IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS FOR FLOATING OR SUPPORTING BODIES IN WATER.
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cowell Brown, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Wesleyan Minister, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES
OR APPARATUS FOR FLOATING OR SUPPORTING BODIES IN WATER.".
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cowell Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th January 1880.
WILLIAM COWELL BROWN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Wesleyan
Minister. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS FOR FLOATING OR
SUPPORTING BODIES IN WATER."
The object of this Invention is to provide a convenient and safe means for
supporting the human body in water and especially for life saving purposes.
According to this Invention I construct life belts, bags, cushions, garments, or
other hollow articles, in such a way as to be self inflating, all as hereinafter
described. The belt or garment or other hollow article is in communication with
a vessel, bag, or receptacle for certain chemical ingredients, which on coming in
contact with each other or with water or other fluid evolve gas, which then flows
into the article and inflates it.
As an example, I place bicarbonate of soda and tartaric acid in a receptacle,
which by an aperture is connected with an elastic life belt; on the immersion of the
life belt in the water the latter enters the receptacle for the chemicals and cause
the immediate generation of carbonic acid gas which inflates the belt. The
receptacle may be placed within or otherwise form part of the life belt.
A valve may be placed between the receptacle for the chemicals and the article
to be inflated. The aperture for the entry of the water may be closed by valve or
other closure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Cowell Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th July 1880.
WILLIAM COWELL BROWN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Wesleyan
Minister. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES OR APPARATUS FOR FLOATING OR
SUPPORTING BODIES IN WATER."
According to this Invention I construct belts, bags, cushions, garments, swimming
collars, or other hollow articles, so as to be either self inflating or otherwise to be
inflatable at any desired moment, all as hereinafter described.
The belt or garment or other hollow article is in communication with a vessel,
bag, or receptacle for containing certain chemical ingredients, which on coming in
contact with each other or with water or other fluid evolve gas, which then flows
into the article and inflates it. As an example I place bicarbonate of soda and
tartaric acid in a receptacle, which by an aperture is connected with, for example,
an elastic life belt, on the immersion of which the water enters the receptacle for
the chemicals, and the generation of carbonic acid gas immediately takes place, and
the belt is thereby inflated. The receptacle may be placed within or otherwise
form part of the life belt or other hollow article to be charged with gas. A valve
may be in some cases placed between the receptacle for the chemicals and the
article to be inflated or charged with gas.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate the manner in which the Invention is
carried into effect. I will first describe that part of my Invention which refers to
inflating belts, bags, cushions, garments, swimming collars, or other hollow articles
automatically.
Figure 1 shews in vertical section a receptacle constructed according to my
Invention for holding certain chemicals, which on coming in contact with liquids
evolve a gas which inflates a chamber or bag with which the receptacle is con-
nected. I shew this chamber or bag partly inflated, because a section of the same
when uninflated would in a drawing look only like a series of lines, and be
unintelligible to a very great extent.
Figure 2 is a cross section through line x, y, of Figure 1 when partially inflated.
Figure 3 is also a section through line x, y, but shewing the bag uninflated.
Figure 4 is a cross section through line y, z, of Figure 1 when the article is
inflated.
Figure 5 is a cross section of same also through line y, z, but when the bag is
uninflated.
Figure 6 is a plan of underside of the bag partly inflated shewing pleats,
Figures 7 and 8 are views of a coat fitted with bags and receptacles of the
nature before referred to. Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the
foregoing Figures. a is the chamber or bag, made preferably of very light air or
water proof flexible material, such as air proof cloth or vulcanized rubbered
cambric; a¹ is a receptacle forming the bottom thereof, and made partly or wholly
of some porous fabric or otherwise with one or more fine holes through; the
chemicals are placed in the bottom part or receptacle a'. The chamber a together
with the porous bottom a¹ are so arranged as not to allow the porous bottom to be
affected by rain or by the perspiration from the body of the wearer, but still to
become immediately wet when plunged into water. 6 is an internal sleeve by
which the receptacle a' is charged; for this purpose it is drawn out by the hand, as
shewn by the dotted lines at b³, when the chemicals can be easily inserted through
the mouth, and when the said mouth or sleeve is pushed back into the position
shewn by the full lines the chamber a is closed, but for greater security the
internal sleeve b may by turned over, as shewn by the dotted lines 63, in, the
chamber a.
In Fig 1, I have shown the inflatable chamber a without any

page_text: internal sleeve b, in which case the chemicals are put in before the chamber is
closed. These chambers are sewn to the linings of a coat (for example) and
between the cloth and the lining, and a coat thus provided differs neither in
appearance nor in appreciable weight from a similar coat without these fittings,
and the same is applicable to vests and other upper garments; such a coat fitted
in the manner before described is shewn at Figures 7 and 8. Or one or more
chambers a, a, may be attached to a waterproof bag containing the mail or other
valuables. In these cases the chemical charge preferred is bicarbonate of soda and
tartaric acid, and the quantity may be approximately estimated at one grain of
bicarbonate to each cubic inch to be inflated. The receptacle or part a¹ may be
closed by sewing, cementing, buttoning, or otherwise.
It will be seen that contact between the chemicals and water is effected at the
lower part of the receptacle a', and when such contact is made the gas so produced
rushes to the top of the chamber a and inflates it, and the action of this chamber
then is precisely the same as that of a diving bell.
From Figures 3, 5, and 6, it will be seen that one side of the chamber has pleats
along it; this is so that the inflation shall act away from the body of the wearer.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, according to which I inflate
belts, bags, and other hollow articles, at will or at any desired moment. This part
of my Invention is applicable to divers' dresses as well as to ordinary dresses, coats,
and vests. When applied to a divers' dress the addition will add materially to the
confidence of the diver, for he can feel that he is not absolutely at the mercy of his
attendants.
To meet his case I make the ordinary diver's dress with an inflatable chamber.
This is in communication with a metal flask or receptacle of any suitable shape
carried in the diver's belt. This receptacle contains the charge of bicarbonate of
soda and tartaric acid. By a button or screw down valve, as is used in ordinary
inflatable life preservers, or by means of an ordinary tap, water is admitted in case
of need, and the diver ascends as slowly or as quickly as he pleases to the surface,
aided more or less by his own efforts, all according to the buoyancy of inflatable
chamber or chainbers used.
By any suitable contrivance the diver may allow any or all of the buoyant gas
to escape, and thus retard or stop his ascent at any point or descend again at
pleasure. The charge needed is very small, and a diver may without any
inconvenience carry several with him, and thus be enabled to ascend and descend
as often as he pleases within the limits he chooses to provide for.
This apparatus is applicable to all kinds of diving dresses, but is a specially
valuable addition to an appliance most recently made public, by means of which
the diver carries his own supply of oxygen. I do not limit myself to the flask
mentioned.
The kind of generating vessel is immaterial; some of the arrangements mentioned
hereafter are useful. The charges may be contained in suitable compartments in
the diver's belt itself, a very convenient arrangement where it is necessary to
provide for many ascents. The form, material, and arrangement of the several
parts of the containing vessel are of no consequence so long as the purpose is served
of keeping the chemicals in a quiescent condition until needed. Be it also observed
that though I specify certain chemical ingredients by name I by no means confine
myself to their use alone.
My Invention as applied to swimmers' collars is as follows, and I describe these
separately because of their importance:-No real swimmer would go for a swim
with a collar inflated; he swims for the pleasure of the exercise and because he likes
to test his powers, but many such would like to have help at hand in case of cramp
or faintness. Now I propose to give to all who wish it a collar which, when
uninflated, will be round the neck like a broad flat riband, and which may be used
thus an indefinite number of times until the moment of real peril arises, when it
can instantly be transformed into a life buoy. For this purpose I construct the
collar of very light strong rubber or air proof cloth, or other air proof material of

page_text: such capacity as to contain when inflated, say, from 100 to 200 cubic inches or
more, according to circumstances.
This collar may according to my Invention be inflated in a variety of ways, but
I propose principally three, which I now proceed to illustrate, two by breakage of a
glass vessel and one by admission of water. Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12 shew such
apparatus constructed according to my Invention, Figures 9 and 10 shewing the
collar with two of the appliances applied, and Figures 11 and 12 shewing detail
views of one of the modifications shewn at Figure 9.
In the case of Figure 9 a glass tube U or V shaped is enclosed in a heart shaped
rubber case, as also shewn separately in Figure 11. d is the rubber case; c, the
breakable tube or vessel containing diluted sulphuric acid; g, signifies the
bicarbonate of soda; and h is a strainer of hemp or cotton wool or other suitable
material. By the tube i at the top it is connected to the inflatable collar a². It
only needs to be pressed with the hand at the top to break the glass tube at the
bottom and allow contact between the chemicals to be effected, as shewn at
Figure 11; or a straight glass tube may be used, as shewn at Figure 12, where one
side of the containing vessel d is rigid, being made of wood or metal or other
suitable material, and the tube inserted through a hole in the bottom, which is
afterwards closed by a suitable screw plug d¹. It will be seen that pressure in the
direction of the arrows on Figures 11 and 12 will break off the tube at the bottom
and allow of contact between the chemicals. The arrangement shewn in Figure 12
will allow of recharging. In the first arrangement, as at Figure 11, the case d
must be constructed outside of the tube and can only be once used.
In either case the charge is saved from accidental injury by a suitable case which
is left off when the collar is worn.
These rubber vessels d containing the chemical charges may either form part of
the collars or may be separate and attachable by any suitable screw or union
joint.
The other methods by which I propose to inflate these special articles are on the
principle of allowing water to reach dry chemicals in case of need. A small round
box of, say, ebonite, with a screw down top may be constructed to contain the
charge. This is attached to the collar by a short flexible tube or may be upon the
collar where the latter rests on the chest.
The screw down top is in either case so made that part of a turn will at once
admit the water, or water may be admitted by the ordinary button topped or screw
valve previously alluded to.
But a very simple method is to have the charge in a linen bag within the collar,
and at the front, as shewn at Figure 10.
The water has access to the charge through a suitable slot or opening left for the
purpose, but this opening is covered with a piece of rubbered cloth k securely
cemented down so as to be water proof. Attached to and forming part of this
cover k is a tag left loose; when necessary to inflate the collar or buoy the
cover is torn off by the tag k¹, and the inflation instantly occurs.
Though I specify swimmers' collars, I do not confine myself to collars only; any
kind of vest or garment or bather's dress can be provided with a life saving
inflatable chamber of any suitable shape or size.
My Invention as described with reference to Figs. 9 to 13 is applicable to all
kinds of inflatable life saving articles. Among these may be specified by way of
example inflatable bouts, rafts, mattresses, cushions, bags containing the mail or
other valuables, buoys, belts, coats, vests, collars, etc., etc. Under this category I
principally refer to articles already made and well known; some of these have
heretofore had to be inflated by the wearer's breath, who in case of immediate peril
may not have sufficient control over his nerves to accomplish the inflation; others
are intended to be inflated by means of bellows, and even though the bellows be
always at hand the inflation must be a work of time. By means of my Invention
the articles to be inflated or charged with gas can be instantly filled with buoyant
gas, for example carbonic acid. To effect this a definite quantity of bicarbonate of

page_text: soda f, Figure 13, and a proportionate volume of sulphuric acid contained in a
sealed glass vessel c are placed within a suitable chamber d of stout rubber, which
is in communication with the articles to be charged with gas. When by a blow
upon the rubber case the glass vessel c within is broken, the chemicals come in
contact with each other and infallibly evolve a definite volume of carbonic acid
gas, which flows in the direction of the arrow (Figure 13) into the hollow article.
The chemicals will remain good for any length of time; the charge is proportioned
to the space to be filled with gas. The rubber case & containing the breakable
vessel c is protected from accidental injury by a metal guard e. The stop tap
shewn in Figure 13 is not an essential part of the apparatus, but it is a convenient
addition, inasmuch as it allows the inflatable chamber to be closed while a fresh
charge is being placed in the inflater. The charges are for convenience made up in
cartridges; thus, a sealed glass vessel of such shape as is most convenient, and of a
size proportioned to the necessities of the case, containing a mixture of strong
sulphuric acid and water is wrapped in linen or other porous cloth. Outside of and
all round this in a contiguous layer, enveloping the inner vessel, is placed the
bicarbonate of soda; this is wrapped in linen, paper, or other covering, and fastened
in the form of a compact packet in any convenient way, and forms what may be
called an inflating cartridge, possessing a definite volumetric power of inflation.
It only needs to be broken in a suitable vessel to give off its measure of gas. The
linen is wrapped round the glass for the purpose of retarding the evolution of
the gas, which is inconveniently swift if the acid runs instantly into the bicarbonate
of soda.
By means of this Invention I accomplish the following ends :—
1. Ordinary garments are rendered life saving; bags containing the mail or other
valuables are also thereby rendered unsinkable.
2. Divers are enabled to come to the surface at pleasure and descend again
at will.
3. All kinds of inflatable life saving articles, such as mattresses, etc., carried on
board ship, are immediately inflated in case of need.
4. Swimmers' collars and other garments to be inflated only in case of need are
constructed.
5. The chambers with which yachts and boats are provided can be immediately
filled with gas when required, and ships so provided are rendered unsinkable.
These ends I attain by the use of certain chemical ingredients, which on coming
in contact with each other or with water or other fluid evolve gas; and for the
holding of the ingredients I use such vessel, bag, or receptacle, as is adapted to the
requirements of each case.
Principally I use the following combinations, though I by no means bind myself
to them :-
1. The bicarbonate of soda and tartaric acid in the presence of water.
2. Bicarbonate of soda and diluted sulphuric acid, a glass vessel being broken.
When bicarbonate of soda and tartaric acid are used their weights may be taken
as equal, though 1 of bicarbonate of soda to 1.75 of tartaric acid is also a good
proportion. When diluted sulphuric acid and bicarbonate of soda are used, one
ounce (apothecaries' weight) of bicarbonate of soda, and 1 fluid ounce of a mixture
of 1 part of strong sulphuric acid, and 2 parts water, may be taken to give
approximately 500 cubic inches of gas.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim the use in general of
chemicals alone or when combined for the production of gas to inflate or charge bags
and other vessels to render them buoyant, nor do I claim generally the placing of
dry chemicals in the vessels themselves to be inflated or charged, and causing the
chemicals to generate gas by the action of an acid thereon, the said acid being caused to
blend with the chemicals by the breakage of the vessel in which the acid is contained;
neither do I claim the employment of an entirely air and water proof bag in which
chemical substances are placed for the purpose of the production of gas to inflate

page_text: same, the said bag having been in all such cases, so far as I have been able to ascertain,
fitted with a valve or valves of some sort or descriptlon for admitting water,
whereas in my Invention I absolutely abolish the use of such valves, and do not
make the whole of the bag or other hollow appliance waterproof.
I claim,--
First. The construction and employment of hollow appliances adapted for floating
or supporting bodies in water, and containing chemicals in a special receptacle
within, or otherwise forming part of said appliance, such receptacle or part being
made partly or wholly porous, or with one or more fine holes through, and having
no valve for the admission of water to cause the said chemicals to combine so as to
form gas for inflating or charging such hollow appliance, but where the same is
automatically brought into action by the fact of the appliance itself entering the
water, all substantially in manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, together with any mere modifications
thereof.
Secondly. The combination of apparatus containing chemical substances for the
automatic production of gas with a valveless apparatus or appliance to be inflated
or charged with the gas by the intentional breakage or other intentional opening of
a vessel or compartment containing an acid or other exciting agent or charge or
cartridge, all substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings, together with any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cowell Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM COWELL BROWN. (L.S.)