Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1886
Complete Left, 25th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 28th June, 1887.
DESE
FREDERICK JOHN DAVIS, Master Mariner Belle-Vue Gibbons Street Plymouth and
ORLANDO JAMES HENRY DAVIS Merchant Bedford Chambers Plymouth Devon
England do hereby declare the nature of their invention for A LIFE BUOY to be as
follows:-
A life buoy capable of supporting two to six adults in the water, and formed of
2 cylinders fastened together at each end by strong bolts & rivets.-A bridle,
made of rods and tubes combined, is to be fitted on to the outer edge of each cylinder,
& to work on a pivot properly fitted, so as to allow the bridle to swing perpendicularly
immediately the buoy is thrown from the ship. The bridle is to be weighted at one
end and to bear a flag on the other end, as also a tube full of inflammable composition.
The flag is for day service, and the composition for night service. The buoy in
shape will be somewhat similar to a canoc except that the centre will be perfectly
hollow, as per ordinary life buoys now in use.
Dated Plymouth. 26th Auơnst 1886
FREDERICK JOHN DAVIS.
ORLANDO J. H. DAVIS.

page_text: We, FREDERICK JOHN DAVIS, and ORLANDO JAMES HENRY DAVIS, of Bedford
Chambers, Plymouth, in the County of Devon, master mariner and coal merchant
respectively, do hereby declare the nature of this invention for A LIFE BUOY and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The improved life buoy in which this invention consists is composed of a ring
preferably of oval or elliptical configuration, of cork or other suitable buoyant
material, and having hinged or pivotted thereto a bridle or swinging frame weighted
at one end and so arranged that when allowed to swing free the bridle_occupies a
plane at right angles to that occupied by the buoyant ring aforesaid. Hence when
the buoy is in the water the buoyant ring lies in a horizontal plano on the surface
of the water and the bridle stands in a vertical planc.
The buoyant ring or body of the buoy may be tubular and be composed of metal
or other suitable material. The bridle may be built up of metallic tubes or of bars or
of a combination of tubes and bars.
To that part of the bridle or swinging frame which is uppermost when the buoy is
launched is fitted a tubular staff having a flag attached thereto.
In this tube may
be stored an inflammable substance, material or liquid. The flag being an elevated
object indicates, by day, to a person in the water, and to others, the position of the
buoy, and, by igniting the inflammable substance or liquid contained in the tube,
the position of the buoy is indicated by night. The buoy may be furnished with
a bell, whistle or other appliance for signalling or attracting attention.
Extending transversely across the buoy is a seat (either swinging or fixed), or a
rope, to receive the person or persons to be supported by the buoy, and lines or ropes
aro provided for such person or persons to grasp.
When suspended from a ships' side or from a rail, frame or wall or when otherwise
similarly located the buoyant ring or body and the bridle are parallel with one another,
the bridle encircling the body.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 thereon represents a vertical
section of one form of our improved life buoy. In this figure the buoy is represented
as afloat in the water. Fig. 2 represents a plan of the buoy as it appears when
suspended from a ship's side or when otherwise similarly located. Fig. 3 represents a
transverse section on the line xx, Fig. 1.
In the example illustrated the bridle a is a flat metallic bar or hoop. It may,
however, be made of tubes or of rods or of a combination of any or all of these. The
buoyant body b of the buoy is, in the example illustrated, composed of solid cork
or other suitable substance. It may, however, be composed of tubes of metal or
other suitable material. The bridle a is free to turn about the body on the trunnions
or pivots c which extend through the body b as shewn.

page_text: Under the influence of the weight & attached to one end thereof the bridle a assumes
the position in which it is shewn at Fig. 1 when the buoy is launched. At the
outer end of the bridle a is a tube e to which is attached a flag f which, if desired,
may be of metal. The flag indicates to a person or persons in the water the
position of the buoy, and to persons on board a ship or in a boat. Similarly,
by igniting an inflammable substance or liquid contained in the tube e the position
of the buoy is indicated at night. If the bridle a be constructed wholly or partially
of tubes the tube e may be a branch therefrom and be in communication therewith.
Extending transversely across the buoyant ring or body 6 is a seat g for a person
or persons for whose use the appliance is designed. Instead of being a flat seat as
shewn in the drawings it may be merely a bar or rope. Lines or ropes may be
secured to and arranged upon the buoy in any desired manner for a person or
persons to grasp and to serve as a means of enabling such person or persons to
maintain their hold of the buoy. At Fig. 3 such ropes or lines are indicated by the
letter and are shown as lashed at convenient points to the body b.
A spring catch or other suitable device may be fitted at or near the pivots c which,
when the bridle a has assumed an upright position, may project from the body b
and act as a clutch to keep the bridle in place.
Instead of corresponding in configuration with the body b the bridle a may be of
rectangular or other suitable form and be weighted at one or more points in its
lower part.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is
1. An improved life buoy consisting of an inner buoyant frame, of any suitable
shape and composed of any suitable material, pivotted to an outer metallic frame
which, when the appliance is in use, assumes a plane at right angles to the plane in
which the aforesaid buoyant frame lies and so causes to be elevated a flag or light
whereby the position of the buoy is indicated to a person or persons in the water,
and to others, substantially as described.
2. An improved life buoy consisting of an inner buoyant frame such as b, of cork
or other suitable substance, or composed of metallic or other tubes, with seat such
as g, and pivotted to an outer frame or bridle such as a, composed of metal bars, rods
or tubes, or of a combination of any or all of these, such outer frame or bridle being
weighted at the lower end so that when launched a flag or light carried at the top
thereof is elevated over the buoyant inner frame and the position of the buoy thus
indicated to a person or persons in the water and to others, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.