IMPROVED APPARATUS POR PRESERVING VALUABLE PROPERTY, DOCUMENTS, AND LETTERS IN CASES OF SHIP- WRECK
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Loysel at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th January
1863.
I, EDWARD LOYSEL, of Cannon Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
POR PRESERVING VALUABLE PROPERTY, DOCUMENTS, AND LETTERS IN CASES OF SHIP-
WRECK," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improved apparatus for preserving valuable property,
documents, and letters in cases of shipwreck relates to a novel mode of
constructing receptacles or safes to receive articles or documents of value or
importance, the main object being that such receptacles or safes, with the
articles contained therein, shall be capable of floating in water, so that in cases
of shipwreck the safe may be thrown overboard, and either towed to land or
anchored, so that it may be subsequently recovered without difficulty. To this
end I construct the safe or receptacle of iron or other suitable strong material,
and outside of this I place an outer casing also of iron, but much stronger
than the inner one. A considerable space is left between the two casings, and
this space I fill or partially fill with blocks of some light wood or other
material, which will act as a stay between the two cases and will give great
rigidity to the structure. In order to render these wooden or other blocks as
light as possible, I first divide them in two and hollow them out, and then I
join the parts together again and secure them in their places between the

page_text: casings. The safe may be further protected externally by projecting hoops or
rings, which may be placed round the vessel, and will not only strengthen it
but will protect the casing from injury by bumping on rocks when thrown
overboard. The safe may be made of any convenient shape, but I prefer to
make it either cylindrical or egg-shaped, and a man-hole must be made
through the two casings, so as to be able to gain access to the interior. This
man-hole must of course be hermetically closed by means of an india-rubber
washer or other suitable contrivance; strong rings or hooks are also secured
to the outer casing to receive ropes, to which anchors or grappling irons may
be attached, so that when the safe is thrown overboard, the anchor or grappling
iron may hold it and prevent it from being carried away by currents until it
can be secured. These ropes may be coiled round projecting pins or rollers
placed at the ends of the safe. or receptacle, so that when the safe is thrown
overboard the ropes will unrol with facility and allow the anchors or grappling
irons to sink and hold the safe securely, and prevent it from drifting and being
carried away by the current. A bell may be adapted to the upper part, so
that when the safe rocks about, the bell by sounding will give notice, even
during the night, of the whereabouts of the safe. The safe may be placed on
the deck of the ship, or (if this be objected to) in some other part from which
it may be easily launched into the sea when required. For convenience of
removal the safe may be provided with small rollers or castors on which it
will run.