERN & Co., --
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.