CFR > Title 46 - Shipping > CHAPTER I—COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY > SUBCHAPTER Q—EQUIPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL (parts 159 to 165) > PART 160—LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT > SUBPART 160.048—Specification for a Buoyant Cushion, Fibrous Glass (§160.048-1 to §160.048-8) > 160.048-4—Construction and workmanship.

160.048-4—Construction and workmanship.

(a) General. This specification covers buoyant cushions of the box type filled with kapok or fibrous glass contained in heat-sealed vinyl film pad covers which are inserted in an outer cover fitted with grab straps. The primary purpose of such cushions is to provide buoyancy to aid a person in keeping afloat in the water. No hooks, snaps, or other means shall be included which might facilitate fastening the cushion to a boat. Buoyant cushions shall be of such size and volume as to provide not less than 20 pounds buoyancy when tested in the manner described in § 160.048-5(e), but no cushion providing less than 225 square inches of top surface area or measuring less than 2 inches or more than 3 inches in thickness will be acceptable.
(b) Cover. One piece of material each for the top and bottom shall be stitched together to form the cover except that piecing of the cover material will be allowed provided it is for decorative purposes only. Gusset or boxing materials shall be of not more than two pieces. If more than one piece of material is used for the top, bottom, boxing or gusset, they shall be attached by a double row of stitching of the type shown in Federal Standard No. 751, for seam types SSw-2 or LS(b)-2. The top and bottom may be of any of the materials permitted for the cover, but the boxing or gusset shall be a cotton fabric as specified by § 160.048-3(c)(1) or other equivalent material of a porous nature. Nonporous materials will not be permitted for the boxing or gusset, but coated upholstery cloth specified by § 160.048-3(d)(2), perforated to permit adequate draining and drying will be acceptable.
(c) Buoyant material. Buoyant cushions shall be filled with the minimum amounts of kapok or fibrous glass determined as follows:
(1) Rectangular buoyant cushions 2 inches thick shall be filled with the amounts of kapok or fibrous glass indicated for the various widths and lengths of such cushions by Table 160.048-4(c)(1)(i) or 160.048-4(c)(1)(ii), as applicable. Trapezoidal buoyant cushions 2 inches thick shall be filled with the amounts of kapok or fibrous glass indicated for the various widths and lengths of rectangular buoyant cushions by Table 160.048-4(c)(1)(i) or 160.048-4(c)(1)(ii) as applicable, on the basis that the length of a trapezoidal cushion shall be considered as its average length in each case.
Table 160.048-4(c)(1)(i)—Weight of Kapok (in Ounces) for Filling Rectangular Buoyant Cushions 2 Inches Thick
Length (inches) Width (inches)
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Over 24
15 20
16 21 23
17 21 23 24 26
18 21 22 24 26 27 29
19 20 22 24 25 27 29 30 32
20 21 23 25 27 28 30 32 34 36
21 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 35 37 39
22 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43
23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47
24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 41 43 45 47 49 51
25 27 29 31 33 36 38 40 42 44 47 49 51 53 (1)
26 28 30 32 35 37 39 42 44 46 49 51 53 55 (1)
27 29 31 34 36 38 41 43 46 48 50 53 55 58 (1)
28 30 32 35 37 40 42 44 47 50 52 55 57 60 (1)
29 31 34 36 39 41 44 46 49 52 54 57 59 62 (1)
30 32 35 37 40 43 45 48 51 53 56 59 61 64 (1)
31 33 36 39 41 44 47 50 52 55 58 61 63 66 (1)
32 34 37 40 43 46 48 51 54 57 60 62 65 68 (1)
33 35 38 41 44 47 50 53 56 59 62 64 67 70 (1)
34 36 39 42 45 48 51 54 57 60 63 66 69 73 (1)
35 37 40 44 47 50 53 56 59 62 65 68 72 75 (1)
36 38 42 45 48 51 54 58 61 64 67 70 74 77 (1)
Over 36 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
1 Determine amount of kapok from formula (1) contained in § 160.048-4(c)(2) .
Table 160.048-4(c)(1)(ii)—Weight of Fibrous Glass (in Ounces) for Filling Rectangular Buoyant Cushion 2 Inches Thick
Length (inches) Width (inches)
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Over 24
15 36
16 38 41
17 38 41 44 46
18 37 40 43 46 49 52
19 36 40 43 46 49 52 55 58
20 38 42 45 48 51 54 58 61 64
21 40 44 47 50 54 57 60 64 67 71
22 42 46 49 53 56 60 63 67 70 74 77
23 44 48 52 55 59 63 66 70 74 77 81 85
24 46 50 54 58 61 65 69 73 77 81 84 88 92
25 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 (1)
26 50 54 58 62 67 71 75 79 83 87 92 96 100 (1)
27 52 56 60 65 69 73 78 82 86 91 95 99 104 (1)
28 54 58 63 67 72 76 81 85 90 94 99 103 108 (1)
29 56 60 65 70 74 79 84 88 93 97 102 107 111 (1)
30 58 62 67 72 77 82 86 91 96 101 106 110 115 (1)
31 60 64 69 74 79 84 89 94 99 104 109 114 119 (1)
32 61 67 72 77 82 87 92 97 103 108 113 118 123 (1)
33 63 69 74 79 84 90 95 100 106 111 116 121 127 (1)
34 65 71 76 82 87 92 98 103 109 114 120 125 131 (1)
35 67 73 78 84 90 95 101 106 112 118 123 129 134 (1)
36 69 75 81 86 92 98 104 109 115 121 127 132 138 (1)
Over 36 (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)
1 Determine amount of fibrous glass from formula (2) contained in § 160.048-4(c)(2) .
(2) All buoyant cushions more than 2 inches thick, and all buoyant cushions 2 inches thick which are of shapes different from those covered by paragraph (c)(1) of this section, shall be filled with kapok or fibrous glass as determined in the following formulas:
Amount of kapok (ounces) = A × t ÷ 22.5(1)
Amount of fibrous glass (ounces) = A × t ÷ 12.5(2)
Where:
A = Top surface area of cushion in square inches as determined from measurements taken along finished edges.
t = Thickness of boxing or gusset of finished cushion in inches.
(d) Pad covers for buoyant material. Before being inserted in the outer cover the buoyant material shall be placed in waterproof vinyl film pad covers which shall be heat-sealed tight. The heat-sealed pad seams shall show an adhesion of not less than 8 pounds when one inch strips cut across and perpendicular to the seams are pulled apart at a rate of separation of the clamping jaws of the test machine of 12 inches per minute. Each cushion shall contain not less than four pads and all pads in a cushion shall contain approximately equal portions of the total amount of buoyant material in the cushion. The buoyant material may be inserted directly into the vinyl film pad covers, or may first be packed in bags made of print cloth or other suitable material and then inserted into the vinyl film pad covers. The pads shall be of such size as to adequately fill the outer cover, and prior to sealing, the pads shall be evacuated of air sufficiently that when sat on the pads will not “balloon” excessively because of the pressure in the pad covers. For 15″×15″×2″ cushions the four vinyl film pad covers shall each be cut approximately 12″ wide × 12″ long or approximately 8″ wide × 18″ long shall have a sealed area of approximately 125 square inches; shall contain not less than 5 ounces of kapok or 9 ounces of fibrous glass each; and the volume displacement of the individual heat-sealed pad inserts shall be 5 1/2 pounds each, plus or minus 1/2 pound, when tested in accordance with the method set forth in § 160.048-5(e)(1), except that the pad covers shall not be slit open, and the period of submergence shall be only long enough to determine the displacement of the pads.
(e) Grab straps. Grab straps shall be attached as shown on Dwg. No. 160.048-1 and shall finish 20 inches long and 1 inch wide at opposite ends. The grab straps, if formed from cover material shall be folded and stitched together so as to produce a double thickness with raw edges turned under. Other means will be given special consideration.
(f) Seams and stitching. Seams shall be constructed with not less than a 3/8 inch border between the seam and the edge of the cover materials. All stitching shall be a lock stitch, 7 to 9 stitches per inch, except as follows: Chain stitching 6 to 8 stitches per inch, with 20/4 thread on top and 40/3 thread on the bottom, will be acceptable in constructing straps.
(g) Workmanship. All cushions shall be of first class workmanship and shall be free from defects materially affecting their appearance or serviceability. Cushions classified as “seconds” or “irregular” will not be acceptable under this specification.
[CGFR 65-37, 30 FR 11583, Sept. 10, 1965]