Abstract The invention is directed toward improved breathing comfort for an aviator subjected to rarified atmosphere at high altitudes. It employs a vest or jerkin which can be fitted by zipper over a passive pressure unit. The vest has secured to its interior a bladder which extends from front thigh up over the shoulder to the rear thigh position. A standard form of helmet is hermetically sealed to the neckline of the vest. Oxygen under pressure is introduced into the bladder and the helmet through a hand-operated valve which may be secured to the vest. This valve has three positions, (1) ''''Off,'''' (2) ''''Fill'''' and (3) ''''Mission Complete'''' and has a single tubing to the helmet and a double tubing to the bladder. One of the latter is employed for supplying the bladder with gas. The other of the double tubing contains a pressure-operated check valve which closes the passage between the helmet and the bladder in the event of bladder failure. The aviator would normally turn the valve, first to position (1) to supply the helmet with oxygen and to exhaust the interior of the bladder. He would then turn to position (2) which continues the oxygen supply to the helmet, and in addition, would fill the bladder with oxygen at a pressure as would make breathing more comfortable as the higher altitudes are reached. In the event that the bladder becomes punctured with flake or shrapnel and therefore unable to retain the gas, the valve is moved to position (3) to cause the oxygen, in excess of that necessary for the helmet, to escape to ambient atmosphere through the check valve.
Inventors
👤 Leonard Harris
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-01 16:00
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64D; B64D10/00; A; A62; A62B; A62B17/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
In combination a pressure suit for an aviator comprising an inner stretchable fabric garment which is adapted to lie next to the skin of the aviator; an outer nonstretchable garment covering at least a portion of said inner garment; a flexible rubberlike expansible bladder interposed between the garments; a helmet hermetically attached to said outer garment; means including a rotatable valve attached to the outer garment and operable by the aviator for controlling the amount of gas admitted to the bladder and for supplying the bladder and said helmet with breathable gas at a pressure as to cause the bladder to expand inwardly against the inner expansible garment when the atmosphere becomes rarified as higher altitudes are reached; said rotatable valve means having three positions (1) in which oxygen is supplied to the helmet while connecting the bladder to ambient air, (2) in which oxygen is supplied to the helmet and the bladder and (3) in which the oxygen is supplied to the helmet and the bladder, with a check valve means connected in the bladder supply line responsive to a predetermined differential pressure between the helmet and bladder for shutting off the gas supply to the bladder while maintaining the gas pressure in the helmet in the case of bladder rupture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
In combination a pressure suit for an aviator comprising an inner stretchable fabric garment which is adapted to lie next to the skin of the aviator; an outer nonstretchable garment covering at least a portion of said inner garment; a flexible rubberlike expansible bladder interposed between the garments; a helmet hermetically attached to said outer garment; means including a rotatable valve attached to the outer garment and operable by the aviator for controlling the amount of gas admitted to the bladder and for supplying the bladder and said helmet with breathable gas at a pressure as to cause the bladder to expand inwardly against the inner expansible garment when the atmosphere becomes rarified as higher altitudes are reached; said rotatable valve means having three positions (1) in which oxygen is supplied to the helmet while connecting the bladder to ambient air, (2) in which oxygen is supplied to the helmet and the bladder and (3) in which the oxygen is supplied to the helmet and the bladder, with a check valve means connected in the bladder supply line responsive to a predetermined differential pressure between the helmet and bladder for shutting off the gas supply to the bladder while maintaining the gas pressure in the helmet in the case of bladder rupture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
90 words
The combination as set forth in claim 1 and in which each of the inner and outer garments is porous and a closure member extending along the front portion of the outer garment in order to don the same, said bladder having front split portions and extending along opposite sides of the closure member from the front thigh portion up over the shoulder portion on the respective sides of the closure member, said split bladder portions merging into a single unit from the shoulder down to the rear thigh portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination set forth in claim 2 and in which said bladder is constituted of rubberized elastic material.