Coal miner personal air filtration system specially adapted for low ceiling mines

Abstract

A positive pressure personal air filtration system particularly advantageous in the close quarters of a low ceiling mine. An air pump and air filter unit is mounted to a vest worn by a user and is connected to a nose and mouth mask by an air hose which, if the unit is mounted to the back of the vest, passes directly over the user's shoulder. The mask has upper and side edges contoured to seat against the user's face from immediately above the user's nose and extending down the user's cheeks. The mask extends further downward to a bottom termination edge which is contoured to extend in spaced relationship out in front of the user's face to define a non-valved opening to ambient air across the entire bottom of the mask. The termination edge extends downward to a lower level than the user's mouth and preferably to the level of the user's chin to form an air reservoir.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.