Rescue coat with covered liner zippers

Abstract

The left and right front panels of the outer shell of a rescue coat each include material strips that provide vertical flaps that extend over an inside surface of respective liner zippers used to mount a removable jacket liner in the outer shell. The vertical flaps protect the wearer from contact with or heat from the liner zippers.

1 . A rescue coat which comprises an outer shell which includes a first front panel having first and second vertical zipper halves, a second front panel having third and fourth vertical zipper halves, and a removable jacket liner having fifth and sixth vertical zipper halves; one of said first and third vertical zipper halves including a first slider for the interengaging or disengaging said first and third zipper halves, said first and third zipper halves and said first slider defining a closure zipper for the coat; one of said second and fifth zipper halves including a second slider for interengaging and disengaging said second and fifth vertical zipper halves, said second and fifth zipper halves and said second slider defining a first liner zipper for said coat; and one of said fourth and sixth zipper halves including a third slider for interengaging and disengaging said fourth and sixth zipper halves, said fourth and sixth zipper halves and said third slider defining a second liner zipper for said coat; said first front panel including a first material strip which provides a first vertical flap that covers an inside of said first liner zipper, and the second front panel including a second material strip which provides a second vertical flap which covers an inside of the second liner zipper; the fifth and sixth vertical zipper halves being engageable to enable the removable jacket liner to be worn as a separate garment.  
   
   
       2 . A rescue coat according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second front panels of said outer shell include respective outer and inner layers, said outer layers being a heat-protective layer and said inner layers being a moisture barrier layer, wherein when said coat is closed the outer layer of the first panel front panel defines a side edge which faces the second front panel, the inner layer of the first front panel defines a side edge facing the second front panel, and wherein first stitching interconnects said side edges of the outer and inner layers of the first front panel.  
   
   
       3 . A rescue coat according to  claim 1 , including a third material strip attached by said first stitching between the side edges of said outer and inner layers of said first front panel, said first zipper half being mount on said third material strip.  
   
   
       4 . A rescue coat according to  claim 3 , including a fourth material strip attached by said first stitching to said side edges of said outer and inner layers of said first front panel, said second zipper half being mounted on said fourth material strip.  
   
   
       5 . A rescue coat according to  claim 4 , wherein a side edge of said first material strip is attached by said first stitching between said third material strip and said side edge of said inner layer and forms a U-shape to provide a said first vertical flap.  
   
   
       6 . A rescue coat according to  claim 4 , wherein when said coat is closed the outer layer of said second front panel defines a side edge which faces said first front panel, the inner layer of said second front panel defines a side edge which faces said first front panel, and wherein second stitching connects the inner side edges of said outer and inner layers of said second front panel.  
   
   
       7 . A rescue coat according to  claim 6 , including a fifth material strip attached by said second stitching between the side edges of said outer and inner layers of said second front panel, said third zipper half being mounted on said fifth material strip.  
   
   
       8 . A rescue coat according to  claim 7 , wherein a side edge of said second material strip is attached by second stitching between said fifth material strip and said inner side edge of said inner layer of said second front panel and forms a U-shape which provides said second vertical flap.  
   
   
       9 . A rescue coat according to  claim 1 , including a first and second weather flaps respectively attached to said first and second front panels to cover said first and third zipper halves when interconnected to close said coat.  
   
   
       10 . A rescue coat according to  claim 9 , wherein said first and second cover flaps respectively include interengageable hook and loop strips.  
   
   
       11 . A rescue coat which comprises an outer shell which includes a first front panel having first and second vertical zipper halves, a second front panel having third and fourth vertical zipper halves, and a removable jacket liner having fifth and sixth vertical zipper halves; one of said first and third vertical zipper halves including a first slider for the interengaging or disengaging said first and third zipper halves, said first and third zipper halves and said first slider defining a closure zipper for the coat; one of said second and fifth zipper halves including a second slider for interengaging and disengaging said second and fifth vertical zipper halves, said second and fifth zipper halves and said second slider defining a first liner zipper for said coat; and one of said fourth and sixth zipper halves including a third slider for interengaging and disengaging said fourth and sixth zipper halves, said fourth and sixth zipper halves and said third slider defining a second liner zipper for said coat; said first front panel including a first material strip which provides a first vertical flap that covers an inside of said first liner zipper, and the second front panel including a second material strip which provides a second vertical flap which covers an inside of the second liner zipper, wherein said first and second front panels of said outer shell include respective outer and inner layers, wherein when said coat is closed the outer layer of the first panel front panel defines a side edge which faces the second front panel, the inner layer of the first front panel defines a side edge facing the second front panel, and wherein first stitching interconnects said side edges of the outer and inner layers of the first front panel.