Compressed Air Work And Diving 1909

THE DI VING DRESS. 21 air inside the helmet from falling below that caused by the head of water at a level about 3 in. below it. On the right-hand side of the helmet, just behind the glass winclow, is the escape valve, fittecl with a weak spring for the escape of surplus air. It is closecl by a perforatecl plug which can be screwed in or out accorcling as the diver wishes to raise or lower the pressure in the helmet and dress. O11 the right-hand side in front of the window, and lower clown than the escape valve, is a supple- mentary valve which is closecl by the cliver just before going under the water. It is not an essential part of the apparatus, but is used by professional divers for taking in water into the mouth for the purpose of washing down condensed moisture on the face-plate. I wo lead weights, back and front, weighing 36 to 40 Ibs. each, and boots with thick lead soles weighing 16 Ibs. each, and a belt with knife attached complete the outfit. 1 he lead weights and lead-soled shoes are to cause the cliver to sink, since in his dress and helmet he will be very much lighter than the water displaced. When the cliver is getting ready for a descent he puts on over his underclothing a white woollen jersey and a pair of woollen pants. One or two pairs of woollen stock- ings are then put on and drawn up over the pants. He then steps into the dress and sits clown whilst the attend- ant pulis up the feet of the dress until the diver’s feet are well into them. He then stands up, and having had the backs of his hands well soaped, with the help of the attenclant works them through the tight rubber wrist- bands. If the cliver has small wrists, it is sometimes a good plan to first wrap round them strips of washleather about 2 in. wide and about 15 in. long. These should be slightly moistened, and have a piece of string attached