Year: 1898

page_text: When the connection between A and B and the openings at C are tight, the
apparatus forms a closed vessel into which the outer air cannot enter.
When the apparatus is submerged in water, it operates in the following way.
As soon as the gas-development vessel B is submerged to such an extent below
the water surface, that the water pressure acting from the outside is sufficiently
great to lift the india-rubber sleeve E from the metal cylinder C, water will flow
into B by the holes D. If the substance in the receptacle consists of calcium-
carbide acetylene gas according to the formula
Ca C+2 H, O=C₂ H₂+Ca O₂ H₂ will be developed.
2
As however the pressure, owing to the rapid development of gas is rapidly
increasing, the india-rubber sleeve E will close itself tightly around the metal
cylinder C and shut off the water supply through the holes D. The acetylene
gas formed will then pass through the pipe F into the belt A, enlarging and
inflating the same. The apparatus then tends to float up to the water surface
thereby taking with it the person or object, to which it is secured. By giving A
a certain size and proportioning the weight of the calcium-carbide placed in B
according to the same, it will thus be possible to keep an object of a known
weight floating on the water surface. For this purpose for instance for a man
of middle size about 6 litres acetylene gas, which corresponds to about 20 gr.
calcium-carbide is required.
The whole apparatus may be enclosed by a cloth or the like, for instance in
the form of a large double belt L (Figure 6). To prevent water entering in greater
quantity from B to A a valve may be inserted in the tube I which can be of
the same construction as that around the cylinder C and which will not be opened
by the water pressure, but only by the greater gas pressure.
Dated this 19th day of April 1898
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
I, KARL ALFRED NILSSON, of No. 35, Kyrkgatan, Ostersund, in the Kingdom
of Sweden, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
Hitherto two kinds of life-belts have been used viz. those which are
constantly filled with a substance that is lighter than water, for instance cork,
air, or gas, and those consisting of empty hollow belts, provided with a
tube by means of which the user can blow air into the belt when required.
The present invention has for its object an empty hollow safety-belt, which,
as soon as it is submerged beneath the surface of water, will at once be
automatically filled with gas, whereby the same will be lifted up to the surface
of water together with the person, or object, it is required to keep above the
water.
The invention will be described with reference to the drawings accompanying
the Provisional Specification, in which:-
Figure 1 shows the gas development vessel, and part of the belt in vertical
section ;

page_text: Figure 2 shows the same parts in horizontal section;
Figure 3 shows the gas development vessel in cross section at right angles to
Figure 1,
Figure 4 shows the arrangement of the gas valve;
Figure 5 shows the belt and the gas development vessel belonging thereto, on
a smaller scale; and
Figure 6 shows the apparatus surrounded by an outer belt.
The apparatus consists of a belt A (Figures 1, 2 and 5) of an air-tight and
watertight substance, for instance india-rubber, and a gas development vessel B
connected therewith, consisting of a hollow box of iron, tinned brass, or such
like, in which a metal cylinder C is tightly screwed. This cylinder is provided
with holes D and on its cylindrical part which enters the gas development
vessel B is surrounded by an india-rubber sleeve E (Figure 4) which serves as
a valve, opening into the chamber B. A tube F forms the connection between 13
and A. It is secured to B by means of the union-nut G and to the opening of
the belt A by means of the flange H, the washer I and the nut K. In the gas
development vessel there is placed a suitably proportioned quantity (according
to the size of belt) of calcium-carbide or other material adapted to develop gas
when in contact with water.
When the connection between A and B and the openings at C are tight, the
apparatus forms a closed vessel into which the outer air cannot enter.
When the apparatus is submerged in water, it operates in the following way.
As soon as the gas-development vessel B is submerged to such an extent below
the water surface, that the water pressure acting from tlie outside is sufficiently
great to lift the india-rubber sleeve E from the metal cylinder C, water will flow
into B by the holes D. If the substance in the receptacle consists of calcium-
carbide acetylene gas according to the formula
Ca C₂+2 H₂ O=C₂ H₂+Ca O₂ H₂ will be developed.
As however the pressure, owing to the rapid development of gas is rapidly
increasing, the india-rubber sleeve E will close itself tightly around the metal
cylinder C and shut off the water supply through the holes D. The acetylene
gas formed will then pass through the pipe F into the belt A, enlarging and
inflating the same The apparatus then tends to float up to the water surface
thereby taking with it the person or object, to which it is secured. By giving A.
a certain size and proportioning the weight of the calcium-carbide placed in B
according to the same, it will thus be possible to keep an object of a known
weight floating on the water surface. For this purpose for instance for a man
of middle size about 6 litres acetylene gas, which corresponds to about 20 gr.
calcium-carbide is required.
The whole apparatus may be enclosed by a cloth or the like, for instance in
the form of a large double belt L (Figure 6). To prevent water entering in greater
quantity from B to A a valve may be inserted in the tube F which can be of
the same construction as that around the cylinder C and which will not be opened
by the water pressure, but only by the greater gas pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1.
A life-belt consisting of a belt proper (A) in the form of a closed shell of an
air-tight and watertight substance for instance, india-rubber, and a closed gas
development vessel (B) connected therewith and provided with a valve, and
containing a suitably proportioned quantity of calcium-carbide or other material
adapted to develop gas when in contact with water, the said gas development
vessel being connected with an automatically operating valve, so arranged that
when the apparatus is submerged in water, the valve is actuated by the water

page_text: pressure and opened, thereby letting in a quantity of water in
the carbide vessel, but is shut off, as soon as the inner pressure in the receiver,
in consequence of the gas development, has become greater than the water pres-
sure, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 10th day of January 1899. -
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.