Connector For Diver's Helmet

Abstract

A ring is fitted over the neck of a diver's suit, and the rubber suit of the diver is connected to the bottom part with a watertight joint, and a removable helmet is disposed on the upper part of the ring with a watertight joint. A band of V-shaped cross section holds the helmet to the ring, and a manually operated latch mechanism tightens the band to hold the helmet to the neck ring or loosens the band for removal of the helmet. The latch has over-the-center locking, and in addition, has a double safety catch to keep it from being accidentally opened if the latch is subjected to blows or strikes equipment under water.

Description

This invention relates to removable helmets for underwater diving and has particular reference to a neck ring for a diving helmet having a manually operable latch and a band that is tightened or loosened by the band assembly to hold or release the helmet and attain a watertight seal.

The demands of deep water diving have resulted in diving bells located on the bottom of the ocean or other body of water. These bells provide a place for rest and recuperation for the diver without the necessity of going through the long decompression ascent, frequently hours in length, before obtaining rest and recuperation at the surface. The bells are large enough to accommodate one or more men, and the bells are filled with air or breathable gas at a pressure the same as that of the water. They have an exit hatch in the bottom open to the water through which the diver enters and leaves the bell. The diver frequently is tired and cold from working at depth and must remove his diving suit in order to rest and warm up in the bell before returning to work.

Traditionally the "hard hat" diver has had to have a tender, a helper to assist him in getting into his diving suit and getting out of his suit. The former hard hats for divers were usually made of brass or bronze and were integral with a heavy breastplate. These devices frequently weighed up to 100 pounds, and the diver was not physically able, unassisted, to remove this heavy weight. In addition, the traditional "hard hat" suit has been extremely bulky, requiring very large exit hatches in bells to permit the entry and departure of a diver with such a suit.

The diving bell and other demands of diving have resulted in lightweight helmets of small size. These are preferably removable from the diving suit and are so light in weight that the diver can easily handle them. To eliminate the need of a tender in the diving bell, the helmets should be removable by the diver himself without outside assistance.

To meet these demands of the diving industry, I have devised a connector mechanism that the diver himself can operate to fasten his helmet to his diving suit with a watertight joint, or remove the helmet. My connector mechanism includes a neck ring secured to the diving suit with a watertight joint. A common type of diving suit is made of thin rubber and has a tubular entry opening in the front which can be tied off like a bag to seal the opening whereupon the entry is tucked inside the suit to get it out of the way. By the use of my connector mechanism the diver can quickly remove the helmet, open the tubular entry and step out of the suit, all unaided. In a reverse action he can quickly dress himself unassisted.

It is, therefore, a general object of my invention to provide an improved mechanism for attaching and removing a helmet to and from a diving suit.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent in the following description and claims considered together with the accompanying drawings forming an integral part of the disclosure in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a diver having a diving suit and a diver's helmet connected together by a connector embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through a part of the neck of the suit, the helmet, and the connector of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the fragmentary structure shown in cross section in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the neck ring of FIG. 1 with the helmet removed.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the connector mechanism of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top view of the mechanism of FIG. 4 on a reduced scale, showing the latch in an opened position with parts of the latch separated.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top view of the mechanism of FIG. 4 on a reduced scale with parts of the latch connected, but prior to tightening the swinging latch.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through the neck portion of a modified form of the invention, wherein projections pass through a circumferential band.

FIG. 9 is a modified form of the invention wherein the neck of a diver's suit is removably clamped to a neck ring.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a diver having a diving suit 10 and a removable helmet 11 located thereon, which is connected or disconnected to the suit 10 by means of a connector mechanism 12 embodying the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the connector mechanism 12 includes a swinging latch handle 26, a double safety catch member 27, a latch claw 28, and an adjustable projection member 29.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated the helmet 11 having an external band or helmet ring 13 securely fastened to the helmet by epoxy resin or other suitable cement. The band 13 has a radially projecting flange 14, which can be referred to as a radial neck projection structure. The bottom part of band 13 telescopes within a neck ring 16 provided particularly in accordance with the invention, and which has an outwardly projecting radial flange 17. The two radial flanges 14 and 17 are held together by a circumferential band 18 having a U-shaped or V-shaped cross section, whereby tightening the band exerts a wedging action on the flanges to pull them closer together. An O-ring 21 is disposed in a suitable groove in the helmet ring 13 and seals the joint between the helmet ring 13 and the neck ring 16. The diver's suit 10 is connected to the lower part of the neck ring 16 by means of an external band 19 which may be tightened in any suitable manner and is usually permanently affixed for any particular suit.

The neck ring flange 17, which cooperates with the lower part of the V-shaped cross section of band 18, constitutes a means for holding the band to the ring 16 against longitudinal movement but permitting radial movement of the band. Obviously other structure such as links can be used to hold the band to the ring 16, but the flange is a simple and reliable structure.

Shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is a bayonet joint which is incidental to the main connector mechanism but which has been found to be highly desirable for use with it, since it adds a safety measure, preventing the accidental removal of the helmet should the clamping device be accidentally opened. Accordingly, a bayonet groove 23 may be cut in the bottom edge of the helmet ring 13 and the adjoining parts of the helmet 11, and an inwardly projecting pin 22 may be secured to the inner side of the neck ring 16. The ring 16 is preferably round to permit sufficient rotation of the helmet ring 13 on the neck ring 16 to effect the locking of this bayonet joint. After the bayonet joint has been secured, as shown in FIG. 3, the diver then proceeds to operate the latch mechanism 26 and 28 of FIG. 1 to cause the V-shaped band 18 to wedge against the radial flanges 14 and 17 to securely connect the helmet to the diver's suit and cause a watertight seal between the flanges, through the compression of the O-ring 21.

Referring to FIGS. 4 through 7, I prefer to make the band 18 of two separate pieces 18 and 18a hinged together by a bolt 31. This bolt or pin 31 may be secured to a projecting plate 30 secured to the neck ring 16. Inclined external members 32 connected to the band parts 18 form a hinge with the bolt 31. The open ends of the band 18 are identified by the numeral 20, and it is these bands that are pulled together by the latch mechanism to tighten the band 18, or are allowed to move apart by opening the latch to loosen the bands so that the helmet may be removed from the neck ring 16. I prefer to make the latch mechanism of the over-the-center locking type, and accordingly I have illustrated a modified trunk latch, inasmuch as these are by definition self-locking on the over-the-center principle.

Illustrated best in FIGS. 6 and 7, connected to band half 18, is a radially projecting fin 33 to which the latch handle 26 is pivoted at 34. The claw 28, in turn, is pivoted to the latch handle 26 at 36. The claw 28 has a right-hand box end which has a slot 37 to receive the threaded stem 29 of the latch projection. The actual projection is a ball 38 formed on the inner end of the threaded stem 29. The stem 29 is threaded into a block 39 secured to a radial fin 41 on the band half 18a. A lock nut 42 holds the stem 29 at any selected length.

Illustrated best in FIGS. 4 and 7 is the double acting catch mechanism 27 which provides a great element of safety against the latch handle 26 being accidentally struck and the latch coming open. A block of metal 43 is secured to the outer edge of band half 18 and projects through an aperture 44 in the handle 26 when it is in closed position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. This block 43 is bored lengthwise and a pair of sliding bolts 46 are disposed on each end, and are urged apart by a compression spring 47. The bolts 46 are held within the bore by knurled cap screws 48, the shank of which passes through slots 49 in the outer surface of block 43. When the handle is moved clockwise to close down over the double catch 27, the beveled ends of the bolts 46 cause the bolts to be pressed inwardly against the compression of spring 47, and after the handle 26 is in place as shown in FIG. 4, then the bolts snap outwardly to lock the handle 26 in the closed position, as shown.

The safety aspect of the double catch 27 will be appreciated by viewing FIG. 4. There a generally vertical blow delivered to the mechanism might simultaneously move the upper cap screw 48 downwardly and strike the end of handle 26 to tend to open the latch. However, the lower bolt 46 will be operative to hold the latch in its closed position illustrated. Therefore, no single blow from a single direction can accidentally open the latch and disconnect the diver's helmet. In order to get the latch open it is necessary for the diver to pull both capscrews 48 towards each other, retracting both bolts 46 so that the handle 26 may be moved outwardly with the other hand of the diver.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, guides are provided for holding the ends 20 of the band 18 in place when the latch is open. Triangular plates 51 are welded or otherwise formed on the neck ring 16, and in FIG. 5 it will be noted that these are lower at their outer ends than at the adjacent ends. Curved slots 52 are formed in each triangular plate defining an arc about the rear pivot pin 31 for the band halves 18 and 18a. Projecting downwardly from the left-hand band plate 33 (as viewed in FIGS. 4 through 6) and the right-hand band plate 41 are pins 53 that pass through the curved slots 52. Grooves near the bottom end of the pins 53 may retain snaprings or washers 54 that prevent upward movement of the pins hence the ring halves 18 and 18a to which they are indirectly connected. The slots 52 define the maximum distance that the ends 20 can move apart, and this is determined by the spreading necessary at the region of band pivot 31 so that the U-shaped bands 18 and 18a will clear the neck flange 14 and allow removal of the helmet or its placement on the neck ring 16. This maximum spread is greater than the latch span, and the two ends 20 are manually pulled together to engage the latch ball 38 in the latch claw 28.

OPERATION

The operation of the mechanism of FIGS. 1 through 7 is as follows:

When not in use, the diver's suit and helmet are separate. The suit 10 is attached to the neck ring 16, as illustrated in FIG. 2, before the suit is used.

The diver climbs into the suit through the opening normally constructed in the breast portion of it, and his head then projects above the neck ring 16 connected to the suit. The diver next picks up his helmet, places it over his head upon the neck ring 16, and then rotates it until the pins (FIG. 2 and 3) 22 fit within the bayonet slot 23, and then rotates it until the bayonet locking is completed. The diver next pulls the band ends 20 together, grasps the claw 28 with one hand, and the latch handle 26 with the other, and rotates the latch handle 26 counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 4 through 7. This disposes the claw 28 to the right until it fits over the ball 38, whereupon the diver then rotates the handle 26 in a clockwise direction. The handle pivoting around pin 34 pulls the claw 28 to the left, drawing the band ends 20 toward each other. As the handle 26 approaches the band 18, it encounters the bolts 46 urged outwardly by the compression spring 47 in the safety catch 27. Continued clockwise movement causes the bolts 46 to be pressed inwardly of their bore on account of their inclined surfaces. The handle then passes over the double catch 27, and as it passes the bolts 46, they spring outwardly, because of the compression of spring 47, and lock the handle 26 in the position illustrated in FIG. 4.

The effect of closing the latch mechanism on the band 18 is best illustrated in FIG. 2. There it will be noted that the U-shaped band 18 engages the radial flanges 14 and 17 on the helmet ring 13 and the neck ring 16 respectively. The latch forces band 18 radially towards the center and causes these two flanges to move toward each other, compressing the O-ring seal 21 which makes a watertight joint.

To unlock the latch the diver with one hand grasps the two knurled cap screws 48 on the safety catch 27 and retracts the bolts 46 by moving these two cap screws toward each other. The handle 26 is then free to move outwardly, or in a counterclockwise direction, and when it assumes the position shown in FIG. 6, it will release the ball 38 from the claw 28, whereupon the two ends 20 of the band 18 are separated and can manually be pulled farther apart until they reach the ends of their guide slots 52. The helmet is then free of the band 18, and the diver can then grasp the helmet, rotate it slightly, to dispose the bayonet pin 22 at the vertical portion of the bayonet slot 23 (FIG. 3), whereupon the helmet can be lifted upwardly off of the neck ring.

MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION

I presently prefer to fabricate the neck ring 16, the helmet ring 13, and the various parts of the latch from stainless steel or other noncorrosive material, inasmuch as the principal use for diving equipment at present is in the salt water diving. Various constructions of helmet may be used with this neck ring connector, and plastic helmets reinforced with fiber glass have been successfully employed. Rubber diving suits of sheet rubber are commonly employed and have been used with the neck ring of the invention.

MODIFICATIONS

Illustrated in FIG. 8 are fragments of a helmet 61, secured to a helmet ring 62, having radial spokes 63 projecting from it. An annular groove 64 on the bottom edge of the neck ring 62 holds an O-ring seal 66. A neck ring 67 has radially projecting spokes 68 formed thereon, and a diver's suit 69 may be connected by a band 71 to this neck ring 67. The helmet ring 62 and the neck ring 67 are held together by a circumferential band 73 having slots 74 in the top to engage the ring spokes 63 and slots 76 in the bottom to engage the neck ring spokes 68. It will be noted that the opposite faces of the two spokes 63 and 68 are tapered, so that tightening of the band 73, that is movement towards the radial center, will pull these two spokes 63 and 68 toward each other, and in turn, pull their respective rings 62 and 67 together. A suitable latch, such as that described, can be used to tighten or release the band 73.

Referring to FIG. 9, there is illustrated a construction wherein a single band secures the suit to a neck ring, as well as securing the helmet to the neck ring. There is illustrated a diver's suit 80, having a cylindrical neck portion 81 inside of which is inserted a neck ring 82 secured to a diver's helmet 83. A circumferential band 84 passes on the outside of the suit neck 81 and is tightened in any suitable manner, as by the latch of FIG. 4, and this, in turn, makes a watertight seal between the suit and the neck ring 82. The helmet 83 has a watertight seal to this neck ring 82 by virtue of its fabrication in the use of epoxy cement or other high strength adhesive.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the connector of the invention uses a minimum of space with respect to a radial dimension from the helmet, that is, as viewed in FIG. 4. This small size results in no more space being used than the helmet itself occupies when moving in a passage, for example, when moving through the porthole in the bottom of a bell. The mechanism is simple, quickly actuated, and reliable, and the safety catch insures against unwanted opening of the band under water. Even if the latch 26 were operated under water, the helmet would not come off the diving suit because of the bayonet joint.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that the weight of the helmet and neck ring can be born on a suitable padded breastplate which the diver wears underneath his diving suit. The advantages of the lightweight connector of the invention and the lightweight helmet are numerous. The bulk and weight are so reduced that the diver is given considerably more agility and is able to move in the same fashion as a skin diver, moving by the use of feet fins. Usually the diver is connected by his gas hoses to the diving bell where the supply of breathable mixture is normally kept, usually helium and oxygen. The ability of the diver to dress and undress himself in the diving bell is of great importance, inasmuch as work at great depths, for example, in the manipulation of oil well apparatus at the bottom of the ocean's floor, is very expensive. If an attendant had to be present in the diver's bell, this would greatly increase the labor required for this diving work.

The neck ring can be used not only with the dry suit of divers, but can also be used with a wet suit, that is a suit wherein the water is allowed to come between the suit and the diver. In this case, a boot is tucked around the neck of the diver so that air cannot escape when he works upside down, and consequently water cannot enter and fill his diving helmet. In other words, the bottom edge of the ring is sealed to a boot rather than a full suit. The helmet is buoyant under water and suitable straps to the arm pits or crotch will retain the helmet in place.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications could be made in the illustrated apparatus. The presently preferred embodiment is illustrated as required by the present rules and laws, and all modifications and variations that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention are included in the following claims:

Claims

I claim:

1. A diver's enclosure comprising:

a. a removable helmet having a neck opening;

b. a diver's suit having a neck opening;

c. a helmet ring secured to the helmet at the neck opening and having outwardly projecting structure;

d. a suit ring secured to the suit at the neck opening corresponding in shape and size to the helmet ring and also having outwardly projecting structure;

e. longitudinally projecting structure on one of the rings so that one telescopes with the other to form a joint;

f. a compression seal disposed between the two rings at the joint;

g. a band having two ends encircling the helmet ring and the suit ring at the joint between them and engaging the outwardly projecting structure of each ring; and

h. latch means connected to the two ends of the band for tightening the band for holding the helmet to the suit and for loosening the band for removal of the helmet from the suit.

2. A diver's enclosure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the latch means include a handle and a double catch engaged by said handle, said double catch having oppositely movable catch members that must be manually disengaged to release the latch handle.

3. A diver's enclosure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the latch means is of the trunk type having a handle connected to one end of the band and a claw and ball interconnect the handle and the other end of the band.

4. A diver's enclosure described in claim 1 wherein the outwardly projecting ring structure comprises spokes and the band is slotted so that the spokes project through the slots, and tensioning the band pulls the spokes of each ring toward each other.

5. A diver's enclosure comprising:

a. a removable helmet having a neck opening;

b. a diver's suit having a neck opening, and having a front and back;

c. a helmet ring secured to the helmet at the neck opening and having outwardly projecting structure;

d. a suit ring secured to the suit at the neck opening corresponding in shape and size to the helmet ring and also having outwardly projecting structure;

e. a two-part band having four ends with two of the ends hinged to the suit ring at the back of the diver's suit;

f. guide means on the suit ring at the front of the diver's suit and engaging the front two ends of the two-part band to limit their outward swinging motion about the hinge to the positions at which they clear the outward projectional structure of the helmet ring, to permit removal of the helmet; and

g. latch means engaging the two front ends of the band to tighten the band against the ring outwardly projecting structure to hold the helmet to the suit and to loosen the band to release the outwardly projecting ring structure so that the helmet can be removed.