IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LIFE BUOYS OR APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY AT SEA
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Joseph Johnson and James Clayton, both of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND APPERTAINING TO LIFE BUOYS OR APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE
AND PROPERTY AT SEA."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Joseph Johnson
and James Clayton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
25th November 1880.
EDMUND JOSEPH JOHNSON and JAMES CLAYTON, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LIFE BUOYS
OR APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY AT SEA,"
The great disadvantage of an ordinary life buoy is this: it lies flat on the
water, and cannot be seen in rough weather by a swimmer, whose head too
necessarily is just above the surface. Vast numbers of lives have been lost from
this cause, the drowning person not being able to see the buoy thrown perhaps
within a few feet of him. Ceteris paribus too an ordinary cork life buoy liable to
become saturated with water, cannot be as safe or as buoyant as a tubular one.
Now our Invention consists of an eliptical tubular buoy formed in watertight
compartments, preferably at least four in number, and the following accessories :-
1st. A band across it toward one end with a staple and pin or a spring clip, so
arranged that it can be instantaneously detached from the bulwarks or wherever
it may be placed.
2nd. A balast boat fastened by a spring or other fastening to one end of the
buoy. This ballast boat is shaped to hug the end of the buoy, and while so securely
fastened to it that it cannot be detached by accident, it is yet capable of being
detached designedly should more buoyancy be required.
3rd. In the compartment at the opposite end of the buoy is a large lid lined with
rubber or other waterproof cushion, capable of being easily taken off and readjusted,
so that ships papers, jewelry, or other valuables could be inserted and securely
locked up.
4th. Though not necessary, a flag to still further draw attention fastened
to the end used for ships papers, et cetera, which end stands upright out of the
water through the action of the balast boat.
5th. Bands or rails attached to each side for life lines, and also, if desirable, loose
lines for the person floating to lash himself to the buoy.
6th. Though this again is not absolutely necessary, a bell attached to the upper
end, so that if thrown over board in a fog or dark night the sound may attract the
swimmer.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edmund Joseph Johnson and James Clayton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th May 1881.
EDMUND JOSEPH JOHNSON, and JAMES CLAYTON, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LIFE BUOYS
OR APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY AT SEA."
The great disadvantage of an ordinary life buoy is this: it lies flat on the water,
and cannot be seen in rough weather by a swimmer, whose head, too, necessarily is
just above the surface. Vast numbers of lives have been lost from this cause, the
drowning person not being able to see the buoy, thrown perhaps within a few feet
of him. Ceteris paribus too an ordinary cork life buoy, liable to become saturated
with water, cannot be as safe or as buoyant as a tubular one.
Now our Invention consists of an eliptical tubular buoy formed in watertight
compartments, preferably at least four in number and the following accessories :-
First. A band across it towards one end with a staple and pin or a spring clip,
so arranged that it can be instantaneously detached from the bulwarks, or wherever
it may be placed. In practice, in most instances, this band, staple, and pin, will be
fastened to the bulwarks, as shown in the Drawing, when the buoy is kept
permanently in one position.
Second. A ballast boat fastened by a spring or other fastening to one end of the
buoy. This ballast boat is shaped to hug the end of the buoy, and while so
securely fastened to it that it cannot be detached by accident, it is yet capable of
being detached designedly should more buoyancy be required.
Third. In the compartment at the opposite end of the buoy is a large lid lined
with rubber or other waterproof cushion, capable of being easily taken off and
readjusted, so that ships papers, jewelry, or other valuables could be inserted and
securely locked up.
Fourth. Though not necessary, a flag to still further draw attention fastened to
the end used for ships' papers, et cetera, which end stands upright out of the water
through the action of the ballast boat.
Fifth. Bands or rails attached to each side for life lines, and also, if desirable,
loose lines, for the person floating to lash himself to the buoy.
Sixth. Though this again is not absolutely necessary, a bell attached to the upper
end, so that if thrown overboard in a fog or dark night the sound may attract. the
swimmer.
In the Drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation; Fig. 2, plan; Fig. 3, sectional elevation;
Fig. 4, section on line x, x, showing the holdfast and release bar.
In these A is the "safe" compartment; B, C, and D, other tubular com-
partments; E, arm with terminal bracket F attached to bulwark upon the terminal
bracket; the arms G, G, are pivotted on pivots I, I. These arms have projections J, J,
to keep the buoy in place when clasped by arms G, G. The arms G, G, are locked
by a key or flat peg K on the end of the chaiu L, which key passes through slots
in the arms G, G, and bracket F. M, ballast boat attached to the buoy by metal
strap N and hasp O, so that by turning the hasp O the strap can be unclasped
and allowed to fall off. The ballast boat contains sufficient lead to cause the buoy
to float upright naturally. This quantity, of course, differs for buoys of different
weight, but can be found at once by trying the buoy in water with a temporary
hollow ballast boat and shot; as soon as sufficient shot has been poured into the
ballast boat to cause the buoy at once to right itself, then weigh boat and shot, and
the resultant is the weight required. P is a lid lined with india-rubber or other
waterproof material, capable of being screwed off and on. Through the orifice

page_text: closed by this lid the ship's papers, jewelry, or other valuables could be inserted
and secured. Q are the rails, already sufficiently described.
Having now described our Invention, we claim as new and the matter protected
under the herein before in part recited Letters Patent,-
First. The manufacture of life buoys as described, consisting of a tubular buoy
separated into several compartments by bulk heads or partitions, and carrying a
safe at one end for ships' papers and other valuables.
Second. The combination in a life buoy of a tubular frame with a weight or
ballast boat attached to one end, but easily detached at will, so as to cause the
buoy to float upright in the water with or without a bell, flag, or aid to draw
attention, and thus be more easily seen by a man overboard, who, however, can
detach the weight should he require further buoyancy.
Third. The manufacture of life buoys with hold fast and release bars, constructed
and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shown.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edmund Joseph Johnson and James Clayton,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty first day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.