Bathing or swimming costume or garment

Application filed September 1, 1927, Serial No. 216,974, and in Great Britain September 16, 1926.

suitable water-resisting material impervious to gaseous liquids and capable of inflation.

. Further, according to this invention, a tube is provided through which the inflatable 60 cliamber or chambers may be inflated, which tube is positioned centrally in front of the wearer, preferably at the centre of the upper edge of the chamber, and is threaded through a hole in a corresponding position 65 in front of the costume. A small pocket may be attached to the outside, of the dress for the purpose of accommodating the end of the said tube, or a slit may be formed in the dress through which the end of the 70 tube may be inserted.

An important featufb of this invention consists in so shaping the part of the dress comprising the double thickness of material and the inflatable chamber or chambers that the 75 centre of buoyancy of a wearer and the inflated dress is towards the front of the wearer. By this means should the wearer become unconscious the inflated costume would cause him to float in a position with 80 his nose and mouth above the water.

In the accompanying drawings, which show one form of bathing costume according to this invention,

Figures 1 and 2 show a back and front ⁸⁵view respectively of a bathing dress having an inflatable chamber disposed in one way .according to this invention, and

Figures 3 and 4 show a front and side view respectively of a bathing costume pro- 90 Added Avith an inflatable chamber arranged in another Avay according to this in vention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an inflated bag suitable for use in a bathing costume shown in Figures 1 and 2. . ⁹⁵

In all the figures, the bathing costume, is formed with two thicknesses of material from the dotted line a—a upwards, and the inflatable chamber is shown in position between the said tAvo thicknesses. 100

In Figures 1 and 2, the double portion of the dress and the inflatable chamber are so shaped as to pass under one arm at 1 on one side, while under the other arm at the other side, the inflatable chamber termi- 105 nates in a closed end front and back. These closed ends are not shown in the drawing . since they are entirely within the dress. Under the latter arm a slit 2 is made through the double thickness of material extending no downwardly from beneath the arm, and the two thicknesses are there left separable and

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to bathing or swimming costumes or garments of the type which are provided with inflatable chambers.

An object of the invention is to produce a bathing costume which has the appearance of an ordinary one but contains a removable chamber capable of inflation to enables bathers (whether swimmers or not) _]0 to keep afloat with head above water (or with nose and mouth above water) in any emergency until rescued.

Another object is to enable non-swimmers to learn the art of swimming without danger ₁₅ of drowning..

The costume as a whole may be what is known as a one-piece costume Or a two-piece costume, or the costume as a whole may take any of the forms customary for such gar20 ments.

: According to this invention, the bathing dress or the like is of the type provided with inflatable chambers and is characterized in that the part of the dress which extends 25 across the chest and/or back of the wearer is formed with two thicknesses of material and is provided with an. opening or openings through which the inflatable cliamber or chambers may be inserted, or removed at 30 will by the wearer, between the said two thicknesses.. . .

A single opening may be employed which is disposed beneath one of the armholes of the dress.

_;._i5 Either the inner or outer thickness of material may be made of a non-clistendable material instead of the fabric of the bathing dress, whereby undue distention of the bathing dress is prevented when the chambers 40 are inflated; further, the non-distendable material tends to maintain the centre of buoyancy of the chambers in the required position. Undue distention of the bathing dress may also be prevented by forming the ,45 walls of inflatable compartments with concavities, which concavities may be.so shaped that when the compartments are inflated their inher surfaces conform to shape of the chest or back of the wearer.

Another method of preventing undue distention according to this invention consists in encircling the compartments with bands, which’ bands may have circular perforations formed therein.

55_: The. inflatable chambers may be made of rubber, rubberized fabric, oiled silk or other

1.723,402 form an opening 3 to facilitate the removal or replacement of the inflatable chamber. The slit may be conveniently fastened by tapes indicated at 4. The double thick5 ness of material and the inflatable chamber terminate at the dotted line marked δ—δ back and front, at about the level of the collar bones. The double thickness of material may-be' stitched along the line δ—δ io or may be left’separable for a short distance and fastened together by suitable means such as tapes, buttons and buttonholes, and snap fasteners (not shown in the drawing). By this latter means-the inflatable chamber 15 may be more readily inserted between the two thicknesses of material.

The costume may be provided with the usual buttoned strap 5 over one shoulder or adjustable shoulder straps. The inflatable 20 chamber is provided with a valve controlled tube 6. The valve may be opened or closed at will so as to regulate the pressure in the chamber. The tube is preferably disposed in front of the chamber at the upper edge 25 thereof and is threaded through a hole 7 in the dress. A pocket 8 is formed on the outside of the dress to accommodate the end of the said inflating tube.

In Figures 3 and 4, the inflatable cham30 ber and the double thickness of the dress are shown so shaped as to encircle the chest and the shoulder blades and to extend on one side over the shoulder at 9, while on the other side they extend back and front up 35 to the shoulder strap 5. The other features are similar to those described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 and are similarly designated.'

It will be appreciated that the article de₄₀ scribed above may be used as a buoyant lifesaving costume or as an ordinary bathing costume.

Figure 5 shows an inflatable rubber chamber comprising a front portion 13 and a 45 rear portion 14, in which undue distention is· prevented by securing together the outer and inner walls at a number of points spaced apart. The walls may be secured together by the known method of forming ₅₀ similarly located perforations 12 in each wall,, and vulcanizing' or solufioning together the. exposed. edges. The chamber when inflated thus has a number of depressions formeci in. it ,as shown at 11, 55 and a substantially uniform distention is produced throughout its whole length. When such a chamber is inserted into a suitable compartment in a bathing costume . and inflated, the tendency to bulge exces60 sively in any part of the chamber will· be overcome by the attachment of the two walls, as above described. In this way the chamber, may be made to remain in close proximity to the contour of the body of the 65 wearer without further retaining means. It will be noted that the front 13 of the chamber is made higher than the rear 14.