Diver's helmet and face mask for use therewith

Claim 2

In combination, a helmet provided with means to hold the head of a user in a predetermined position, a face mask consisting of first and second integral portions, the first portion having a cavity dimensioned to accommodate the nose of a user and to overlie his mouth, and the second portion an exposed, planar, marginal shoulder continuously surrounding the open end of the cavity, and a body shaped and dimensioned to conform generally to facial features marginally of the nose and mouth without interfering with a user's vision and provided with a planar outer surface to which said second portion is sealed, said face mask of pliant material and the body of a material sufficiently compressible to comply to the particular facial features of the user to become continuously sealed thereto when pressure is applied against the shoulder continuously about the first portion, a flat rigid plate having an aperture dimensioned to accommodate said first mask portion and shaped and dimensioned to engage said shoulder, and pressure applying means within said helmet and attached to the front thereof and in engagement with said plate on opposite sides of the cavity.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 in which the head holding means provides a resilient, compressible cushion at least for the back of the head and the pressure applying means provides sufficient pressure to maintain the seal effective throughout the limits to which the cushion is compressed during normal use.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 in which the helmet has an assembly including a breathing gas conduit secured and sealed to the exterior of and extending into the helmet, the first portion of said face mask has a port alignable with the inner end of the conduit and an adapter threaded on said inner end includes a flange over which the margins of the port are caught.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 in which the spacing means are adjustable towards and away from the front of the helmet.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 in which the pressure applying means includes a series of spacing means each including a pair of screws of opposite hand one carried by the helmet and the other by the pressure plate and threaded into opposite ends of the spacer thereby to enable the spacing of the pressure plate relative to the helmet to be varied.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 in which there are four spacing means, two on each side of the cavity of the mask with one above and one below the portion of the cavity that overlies the mouth of the user.

Claim 8

A face mask to be worn within a helmet provided with means to hold the user's head in a predetermined position and with means including an apertured rigid pressure plate backed by the front of the helmet, said mask consisting of first and second integral portions, the first portion having a cavity shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the nose of a user and to overlie his mouth, and the second portion an exposed marginal, planar shoulder continuously surrounding the open end of the cavity, said pressure plate shaped and dimensioned to overlie and continuously engage said shoulder, and a body shaped and dimensioned to conform generally to facial features marginally of the nose and mouth without interferring with a user's vision and provided with a planar outer surface to which said second portion is sealed, said face mask of pliant material and the body of a material sufficiently compressible to comply to the particular facial features of the user and become continuously sealed thereto when said pressure plate is seated against said shoulder with pressure applied to opposite portions thereof.

Claim 9

A face mask to be worn within a helmet provided with means to hold the user's head in a predetermined position and with means including an apertured rigid pressure plate backed by the front of the helmet, said mask consisting of first and second integral portions, the first portion having a cavity shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the nose of a user and to overlie his mouth, and the second portion an exposed marginal, planar shoulder continuously surrounding the open end of the cavity, said pressure plate shaped and dimensioned to overlie and continuously engage said shoulder, and a body shaped and dimensioned to conform generally to facial features marginally of the nose and mouth without interferring with a user's vision and provided with a planar outer surface to which said second portion is sealed, said face mask of pliant material and the body of a material sufficiently compressible to comply to the particular facial features of the user and become continuously sealed thereto when said pressure plate is seated against said shoulder with pressure applied to opposite portions thereof.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 in which the second portion includes a sponge rubber interior and an impermeable skin, said skin having vent ports opening outside the face mask.

Claim 11

The face mask of claim 7 in which the body includes an upper part in the form of a narrow inverted U to receive within it and seal the upper part of a nose, a lower part in the form of a relatively wide U shaped and dimensioned to seat against the chin of the wearer and increasing in depth and width to engage and extend along the jaw and upwardly substantially at the junction of the jaw and cheek bones, and connecting parts extending along the cheek portions and joining the upper and lower parts.

Claim 12

The face mask of claim 9 in which the lower part includes an inner shoulder and a marginal wall tapering away therefrom.

Claim 13

The face mask of claim 9 in which the seal includes a sponge rubber interior and an impermeable skin, said skin having vent ports opening outside the face mask.

Claim 14

A helmet for use with a face mask consisting of first and second integral portions, the first portion having a cavity shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the nose of a wearer and to overlie his mouth, and the second portion an exposed marginal, planar shoulder, continuously surrounding the open end of the cavity, and a body shaped and dimensioned to conform generally to facial features marginally of the nose and mouth without interferring with a wearer's vision and provided with a planar outer surface against which said second portion is sealed, said body sufficiently compressible to comply to the particular facial features of the wearer and become continuously sealed thereto when pressure is applied to said shoulder, said helmet including a rigid pressure plate having an aperture dimensioned to enable said plate to be seated against said second portion and a plurality of spacing means connected to the front of the helmet and extending inwardly on opposite sides of the cavity of the face mask, said plate connected to said spacing means and said spacing means of a length such that with the face mask in place and the helmet worn, mask sealing pressure is applied uniformly to said shoulder by the pressure plate.

Claim 15

A helmet for use with a face mask consisting of first and second integral portions, the first portion having a cavity shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the nose of a wearer and to overlie his mouth, and the second portion an exposed marginal, planar shoulder, continuously surrounding the open end of the cavity, and a body shaped and dimensioned to conform generally to facial features marginally of the nose and mouth without interferring with a wearer's vision and provided with a planar outer surface against which said second portion is sealed, said body sufficiently compressible to comply to the particular facial features of the wearer and become continuously sealed thereto when pressure is applied to said shoulder, said helmet including a rigid pressure plate having an aperture dimensioned to enable said plate to be seated against said second portion and a plurality of spacing means connected to the front of the helmet and extending inwardly on opposite sides of the cavity of the face mask, said plate connected to said spacing means and said spacing means of a length such that with the face mask in place and the helmet worn, mask sealing pressure is applied uniformly to said shoulder by the pressure plate.

Claim 16

The helmet of claim 12 in which the spacing means includes a series of members extending inwardly from the face of the helmet, a series of connections carried by said pressure plate and having threaded connection with said members.

Claim 17

The helmet of claim 12 and an assembly including a breathing gas conduit secured and sealed to the exterior of the helmet and extending into the helmet, and a flanged adapter threaded on the inner end of the conduit to which the first portion of the mask is connectable to place the conduit in communication with the cavity.

Claim 18

The helmet of claim 12 in which the spacing means are adjustable to enable the spacing of the pressure plate relative to the helmet to be varied.

Claim 19

The helmet of claim 15 in which the spacing means include a series of spacers, screws of opposite hand carried by the helmet and pressure plate and threaded in opposite ends of the spacers.

Claim 20

The helmet of claim 16 in which there are four spacing means, two to be on each side of the cavity of the face mask with one above and one below the portion thereof that overlies the mouth.