Improvements in Head Coverings or Smoke Protectors for Firemen
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 18th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Head Coverings or Smoke Protectors for Firemen
I, WILLIAM BADER of No. 252 North Mississippi Street, Indianapolis, in the
County of Marion and State of Indiana, United States of America, Piano Maker
and Tuner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The object of my said invention is to provide a device for firemen's use to be
worn over the head, which will enable the wearer to enter a place where the
atmosphere is heavily charged with smoke, as is often necessary in case of
conflagrations, in order to save life and property.
It consists in a shield or head-piece which completely covers the head, and a
tank for holding compressed air, with the various connections, appliances, and
details of construction by which it is rendered convenient and efficient, all as will
be hereinafter more particularly described.
The improved device comprises an outer wail or casing; an air-cylinder; an
air-pump; a gauge; pipes or tubes running from the air-cylinder to the interior of
the protector, an exit-pipe to the protector, and a swab for cleaning the glass of
the look outs.
The casing of the device is usually and preferably formed of leather. Other
fabrics, however, may of course be used which are smoke-tight and sufficiently
flexible. It is made to entirely cover the head and fit down over the shoulders,
and is preferably secured under the arms of the wearer by straps. Upon the
inside, and just above the shoulders, is preferably secured a fold of thin flexible
material which may be drawn in around the neck by straps. The top should be
provided with a padded lining. A flexible curtain-like portion is arranged in
position to come against the forehead which is adapted to be adjusted to position
by straps, and the device is thus capable of adjustment to fit the head of the
wearer perfectly, or to be varied in adjustment for different wearers. A mouth-
piece having a pivoted door is provided, which may be opened to enable the
wearer to breathe the air from the outside when he is not in smoke-laden air, and
also to enable him to call to others when desired, being formed trumpet-shaped to
better throw the sound of the voice therefrom.
In the front a look-out is formed, consisting of a metal frame-work and panes of
glass. At the sides perforations are formed through the leather, and over these
perforations are secured ear-pieces, and under them, next the leather, directly over
the perforations, are secured parchment or other resonant discs or diaphragms.
The air-cylinder, the air-pump, and the gauge, are or may be each of an ordinary
and well-known construction, and need no special description, except incidentally in
connection with the description of the other parts.
The pipes or tubes connect the air-cylinder with the interior of the head-piece.
Their inner ends are open and extend to the vicinity of the mouth and nostrils of the
wearer, so as to discharge the air at the proper point for breathing. They are
flexible for the greater part of their length, but unite at the extreme outer ends in
a short piece of metal pipe which enters the air-cylinder, and in which is a valve.
This valve carries a finger on its stem, and an indicator-plate is secured to its seat,

page_text: and by means of guage marks which may be provided on said indicator-plate the
extent of the opening of said valve may be clearly shown. This is so that the
discharge of air from the cylinder into the head-piece may be regulated and
determined accurately by inspection.
The pipe is a small upwardly-extending pipe, located, preferably in the front of
the device, and above the nose of the wearer, for the escape of the exhalations.
Being quite small and discharging in an upward direction, smoke is not liable to
enter it, particularly as the discharge of the air from the cylinder occasions some
pressure inside the head-piece.
The swab consists of two arms extending out from a central shaft alongside the
glass panes of the look-out, and are adapted to be moved up and down in front of
said panes by means of said shaft, and thus remove from said panes the mists likely
to be occasioned by the breath of the wearer without the necessity of removing the
device from position.
The said shaft is mounted in a bearing in the upper portion of the frame-work.
The operation is as follows: The several parts of the device being properly
assembled it is placed upon the head and shoulders of the user and there secured,
as above described. The air-cylinder having been filled by means of the air-pump
to the desired extent, wbich is indicated by the gauge, the wearer, after closing the
mouth-piece, and having the valve opened to a sufficient extent to discharge
sufficient air inside the head-piece to enable him to breathe easily, may enter a
room heavily charged with smoke, without any of the inconvenience usually arising
therefrom. A cylinder of such a size as to be easily carried in a convenient
position may contain air enough to permit the wearer to remain without other air
in the vicinity of the fire for half an hour, considerably longer than is usually
necessary to effect any purpose commonly required to be performed under such
conditions.
Dated this 7th day of Contambor 1801
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
IV.
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Head Coverings or Smoke Protectors for Firemen.
I, WILLIAM BADER, of No. 252 North Mississippi Street, Indianapolis, in the
County of Marion and State of Indiana, United States of America, Piano Maker
and Tuner, 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 my said invention is to produce a device for firemen's use to be
worn over the head, which will enable the wearer to enter a place where the
atmosphere is heavily charged with smoke, as is often necessary in case of conflagra-
tions, in order to save life and property.
It consists in a shield or head-piece which completely covers the head, and a
tank for holding compressed air, with the various connections, appliances, and
details of construction by which it is rendered convenient and efficient, all as will
be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on
which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts,
Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the use of my device;
Fig. 2 a central sectional view of the same looking toward the left from the
dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 3;
Fig. 3 a rear elevation ;
Fig. 4 a horizontal sectional view looking downwardly from the dotted line 44
in 2.

page_text: Fig 5 a detail view on an enlarged scale, similar to a portion of Fig. 2;
Fig. 6, a detail elevation of the egress-valve to the air-cylinder and the indicator
connected thereto, as seen from the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 2;
Fig. 7 a horizontal sectional view on the dotted line 77 in Figs. 2 and 5;
Fig. 8 a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale through one of the ear-
pieces; and
Fig. 9, a detail front elevation of the mouth-piece and surrounding portions.
In said drawings the portions marked A represent the outer wall or casing of the
head-piece of the device; B, the air-cylinder.; C, an air-pump; D, a gauge;
E, the pipes or tubes running from the air-cylinder to the interior of the protector;
F, an exit-pipe to the protector, and G a swab for cleaning the glass of the
lookouts.
The casing A of the device is usually and preferably formed of leather. Other
fabrics, however, may of course be used which are smoke-tight and sufficiently
flexible. It is made to entirely cover the head and fit down over the shoulders, as
shown, and is preferably secured under the arms of the wearer by straps A¹.
Inside, just above the shoulders, is preferably secured a fold of thin flexible
material A, (see Fig. 2) which may be drawn in around the neck by straps a³.
The top should be provided with a padded lining A³. Inside, in position to come
against the forehead, is a flexible curtain-like portion A', which is adapted to be
adjusted to position by straps a, and the device is thus capable of adjustment to fit
the head of the wearer perfectly, or to be varied in adjustment for different wearers.
A mouth-piece having a pivoted door A³ is provided, which may be opened to
enable the wearer to breathe the air from the outside when he is not in smoke-laden
air, and also to enable him to call to others when desired, being formed trumpet-
shaped to better throw the sound of the voice therefrom. In the front a lookout is
formed, consisting of a metal frame-work A and panes of glass a, as shown.
At
the sides perforations are formed through the leather, as shown in Fig. 2, and
over these perforations are secured ear-pieces A', and under them, next the leather,
directly over the perforations, are secured parchment or other resonant disks or
diaphragms a'.
The air-cylinder B, the air-pump C, and the gauge D, are or may be each of an
ordinary and well known construction, and need no special description, except
incidentally in connection with the description of the other parts.
The pipes or tubes E connect the air-cylinder with the interior of the head-piece.
Their inner ends are open and extend to in the vicinity of the mouth and nostrils
of the wearer, so as to discharge the air at the proper point for breathing. They
are flexible for the greater part of their length, but unite at the extreme outer ends
in a short piece of metal pipe which enters the air-cylinder, and in which is a
valve E¹, as shown most plainly in Fig. 6. This valve carries a finger e¹ on its
stem, and an indicator plate E' is secured to its seat, and by means of gauge-marks
which may be provided on said indicator-plate the extent of the opening of said
valve may be clearly shown. This is so that the discharge of air from the cylinder
into the head-piece may be regulated and determined accurately by inspection.
The pipe F is a small upwardly-extending pipe, located, preferably, in the front
of the device and above the nose of the wearer, for the escape of the exhalations.
Being quite small and discharging in an upward direction, smoke is not liable to
enter it, particularly as the discharge of the air from the cylinder B occasions some
pressure inside the head-piece.
The swab G consists of two arms extending out from a central shaft G¹, alongside
the glass panes of the lookout, and are adapted to be moved up and down in front
of said panes by means of said shaft, and thus remove from said panes the mists
likely to be occasioned by the breath of the wearer without the necessity of
removing the device from position. Said shaft is mounted in a bearing in the
upper portion of the frame-work A'.
The operation is as follows; The several parts of the device being assembled, as
shown, it is placed upon the head and shoulders of the user and there secured,

page_text: as has been described. The air-cylinder having been filled by means of the air-
pump to the desired extent, which is indicated by the gauge, the wearer, after closing
the mouth-piece and having the valve E¹ opened to a sufficient extent to discharge
sufficient air inside the head-piece to enable him to breathe easily, may enter a
room heavily charged with smoke without any of the inconveniences usually arising
therefrom. A cylinder of such a size as to be easily carried in the position shown may
contain air enough to permit the wearer to remain without other air for in the
vicinity of half an hour-considerably longer than is usually necessary to effect any
purpose commonly required to be performed under such conditions.
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. The combination, in a smoke-protector, of a head-piece, an air-cylinder, pipes
leading from said air-cylinder to the interior of said head-piece, a look-out, and a
swab mounted inside of said lookout and adapted to clean the same, substantially as
set forth.
2. In a head-piece for a smoke-protector, a curtain-like piece A', provided with
an adjustable strap whereby the device may be accurately fitted to the head of the
wearer, substantially as set forth.
3. In a smoke-protector, the combination of the head-piece, the air-cylinder, pipes
leading from said cylinder to said head-piece, a valve having a finger on its stem,
and an indicator-plate adjacent thereto, whereby the discharge of air into the
head-piece may be determined, substantially as set forth.
4. In a smoke-protector, in combination with the outside casing covering the
head and shoulders, a fold of thin flexible material secured inside of said casing in
position to come around the neck of the wearer, and adjusting-straps arranged to
draw said fold closely about the neck, the ends whereof extend to the outside of the
casing, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination, with a smoke-protector, of ear-pieces, perforations through
the structure under the ear-pieces, and resonant disks or diaphragms secured
therein.
WILLIAM BADER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.