Gas mask carrier pocket attachment for firemen's coats

Oct 15, 1946. a. m. grunwell 2,409,354

GAS MASK CARRIER ROCKET ATTACHMENT FOR FIREMEN’S COATS

Filed Feb. 10, 1945

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Oct 15, 1946. a. μ. grunwell 2,409,354 , GAS MASK CARRIER POCKET ATTACHMENT FOR FIREMEN’S COATS

Filed Feb. 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Oct. 15, 1946

2,409,354

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,409,354

GAS MASK CARRIER POCKET ATTACHMENT FOR FIREMEN’S COATS

Alfred M. Grunwell, Washington, D. C.

Application February 10, 1945, Serial No. 577,319

Claims.

,/1

The .present invention:relates to improvements in garments and has reference more particularly to a pocket attachment to a fireman’s “turn-out,coat” for housing a gas . mask and its associated air purifying canister.

At the present time the gas masks and associated air purifying canisters now generally used by .firemen, are normally stored in; a suitable container.provided therefor on the fire apparatus.

It has been found from experience upon reaching the scene .of a fife, .that in order-to gain access to the gas or sinoke filled area with safety and protection from the smoke and noxious gases, the fireman must, return to the. fire apparatus which is usually located a considerable distance from the scene of .the fire arid obtain one of the gas mask units and upon donning the gas mask and its supporting harness, he then returns to the point where the gas mask is Heeded so that he can enter the smoke or gas filled, area without' inhaling any nf the injurious gases. ' This loss of time very frequently results in the loss of life in enabling entrapped victims to be rescued.

It is, therefore, the primary object of rny invention to provide means on the “turn-out-coat” usually worn by a fireman /for housing the gas mask arid .its associated air purifying canister so that the gas mask will at all times be quickly and readily accessible to the wearer, thereby saving -considerable time in enabling a fireman to apply the gas mask and enter the smoke or gas filled ..area: whenever the occasion necessitates the . use of a gas mask.

Another object of importance of the present invention resides in the provision of gas mask carrier pocket attachment for fireiheri’s^;“turn&lt; out-coats” that will obviate the necessity of having to employ the usual supporting harness for the gas mask when the latter is iri use, means being provided in the carrier pocket attachment for supporting the air purifying canister in a-fixed, yet detachable manner.

_: /Still a further object resides in arranging the gas mask carrier pocket on the fireman’s “turncut-coat” in such a manner as not to cause any. interference with the use of the usual fire fighting equipment, such as the water hose, axo, pick, and at the same time protect the air purifying canister from coming in contact with any fouling medium, such as water.

.Also, the invention aims to so arrange the gas mask carrier pocket on the garment as not to •cause any discomfort to the wearer while seated on the fire apparatus in going to the scene of the fire.

(Cl. 128—144)

-J:..'

Another and important object is to provide a gas mask carrier pocket attachment that can be either sewed onto the fireman’s “turn-out-coat” or formed as. a separate unit that can be ^readily δ and'easily attached to or removed from the coat:

Other Objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying· drawings.

In the drawings forming.a part of the specification and in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout -the .'several views: '

Figure 1 is a front elevation .of - a fireman’s 15 “tmT.-out-coat” showing the ga-S: mask carrier pocket attached thereon;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View Of the carrier pocket showing the manlier in Which 20 the air purifying canister iS supported in the pocket)

Figure 4 Is a sectional View taken approximately on the line 4—4 of Figure 3 looking in the direction-of the arroWs arid showing the canister sup25 porting means in top plan;

: ' Figrire 5 -is a vertical·'Sectional View taken approximately On the line 5—^5 df Figure: 3, looking in the direction' of the arrows;

Figure 6 is an elevational view Of the pocket ;_·() looking from the open rear side thereof;

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of a modification of the carrier pocket wherein the same comprises a separate unit adapted for detachable connection with the coat;

.,.. Figure 8 is a Vertical Sectional view showing ⁴ the manner in which the Separate carrier pocket is attached to the coat; arid '

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of one type of canister supporting member. ^:₄₀ In the drawings, the numeral I designates a conventional fireman’s “turn-out-coat.” Sewed to the back and extending around One side and toward the front of the coat is my improved carrier pocket denoted generally by the nu₄₅ meral 2.

This pocket is formed from pieces of material : similar to that of which the coat is made and / comprises a front wall 3, top ar d bottom walls 4 and 5 and a rear end wall 6. These walls are 50 stitched together and the inner marginal edge portions 6 and 7 of the top and bottom Walls, as well-as the inner marginal edge portion 9 of -the end Wall 6 are stitched to the “turn-out-coat” I, as is clearly indicated at 10 on the drawings.

The pocket 2 extends substantially horizontally

2,409,354 across the back of the coat directly above the waistline and the forward end portion of this pocket extends around the side of the coat and terminates at the front of the coat, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1.

A closure flap 1I is provided for the open forward end of the pocket and complementary fastening means 12 and 13 are associated with this flap 11 and the adjacent portion of the front wall 3. The fastening means may be in the nature of a snap fastener or “zipper.” This flap is stitched along its rear vertical edge to the coat i at the juncture of the top and bottom walls 4 and 5 of the pocket.

As will be more readily observed from an inspection of Figures 2, 3 and 6 of the drawings, the closed rear end portion of the pocket is enlarged.

Also, the bottom of the enlarged rear portion of the pocket is open as indicated at 14 in the drawings and the purpose of this construction will be readily apparent in due course.

A gas mask (not shown) of the conventional construction has the usual flexible hose 15 affording communication with the top of an air purifying canister 16, also of the usual construction. This canister contains the necessary chemicals and filter to extract poisonous and irritating dusts and gases from the air. The canister is provided with an air inlet opening in its bottom and this air inlet opening is normally sealed against the admission of air by means of a piece of adhesive tape 17, one end of which extends outwardly of the opening 14 in the pocket to provide a pull tab 18 to facilitate its quick and easy removal from over the air inlet opening in the bottom of the canister when the gas mask is to be used.

Forming an important part of the present invention is the means arranged in the pocket to support the air purifying canister in proper position in the enlarged portion of the pocket.

To this end, I provide the bands 19 and 20 that are stitched along their inner ends to the back of the coat as at 21. These bands overlap at their outer free ends and suitable fasteners 22 are associated with the overlapping ends of the bands to secure them together in position around the canister 16.

Supporting straps 23 and 24 are associated with the bands 19 and 20 respectively for engagement with and to support the bottom of the canister 16, in the manner as is clearly shown in the drawings.

The canister 16, will thus be supported in a vertical position in the enlarged rear end portion of the pocket with its air inlet end disposed directly over the opening 14 in the bottom wall 5 of the pocket and with the adhesive tape projecting outwardly of this opening 14.

The flexible hose 15 will be collapsed and maintained in the pocket and also the gas mask connected to the forward end of this hose will be concealed in the forward end portion of the pocket.

In Figure 7 of the drawings, I have illustrated a modification of the carrier pocket, wherein the same comprises a separate unit that can be readily and easily attached and removed from a fireman’s “turn-out-coat.”

In this form the pocket 25 includes a front wall 26, a rear wall 27, top and bottom walls 28 and 29 and rear end wall 30, stitched together. The rear end portion of this pocket is enlarged similar to enlarged rear portion of the first men4 tioned form of pocket construction. Likewise, the forward end of this modified pocket is open and a closure flap 31 forming an extension of the rear wall 2'7 is provided for the open forward 5 end of this pocket 25. Complementary fastening means 32 and 33 are associated with the flap 31 and the front wall 26 to retain the flap in a closed position.

Tabs 34 extend laterally from the edges of the 10 rear wall 27 at spaced intervals and carried by these tabs are suitable snap fastener elements 35 that cooperate with complementary fastener elements 36 attached to adjacent portions of the coat I.

In lieu of snap fasteners any other well known type of detachable fastening means may be employed for detachably securing the carrier pocket onto the coat.

The air purifying canister may be removably 20 supported in the enlarged rear end of this pocket 25 in the same manner as the canister is removably supported in the pocket 2.

In Figure 9 a modification of the canister support is disclosed wherein a single band 37 has its 25 intermediate portion stitched or otherwise secured in the rear portion of the pocket. The free ends of this band overlap and have fasteners 38 associated therewith to secure the band around the canister. Supporting straps 39 are associated 30 with the lower edge of the band to engage with and support the bottom of the canister.

In some instances, instead of arranging the pocket across the back of the coat, it may be desirable to mount the pocket at the side of the 35 coat and beneath one of the sleeves.

With a device of this character, the fireman will at all times have his gas mask carried by the “turn-out-coat” and thus the gas mask can be readily and easily put into use wherever the oc40 casion arises, thus saving considerable time and furthermore obviating the necessity of having to employ a special harness to support the air purifying canister. Also, with my improved device, the carrier pocket will in no way interfere with 45 the use of the fire fighting equipment by the user.

A carrier pocket of the above mentioned character can be readily and easily attached to a fireman’s “turn-out-coat” and will, furthermore, be inexpensive, strong and durable.

'While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing _λ from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.