An Improved Inflatable Swimming and Life Saving Belt.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1899-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Inflatable Swimming and Life Saving Belt.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM GOLBY, of 36, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by Johannes
Gerstel, of 18, Judenstrasse, Worms, Rhine Provinces, Germany, Shoe Maker,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: --
This invention relates to an inflatable swimming and life saving belt, which
consists of several separate air vessels, removably arranged on a girth band and
attached thereto by means of bands and loops. These air vessels can be inflated
all together, or separately, by means of one or two air tubes.
The air vessels, or in other words, their auxiliaries, are closed by means of a
separate valve arranged on the side of the belt, which valves by means of a suit-
ably arranged eccentric lever can be opened all together and closed, in the same
manner after the inflation. Consequently, if one of the air vessels should
burst, the air can only escape from that particular vessel, as the rest of the
vessels owing to their being separately arranged are kept closed by means of
their valves.
The purpose of this invention is the prompt furnishing, in case of impending
danger, of a swimming and life belt, allowing of unimpeded movement in the
water and providing the greatest possible security against drowning.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is
a view of the belt as drawn together around the body and Fig. 2 shows the same
as laid out on a flat surface. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section of one of
the valves with the first air vessel in cross section.
The safety belt consists of several separate air vessels a removably attached
to the girth band by means of bands e which are fastened by being drawn
through loops e on the vessels a and retained on the girth band b by studs d.,
The air vessels a are each composed of an india rubber bag, from the middle of
which an auxiliary tube f is carried to the side of the life belt between the air
tube i and the girth band 6 and each terminates in a valve g. With a large num-
ber of air vessels, the arrangement may be so contrived that one half of the
auxiliary tubes f run to the right, the other half to the left side of the belt as
shown more particularly in Fig. 2. The valves are provided with an air
chamber h common to all of them, and to which the air tube i is connected. In
the form illustrated in the drawings two such air tubes i must be provided as a
matter of course. The free end of the air tube i is closed by a non-return
valve which closes the air tube i automatically after the inflating operation.
The belt when used is placed around the body above the hips and is drawn to
and fastened by means of hooks and eyes on the girth band. The valves g are
then opened by means of a suitably arranged eccentric lever and sufficient air
s blown into the whole of the air vessels a through the air tube i. The return
movement of the eccentric lever / causes the valves to close immediately the infla-
ion has been effected, and the belt is then ready for use. To ensure the belt

page_text: against slipping, a further band m Fig. 1 can be provided. This is fastened to
the girth band and hung around the neck.
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:—
An inflatable swimming and life saving belt, composed of several separate
air vessels (a), removeably attached to a girth band (b) by means of bands (e)
which are passed through loops c thereon and fastened to the girth band by
studs d, and which air vessels can be inflated together or separately by one or two
air tubes the valves (9) which close the air vessels or, in other words, their
auxiliaries (f) being opened by means of a suitably arranged eccentric lever (!)
and automatically closed by the return movement of the lever (1) after the
inflation has been effected, so that, in case of an air vessel bursting, the air
can escape from that particular air vessel only substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
T1041
Jav af T.... 1900
F. W. GOLBY,
Patent Agent, 36, Chancery Lane, Londen, W.C.,
F. W. GOLBY,
Patent Agent, 36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,