Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-07-09
LIFE SAVING Device,
Trigger That Launches Lifeboat
From a DirigibIe "Way."
SIMPLE IN ITS MECHANISM.

Invention of Albert !. BROCK success
fully Tested From Lighter In the
ocean-lf Ship Sinks Suddenly the
Boat Is Automatically Released and
Floated.
In the upper New York bay off Owls
Head the other day there was tested
new life saving boat, the Invention
of Albert Theodore Brock. Although
the apparatus was not in perfect con-
dition and the vessel from which the
test was made was not entirely adapt
ed to the purpose, the trial was sue
cessful in the extreme, the boat taking
the water within three seconds after
the command Let go!"
The apparatus used was, except in
point of size. identical with the per
fected device. 1t consists of n boat
supplied with air tight compartments
which make it unsuitable and an eX-
aggerated keel into which are sunk
small copper rollers the purpose of
which is to reduce friction as the yes
sci is launched from dirigible way.
1t is this latter feature which makes
the device unique among life saving
apparatus. The boat rests upon this
way, held in place by hooks, which
release it when a trigger is sprung. At
the will of the person directing the
launching the portion of the way i'm
mediateiy beneath the boat can be
swung oversize from the ship at any
angle. When adjusted to meet the con
ditions and upon the release of the
trigger the movable part of the way
tits at an angle of 45 degrees, and the
boat fairly leaps into the water says
the New York Herald. In event of the
vessel sinking suddenly the boat is au-
tomatcally released and foated. The
entire mechanism Is simple in the eX-
treme.
In its perfected state the boat will be
of ample size to carry fifty passengers,
each having a seat on a settle or tran
som running around the cockpit with
partition rails for each person. In the
bottom, resting upon the keel, are two
fresh water tanks, and in lockers un-
der the seats is storage room for food
and other necessarieS sufficient to sup
ply fifty persons for several days. The
boats have waterproof canvas cover
that drops from the ridge of the avn
ing supports by pressure on lever to
admit passengers and Is closed in sim
liar manner when the weather Is bad
or high seas are running.
1t is asserted by Mr.. Brock that this
feature of his device will permit the
loading of the boat to its full capacity
in minute at most. The boats are
provided with a metal tube for the
ingress of air when the cover is on
and which may be used as q mast if
desired
For the purpose of the test the way
vas attached to the after upper deck
of the Daniel McElroy, a big lighter
On board We're several shipping men
and Captain William G. Cannon, assist
ant depot quartermaster, U. S. A. Mr.
Brock stood in the cockpit of his boat,
and when all was ready he signaled
to an assistant, who pulled the trigger
and caused the way to drop toward
the water. simultaneously the boat
started on It's journey. At the time the
McElroy was making about six knots,
and the little craft hit the wake with
cork. Not n drop of water was ship
ped and the decks were hardly damp
ened by the spray, though the vessel
had taken a sheer drop of fifteen feet
after leaving the fixed part of the ap-
paratus.
All those who witnessed the trial
were enthusiastic over its success, and
Captain Cannon, who has paid much
attention TO life saving devices, eX-
pressed himself as being satisfied with
the feasibility Of Mr.. Brooks invention.
Mr.. Brock aftcrward explained that
several Of his ways could be pcrma-
nently attached to the decks of q liner,
with several Of his boats slowed near
by, without unIuly taking the avail
able space. He declared boats could
be launched at intervals of few sec
onds and that all persons able to reach
the deck could be saved, provided of
course, a sufficient number of boats
was carried.