International Safety Instruments, Inc.

Other

R David Lewis

Paul D Hiltman

Robert E Gray

David F Rowe, Jr

Craig Martin

Donald W Dawson

Victor Speck

Bruce A Hefner

A face mask for a self contained breathing apparatus has two pairs of straps fixed to the frame of the mask, the straps being fixed to a net or woven head piece. The straps at the top of the head piece are fixed with respect to the mask, and the bottom straps are adjustable to tighten the mask against the face of the user. The nose cup has ribs that receive legs of a mounting member for eyeglasses. The eyeglasses include frames, with support arms that are slidably fixable to the mounting member. The mounting member moves towards and away from the eyes of the user, and the support arms move up and down with respect to the nose cup, for full adjustability of the eyeglasses. The nose cup of the face mask is adjustable by either removing a portion at the chin and shortening the mask, or simply removing the portion to allow the user's chin to extend beyond the nose cup while still inside the face seal. The seal for the mask has a single thickness in the forehead area for greater comfort while wearing a helmet, and is smaller at the temples for a tighter seal at the temples where users are frequently smaller.

Face mask for self contained breathing apparatus

A backframe for a self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is formed of a molded shell having some depth, and a closure plate fixed to the shell to provide an enclosed volume. The molded shell with the closure plate yields a good weight-to-strength ratio, and provides a water- and dust-resistant enclosure for control components of the SCBA. A water-tight battery compartment is enclosed within the shell so the batteries are separated from other components. A low air pressure alarm provides an auditory signal, and may also include a tactile signal. A buddy breathing hose can be pulled from the backframe to provide a reasonable length tether; and, by connecting two such buddy breathing hoses, twice the length is provided.

Combination backframe and self contained breathing apparatus

A self contained breathing apparatus has a display of air pressure within the face mask in the field of vision of the user of the breathing apparatus. The display is four lights that indicate the four quarter-tanks of pressure, and the lights change to indicate the amount of air remaining. A transducer receives tank pressure and provides an electric signal. The air pressure is placed on a bourdon tube which rotates a disk in response to changes in pressure. One half of the disk includes a gradient, and a light source emits light through the gradient to be received by a light sensor. As the disk rotates, the gradient varies the amount of light received by the sensor, so the electrical output of the sensor varies.

Pressure display for self contained breathing apparatus

Scuba apparatus utilizes light-weight pressure vessels, or tanks, of relatively thin aluminum wrapped with fiber in a resin binder. Since such tanks are not approved for use in water, the tanks are enclosed within a water tight enclosure, and the enclosure in pressurized to exclude all water. A connection for filling the tanks extends through the enclosure, a burst disk is provided externally of the enclosure, and connections for the scuba mask and other accessories are provided. An automatically adjusting buoyancy control may be included within the enclosure in space not occupied by the tanks. A container fits within the void, and a flexible bladder is within the container. Water can be allowed to flow into the bladder, and air under pressure fills the balance of the container and balances ambient pressure. The size of the container cannot change, and the amount of water remains fixed, so the buoyancy remains fixed.

Light weight scuba with buoyancy control

A holder for a personal alert safety system (PASS) has a bracket to receive the PASS, and a housing connected to the bracket. An additional activation switch is installed in the PASS, the additional switch being magnetically operable. The housing is connected to the air line of a self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). A piston or diaphragm is urged in one direction by air pressure, and is urged in the opposite direction by a spring in the absence of air under pressure. When the piston is moved in the one direction, a magnet is disposed adjacent to the additional switch, and when the piston is moved in the opposite direction by the spring, the magnet is removed from adjacent to the additional switch so the PASS is automatically activated by the presence of air pressure in an activated SCBA. The PASS can be used without the SCBA and can be activated manually as is conventional, either attached to or removed from the SCBA.

Dual activation alarm system

A self contained braathing apparatus (SCBA) has a fill valve for filling the air tank while a user is wearing the SCBA. An SCBA conventionally has a pressure gauge or other apparatus on a hose that extends around generally to the front of the user, and this apparatus is provided with a quick disconnect valve as a tank fill valve. Such appratus must include a flow limiting orifice, and the present invention includes a check valve in parallel with the orifice so a substantial air flow can be obtained in one direction while the flow in the opposite direction is limited to the safety-mandated small flow.

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Auburn, GA, United States of America

R David Lewis