AN IMPROVED LIFE BUOY
Year: 1884

page_text: WILLIAM BALCH 18 Prior Street, Greenwich in the County of Kent, a Pensioner
from Her Majesty's Navy do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
AN IMPROVED LIFE BUOY to be as follows:―
The apparatus consists of two metal or cork oblong floats with a hollow space in
the centre of each for containing tins for provisions, and connected together by
means of a metal tube or rod leaving a short space from side to side, with a second
rod passing through the tube, leaving a short projection for securing signal tubes,
and guard for protecting people from sharks. The guard consists of a half circle
of bent wood hinged at each end, and connected together to pieces of wood
suspended from each end of the rod, thereby completing the circle. I intend using
eight pieces, or more, of bent wood, each in the form of a half circle and varying
in size, when fixed in their places, from five feet in diameter, to one foot in diameter.
Each of the pieces of bent wood will be hinged on to the framework of the guard
which is suspended from the rod and kept an equal distance apart by means
of lines.

page_text: WILLIAM BALCH, N° 11, Ashburnham Grove Greenwich, Kent, Pensinor Royal
Navy do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for AN IMPROVED LIFE
BUOY, 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 an Improved life buoy for saving of life, at sea, & to
overcome the difficulties, for a swimmer to place an Injured or drowning person
woman or child to, wheras at present, with the circular buoy, a swimmer has a
difficulty of placing himself into, especally in a sea way, '& so constructed, that the
wind has but little effect, in driving it from the person approching it, & will stand
a great deal of knocking about amongst raeckage, the same being easly picked up
by boats, without the danger of being stoved, or injured, The second part of my
invention, is that it may be fitted with cans, for liqued food, night signal, & guard
for protecting people from shark's in the locality, where same abide, the guard
being movable, has to be taken off or put on at any time the whole of the appliance
acting automaticaly. The same taking up but a small area of room also being of
such buoyancy to keep several persons afloat.
I propose to use two oblong cork floats or other material of a buoyant nature
with a space left in the centre of each float the two floats being then connected
together by means of a tube or other appliance, side by side leaving a space of about
12 inches between the floats the rod passing direct through all sides of the floats.
Cans containing liquid food and secured to rod passing through space in the centre
of the float the said space in float having two objects the one giving the buoy good
hold in the water not allowing it to sail away, the other for liquid food.
A second rod is then passed through connecting tube, leaving a short projection
each end for securing signal tubes to, the said tubes being weighted at the lower
end, thus allowing the top part of the tube to be uppermost when thrown
overboard.
The guard for protecting people from sharks is also secured to the rod the same
being of a semicircle extends from one end of the rod to the other and being made
of metal lies directly under the buoy. Pieces of hard wood bent or then hinged
each side of the metal guard at a short space apart from top to bottom each piece
being semicircular extends from one end of the rod or metal guard to the other
when opens forms a circular protector being kept at equal distance apart by
chain or line.
I propose that the appliance should be hung over the stern or other convenient
place to bo secured by means of "slip & tumbler as to be let go instantaneously the
whole of the appliance being automatic.
In order to make my invention fully understood I will proceed to describe the
same by referring you to the accompanying drawings.
A represents the floats.
B represents the cans for liquid food.
C represents the tube for connecting floats together.
D represents the tubes for signals.
F represents thumb screw for securing signal tubes.
G represents rod passing through connecting tube for securing signals tubes to
enable the same to be always on a pivot.
H represents the Half circle metal rod or tube forming lower part of guard.
I pieces of Bent wood, hinged to metal bar..
J. Small chain or line keeping bent wood equal distance apart.
K represents space between floats for people.
L represents compartments for calcium for sigual.

page_text: M space in centre of floats thus forming hold in water thereby keeping the wind
from driving it away.
N represents the ring for slinging the aparatus.
O represents chain passed up through tube the lower end secured to the lead
containing calcium.
The operation of the aperatus is as follows It would be slung at the ship's
sterm as shown end view of drawings it being in a collapse form when required
for use the slings are let go thus freeing the buoy the weight of same coming on
chain passed up tube, thus pulling top of can containing calcium the same can
coming in contact with the water ignites. The bent wood opens out forming a
guard. The floats fall on their longer axes thereby giving sufficient buoyancy the
persons overboard approaching the buoy would grasp the rod at the space left
between floats.
Having now particularly described and fully explained the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1 A life-buoy formed of two or more oblong or other shaped floats connected by
a tube or other appliance leaving a space between the said floats substantially as
shown and described.
2nd In a life buoy as described the rod passing through the connecting tube for
securing and pivotting the signal tubes to.
3rd In a life buoy as described the guard for protecting people from sharks the
whole substantially as shown and described.
4th Cans for containg liquid or other food.
Dated the 23rd day of September 1884.
WILLIAM BALCH.