Inflatable wader garment

Jan. 20, 1959 l. l. anderson 2,869,152

INFLATIBLE WADER GARMENT

Filed Feb. 10, 1956

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INVENTOR

Leon L. Anderson

BY

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ATTORNEY

United States Patent Office

2,869,152

Patented Jan. 20, 1959 ¹

2,869,152

INFLATABLE WADER GARMENT

Leon L. Anderson, Burley, Idaho

Application February 10,1956, Serial No. 564,652 1 Claim. (Cl. 9—20) . This invention relates generally to garments and particularly to garments known as “waders,” used generally by those engaged in fishing or hunting activities in areas where deep waters may be encountered.

The primary object of the invention is to provide inflatible means connected with the wader garment in such manner that the wearer thereof will be buoyantly supported in the water in upright position should the user step, fall or move into water of a depth which may prove dangerous.

A further object of the invention is to provide the wader garment or trousers with inflatible means so connected therewith as to maintain the body of the wearer at all times in true upright position while floating in the water.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an inflatible bag or sack so attached to the garment as to be generally relieved of all strains or pressures when in actual use in maintaining the body of the wearer buoyant, whereby to lengthen the life of the inflatible sack and to obviate against leakage or other defects therein.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the wader garment with an inflatible sack to encircle the body of the wearer well above the waist and at the armpits, and which is equipped with suspender means attached directly to the garment and entirely free of the sack in order that strains and pressures which might otherwise be borne by the sack are delivered to the suspenders and the wader garment itself.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawing, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved buoyant wader garment constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the position it will assume when in use,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the inflatible sack and illustrating the manner in which the sack is secured to the waist band of the wader garment, and

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position the sack will assume when deflated.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the wader garment is indicated generally at 5 and will include a waterproof covering comprising the legs 6 with the boots 7 permanently and hermetically connected thereto, the upper end of the garment being extended upwardly above the waist as shown to provide an upstanding waist band indicated at 8. This garment assumes a pants-like structure and may be formed of any suitable material, having tie strings 9 if desired in order that the waist portion thereof may be snugly drawn about the body to embrace the same. This garment is supported upon the user by the usual suspender straps 10 which are fastened at the rear of the garment to the exterior thereof and extend over the shoulders of the wearer to be engaged at their forward ends by buttons 11 secured to the outer face of the waist band of the garment.

The inflatible bag or sack 12 employed in carrying out the. invention, may be formed of any suitable flexible airtight fabric, either of rubber, a combination of rubber and cloth, or of synthetic material. This sack comprises an elongated sheet of fabric of sufficient length to entirely encircle the upper part of the body of the wearer, being of a length substantially corresponding to the length of the waist band of the garment. This sheet of material is bent longitudinally upon itself to provide a relatively flat sack, and the ends are brought together at 12'. and cemented securely to one another as well as to the inner surface of the waist band 11 below the upper edge thereof. Any suitable cement or other material may be employed in establishing this water and airtight connection, or the connection may be made by suitable well known vulcanizing precesses. The bag or sack may be equipped with an inflatible tube 13 as shown, having one end attached as at 14 to the sack and equipped at its outer end with an inflation nozzle having the usual valve (not shown) as will be understood.

It will be observed, particularly with reference to Figs_; 2 and 3 of the drawing, that the meeting edges of the inflatible bag are secured together as well as to the waist portion of the garment well below the upper edge of the garment and upon the inner face thereof. This structure aids in the proper securing of the inflatible sack to the garment and provides the upstanding waist band portion 8 to which the suspender or other supporting means is fastened. It is obvious, therefore, that the weight of the waders, which may be material when wet, will be borne by the suspenders as well as the waders and the inflatible sack will be free of such weights.

The width of the relatively flat inflatible sack is such that it extends well up the body of the wearer and to and within the armpits beneath the shoulders so as to be disposed in its entirety well above the waist or hip line and against the chest and back of the wearer. It is obvious that by so constructing and arranging the inflatible sack, the upper part of the body will be maintained well above the surface of the water should the wearer move into water beyond his depth. The suspender straps 10 pass over the shoulders of the wearer and assist in maintaining the relative flatness of the sack as well as confining the sack or bag properly in position against the chest and back and in the armpits, and relieve the inflatible bag of any weights or stresses in the support of the relatively heavy wader structure when wet.

The means for inflating the bag here illustrated is but one manner of accomplishing this end, but it will be understood that if desired the well known puncturable cylinder containing suitable gas may be employed for the same purpose.

From this description it is apparent that a wader garment equipped with an inflatible sack constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention will enable the user to safeguard himself against being submerged should water of unusual depth be accidental or otherwise encountered. It is also obvious that with an inflatible sack constructed and assembled with the wader garment in the manner described, the entire structure may be readily folded and involved a package of small compass for carrying, storing or display purposes.