US 5,702,279 AGranted

Inflatable swimmer's safety belt, life preserver/life vest

OwnerDennis Browninventor

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Abstract

A first belt of the invention--substantially hollow and worn about the waist--is able to be filled with a compressed gas from a cartridge coupled with it so as to unfold and expand outwardly under action of the compressed gas which fills it. A second belt of the invention--of conventional construction and also worn about the waist--underlies the first belt and is tethered to it. When the first belt is filled with the compressed gas, its length increases to form a tube riding under the armpits and holding a wearer vertically in the water as a life preserver, allowing the wearer to be able to swim about. Couplings are provided on the first belt for maintaining its configuration while allowing the tube to be slid over the arms to the shoulders and neck area in continuing to hold the wearer vertically, but as a life vest, keeping the head of the wearer out of the water. The tether prevents the tube from coming loose and floating away.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An inflatable swimmer's safety belt, life preserver/life vest comprising:

a first, substantially hollow belt, closable to fit the waist of a wearer;
a compressed gas cartridge coupled with said first belt;
a pin, moveable to puncture said cartridge so as to allow said cartridge to fill said first belt with compressed gas;
means, moveable between first and second positions, and connected to said pin, for moving said pin to puncture said cartridge when moved to said second position;
wherein a portion of said first belt fitting the waist of a wearer is temporarily secured in folded, overlapping relationship so as to unfold and expand outwardly under action of the compressed gas which fills it when said means is moved to said second position to puncture said cartridge, thereby inflating said first belt and increasing the length of said first belt in forming a tube to ride upwardly towards the arm level of the wearer;
a second belt, underlying said first belt, and also closable to fit about the waist of a wearer;
wherein each of said first and said second belts are closable by clasps to fit the waist of a wearer;
a tether connected between said first and said second belts;
and wherein means are provided on said first belt for maintaining the configuration of said tube formed by inflating said first belt, even when said clasp of said first belt is thereafter opened;
and wherein said last mentioned means include releasable couplings respectively provided adjacent opposite ends of said first belt.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.