US3221932A

US3221932A - Inflating device for flotation gear

Info

Publication number: US3221932A
Application number: US185098A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gustaf A Anderson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-04-04
Filing date: 1962-04-04
Publication date: 1965-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1982-12-07

Description

Dec. 7, 1965 G. A. ANDERSON INFLATING DEVICE FOR FLOTATION GEAR Filed April 4, 1962 l l l 2 Sheets-She eil \ /wml 20 1 ll k R /A/l/ENTo/z @usr/1F A. AA/DE/aso/v Arroz/Jens /40 /zab 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /M/EA/Toz GUSTAF A. AA/Dszso/J 770,40, Kde/mma, Hai/@www4 Wgu.

Armen/5v5 G A ANDERSON INFLATING DEVICE FOR FLOTATION GEAR Dec. 7, 1965 Flled Aprll 4 1962 United States Patent O 3,221,932 INFLATNG DEVICE FR FLGTATION GEAR Gustaf A. Anderson, 3333 Pachappa Drive, Riverside, Calif. Filed Apr. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 185,098 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-5) This invention relates to an inllating device for inflating flotation gear such as life preservers, life rafts and the like, and more particularly it relates to an inilating device of the type that is automatically actuated upon being immersed in water.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved inilating device of the type having a cartridge or container of inllating fluid under pressure and provided with a water soluble pellet or plug which dissolves when the device is immersed in water and thus allows the inilation iluid to escape from the cartridge and inllate a life preserver, life raft or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved inllating device which is simple in operation, economical in construction and relatively small in size.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved inating device which utilizes the pressure of the intlating lluid to operate a piston valve to release the fluid when the water soluble pellet dissolves.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved intlating device in which the cartridge containing the inflating fluid can be easily and simply replaced and the device can be used again after such replacement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved inilating device which can be constructed mainly of plastic material and does not require operating parts to be held to close dimensional tolerances yet still prevents the inilating fluid from gradually leaking out if the device is not used for a long period of time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved inflating device of the type described in the previous paragraph in which the inilating fluid cannot escape to the atmosphere when the device is actuated but is directed entirely into the article to be inflated.

The `foregoing' and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing an inilating device having a cylinder with a port in the side wall and a cartridge containing inilating lluid under pressures positioned adjacent one end of the cylinder. Means are provided in the cylinder for puncturing the cartridge to allow the fluid to be released into said cylinder. A piston is provided in the cylinder and is movable therein between a port closing and a port opening position. A soluble pellet is provided in the `cylinder to normally maintain the piston in a port closing position and passageways are provided in the cylinder to permit the entry of water to dissolve the pellet and allow the piston to be moved to a port opening position by the pressure of the iluid in the cartridge.

For better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of an inllating device as characterized by the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the inilating device taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the operating parts of the device in one of their operating positions;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the upper end of the inilating device taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1 and showing the operating parts in another of their operating positions;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the inilating device of FIG. l showing the individual parts;

ice

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5 5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken -along line 6-6 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional View of another embodiment of an inllating device as characterized by the features of the present invention.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIGS. l to 6 of the drawings, there is illustrated an inflating device 10 `which is connected to a life preserver, life raft or the like 12 by means of a duct or tube 14. The life preserver 12 is preferably constructed of rubber, plastic or other material which can be folded into a small space and is adapted to be intl-ated with fluid to provide flotation support for the wearer or occupant in water.

The inflating device .10 is provided with a generally cylindrical body 16 having external threads 16a at the upper end thereof and external threads 16b at the lower end thereof. The body 16 is provided with a central axial bore 18 having a cylindrical upper portion which defines a cylinder or piston chamber 2t). The lower end of the -bore 1S is provided with an enlarged and internally threaded section 22 in order to accommodate a threaded plug 24.

The plug 24 is generally cylindrical in form and the upper portion thereof is provided with an annular recess for accommodating an O-ring 27 which seats against a shoulder formed between the cylinder 20 and the threaded section 22 to provide a seal therebetween. The lower face of the plug 24 is provided with an axially positioned, downwardly depending conically shaped point or spike 26. The plug 24 is also provided with a central bore 23 the upper end of which communicates with the cylinder 20 and the lower end of which emerges. on the conical side of the spike 26 above the lower point thereof. A washer shaped gasket 30 is also provided on the lower llat surface of the plug 24 to provide a seal between the plug and the top end of an inilating iluid containing cartridge 32. The cartridge 32 is preferably of the type commercially available having metal walls and containing fluid such as CO2 under a high pressure.

The cartridge 32 is positioned in a lower cap 34 which is provided with internal threads adjacent its upper end for engaging the threads 16b of the body. A gasket 36 is provided for sealing between the upper end of the lower cap 34 and a shoulder defined on the -body 16 adjacent the upper end of the threads 16h. The cartridge 32 is llrst placed in the lower cap 34 and the `cap is then threaded on the threads 16b of the body until the spike 26 punctures the top surface of the cartridge allowing the iluid therein to enter the cylinder 2t) through the bore 2S in the plug 24. The fluid is prevented from escaping into the lower portion of the body 16 and then to the atmosphere by the

gaskets

30 and 36.

There is provided in the cylinder 20 a slidable piston 38 having two annular grooves defined therein which contain O-

rings

40 and 42. Thus, when the spike 26 punctures the cartridge 32 the fluid released into the cylinder 20 exerts a force on the lower end of the piston 38 tending to force it upward. The iluid is prevented from escaping around the Walls of the piston 38 by the O-rings 4@ and 42. The upper end of the piston 38 is provided with a pair of radial grooves 44. A port 46 is provided in the wall of the cylinder 2t) to communicate with the duct 14. It should be noted that the location of the port 46 is positioned between the O-

rings

40 and 42 when the piston 38 is in the closed position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Thus, the O-ring 4i) prevents any inilating fluid from the cartridge from entering the port 46 until the piston 38 is moved upwardly by the force of the fluid to the position shown in FIG. 3.

The piston 38 is prevented from upward movement under the force of the fluid pressure by means of a water soluble pellet 43 and an upper cap 50. The upper cap 50 is threaded onto the threads 16a of the body 16 and defines a space or water chamber 52 for accommodating the pellet 4S. Ports 54 are provided in the end and side walls of the upper cap 5d in order that water may enter the chamber 52 and dissolve the pellet 48 when the device is immersed in water. The grooves 44 in the upper end of the piston 38 are provided so that the water can easily move from one side of the chamber 52 to the other and thus effect a rapid dissolution of the pellet 4,8 when the device is immersed in water. The O-ring 42 prevents any water from passing from the chamber 52 through the cylinder 50 and port 46 into the life preserver 12.

In order to assemble the inllating device 10, the plug 24 with the O-ring 27 and gasket 30 thereon is threaded into the threaded section 22 at the lower end of the body 16. The piston 3S with the O-rings 4.0. and 42 is then inserted into the cylinder 20 from the top end of the body 16. It is to be understood that the body 16 and piston 3S can be constructed of plastic or the like and that the dimensional tolerances of the piston 38 and cylinder 2) do not have to be precisely controlled since the O-

rings

40 and 42 are slightly larger in external diameter than the internal diameter of the cylinder 20 and thus will be under compression when the piston 38` is inserted in the cylinder electuating a fluid tight seal therebetween without requiring accurate machining of the interfitting surfaces. Moreover, it has been found that O-ring seals of this type provide very good sealing characteristics, while still allowing the piston to move readily within the cylinder under the effect lof the fluid pressure on the end of the piston.

The soluble pellet 48 is then placed on the upper end of the piston 38 and the upper cap 50 is threaded onto the body 16 and thus the piston 38 is prevented from moving upwardly from its position shown in FIG. 2 until the pellet 48 is dissolved. The cartridge 32 in then placed in the lower cap 34 in the postion shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the cap 34 is threaded onto the threads 16b at the lower end of the body 16. As the cartridge 32 is moved upwardly during this threading operation the spike 26 punctures the top end of the cartridge 32 thus allowing the inflation fluid such as compressed CO2 or the like to enter the cylinder 20 through the bore 28 and exert its pressure on the lower end of the piston 38. The piston 38 cannot move upward under this pressure because of the pellet 48 and upper cap 50 and the inflating fluid cannot escape into the port` 46 or out the top of the cylinder 20 because of the sealing action of the O-

rings

40 and 42. Also, the fluid pressure on the O- ring 40 further tends to compress the O-ring thus providing a tighter seal between the piston 38 and cylinder 20.

The inflating device 10, thus assembled, is now ready for use when attached to a life preserver or the like 12 through the tube 14. When the device is now immersed in water and inflation of the preserver is thus desired, water will enter the water chamber 52 through the ports S4 in the upper cap 50 causing the water soluble pellet 48 to dissolve, thus allowing the fluid pressure -on the bottom end of the piston 38 to move the piston upward to the position shown in FIG. 3. This upward movement of the piston 38 allows the inflating fluid from the cartridge 32 to enter the port 46 and tube 14 ind inflate the life preserver. The inflation fluid cannot escape out the top of the cylinder 20 because of the O-

rings

40 and 42 on the piston 38 which is prevented from further upward movement because of the top of the upper cap 50. Likewise, water in the chamber 52 cannot enter the port 46 because of the sealing action of the O-

rings

40 and 42.

lf, after the device has been actuated it is desired to reuse the apparatus, the upper cap 50 is unscrewed allowing the piston 38 to move upwardly out of the cylinder 20 thus allowing the inflation fluid to escape and the life preserver to be folded back into a small package, ready 4 for reinflaton. The piston 33 is then reinserted into the cylinder Ztl and a new soluble pellet 48 is placed on top thereof and the upper cap Sil is screwed in place as before described. The lower cap 34 is then unscrewed from the body and the spent cartridge 32 is replaced with a fresh cartridge and the lower cap is then assembled as before described and the device is ready for use again.

Thus, the present invention provides a new and improved automatic inflating device for life preservers, life rafts, and the like which is simple, dependable and economical in construction and operation and one which can utilize commercially available compressed fluid cartridges and can be utilized over and over again by simply replacing the old cartridge and providing another soluble pellet.

The novel construction of the piston, cylinder and O- rings provide for a fast actuating mechanism which is' trouble free and will not allow the inflating fluid toI escape even though the device may not be used for years from the date of assembly. Moreover, because of the simple construction of these parts close dimensional tolerances and/ or machining of them is not required and thus the device can be mass produced very economically and material such as plastic and the like which are impervious to water can be utilized rather than steel or other metals which are more costly to work and are susceptible to corrosion and rust.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is illustrated another embodiment of an inflating device 11() as characterized by the features of the present invention. The device is adapted to be connected to an inflatable life preserver, life raft or the like 112 by a duct or tube 1 14 which cornmunicates between the interior of the life preserver and the inflating device.

The device 110 is provided with a cylinder or piston chamber which may be formed of a plastic tube and which is provided with a flared lower end 12 0a in order to accommodate the upper end of an inflating fluid containing cartridge 132 which may be of the type previously described. A housing 134 is provided to contain the various parts of the assembly and the lower end thereof is closed and shaped to closely .accommodate the lower end of the cartridge 132 which is inserted in the housing from the top thereof. A port 134:: is provided in the upper side wall of the housing to accommodate the tube 114 which is inserted therethrough. A port 1.46 is provided in the wall of the cylinder 120 which is in axial alignment and in communication with the tube 114. A circular recess 120a is provided in the outer wall of the cylinder 120 in axial alignment with the port 146 to accommodate the end of the tube 114.

In assembling the device, the cartridge 132 is first placed in the top end of the housing 134 and then forced downward until the rounded bottoms of these two parts abut. Next the cyilnder 120 is placed in the housing with the lower ilared end portion -120a fitting over the top portion of the cartridge 132. The tube 114 is then inserted through the opening 134b in the housing and is moved inwardly until the inner end of thetube is seated in the circular recess 120a in the outer wall of the cylinder 120. A filler material such as plastic is then forced into the: housing until the top of the filler material reaches the approximate level of the top of the cylinder 120. The filler material 125 is then allowed to set or harden and thus secure the tube 114, cylinder 120 and cartridge 132 in the proper intertting relation as shown in FIG. 7.

When the filler 125 is thus hardened it provides a seal between the cartridge 132 and the cylinder 120 so that no inllating lluid can escape from the top of the cartridge 132 to the interior of the lower portion of the housing when the cartridge is punctured. The filler 125 also secures the tube 114 in the proper position and seals the opening 13411 around the tube as well as preventing any inflating fluid in the cylinder 120 from escaping from around the recess 12de in the wall.

A piston 138 is slidably mounted in the cylinder 120. The piston 138 is provided on its lower end with a downwardly depending, axially aligned, conically shaped spike 126 which is adapted to puncture the top end of the cartridge 132 when the piston 138 is moved downwardly. The piston 138 may also be provided with three annular recesses the upper and lower of which are adapted to contain the O-

rings

142 and 140 respectively. A middle recess on the piston 138 is positioned to align with the port 146 in the cylinder 120 when the piston is in its lowermost position as shown in FIG. 7.

After the tiller 125 has hardened as previously described, the piston 138 is inserted in the cylinder l12.6 and forced downwardly until the spike 126 pierces the top of the cartridge 132, a key 133 is inserted through the tube 114 and port 146 so that the end of the key engages the middle annular recess in the piston 138 preventing the inating fluid pressure from moving the piston upwardly and allowing the fluid to escape. When the piston 138 is held in its lower position as shown in FIG. 7 any fluid from the cartridge 132 that escapes through a pierced hole in the top thereof cannot escape past the lower O-ring 140 which acts as a seal.

The top end of the housing 134 extends upwardly above the upper end of the cylinder 120 and filler 125 in order to provide a water chamber 152 for containing a water soluble pellet 148. The side walls of the chamber 152 are provided with ports 154 so that water may enter the chamber when the device is immersed. The upper end of the piston 138 may be provided with radial grooves 144 for allowing water to move more freely within the chamber in order to eifect a rapid dissolution of the pellet 148 upon immersion of the device.

The upper end of the housing 134 is closed with a disclike upper cap 150 which is provided with a plurality of ports 154 in order that water may enter from the top to dissolve the pellet 148. The upper cap 150 is seated upon a shoulder 134a which is annular in shape and formed on the inner walls of the housing 134 adjacent the upper end. After the piston 13S is moved downwardly and secured in that position with the key 133 as previously described, the pellet 148 is placed within the housing on the upper end of the piston 138. The top cap 150 is then placed in the end of the housing 134 on the shoulder 134@ and the upper ends of the housing are crimped over the top peripheral edge of the top cap 150 to secure it in place. The key 133 can then be removed from the tube 114 and the piston 138 will remain in its lower position as shown in FIG. 7 since it cannot move upwardly because of the pellet 148 and top cap 150. The device 110 is now ready for operation and is connected to the desired life preserver.

When water enters the chamber 152 upon immersion of the device 110, the pellet 148 is dissolved allowing the pressure of the inflating uid in the cartridge 132 to force the piston 138 upward until the top end thereof abuts the top cap 150. With the piston in this position the intlating uid from the cartridge 132 enters the life preserver 112 through the cylinder 128, port 146 and tube 114 causing the preserver to inflate. The inating fluid cannot escape into the water chamber 152 because the O-ring 140 is seated against the portion of the wall of the cylinder 120 which is above the port 146. Likewise water cannot enter into the lower portion of the cylinder 120 because of the sealing action of the O-ring 148.

It is to be noted that by use of the ller 125 and by crimping over the upper end of the housing 134 to secure the cap 150 in place that no threaded parts are needed in the assembly of the device 110. For this reason and others it can be readily seen that the device 110 can be readily mass produced at a very low cost and, consequently, the item can be expendable after use because of the low cost. The device 110 is simple, reliable and can be kept for a long period of time before use without deterioration of the inating fluid supply because of the novel construction of the piston and cylinder assembly.

While the present invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. It is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An inliating device for life preservers and other inflatable apparatus comprising a cylinder provided with a port in its side wall, a cartridge containing inating fluid under pressure having one end thereof extending into one end of said cylinder, means in said cylinder for puncturing said cartridge to release said Huid into said cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder to close and open said port, and water soluble pellet means in said cylinder for normally maintaining said piston in a port closing position, said cylinder being provided with passageways to provide for the entry of water to dissolve said pellet means and permit said piston to be moved in said cylinder by the pressure of said fluid to a port opening position.

2. An inilating device for life preservers and other inilatable apparatus comprising a cylinder provided with a port in its side wall, a cartridge containing intiating iiuid under pressure having one end thereof extending into one end of said cylinder, means in said cylinder for puncturing said cartridge to release said fluid in said cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder to open and close said port, water soluble pellet means in said cylinder for normally maintaining said piston in a port closing position, said cylinder provided with passageways to permit water to enter the cylinder to dissolve said pellet means and allow said piston to be moved to a port opening position by the pressure of said fluid, and sealing means interposed between said piston and cylinder for preventing water from said passageways from entering said port and for preventing said fluid from entering said port when said piston .is in a port closing position.

3. An inating device for life preservers and other inflatable apparatus as provided in claim 2 wherein said first-mentioned means comprises a pointed spike integrally formed on said piston.

4. An iniiating device for life preservers and other inflatable apparatus as provided in claim 2 where said first-mentioned means comprises a plug threadedly engaged in said one end of said cylinder, said plug being provided with a pointed spike depending from its outer face and with a passageway through said plug having its outer end terminating in said spike adjacent its point.

5. An iniiating device for life preservers and other inflatable devices comprising a housing having one end thereof closed, a cartridge containing intlating luid under pressure positioned in said housing adjacent the closed end thereof, a cylinder in said housing having one end adjacent one end of said cartridge and having a port defined in its side wall, a tube extending through said housing and communicating with said port, a piston in said cylinder movable to a port closing and port opening position, said piston including puncturing means for puncturing said cartridge to release said fluid in said cylinder, a water soluble pellet in said housing for normally maintaininf7 said piston in a port closing position, cap means secured adjacent the other end of said housing forming a chamber for retaining said pellet in said housing, said chamber being provided with passageways to permit water to enter the cylinder to dissolve said pellet and allow said piston to be moved to a port opening position by the pressure of said fluid, and sealing means interposed between said piston and said cylinder for preventing water from said chamber from entering said port and for preventing said fluid from entering said port when said piston is in a port closing position.

6. An initiating device for life preservers and other inflatable devices comprising a body having threaded end sections, a cylinder defined in said body having a port in its side wall, a cartridge containing inflating fluid under pressure positioned at one end of said cylinder, cap means threadedly engaged `to one of the threaded end sections of said ybody for housing said cartridge, means for puncturing said cartridge to release said fluid into said cylinder comprising a plug threadedly engaged in said cylinder adjacent said cartridge, said plug having a pointed spike and a bore therethrough, one end of said bore terminating in said spike, a piston movable in said cylinder to a port closing and a port opening position, water soluble pellet means adjacent one end of said piston for movably maintaining said piston in a port closing position, second cap means threadedly engaged to the other threaded end section of said body, said second cap means defining chamber means for housing said pellet means and maintaining said pellet means adjacent said piston, said chamber means being provided with passageways to permit the entry of water to dissolve said pellet and permit said piston to be moved to a port opening position by said uid pressure, and sealing means interposed between said piston and said cylinder for preventing water in said chamber means from entering said port and for preventing said fluid from entering said port when said piston is in a port closing position.

7. An inating device for life preservers and other inflatable apparatus comprising a cylinder provided with a port in its side wall, a cartridge containing intiating Huid under pressure having one end thereof extending into 8 one end of said cylinder, means in said cylinder for puncturing said cartridge to release said tluid in said cylinder, a piston movable in said cylinder to open and close said port, water soluble pellet means in said cylinder for normally maintaining said piston in a port closing position, said cylinder provided with passageways to permit water to enter the cylinder to dissolve said pellet means and allow said piston to be moved to a port opening position by the pressure of said uid, and sealing means including at least one O-ring seal interposed between said piston and cylinder for preventing water from said passageways from entering said port and for preventing said fluid from entering said port when said piston is in a port closing position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,701,886 2/1955 IVie 222-5 X 2,819,820 1/l958 Allen 222-5 FOREIGN PATENTS 792,381 3/1958 Great Britain. 1,234,160 5/ 1960 Great Britain.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, EVERETT W. KIRBY,

Examiners.

Claims

1. AN INFLATING DEVICE FOR LIFE PRESERVES AND OTHER INFLATABLE APPARATUS COMPRISING A CYLINDER PROVIDED WITH A PORT IN ITS SIDE WALL, A CARTRIDGE CONTAINING INFLATING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE HAVING ONE END THEREOF EXTENDING INTO ONE END OF SAID CYLINDER, MEANS IN SAID CYLINDER FOR PUNCTURING SAID CARTRIDGE TO RELEASE SAID FLUID INTO SAID CYLINDER, A PISTON MOVABLE IN SAID CYLINDER TO CLOSE AND OPEN SAID PORT, AND WATER SOLUBLE PELLET MEANS IN SAID CYLINDER FOR NORMALLY MAINTAINING SAID PISTON IN A PORT CLOSING POSITION, SAID CYLINDER BEING PROVIDED WITH PASSAGEWAYS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ENTRY OF WATER TO DISSOLVE SAID PELLET MEANS AND PERMIT SAID PISTON TO BE MOVED IN SAID CYLINDER BY THE PRESSURE OF SAID FLUID TO A PORT OPENING POSITION.