Submarine escape suits
The submarine escape suit has a hood ( 14 ) covering the head of a wearer during ascent from a submarine. In order to allow the wearer to expose his/her face, the hood ( 14 ) is provided with a portion ( 21 ) overlying the face of a wearer that is releasable from the remainder of the hood ( 14 ). The releasable portion ( 21 ) may be re-attachable.
1. A submarine escape suit comprising a hood configured to cover the head of a wearer, the hood including a face panel configured to overly the face of a wearer, the face panel divided into first and second portions by a first releasable closure disposed in the face panel, the first releasable closure configured to allow a wearer to enter the submarine escape suit through the face panel when the first releasable closure is open, and the face panel being connected to the remainder of the hood by second and third releasable closures disposed on opposite sides of the face panel, the second and third releasable closures configured to enable the face panel to be lifted away from the remainder of the hood to expose the face of a wearer.
2. A submarine escape suit according to claim 1 wherein the submarine escape suit further comprises:
a yoke surrounding the hood; and
a body portion to which the yoke is connected by a waterproof connection.
3. A submarine escape suit according to claim 2 wherein the first releasable connection is a zipper.
4. A submarine escape suit according to claim 2 wherein the second and third releasable closures each terminate, at respective ends thereof remote from a lower edge of the hood, at respective spaced points proximate a domed portion of the hood, the material of the hood between said spaced points forming a hinge about which the face panel hinges when the second and third releasable closures are released.
5. A submarine escape suit according to claim 1 wherein the face panel includes one or more translucent panels.
6. A submarine escape suit according to claim 1 , wherein the releasable closures are watertight.
7. A submarine escape suit according to claim 1 wherein the face panel, after release, is re-attachable to the remainder of the hood.
8. A submarine escape suit according to claim 6 wherein the face panel, after release, is re-attachable to the remainder of the hood, and wherein said second and third releasable closures are re-attachable.
9. A submarine escape suit according to claim 1 wherein the releasable connections are each formed by two side-by-side rows of inter-engaging parts, the parts being releasable and re-engageable.
10. A submarine escape suit according to claim 9 wherein the inter-engaging parts are releasable by a wearer gripping the face portion and pulling the face panel away from the remainder of the hood.
11. A submarine escape suit according to claim 10 wherein the inter-engaging parts are two side-by-side rows of zipper teeth that are releasable on separation of the face panel from the remainder of the hood, a slider being provided acting between the rows of zipper teeth for re-engaging the teeth.
12. A submarine escape suit according to claim 11 wherein the slider is located initially at an end of the associated releasable closure remote from a lower edge of the hood, the slider being movable to said edge along the associated rows of teeth and movable back along the associated rows of teeth to engage the teeth.
13. A submarine escape suit according to claim 12 wherein the slider can, after engaging the teeth, be moved back towards said edge to provide an air vent.
14. A submarine escape suit according to claim 1 further comprising an airtight sealing strip on an inner side of each of the second and third releasable closures.
15. A submarine escape suit according to claim 14 wherein each air tight sealing strip is configured to be torn upon lifting of the face panel away from the remainder of the hood.
16. A submarine escape suit according to claim 5 wherein the one or more translucent panels comprises first and second translucent panels located on opposite respective sides of the first releasable closure.
17. A submarine escape suit according to claim 1 wherein the first releasable closure is configured to enable a wearer to enter the submarine escape suit when one or both of the second and third releasable closures are closed.