US2290166A - Close fitting, insulating, watertight underwear - Google Patents

Description

July 21, 1942. E. c. CRAIG EFAL CLOSE FITTING, INSULATING, WATER-TIGHT UNDERWEAR Filed Feb. 17, 1941 INVENTORS E. C. C ra/g BY G. WLeyo/e Al'ORNEY raienied'iul' 21, 1942 CLOSE FITTING, INSULATING, WATER- TIGHT UNDERWEAR Edward 0. Craig, United States Navy, and ulen W. Leyde,.Arlington, Va.

Application February 17, 1941, Serial No. 379,369

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 2Claims.

This invention relates to a close fitting insulating and water-tight underwear and has for an object to provide underwear especially intended for use by divers, either when diving in cold water or when using oxygen and helium mixtures.

One great problem confronting all divers is the rapid loss of body heat while under water, resulting in rapid loss of strength and fatigue. This is especially true when diving in cold water. This same feature is also true when using an atmosphere of oxygen and helium, in order to avoid bends, that is, nitrogen dissolving in the blood when under high pressure and causing severe injury when the pressure is reduced." It has been found that such a mixture of helium and oxygen permeating through the ordinary under- With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Figure l an elevational partly broken-away view of the diving underwear; and

Figure 2 is a sectional View on line 22 of Figure l.

The suit of underwear Ill of this invention comprises a close fitting suit of underwear made of a plurality, of vertically extending sections H of expander cellular rubber. These sections are suitably secured together from the back of the neck to the crotch and from the bottom of the armholes to opposite the crotch by strips l2 vulcanized thereto. The inner edges of the sections ll. below the crotch are likewise secured together by vulcanized strips l3 extending'from the crotch to the ankle. Sleeves M are made of a similar section of material having its joints secured by a vulcanizing strip I5 and are in turn secured at the armholes of the trunk by a vulcanizing strip It; An outer covering, such as knitted material, is secured about the expanded cellular wear of the diver robs him of body heat at edges of the legs down to the ankles. The legs and sleeves each terminate in knitted anklets 2| and wristlets 22, while snap straps 23 extend under the arch of the wearer's suit.

Beneath the separable fasteners ii and i8,

the expanded cellular rubber sections it are provided with overlaps 26 so that when the fasteners I7 and it are extended to closing position, they press the overlaps 24 against each other to make a substantially air-tight, snug-fitting joint against the body of the wearer, it being noted that the separable fastener it extends tight under the chin.

The water-=tightness and air-tightness of the suit as thus worn protects the wearer against loss of body heat to the cold of the surrounding water or the heat-robbing characteristics of the helium atmosphere, as well as from any a moisture that may be present within this diving suit.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangements of the parts may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the nature of the invention, within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without. the payment of any royalties 3o thereon or therefor.

rubber lining H and is provided with a separable I fastener ll extending upwardly from the crotch to the neck and withseparable fasteners l8 ex- Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. Close fitting insulating and water-tight underwear comprising, a plurality of vertically extending sections, all joined and overlapped, of

soft, waterproof and impermeable material, said sections being of expanded cellular rubber having vulcanizing strips securing their permanent joints together, an outer cloth covering fitted about said cellular expanded rubber sections, and fastening means on said outer covering for holding said cellular expanded rubber sections in impermeable contact against the wearer.

2. A close fitting insulating and water-tight suit of underwear having a trunk, a neck at the upper end of the trunk, legs depending from the trunk and terminating in ankle sections, and a crotch between the legs at the bottom of the trunk, said underwear suit comprising, a plurality of vertically extending sections, of soft, waterproof and impermeable material, said sections being of expanded cellular rubber having vulcanizing strips securing their permanent joints together, an outer cloth covering fitted about said tendi g fr pp h crotch 7 8 th uter cellular expanded rubber sections, fastening means on said outer strip for holding said cellular suit, said inner cellular rubber sections being proexpanded rubber sections in impermeable contact vided with overlaps beneath'each separable tasagainst the wearer, said fastening means 'com- .tener to provide an impermeable joint against the prising a, separable fastener extending from the body of the wearer when the separable fasteners crotch up the front of the trunk of the suit to the 5 are in closed position.

neck and separable fasteners extending from op- EDWARD C. CRAIG. posite the crotch to the ankle of the legs of the GLEN W. LEYDE.

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