AN IMPROVED LIFE-PRESERVING JACKET, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Léchaudée, of Fécamp, in the Depart-
ment of the Seine Inférieure, in the Republic of France (Merchant),
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED LIFE-PRESERVING JACKET, AND
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 2nd June 1874, and dated the 16th December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Léchaudée at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th December 1873.
I, CHARLES LÉCHAUDÉE, of Fécamp, in the Department of the Seine
Inférieure, in the Republic of France (Merchant), do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED LIFE-PRESERVING JACKET,
AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
The frequent accidents which afflict maritime populations, and the
absence of proper life saving apparatus in most ports have led me to
seek a means of supplying the want, and I have succeeded in combining
an apparatus simple, economical, convenient, and strong, which the

page_text: seaman can instantaneously put on and firmly secure to his body by
three straps, so that nothing can hinder him in his work in bad weather.
If the vessel should be lost he may, with my apparatus, remain afloat
long enough to receive help or to save himself.
My improved apparatus, which I propose to term safety or life-
preserving jacket, is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompany-
ing Sheet of Drawing. It is composed of two pieces of strong sail cloth
strongly sewn, the one upon the other, from top to bottom, so as to form
eleven compartments, into each of which, and for flexibility, I have
introduced three sheets of cork of say 6 to 7 inches (0. 16° to 0. 17°) :
in length by 4 to 6 inches (0. 10° to 0. 16°) in breadth, and some-
what less than 2 inches (0m. 4) in thickness, forming a weight for the
apparatus of about 11 lbs. (5 kilos.) of cork, a weight which would
necessarily support a man in the sea, as it is proved that the human
body weighs 4 per cent. more than sea water, from whence I conclude:
that my apparatus is strong enough to carry a man in the water,
inasmuch that 2 lbs. 3 ozs. (1 kilo.) of cork will float 6 lbs. 9 ozs.
(3 kilos.) of copper in fresh water. The weight will, however, vary
with the size of the jacket.
I have further adapted three straps or bands of say from 1 to 2 inches
(0m.
m03 to 0. 04.) in breadth, with buckles to give increase of strength
and facilitate the putting on of the jacket. To the middle strap I have
also fitted rings, one at the back and another in front, the first for the
passage of a line herein-after referred to, and the second to attach it to
the jacket so as not to hinder the movements of the wearer.
The apparatus above described is completed by the apparatus illustrated
in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawing. This apparatus is composed of a
wooden box fitted with a reel or drum carrying a line always ready to
wind or unwind, and furnished with cork floats of nearly 3 inches
(0.06) in length by about 2 inches (0. 04°) in diameter, and set say
two yards (2 mètres) apart, to prevent the line from sinking to the
bottom of the water. When it is attached to the jacket worn by the
swimmer, who, in the moment of peril, desires to place his ship in
communication with the shore, the length of the line which I have
adopted is about 200 yards (200 mètres) but I need scarcely observe this
length is variable according to requirement.
.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Léchaudée in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th June 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
LÉCHAUDÉE, of Fécamp, in the Department of the Seine Inférieure, in
the Republic of France (Merchant), send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Léchaudée, Her
special license, that I, the said Charles Léchaudée, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Léchaudée, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "AN IMPROVED LIFE-PRESERVING JACKET AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Léchaudée, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Léchaudée, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of my Invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and
convenient apparatus for keeping a person afloat when in danger of
drowning, and a means of placing shipwrecked vessels in communication
with the shore, and it consists in a jacket or waistcoat of strong sail
cloth lined with cork and furnished with fastenings, the cork and
ligatures being so arranged as not to interfere with the liberty of move-

page_text: ment of the wearer, also in a box fitted with a reel carrying a line with
floats at intervals to keep it from sinking in the water, said line being
intended for attachment to the cork jacket if the wearer desires to place
the ship or spot which he is leaving in communication with that which
he is endeavouring to reach.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing Figure 1 is a side view;
Figure 2, a front view; and Figure 3, a sectional plan of a jacket or
waistcoat embodying my Invention; and Figure 4 is an elevation section
at A, B, Fig. 6; Figure 5, a side view; and Figure 6, a plan of a box
with safety line embodying this Invention.
My improved life-preserving jacket is composed of two strong pieces
of sail cloth strongly sewn, the one upon the other from top to bottom,
so as to form eleven compartments, into each of which, and for flexi-
bility, I have introduced three sheets of cork of say six to seven inches
in length by four to six inches in breadth, and somewhat less than two
inches in thickness, forming a weight for the apparatus of about eleven
pounds of cork, a weight which would necessarily support a person in
the sea, it having been proved that the human body weighs 4 per cent.
more than sea water. I also conclude that my apparatus is strong
enough to carry a man in the water, inasmuch that two pounds three
ounces of cork will float six pounds nine ounces of copper in fresh water,
the weight will, however, vary with the size of the jacket.
I have further adapted three straps of say from one to two inches in
breadth, with buckles to give increase of strength and facilitate the
putting on of the jacket. To the middle strap I have also fitted rings,
one at the back and another in front, the first for the passage of a line,
herein-after referred to, and the second to attach it to the jacket so as
not to hinder the movements of the wearer.
The life-preserving jacket above described is completed by the appa-
ratus illustrated Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawing. This apparatus
is composed of a wooden box fitted with a reel or drum carrying a line
always ready to wind or unwind, and furnished with cork floats of nearly
three inches in length by about two inches in diameter, and set say two
yards apart to prevent the line from sinking to the bottom of the water
when it is attached to the jacket worn by the swimmer, who, in the
moment of peril, desires to place his ship in communication with the
shore. The length of the line which I have adopted is about two

page_text: hundred yards, but I need scarcely observe this length is variable
according to requirement.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I would have
it understood that what I claim as secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. The use of the combination of the cork with the canvas in a
series of compartments, the cork being further subdivided when it is
desired to give greater flexibility to the jacket, substantially as described.
Secondly. The use of the combination of the fastening straps or bands
with the jacket, substantially as specified.
Thirdly. The use of the combination of the front and back rings with
the middle strap, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fourthly. The use of the combination with the box of the reel and
floated line, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Léchaudée, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
LOUIS EUGENE COLSON,
JEAN BAPTISTE GIRARD.
CH. LÉCHAUDÉE. (L.S.)