AN IMPROVED PORTABLE PROVISION LOCKER FOR USE IN SHIPS BOATS AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EDWARD ALLISON of 3 Russell Place Anlaby Road, Hull, Wholesale Druggist
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED PORTABLE
PROVISION LOCKER FOR USE IN SHIPS BOATS AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be
as follows: -
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for saving life at
sea by the provision of food and water in the most available and convenient
manner.
My apparatus consists of a locker in which is contained a salt water distilling
apparatus including petroleum lamp, à boiler or kettle and condenser all arranged
and connected together in such manner as to operate efficiently without removal
from the locker.
When stored the locker also contains tins of preserved meat, condensed food.
and other provisions. Tools and other articles likely to be useful in an open boat
at sea.
.
When the apparatus is in use the locker is fixed by one of its sides upon one of
the seats or thwarts of the boat and the locker is opened on one side by the
removal of a lid which is replaced by a curtain or fabric which may be nailed to
the edges of the locker to screen the lamp from wind, whilst nevertheless the fabric
will admit sufficient air for combustion. This curtain is also so arranged as to
allow the light from the lamp to be seen externally and in such a manner as may
attract the attention of a ship passing at a distance.
'
The condenser is a double metallic vessel, and the steam from the boiler or kettle
is led into the interior; the sides of the inner vessel are kept cool by sea water
introduced into the space around them. The sea water is poured in by means of a
funnel which is applied on the exterior of the locker to a nozzle suitably connected
with the condenser within. There is an outlet pipe also which leads away the
condensing water from the upper part of the condenser as it becomes heated.
The locker with its contents or any part of these separately is buoyant, so that
it, or any separate part, may be thrown over board in case of emergency and
afterwards recovered and taken into a boat; The locker is so packed that its
contents will not be injured by this treatment.
In a boat thus provided with my castaway locker it will not be necessary to carry
fresh water and consequently nutritive food for a much longer period can be carried
than by any other means at present employed.
.

page_text: "
I EDWARD ALLISON of 3 Russell Place Anlaby Road Hull Wholesale Druggist
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED PORTABLE
PROVISION LOCKER FOR USE IN SHIPS BOATS AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for 'saving life at
sea by the provision of food and water in the most available and convenient
manner.
My apparatus consists of a locker in which is contained a salt water distilling
apparatus including petroleum lamp, a boiler or kettle and condenser all arranged
and connected together in such manner as to operate efficiently without removal
from the locker.
}
When stored the locker also contains tins of preserved meat condensed food and
other provisions. Tools and other articles likely to be useful in an open boat
at sea.
.
i
1
When the apparatus is in use the locker is fixed by one of its sides upon one of
the seats or thwarts of the boat and the locker is opened on one side by the removal
of a lid which is replaced by a curtain or fabric which may be nailed to the edges
of the locker to screen the lamp from wind whilst nevertheless the fabric will
admit sufficient air for combustion. This curtain is also so arranged as to allow the
light from the lamp to be seen externally and in such a manner as may attract the
attention of a ship passing at a distance.
I,
The condenser is a double metallic vessel and the steam from the boiler or kettle
is led into the interior, the sides of the inner vessel are kept cool by sea water
introduced into the space around them. The sea water is poured in by means of a
funnel which is applied on the exterior of the locker to a nozzle suitably connected
with the condenser within. There is an outlet pipe also which leads away the
condensing water from the upper part of the condenser as it becomes heated.
The locker with its contents or any part thereof separately is 'buoyant so that it
or any separate part may be thrown overboard in case of emergency and afterwards
recovered and taken into a boat. The locker is so packed that its contents will not
be injured by this treatment.
In a boat thus provided with my castaway locker it will not be necessary to
carry so much fresh water and consequently nutritive food for a much longer
period can be carried than by any other means at present employed.
In the annexed drawing Figure 1 is a plan of my improved portable provision
locker as it appears when the lid is removed and when a number of small tools
and other articles, for which, as will be seen, there is ample room have been
taken out.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the locker with the condensing apparatus
set up for use within it.
41-
A A A A are tin canisters, some containing provisions of various sorts and
others containing petroleum for use as fuel in distilling sea water. Some of these

page_text: canisters as will be seen are made of such dimensions as admit of their fitting into
spaces within the lamp and elsewhere, which spaces otherwise might not be utilized.
B is the petroleum stove or lamp. C is the boiler or kettle. D is the condenser
and E is a vessel which serves as a funnel for the supply of sea water to the
condenser.
The apparatus when in use is, as already stated, to be fixed on one of the seats
of a boat or otherwise in a convenient upright position as it appears in Figure 2,
and the condensing apparatus is fixed within the box.
The stove lamp as will be seen for the most part is like petroleum stoves now
employed for cooking and heating purposes the boiler or kettle fits upon the top of
the stove and is there secured by a latch as the drawing indicates; it is provided
with two stop cocks, the lower one for drawing off water when it becomes too
highly charged with salt, and the upper one to control the filling of the boiler or
kettle. At the time of filling this cock is opened, and water is put in by means
of a pail or otherwise until it escapes by this cock. The boiler or kettle is then
sufficiently full, it is to be closed at the top by means of a bung.
The top of the kettle is now connected by means of a bent metal tube with the
inner vessel of the condenser D. This vessel is of cylindrical form and is closed at
the top by a bung similar to that which closes the kettle, it is contained within the
outer vessel of-the condenser, and this, when the apparatus is in use, is securely
connected by a bolt with the upper part of the petroleum stove, as is seen in
Figure 2.
The inner vessel of the condenser is provided with two stop cocks, one near the
lower and the other near the upper part; the first is for, drawing off distilled water
for use as required the upper one should be open whilst distillation is in progress.
When as much fresh water is accumulated and stored as the apparatus is designed
to contain it may be closed. When this is the case the lamp will be extinguisherl.
The cooling of the apparatus, both during the distillation and afterwards is
effected by means of sea water introduced into the vessel E, this, as will be seen,
is clamped down upon the top of the case by means of a metal tube passing through
the case and also through the bottom of the vessel E; the tube is screwed on the
exterior and it receives a pair of nuts and washers, as the drawing indicates. To
the lower end of the tube a flexible pipe is attached, and the end of this enters
between the inner and, outer vessels of the condenser and descends towards the
bottom of this space. Sea water is from time to time put into the vessel E by
means of a pail; it passes therefrom into the space between the two vessels
forining the condenser and an equal amount of water which has become already
warm, is displaced from the condenser and passes away by a flexible tube H. This
tube is adapted to a nozzle on the side of the condenser, it passes through a hole
in the bottom of the case, and the end may hang over the side of the boat so as to
deliver this waste water into the sea.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Ny improved portable provision locker with its parts A B C D and E
tantially no dronnibad