Divers buoyancy vest

Claim 2

An inflatable buoyancy vest for divers, comprising a flexible, hollow vest, first and second mutually separate inflatable compartments in said vest, first means for inflating said first compartment with CO2 gas, said first means including a holder attached to said vest for retaining a CO2 cartridge, second means for inflating said second compartment with air, a manually operated control valve connected to said second compartment for purging air therefrom, said control valve including a first outwardly facing annular valve seat, a first valve member movable against said seat, a tubular member fixed to said first valve member and having an internal valve seat surface, a second valve member axially mounted within said tubular member for movement against said valve seat surface, and a spring urging said first and second valve members into sealing engagement with the respective valve seats.

Claim 3

An inflatable buoyancy vest according to claim 1, wherein said first valve member is a flexible disc.

Claim 4

An inflatable buoyancy vest according to claim 2 wherein said control valve further including a body having an opening therein aligned with said tubular member, an actuating button secured to said second valve member and disposed in said opening, and an internal abutment on said body for retaining said button therein against the force exerted thereon by said spring.

Claim 5

An inflatable buoyancy vest for divers, comprising a flexible, hollow vest, first and second separate and independent inflatable compartments in said vest, first means for inflating said first compartment only with CO2 gas, said first means including a holder attachment to said vest for retaining a CO2 cartridge, second means for inflating said second compartment only with air, a manually operated control valve connected to said second compartment for purging air therefrom, said control valve including a tubular body member having an opening in the side thereof, a valve member slidable in said body member between a first position closing said opening and a second position communicating said opening to said second compartment, spring means biasing said valve member into said first position, a depressible manual actuator extending from one end of said tubular member for moving said valve against the force of said spring to said second position, and a mouthpiece fitted over said body member and having a portion aligned with said opening for reception in the mouth of a diver.

Claim 6

An inflatable buoyancy vest for divers, comprising a flexible, hollow vest, first and second separate and independent inflatable compartments in said vest, first means for inflating said first compartment only with CO2 gas, said first means including a holder attachment to said vest for retaining a CO2 cartridge, second means for inflating said second compartment only with air, a manually operated control valve connected to said second compartment for purging air therefrom, said control valve including a tubular body member having an opening in the side thereof, a valve member slidable in said body member between a first position closing said opening and a second position communicating said opening to said second compartment, spring means biasing said valve member into said first position, a depressible manual actuator extending from one end of said tubular member for moving said valve against the force of said spring to said second position, and a mouthpiece fitted over said body member and having a portion aligned with said opening for reception in the mouth of a diver.

Claim 7

An inflatable buoyancy vest according to claim 4, comprising a flexible tubular member connected between said second compartment and said control valve.

Claim 8

An inflatable safety vest for use by a scuba diver carrying a reservoir of compressed air for use in underwater breathing, said vest having a neck receiving opening, the improvement comprising first and second separate and independent inflatable coMpartments in said vest, a conduit including a manually operable valve connected between said first compartment and said reservoir for inflating only said first compartment from said reservoir with air, a flexible conduit having a mouthpiece at one end and connected at the other end to said first compartment, said flexible conduit being sufficiently long to permit the mouthpiece to be placed in the mouth of the diver wearing said vest, a manually operable valve connected in said flexible conduit for controlling the supply of air between said mouthpiece and said first compartment to permit said diver to orally inflate said first compartment and to breath air from said first compartment, means including a CO2 cartridge carried by said vest for inflating said second compartment only with CO2 gas, and manually and automatically operated purge valve means carried at the front of said vest substantially below said neck receiving opening to release air from said first compartment upon manual actuation or when the pressure within said first compartment exceeds the ambient pressure by a predetermined value.

Claim 9

An inflatable safety vest for use by a scuba diver carrying a reservoir of compressed air for use in underwater breathing, said vest having a neck receiving opening, the improvement comprising first and second separate and independent inflatable coMpartments in said vest, a conduit including a manually operable valve connected between said first compartment and said reservoir for inflating only said first compartment from said reservoir with air, a flexible conduit having a mouthpiece at one end and connected at the other end to said first compartment, said flexible conduit being sufficiently long to permit the mouthpiece to be placed in the mouth of the diver wearing said vest, a manually operable valve connected in said flexible conduit for controlling the supply of air between said mouthpiece and said first compartment to permit said diver to orally inflate said first compartment and to breath air from said first compartment, means including a CO2 cartridge carried by said vest for inflating said second compartment only with CO2 gas, and manually and automatically operated purge valve means carried at the front of said vest substantially below said neck receiving opening to release air from said first compartment upon manual actuation or when the pressure within said first compartment exceeds the ambient pressure by a predetermined value.

Claim 10

An inflatable buoyancy vest according to claim 6, wherein one of said first and second compartments is a bladder disposed in the other of said compartments.

Claim 11

An inflatable buoyancy vest according to claim 7 further comprising a fitting on said vest connected to said first compartment, said manually operable flow control valve connected to said fitting, and said conduit including a flexible hose for connecting said manually operable flow control valve to a first stage regulator on said reservoir.