Improvements in Life Belts, and in Means for Filling the same with Compressed Air or Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 13th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life Belts, and in Means for Filling the same with
Compressed Air or Gas.
I, ANTON RACIC, of Pola, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, Lieutenant in
the Imperial and Royal Marine, 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 improved life saving belts and the like enclosing a
receptacle containing compressed air which is passed through an improved valve
into the tube, hose or belt thus filling the latter; the opening of the valve being
effected by piercing a small metal plate by means of the sharp point of a descending
spindle.
A life belt of this improved kind together with its valve is illustrated in the
accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 represents the life-belt fitted with such valve;
Figure 2 shows another constructional form of the same;
Figure 3 is a vertical section through the valve and the filling piece for
filling the air or gas receptacle;
Figures 3 and 3 represent details of Figure 3.
Figure 4 represents a section through a perfectly adjusted valve showing the
same in the position it occupies when ready for use.
Figure 5 shows a slightly modified form of the filling piece; and
Figure o represents the corresponding shape of the ready-adjusted valve.
Life-belts enclosing in their interior a small vessel, containing compressed air
or gas, and from which vessel-on using the life belt-the air or gas can by a
simple manipulation, be passed into the belt, whereby the latter receives the
proper shape and buoyancy, are represented in two different constructional forms
in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.
In these figures, A represents the life belt proper, which owing to its elliptical
shape bears elastically against the body, to which it is applied, whilst the two
ends of the hose, as represented in Figure 2 are also adapted to overlap one
another, in which case, however, the volume of the one single half is to be as
nearly as possible equal to the second double half, this being obtained by a
respective diminution of the cross section. To ensure a more reliable fixing of
the hose or belt to the body, appropriately arranged straps C may be employed.
The compressed gas or air is contained in the receptacle B, which may be either
arranged at the end (Figure 1) or in the middle of the hose or belt (Figure 2).
The valve by which the compressed air is caused to enter the hose or beit
consists of the casing a which carries an annular connecting piece b, to which
the receptacle B is soldered, or which is, connected airtight in any other manner.
The hose A is connected air tight with the receptacle B by means of the inter-
posed packing c, the washer d and the screw nut c. The washer d and the screw
nute may also be replaced by other suitable means producing the requisite
pressure.

page_text: The interior of the valve casing a is connected with the interior of the belt A
by means of one or two channels f: The lower part of the valve casing is pro-
vided with internal screw threads and has an opening 9 at its bottom; this
opening is covered by a thin metal plate h which is held by the screw i. Between
the small metal plate hand the bottom of the valve casing a washer, consisting
of any suitable packing material, may be interposed. The screw i is provided
centrally with a square shaped opening (Figure 3) and has a number of notches j
arranged round its periphery, the object of which will be hereinafter, explained.
The valve casing a is closed by the closing piece which can be screwed into
the upper free extremity; through this closing piece, and through a stuffing
box, passes a spindle m. having an enlarged screw threaded piece n, which
spindle m carries at its upper end the hand wheel o, whilst its lower end
terminates in a sharp point. p. If inow the compressed air, enclosed in the
receptacle B is to be discharged, the spindle m is screwed down by turning the
hand wheel o; by this operation the point 2 pierces the small metal plate h,
thus causing the compressed air to pass out of the receptacle B by way of the
opening, the interior of the valve casing a, the channels f, into the belt A
(Figure 4).
If the receptacle is to be refilled with compressed air, the closing piece k with
all the parts connected thereto is screwed out of the valve casing and the small
perforated plate his replaced by a new unpierced plate. The filling piece
(Figure 3) is now screwed into the valve casing. The said filling piece consists
of the casing g, provided with a lateral connection for the inlet of the air, and
of the spindles one end of which passes through a stuffing box t and is externally
provided with a handle u. In the interior of the casing q this spindle carries
a projection with lateral notches (Figure 3). The continuation of the
spindle extends through the opening y of the bottom of the casing, whilst the
square shaped extremity of the spindle S engages with the square shaped opening
of the screw body i.
The operation of filling the receptacle B is as follows:
After the filling piece has been connected with the valve casing, the screw i
is unscrewed by turning the spindle s with the aid of the handle u, thus per-
miting the air or gas to pass through. The air then flows through the con-
nection into the interior of the casing 7 and thence through the
notches v, the open space y the notches, the free space produced
(beneath the small metal plate suitably connected with the screw
body ) by lifting the screw i, then through the opening g into the interior of
the receptacle B. When the latter is sufficiently filled, it is closed by screwing
down the screw i by means of the handle whereby a tight closure at the bottom
of the valve casing is obtained, subsequently the filling piece is taken out and
finally the closing piece k is re-inserted (Figure 4). The life-belt is then again
ready for immediate use.
Another constructional form of the filling piece and of the closing piece is
represented in Figures 5 and 6. In this modification the externally screw-
threaded upper part of the valve casing a is suitably prolonged, whilst into the
same the filling piece D is not screwed but merely inserted and is connected with
the valve casing
by means of a coupling nut E, which fits upon a shoulder F
of the filling piece D. In this constructional arrangement the internal screw-
thread of the valve casing a is omitted, as is apparent from Figures 5 and 6.
The other arrangement of the valve casing and of the filling piece is exactly
the same as that above described.
a
Owing to the omission of the internal screw thread, the shape of the closing
piece has likewise been modified, the fixing of the same being no longer
effected by screwing into the casing but by means of the coupling nut G. The
arrangement of the spindle is identical with that above described with reference
to Figure 4. By way of applying slight modifications, the downward movement
of the spindle for the purpose of piercing the small metal plate may also be

page_text: effected by some other arrangement based on the principle of the screw, or by
an eccentric.
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. An improved life-belt having the shape of a folding air-tube or casing A,
its characteristic feature consisting in its assuming the shape of an elliptical
clastic belt when filled with air, the ends of which belt either meet as in Figure 1
or overlap each other as in Figure 2.
2. An improved valve for life-belts which consist of an air tube or casing A
enclosing a receptacle B filled with compressed air or gas; this said valve serving
in the case of use to discharge the air from the receptacle B into the air tube
or casing A; the characteristic feature of this valve consisting in the fact that
the interior of the valve casing a is connected by channels f with the interior of
the air tube or casing A, whilst the closing of the interior of the receptacle B
is effected by a small metal plate or disc (h) pressed by the screw on to the
opening 9; the admission of the air from the receptacle B into the tube A,
proper being effected in such a manner that by moving down the spindle m
arranged in the closing piece k, the sharp pointed extremity p of the spindle
pierces the metal plate or disc h thus causing the air to pass through.
3. A filling piece for filling the receptacle B, the characteristic feature of this
filling piece being a casing 9 capable of being screwed into or otherwise arranged
on the valve casing a, in the interior of which casing q a spindles is arranged,
the lower end of which is square shaped and engages with a corresponding
opening of the screw i, the object being to either effect the lifting of the screw
body and to thus cause the compressed air or gas to pass through the casing
into the receptacle B, or to retain the air gas in the latter after filling, by turning
the spindles in the proper direction.
21 1
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.