An Improved Pneumatic Garment for Saving Life from Drowning.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pneumatic Garment for Saving Life from
Drowning.
I, SIDNEY PEARSON BREMMELL of The Gardens Overley Wellington
Shropshire, Gardener 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 an improved pneumatic garment for saving life from
drowning, and has for its object to provide a garment of the "combination" type
which may be easily worn and quickly adapted for use by filling it with air so as
to give it sufficient buoyancy for supporting a person in the water.
My improved combination garment is of ordinary construction, that is with body
and legs formed in one, but without sleeves, armholes being substituted therefor,
through which the arms freely pass. It is formed of waterproof material such as
gutta-percha or other suitable substance and of double thicknesses or pieces to
provide a space into which to force air by means of a valve secured to any
convenient part of the dress. The parts of the garment contiguous to the joints of
the wearer's body, such as underneath the arms, legs and knees, are formed of a
single thickness of material, thus leaving no air space thereto and allowing free
movement of the limbs. I attach to the front of the garment two pouches for
holding bottles containing a sustaining liquid food or beverage, and I provide
the said bottles with elastic tubes fitted with mouthpieces for holding in the
mouth of the user when in the act of partaking of the liquid contained in the
bottles.
I also attach rope or other suitable rings to the sides of the garment through
which ropes may be threaded for securing children and others to the person wearing
the garment.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig. 1 represents a front view of my
improved pneumatic garment, and Fig. 2 is a back view.
a is the combination garment constructed of double thicknesses or pieces of
suitable material as above described to form a space into which to force air through
the valve b, the latter being screwed up tight when the filling is completed. The
parts of the garment marked a¹ underneath the arms, legs and knees, are formed of
single thickness of material so that the air cannot fill out such parts or interfere
with the movement of the limbs. a² are armholes through which to pass the arms,
c is a flap for private convenience fastened to the part a' by buttons as shown,
dd are pouches formed on the front of the garment and each constructed to hold
a bottle containing a liquid sustaining food which is sucked up through the india
rubber or other pliable tubes e, e, fitted to the said bottles and held in position
when not in use by a catch or loop e. f, f, are rings or loops which may be
constructed of rope or other material, fixed to the sides of the garment and
through which ropes may be threaded for securing children or other persons or
objects to the body of the wearer.
My improved life-saving garment may be worn beneath or outside the ordinary
clothes and in times of uncertainty could be kept filled with air, forced in by a
small air-pump, so as to be always ready for use in case of emergency, or it could
be folded up and packed into a small space, when in its collapsed condition, and
when not required for use as at the end of a sea voyage.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
(1) A pneumatic combination garment such as a formed with single pieces a' at
the joints, and armholes a³, and provided with an air valve b and a flap c,
substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(2) In a garment, such as above claimed, for saving life from drowning, the
combination therewith of pouches d, for holding liquid supplying bottles, fitted
with tubes e supported by catches or loops e', and the rings or loops f, substantially
as described and for the purposes specified.
(3) The improved pneumatic garment for saving life from drowning substantially
as described and shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 11th day of August 1896
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.