Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1900
Empire of Cermany.
I, CARL KOESTER, at present residing at the Manchester Hotel, Aldersgate
Street, in the County of London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to air cushions and other similar structures which are
intended to be distended by air at moderate pressure. The particular kind size,
or shape of cushion, and the object for which it may be employed are immaterial
and I will describe the invention as applied to an ordinary travelling cushion,
circular in form and with a central orifice.
In constructing such a cushion two discs are provided of the material-prefer-
ably indiarubber-each having a central opening and the edges of these two
are joined in the ordinary manner. The cushion thus made is then inflated so
as to give it the shape which it is intended to receive in use, and the inflation
aperture is suitably closed. The cushion is then vulcanized by any suitable,
but preferably by the cold, process upon the outside and allowed to set in its
proper form and afterwards the inside is vulcanized. A cushion thus formed is
self-inflating, that is to say, should it be folded up or by other means the air
pressed out of it, and it be left free, placed on a table for example-the material
of which it is made will naturally assume the shape to which it was vulcanized,
and the valve or closing cap being open it will suck in the necessary air to
fill it when in that form. The closure cap or valve being now secured the air
is imprisoned and the cushion can be used in the ordinary way.
A convenient valve or closure for a cushion such as above described consists
of a socket secured in the cushion in any suitable manner and internally screwed
at its outer end to receive a screw cap which may have a rubber or other
washer or means for providing a tight joint. From the cap extends inwardly
through the socket a wire, rod or equivalent upon the inner end of which is
a stop engaging with a shoulder formed upon the socket. To afford access for
the air to the inside of the cushion the cap is unscrewed and when the cushion
has assumed its proper form and inflated itself the cap is screwed up tight and
the air imprisoned so that the cushion is then ready for use as an air cushion.
The making of these cushions has been described above in a particular way
without the use of moulds, but it is to he understood that these cushions can
be otherwise made as well as by moulding and vulcanizing them in the ordinary
manner, the important feature being that the cushion or other article shall be
vulcanized in the form which it is destined afterwards to assume so that by the
addition of a closure cap, non-return-valve or other means of allowing free

page_text: access of the air to the inside and then imprisoning it the air cushion or the
like is produced.
leted this 15th day of March. 1899
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Air Cushions and other similar
Structures.
A communication from the Firm of H. M. ANTON, of 19, Elisabeth-Ufer, Berlin,
Empire of Germany.
I, CARL KOESTER, at present residing at the Manchester Hotel, Aldersgate
Street, in the County of London, Manufacturer, 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 air cushions and other similar structures which are
intended to be distended by air at moderate pressure. The particular kind, size,
or shape of cushion, and the object for which it may be employed are immaterial,
and the invention will be described as applied to an ordinary travelling cushion,
circular in form and with a central orifice.
In constructing such a cushion two discs are provided of the material-prefer-
ably indiarubber-each having a central opening and the edges of these two
are joined in the ordinary manner. The cushion thus made is then inflated so
as to give it the shape which it is intended to receive in use, and the inflation
aperture is suitably closed. The cushion is then vulcanized by any suitable,
but preferably by the cold, process upon the outside and allowed to set in its
proper form and afterwards the inside is vulcanized. A cushion thus formed is
self-inflating, that is to say, should it be folded up or by other means the air
pressed out of it, and it be left free, placed on a table for example-the material
of which it is made will naturally assume the shape to which it was vulcanized,
and the valve or closing cap being open it will suck in the necessary air to
fill it when in that formi. The closure cap or valve being now secured the air
is imprisoned and the cushion can be used in the ordinary way.
A convenient valve or closure for a cushion such as above described consists
of a socket secured in the cushion in any suitable manner and internally screwed
at its outer end to receive a screw cap which may have a rubber or other
washer or means for providing a tight joint. From the cap extends inwardly
through the socket a wire, rod or equivalent, upon the inner end of which is
a stop engaging with a shoulder formed upon the socket. To afford access for
the air to the inside of the cushion the cap is unscrewed and when the cushion
has assumed its proper form and inflated itself the cap is screwed up tight and
the air imprisoned so that the cushion is then ready for use as an air cushion.
The making of these cushions has been described above in a particular way
without the use of moulds, but it is to be understood that these cushions can
be otherwise made as well as by moulding and vulcanizing them in the ordinary
manner, the important feature being that the cushion or other article shall be
vulcanized in the form which it is destined afterwards to assume so that by the
addition of a closure cap, non-return-valve or other means of allowing free

page_text: access of the air to the inside and then imprisoning it the air cushion or the
like is produced.
Figure 1 is a plan of an air cushion constructed in accordance with this
invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the valve casing.
Figure 3 is a section of the cushion on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The air-chamber is formed by uniting the edges of two suitably shaped pieces
of india-rubber à A¹, a valve of some ordinary type comprising a casing B and
a plug C preferably made of vulcanite, being secured in position, the cushion is
then distended and vulcanized while distended. The plug C is screw-threaded
and provided with a milled head to enable it to be readily screwed into the
casing B. A washer D of rubber or leather ensures a tight joint when the
plug C is screwed home. The plug C is also fitted with a wire or rod E attached
to the plug C so as to project into the casing B. The latter is provided with an
internal flange B¹ and on the end of the rod E on the inner side of the flange B¹
is screwed a cross piece F which bears against the flange B', and prevents the
plug C from being detached entirely from the cushion when it has
unscrewed.
been
If the air-chamber has become deflated it is only necessary to unscrew the
milled plug C, the air chamber then expands assuming the form in which it
was vulcanized, at the same time automatically drawing in the air necessary to
fill the chamber, the plug C is finally screwed in, when the cushion is ready
for use.
The air chamber may be provided with some other form of valve, but one such
as is herein before described is preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A self-inflating air cushion substantially as described.
2. Vulcanizing a valve fitted air cushion in the form which it is destined
afterwards to assume when the cushion is filled with air for the purpose described.
3. An air cushion vulcanized in the form which it is to assume when filled
with air in combination with a valve or equivalent device to prevent the escape
of the air.
4. The complete self-inflating air cushion and valve substantially as described
or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.