Life Saving Float.
Year: 1895

page_text: Life Saving Float.
HERBERT ELSDALE INSKIP 13 Fenchurch Avenue, London (Extra) Master
Mariner Commander Orient Steam Navigation Co. do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Two long floats, a centre keel and uets so arranged that in contact with the
water these two floats will self adjust, or can be adjusted before placing in the
wator.
The floats are also so fitted that they will close when not in use.
The nets so fixed as to form bottom to floats and afford support to occupants.
The floats are connected to the stem at either ond in such a manner that their
own buoyancy opens them up on each side of the keel in a boat shaped form and
are so fitted with stays as to retain this form and position. The whole can be
propelled by means of oars and is fitted with life lines &c. 1s so constructed that
it cannot be easily smashed by coming in contact with ship's side or any other
obstacle, it cannot be awamped or capsized and being light can either be lowered
into the water by a single whip from any boat davits or may be thrown into the
water ond on when it will immediately take its natural position and be ready for
use.
The use to which this float can be put is in case of shipwreck or necessity
of crew. and passengers leaving a vessel in which case this float would be less liable
to injury than any other form of life saving apparatus.
It cannot be swamped or capsized and can be made of any size and to accom-
modate any number of people who would be perfectly safe on it.
I declare my invention for which I claim protection to consist of floats, keel,
stems and nets used and arranged as described.
Dated this 27th day of February 1895.
I HERBERT ELSDALE INSKIP, of 13 Fenchurch Avenue, in the City of London,
Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to a life-eaving apparatus or float, for use in cases of ship-
wreck, for saving the lives of passengers or crew: it may also be employed for
rescuing persons falling into the water, and in certain cases be converted into a raft,
for use for landing and other purposes. It may be stowed away in a comparatively
small space, but is nevertheless immediately ready for use, and can be kept with
advantage at coast guard stations, on pier beads, and on river banks for the use of
[Price 8d.1

page_text: Chose boating or Dating, as well as on board snip, where it 18 more particularly
useful.
According to this invention between two suitable fluats, I connect a net to which
is fastened a rod or bar, to form the keel. The said floats are fastened together at
their ends, so as to be capable of being folded together when the apparatus is out
of use.
And in order that my said invention may be more readily understood, I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings accompanying this
Specification, in which
Fig. 1 shews a view of my apparatus open, as it would appear when in use,
Fig. 2 is a view of the same closed, and Fig. 3 is a detail hereafter referred to.
The same letters of reference are employed to denote the same parts in all the
views.
a a shew the fonts forming the sides or frame-work, these are made of buoyant
material, and proferably covered with canvas. The floats a a, I prefer to have of
a circular shape in cross section, as shewn at A Fig. 1.
These floats are connected by loose joints at bb, so that they may be turned
about these joints, and folded up as shewn in Fig. 2. c shews ropes, which may
serve to support the apparatus, when not in use, or to lower it, when required.
d shows a net, fastened to the inner sides of the floats a a. To the netd is connected
a rod e, secured by chainsff to the plate g which forms part of the joints b b. This
rode keeps the net taut, and forms a keel. mare clip pieces secured to the floats a a,
and having arms k, to which bars hh are pivotted at n, so that when the bars hare
turned into position as in Fig. 1 the opposite ends of said bars may be secured by
means of pins at 1. The rods hh thus act as stays. hare similar bars to hh,
but placed on the other side of the net d, pivotted at n' and fastened at their other
ends at . Thus either the bars or are placed in position to stay the
floats a a, according to which side of the apparatus is uppermost when floating
in the water.
It will be scen, on reference to Fig. 1 that the arms are shown out of position,
the bars being supposed to be uppermost in this view.
shews life lines.
The apparatus may be made of any desired size, and can be propelled by means
of oars. Figure 3 shows the arrangement which I fit to the apparatus to enable it
to be propelled by means of oars. In this figure q is a piece of strong rope fastened
round the side or float a, in such a manner as to form two eyes r, r' through one of
which an oars may be passed.
Boards may be fastened across the floats a a, in which case the apparatus can
be used as a floating raft. A large raft may bo formed by lashing a number of the
floats together and fastening boards over the whole.
In cases of ship-wreck, my apparatus is more suitable than an open boat for
keeping persons afloat. It is not so liable to be injured by contact with the ship's
sides, and cannot be swamped or capsized.
The apparatus can also be more easily launched than any boat, as it is simply
necessary to throw it into the water, since from its construction even if thrown into
the water closed, as shewn in Fig. 2, it immediately opens of its own accord, and the
stays can be fixed in position afterwards if required,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. The improved life-saving apparatus, constructed substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In a life-saving apparatus, the employment of a not in combination with floats,
for the purposes set forth.
3. In a life-saving apparatus the employment of a net and floats, in combination

page_text: with a rod forming a keel, and stay rods, all arranged and operated substantially as
described and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this Fifteenth day of November 1895.
BROWNE & Co.,
9 Warwick Court, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.