Comment

Comment by Dive Diva on September 21, 2009 at 1:12pm

Built by Marvin Boatman of Patterson, LA circa 1976. The Boatman clamshell was a truly unique design. It included a three element structure and associated connecting and releasing means for quick bail-out, in case of emergency, such as the helmet's umbilical cord being damaged, tangled, or cut, that permited quick release and removal of the outer hard hat helmet. The system included an inner dry hood with a facial opening framed with an oval cushion, tongue-in-groove type seal along with a separate rigid protective outer helmet made up of a hat portion or hard casque and a mask portion with goggles, the two helmet portions being hinge connected together. The hood seal was adapted to match and mate with the goggle mask assembly thus sustaining the umbilical lines, gas regulators, window etc.to form a dry enclosure. Sealing pressure between the base of the hard casque and the cushion of the hood fitting inside the mask and goggle assembly was developed by a set of quick latches, one on each side of the hard casque which engages the mask and goggle assembly on the facial mask portion. The quick latch consisted of a latching groove which simultaneously fit the tongue and groove seal causing the seal between the hood and the mask and goggle assembly to be water tight. The quick latch had an eccentric knob for quick release of the mask and goggle assembly and the hard casque from sealing engagement with the inner hood, the outer helmet then being easily removed from around the head of the diver by moving the casque about the hinge connection and away from the head.