An Improved Mouth and Nose Guard for the Use of Firemen, Miners, and others.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mouth and Nose Guard for the Use of Firemen,
Miners, and others.
I, CHARLES ARTHUR ALLISON, of 52, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Augustus William Dolfini, of No 140,
Nassau Street, New York City, United States of America, Manufacturer), 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 mouth and nose guard for firemen, miners and others in
apartments, or mines filled with smoke, foul air or obnoxious gases, and it consists of
the novel construction as hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents a front view of a mouth and nose guard, part of the sponge
omitted, embodying my invention.
Figure 2 represents a partial side view and partial section thereof.
Figure 3 represents a top view thereof.
Figure 4 represents a rear view thereof.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The letter A indicates a metallic frame approximately of the shape of the human
mouth having a curved back piece B, to fit over the mouth, and the letter C
designates wire gauze arranged in the back piece opposite the mouth.
The letters D & D₁ designates overhanging lips on the front of the guard and
having a piece of sponge E or other suitable material fitted between the said
overhanging lips D & D¹ and secured in place therein by spring clamps a a¹ all
hinged to the lower lip.
In the upper over-hanging lip opposite the nose I place an opening F to permit
breathing through the nostrils.
On the rear of the frame, and on each side of the wire gauze, arrange
protecting cushions G composed of compressed sponge H, and enclosed in a
covering I, it being approximately the shape of the mouth and to fit snugly thereto.
The letter J designates a piece of sheet rubber or other suitable material, secured
to the outside of the frame A, on the upper side thereof by first sewing the same
and then applying a suitable adhesive substance thereto, thus making an airtight
connexion of the sheet rubber to the frame.
The upper part of the sheet rubber is shaped to fit over the lower portion of the
nose, and in order to make the sheet rubber hold and close in an airtight manner
around the nose, I attach springs L, L, to the upper lip and provide the springs with
pressure pads M M the rubber piece J, having re-inforcing cushions N N thereon
opposite the pressure pads M M; the pressure pads M M serving to hold the guard
in its proper position by pressing the bone of the nose.
In order to secure the device on the mouth and nose I attach loops 00 to each
side of the frame and place straps P¹ therein.
In order to protect the pressure pads M M, I enclose them in a pocket P¹ in

page_text: such a manner as to permit a slight lateral movement of the pads, in said pockets,
in that case the reinforcing cushions N N are dispensed with.
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 :-
1st. A mouth and nose guard, consisting of an open frame, fitting around the
mouth, covered with wire gauze in front of which is a casing for carrying a
sponge to the top of said casing to attach a sheet rubber flap held to cover
the nose by spring support pads and having' suspending straps for securing the
structure, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. A mouth and nose guard comprising a frame having overhanging lips with
an opening in the upper lip opposite the nose, a wire gauze arranged in said
frame opposite the mouth, a protecting cushion surrounding the wire gauze, a
piece of rubber or other suitable material secured to the upper portion of the
frame to cover the lower portion of the nose, springs to compress the cloth to the
sides of the nose and a suspension device to secure the guard in its proper
place on the face, substantially as shown and described.