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US 3,939,511 AGranted
Life-saving device
OwnerOve Hviding Buttenschoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A life-saving device, such as a life vest or safety vest, comprising two superimposed flexible sheet members sandwiching a number of buoyancy or float members therebetween. The buoyancy members are positioned in transversely extending pockets and are preferably sealed hollow cylindrical bodies made from plastic material. The life-saving device preferably shows a substantially rectangular outline and a neck opening so that it may be worn like a cape with a front part which may be positioned either in an extended hanging position, or in a position in which it is folded and arranged in front of the user's breast.
Claims3
A life preserver comprising:
- a flexible apron-like portion, a substantially shorter flexible head-supporting portion, and a flexible intermediate region intermediate said portions, said portions having two rows of transversely extending elongated narrow longitudinally spaced pockets along the entire length thereof, said pockets in said two rows being laterally disposed and laterally spaced in end-to-end relationship and being axially spaced from each other sufficiently to define therebetween a flexible central region of each of said portions, said flexible intermediate region having a head receiving opening for receiving the head of a user therein, said head-supporting portion overlying the shoulders of said user when in use out of the water and said apron-like portion overlying the chest of the user when in use and extending below the waist of said user down to his thighs out of the water;
- a plurality of generally cylindrical buoyant members each in a respective one of said pockets to impart buoyancy to said portions, said apron-like portion being flexible for flexing at intervals between said pockets containing said buoyant members for conforming in shape to the body of said user when said user changes position or posture out of the water and for being reversibly foldable at about the waist of said user to allow the reversely folded part to be selectively positioned overlying that part of said apron-like portion overlying the chest of the user, said head-supporting portion being flexible for freely floating away from said user's shoulders in the water and for underlying and supporting said user's head above the water;
- and
- means for holding the reversely folded part in a folded condition overlying that part of said apron-like portion overlying the chest of the user.
1 more element
A life preserver comprising:
- two opposed generally elongated, rectangular panels of flexible material having a major longitudinal dimension and a minor transverse dimension and secured to each other along the boundary thereof, a plurality of transverse substantially equidistantly spaced seams of said panels defining two rows of transversely extending narrow and elongated longitudinally spaced pockets defined by the opposed panels and extending transversely of the major dimension of said panels, said pockets in said two rows being laterally disposed and laterally spaced in end-to-end relationship and being axially spaced from each other sufficiently to define therebetween a flexible central region extending longitudinally the entire length of said opposed panels, said panels having a transverse zone closer to one end of the major dimension of said panels and having an opening for receiving therethrough the head of a user, said flexible central region comprising a slit extending from said opening and terminating remotely from the end of the panels remotest from said opening;
- a plurality of generally cylindrical buoyant members, ones of said buoyant members disposed in respective ones of the pockets between said transverse zone and said end to define a flexible buoyant head-supporting portion overlying the shoulders of the user when in use out of the water and for freely floating away from the user's shoulders when in use in the water to underlie the user's head and support it above the water, the remainder of said buoyant members disposed in respective ones of the pockets between said transverse zone and the other end of the major dimension of said panels to define a flexible buoyant apron-like portion overlying the chest of the user, said panels having a length whereby said apron-like portion extends below the waist of the user to the thighs of the user when in use out of the water, said apron-like portion being flexible for flexing at intervals between said pockets containing said buoyant members for conforming in shape to the body of the user when the user changes position or posture out of the water and for being reversibly foldable at about the waist of the user to allow the reversely folded part to be selectively positioned overlying that part of the apron-like portion overlying the chest of the user;
- means for holding the reversely folded part in a folded condition overlying that part of the apron-like portion overlying the chest of the user;
- and
- means for selectively closing and opening said slit.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.