US2477706A - Underwater breathing mask - Google Patents

Aug. 2, 1949- M. w. TAYLOR UNDERWATER

BREATHING MASK

2 Sheets-

Sheet

2 Filed Sept. 23, 1948 INVENTORL \7' Patented Aug. 2, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNDERWATER BREATHING MASK Max W. Taylor, Maplewood, Mo.

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views on the

lines

6--6 and 1-1, respectively, in Fig. 5.

My underwater breathin mask comprises a sheet-like body portion l of molded plastic or other flexible water and airproof material. The mask is formed on its outer face with a substantially centrally located hollow outstanding

nose covering portion

2 and has glass covered eye holes 3 located on opposite sides of the upper portion of said nose covering portion. The mask is also provided on each side, at about the level of the nose covering portion or

piece

2, with two laterally extending vertically spaced straps 4 and at the top with an upwardly extending

central strap

5. The side straps 4 are provided near their outer ends with suitable

snap fastener elements

6, and the

top strap

5 is provided adjacent to its free end with a suitable buckle 1.

The mask is provided immediately below the hollow nose piece Zwith a horizontal passageway B which opens upwardly through the bottom of said nose piece into the interior thereof through a pair of passageways 9 spaced apart longitudinally of said horizontal passageway. The

horizontal passageway

8 communicates at its opp ends with the upper portions of two depending collapsible rebreathing bags I!) formed on the front face of the body I of the mask at the lower corners thereof. These rebreathing bags or sacs II] are spaced apart on opposite sides of the vertical center line of the mask and extend downwardly a considerable distance below the level of the

horizontal cross passageway

8 and slightly above the latter on opposite sides of the

nose piece

2. The rebreathing bags in are provided at their lower ends with snap fastener elements H.

The mask is attached to the head of the wearer by placing the

nose piece

2 over the nose with the portion containing the

passageway

8 seating against the face between the nostrils and upper lip, extending the side straps 4 rearwardly on op posite sides of the head above and below the ears and securing said straps together at the back of the head by means of the

snap fastener elements

6. The

top strap

5 is extended rearwardly over the top of the head and secured to the two connected uppermost straps 4 by means of the buckle I carried by said top strap. The two rebreathing bags ID are drawn beneath the chin and their lower ends overlapped and secured together by means of the snap fastener elements II.

The mask comfortably fits the wearers face and conforms to the contour thereof and covers the nose but leaves the mouth entirely uncovered. The bottom of the nose receiving pocket in the

nose piece

2 extends below the nostrils and provides a breathing chamber therefor. The sides of the

nose piece

2 and the portion which is located immediately therebelow and contains the

horizontal passageway

8 forms a substantially triangular seal around the nose. The two passageways 9 in the lower end of the

nose piece

2 are located directly beneath the nostrils and provide continuous communication between the latter and the connecting

passageway

8 between the two collapsible rebreathing bags l0; and said bags are securely held against opposite sides of the face and beneath the chin by the lowermost straps 4 and the cooperating snap fastener elements l l which secure said bags together at their lower ends.

In use, the air in the pair of intercommunicating rebreathing bags [0 is first withdrawn therefrom through the

horizontal passageway

8, thence through the nostril passageways 9 in the lower portion of the

nose piece

2 and thence through the nostrils into the lungs and is then expelled through the mouth which is left uncovered by the mask. The lungs are then filled with air drawn in through the mouth, after which the head is submerged in the water and such air is breathed regularly through the nose into and out of the collapsible rebreathing bags Hi. When the oxygen in the rebreathed air is substantially consumed and the air becomes bad from the carbon dioxide taken from the body (which takes about a minute and a half) the head is raised above the surface of the water and the carbon dioxide laden air is drawn from the rebreathing bags through the nose into the lungs and expelled through the mouth. A supply of fresh air is then taken into the lungs through the mouth and respiration again continued under the water in the manner above described.

The above underwater breathing mask is simple and economical and can be quickly, easily and securely attached to the head of the wearer. The rebreathing bags Ill are firmly secured beneath the chin and are thus prevented from floating upwardly due to the buoyancy of the air. The combined capacity of the two rebreathing bags corresponds substantially to: the capacity of the lungs. The

cross connecting passageway

8 between the two rebreathing bags is disposed horizontally in both the erect and face-down positions of the head and thus facilitates the process of breathing under water, while the

nose piece

2 and the portion therebelow containing the

cross passageway

8 have sufficient rigidity to prevent portions from collapsing and interfering with the passage of air from the rebreathing bags to the:

8. The combination set forth in

claim

7 wherein continuous communication is provided between the two bags and the nose piece by a cross passageway extending from bag to bag just below the nose piece and by two passageways spaced apart longitudinally of said cross passageway and extending upwardly therefrom into the lower portion of said nose piece.

9. The combination set forth in

claim

7 wherein said mask securing means comprises side straps adapted to extend rearwardly around the head above and below the ears and a top strap adapted to extend rearwardly over the top of the head and to be secured to the uppermost side strap and means for fastening the lower ends of said bags together in overlapped relation beneath the chin.