EM2

Also

EM.2

Preceded by	Succeeded by
Penna Respirator EM	EM3 A1

Filter

Tubin

Turnivercio

Filter connection
Fixed filter

Made in

Italy

Issued to

Industry

Manufacturer

Pirelli

The EM2 was an Italian gas mask made for industry use. It was one of the very first flat-moulded masks manifactured by Pirelli, meaning the faceblank was produced in one single moulding act instead of being composed of multiple welded sheets like previous types.

Mask overview[]

The EM2 faceblank was made of moulded beige rubber, textured on the outside and smooth on the inside. Inside the mask there was an internal divider made of synthetic sponge, which separated the faceblank in two parts, reducing dead space and helping to prevent fogging while wearing the mask. The sponge-section design was simpler compared to earlier Pirelli designs like the Penna respirator, as there was no rubber protrusion to which the sponge was attached and instead it was attached directly to the core faceblank, and as a consequence the eyes were sitting closer to the eyepieces, giving a better field of view.

The faceblank had the following parts attached:

The 5-straps head harness, with 4 of those being elastic
Crimped eyepieces with triplex glass, 50mm wide
Inlet-outlet assembly, made of silumin, which contains both the inlet and outlet valve. The assembly is connected on one end to the mask and on the other to the hose. The outlet valve is placed frontally with a threaded lid keeping it in place
Corrugated hose, either 30cm or longer, depending on the buyer's preference

By July 1931, an EM2 facepiece (hose included) with the carrier satchel cost 74 lire, while one with a cage carrier cost 62 lire.

Filter[]

The mask was provided with a specialized filter depending on the buyer's needs, either a Tubin or a Turnivercio (the latter is a universal filter).

Kit[]

The mask could be sold in 3 main configurations:

With the first configuration the mask was provided with a carrier satchel made of rubberized canvas, alongside a stick of anti-fogging soap and a spare exhale valve. Said carrier was divided in two sections, one for the mask and the other for the filter and hose. The filter section had holes to allow airflow. A string was used to hold the carrier more firmly around the wearer's chest. The main strap had a special buckle to shorten it the mask was in use. If the mask was provided with a longer hose, this last feature wasn't necessary.

Alternatively, the mask could be sold in a Pirelli metal box (32 x 21 x 13cm), with a cage carrier to carry the filter on the chest, alongside a spare exhale valve and a stick of anti-fogging soap.

If the mask was used with a fresh-air breathing apparatus, the hose provided would be longer and the inlet valve would be rigid.