IM. PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY AT SEA
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Augustus Welch, of Sydenham, in the
County of Kent, Paymaster Royal Navy, for the Invention of "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY
AT SEA,"
Sealed the 17th October 1868, and dated the 24th April 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Augustus
Welch at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,, with his
Petition, on the 24th April 1868.
I, GEORGE AUGUSTUS WELCH, of Sydenham, in the County of Kent,
Paymaster Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of the said -Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE AND
PROPERTY AT SEA," to be as follows:-
My improved apparatus for saving life and property at sea consists of
an air-tight casing somewhat tapering in form towards the bottom,
having a central space open from top to bottom for the reception of the
person or valuables to be saved. This casing, which may be in one or
more compartments and of any suitable metal or other material; "I
[Price 8d.1

page_text: enclose in an open framework of wood or battens suitably connected
together, which serves to protect it and at same time adds to its floating
power. This open framework is also placed on the bottom of the casing
so as to form a support for the feet open to the water.
I further provide the apparatus with one or more hollow tubes or
sockets passing from top to bottom, each containing a signal staff for
the purpose of indicating the position of the apparatus or buoy when
in the water to facilitate its recovery by the ship to which it belongs,
and also for attracting the notice of a passing vessel should it be lost.
Each signal staff is telescopic, being formed in two or more parts or
sections fitting the one in the other, the whole being contained in the
socket or sockets before mentioned. The signal staff is automatically
raised out of its socket when the buoy is dropped into the water by
means of a weighted rod sliding in the lower part of the socket, which
rod on the buoy being released in the manner herein-after described from
the davits to which it is suspended falls partly out from the socket, at
the same time raising the first section of the signal staff out of its socket
by means of a cord or chain attached to the weighted rod and passing
over a pulley near the top of the socket down the interior thereof to
the interior of the first section, which is thus raised by the descent of
the weighted rod in the water. A cord is also attached to the socket
passing over a pulley at the top of the first section to the bottom of
the said section, to which it is also attached, causing the latter to
rise simultaneously with the first section. Cords similarly attached
for the remaining sections, in case of more than two being employed,
would effect their simultaneous elevation, the topmost section being
provided with a flag or other signal.
Cans containing fresh water for drinking purposes are fitted at the
bottom of the life buoy with suitable tubes for drinking from, said cans
as also the balance weight of the signal staff serving to ballast the buoy
in the water. Floats are attached by cords to the sides of the buoy to
facilitate entering the same from the water, and also to afford means of
support in the water for several persons at a time by holding on to the
buoy. The apparatus which may be hoisted by any suitable tackle is
suspended from two hollow davits projecting horizontally from the ship's
stern or quarter, a sliding bolt in each davit taking into an eye or socket
on either side of the buoy received in a slot on the under and outer end
of each davit, which is thus securely attached. A cap is fixed to the

page_text: davits above each signal staff to prevent the latter rising into position
when the buoy is suspended at the davits. The telescopic signal staff
is further provided with a projecting arm carrying a pan containing a
signal light or poitfire for indicating the position of the buoy at night,
which is ignited by means of a trigger line and friction tube, said trigger
line being passed into the ship where it is attached to a hook when the
buoy is suspended at the davits. The buoy is detached by withdrawing
the bolt before mentioned as securing it to the davits for the purpose of
saving life, as in the case of a man overboard or otherwise, and when so
detached falls direct into the water, the firing of the portfire and the
elevation of the signal staff or staffs being simultaneous with the descent
of the said buoy. If the portfire is not required to be ignited the trigger
line is detached from the hook previous to letting go the buoy, the line
remaining pendent from the portfire pan, so that the means of igniting
the same always remains at the command of the person in the buoy.
The buoy may be readily hoisted without lowering a boat by simply
bringing it under the davits by means of a line communicating with the
buoy or by other mode, the eyes or sockets being inserted in the slots in
the davits, and the bolts shot through the same so as to secure the
whole in suspension.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Augustus Welch in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 24th October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
AUGUSTUS WELOH, of Sydenham, in the County of Kent, Paymaster
Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Augustus Welch, Her special
licence that I, the said George Augustus Welch, my executors;
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Augustus Welch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and' at all

page_text: times thereafter 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
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE
AND PROPERTY AT SEA," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Augustus Welch, 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 George Augustus Welch, 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, reference being had to the two
Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say):-
My improved apparatus for saving life and property at sea consists
of an air-tight casing somewhat tapered in form towards the bottom,
having a central space open from top to bottom for the reception of
the person or valuables to be saved. This casing, which may be in
one or more compartments and of any suitable metal or other material,
I enclose in an open framework of wood or battens suitably connected
together, which serves to protect it and at same time adds to its floating
power. This open framework is also placed on the bottom of the casing
so as to form a support for the feet open to the water.
I further provide the apparatus with one or more hollow tubes or
sockets passing from top to bottom, each containing a signal staff for
the purpose of indicating the position of the apparatus or buoy when
in the water to facilitate its recovery by the ship to which it belongs,
and also for attracting the notice of a passing vessel should it be lost.
Each signal staff is telescopic, being formed in two or more parts or
sections fitting the one in the other, the whole being contained in the
socket or sockets before mentioned. The signal staff is automatically
raised out of its socket when the buoy is dropped into the water by means
of a weighted rod sliding in the lower part of the socket, which rod on
the buoy being released in the manner herein-after described from the

page_text: davits to which it is suspended falls partly out from the socket, at the
same time raising the first section of the signal staff out of its socket
by means of a cord or chain attached to the weighted rod, and passing
over a pulley near the top of the socket down the interior thereof to
the bottom of the first section, which is thus raised by the descent of the
weighted rod in the water. A cord is also attached to the socket passing
over a pulley at the top of the first section to the bottom of the second
section to which it is also attached, causing the latter to rise simul-
taneously with the first section. Cords similarly attached for the
remaining sections (in case of more than two being employed) would
effect their simultaneous elevation, the topmost section being provided
with a flag or other signal.
L
Tanks containing fresh water for drinking purposes are fitted at the
bottom of the life buoy with suitable tubes for drinking from, said tanks
serving together with the balance weights of the signal staffs to ballast
the buoy in the water. Floats are attached by cords to the sides of the
buoy to facilitate entering the same from the water, and also to afford
means of support in the water for several persons at a time by holding
on to the buoy. The apparatus which may be hoisted by any suitable
tackle is suspended from two hollow davits projecting horizontally from
the ship's stern or quarter, a sliding bolt in each davit taking into an eye
or socket on either side of the buoy (received in a slot on the under and
outer end of each davit) which is thus securely attached. A cap is fixed
to the davits above each signal staff to prevent the latter rising into
position when the buoy is suspended at the davits. The telescopic
signal staff is further provided with a projecting arm carrying a pan
containing a signal light or portfire for indicating the position of the
buoy at night, which is ignited by means of a trigger line and friction
tube, said trigger line being passed into the ship, where it is attached to
a hook when the buoy is suspended at the davits. The buoy is detached
by withdrawing the bolt before mentioned as securing it to the davits
for the purpose of saving life, as in the case of a man overboard-or
otherwise, and when so detached falls direct into the water, the firing
of the portfire and the elevation of the signal staff or staffs being
simultaneous with the descent of the said buoy. If the portfire is not
required to be ignited the trigger line is detached from the hook
previous to letting go the buoy, the line remaining pendant from the
portfire pan so that the means of igniting the same always remains at

page_text: the command of the person in the buoy. "The buoy may be readily
hoisted without lowering a boat by simply bringing it under the davits
by means of a line communicating with the buoy or by other mode, the
eyes or sockets being inserted in the slots in the davits and the bolts
snot through the same so as to secure the whole in suspension.
shot through the same so as to secure the whole in suspension.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
r
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved apparatus for saving life
and property at sea as it appears when in the water; Figure 2, a plan,
and Figure 3 is a vertical section of same on line 1, 2, Figure 1.
A, A, is the air-tight casing, having a central space B open from 'top
to bottom for the reception of the person or valuables to be saved. I
enclose the air-tight casing A in an open framework C of wood or
battens suitably connected together, which serves to protect said casing A
and adds to its floating power. This open framework C is also placed
on the bottom of the casing, as seen in Figure 2, so as to form a support
for the feet open to the water. I further provide the apparatus with
one or more hollow tubes or sockets D, D, passing from top to bottom of
the casing. Each socket 'D contains a signal staff E for the purpose
of indicating the position of the apparatus or buoy when in the water
to facilitate its recovery by the ship to which it belongs, and also for
attracting the notice of a passing vessel should the. apparatus be lost.
Each signal staff E is telescopic, being formed in several sections e¹, e³,
fitting the one in the other, the whole being contained in the sockets D
before mentioned. Each signal staff E is automatically raised out of
its socket D when the buoy is dropped into the water by means of a
rod F, to which is attached a weight G sliding in the lower part, of
socket D, which rod F on the buoy being released in the manner herein-
after described from the davits to which it is suspended falls partly out
from the socket D, at the same time raising the flag staff E, as seen in
Figures 1 and 3; this is effected by means of a. cord or chain a attached
to the weight G, and passing up over a pulley 6 near the top of socket D,
where it is attached to a feather a¹ formed on the bottom of the first
section of the flag staff E, which section is thus elevated by the
descent of the weighted rod F in the water. A cord c is also attached
to the socket D, passing over a pulley at the top of the first section e' to
the bottom of the second section e2 to which it is also attached, causing
both sections to rise simultaneously. Cords similarly attached for the

page_text: remaining sections (in case of more than two being employed) would
effect their simultaneous elevation, the topmost section being provided
with a flag or other signal. Tanks H containing fresh water for
drinking purposes are fitted at the bottom of the apparatus with suitable
tubes d for drinking from, said tanks EI as also the balance weights G
of the signal staffs serving to ballast the buoy in the water. Floats f
Figure 1, are attached by cords to the sides of the buoy to facilitate
entering the same from the water and also to afford neaus of support
in the water for several persons at a time by holding on to the buoy.
The apparatus, which may be hoisted by any suitable tackle, is
suspended by two hollow davits separately represented on Figures 4
5, 6, and 7. Figure 4 shows a plan of the davits as arranged for
suspending the life buoy of my Invention; Figure 5 is a section on
line 3, 4, Figure 4; Figure 6 is an end view of said davits, and Figure 7
shows the life buoy as suspended thereto at the stern of a ship.
9, 9, are the hollow davits, cach containing a bolt h, which bolts are
connected inside the ship by a suitable bar or handle h¹, so that they
may be drawn out simultaneously. These bolts h take into the eyes
or sockets k of the buoy A, as seen in Figure 5, each socket & passing
through a slot in the under side of the davits, as shown; i, i, are the
caps fixed above each signal staff E for the purpose of preventing the
latter from rising into position beforo the apparatus is released from the
davits. The frame to which said caps i are fixed is hinged to one of the
davits so as to permit of its being moved back, as seen in Figure 6, out
of the way of the tackle for hoisting the buoy to its place at the davits g
after use. Each telescopic signal staff is further provided with a pro-
jecting arm carrying a pan containing a signal light or portfire for
indicating the position of the buoy at night, which is ignited by means
of a trigger line m and friction tube, one of which trigger lines m being
passed into the ship, where it is attached to a hook when the buoy is
Buspended at the davits, as seen in Figure 5. The buoy is detached by
withdrawing the bolts for the purpose of saving life, as in the case of
a man overboard or otherwise, and when so detached falls direct into
the water, the ignition of the portfire contained in one of the paus
and the elevation of the signal staffs E being simultaneous with the
descent of the said buoy. In this case the trigger line m is retained
on the hook, but if the portfire is not required to be ignited the
trigger line m is detached from the hook previous to letting go the buoy,

page_text: the line m remaining pendant from the portfire pan 1, as seen in
Figure 3, as well as the trigger line of the other portfire pan, so that
the means of igniting the same always remains at the command of the
person in the buoy. The buoy is readily hoisted without lowering a
boat by simply bringing it under the davits 9 by means of a line
communicating with the buoy or by other means. In order to hoist
up the buoy the signal staffs are first lowered by the occupant of the
buoy pulling them down and attaching the chains o, o, Figures 1 and 3,
to the eyes o¹ at the top of the first section, suitable tackle is then
lowered over and attached by the occupant to the eyes n provided
for the purpose, when the buoy may be hoisted to its place at
the davits and secured by the bolts h, as before described; the
caps i, i, of the davits are then secured over the staffs E, and the
chains o, o, unhooked, and the buoy is again ready for use.
This improved life-preserving apparatus may also be made of circular
or oval form as well as rectangular. Figures 8 and 9 show an
elevation and plan of a buoy of circular form.
A is the air-tight casing as before, which in this case is only carried
àbout halfway down, the lower part H being used to contain water. The
sides are made perpendicular, the lower part of the framing only being
tapered, as shown. The framing which may be of metal if desired has
a grating at the base to form a support for the person in it open for the
free admission of the water. The lower part of said framing is further
covered on the exterior with wire netting L to afford protection against
sharks.
Instead of suspending my improved life buoy from davits, as herein-
before described, it may be placed round a hatchway or skylight on deck
so as to serve as a seat, and forming (in case of the ship foundering)
a life raft capable of supporting several persons.
Figure 10 is an elevation of this arrangement of the apparatus;"
Figure 11 is a plan with part of the skylight removed; and Figure 12 a
transverse section of the same on line 5, 6, Figure 10.
A is the air casing resting on upright chocks p fixed to the deck,
having a central vertical bolt 21 for securing the casing; E, E, are the
signal staffs; and G, G, the counterbalance weights as before. The air
casing A is arranged round the hatchway or skylight opening in the deck,
but is not attached to the latter in any way, it being simply held in place
by the securing bolts p¹ above mentioned, so that in case of the ship

page_text: foundering the apparatus will float off the deck without obstruction;
Lis the frame of the skylight, which simply rests on the casing, and is
thrown off when the apparatus is required for use; M, M, are panels of
wire netting hinged to the lower inner edge of the casing A; they are
usually fastened up against the inner sides of the casing A, as seen in
Figure 12, so as not to obstruct the light to the deck below when the
apparatus is in use; said frames M are dropped down so as to form a
support in the water for the persons to be saved. N are wire flaps hinged
to the upper and outer edges of the casing, which may be drawn up to
the position shown in red in Figure 10 for the purpose of affording
protection against the waves.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the com-
bination and arrangement of parts comprising the improved apparatus
for saving life and property at sea, together with the modifications of the
same, the whole arranged and applied substantially in the manner shown
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Augustus Welch, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
25
Witness,
A. M. CLARK,
Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
GEORGE A. WELCH. (L.s.)