Improvements in Life Saving Appliances at Sea.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life Saving Appliances at Sea.
I CHARLES RIDDLE of 37 Camden Park Road Camden Road in the County of
Middlesex Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in life saving appliances at sea and has for
its object to store a great number of these appliances in a small space by folding or
rolling them up and yet to get them inflated and ready for use at a moments notice.
In carrying my invention into practice I use inflated life buoys, bolts, mattresses, rafts
and the like made of waterproof material and I provide them on their inner periphery
or at any other suitable place with a pipe or tube of circular or other convenient
shape into which is stored under pressure the volume of compressed air to inflate the
appliances attached thereto. This tube communicates with the said life saving
appliances by means of a neck carrying a suitable tap or cock which when opened
allows the compressed air to fill them and hence renders them buoyant.
Dated this 50th day of October 1888
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life Saving Appliances at Sea.
I CHARLES RIDDLE of 87 Camden Park Road, Camden Road in the County of
Middlesex Builder 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:-
My Invention relates to improvements in Life saving appliances at Sea, and has
for its object to store a great number of these appliances in a small space by folding
or rolling them up, and yet to get them inflated and ready for use at a moment's
notice.
In carrying my Invention into practice I use uninflated Life buoys, belts, mattresses
rafts and the like made of waterproof material, and I provide them on their inner
periphery or at any other suitable place with a pipe or tube of circular or other
convenient shape; into which is stored under pressure the volume of compressed air
necessary to inflate the appliances attached thereto. This tube cominunicates with
the said Life Saving Appliances by means of a neck carrying a suitable tap or cock
which when opened allows the compressed air to fill them and hence render them
buoyant.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood I have shewn the
same in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an
inflated life belt. Fig. 1 is a top view of a portion of the front of the belt. Fig. 2
is a sectional rear view of the front of the belt when uninflated showing its mode of
attachment and the pipe connections. Fig. 3 shews the application of my Invention
to a life buoy and Fig. 4 a similar application to a mattress or raft. As shewn in
Fig. 1 the belt constructed according to my Invention is composed of two layers lľ
of water-proof material between which the compressed air is admitted, and which are
connected together in any suitable manner so as to ensure the formation of a
thoroughly air tight receptacle as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 1º, the front layer is
quilted so as to form outside a series of bags or packerings bbb, but this arrange-
ment although preferable is not indispensable for the success of my invention. The
two inner vertical bands e e fixed at each end of my belt are connected by means of
straps with the compressed air storage reservoir or tube T, the said straps passing

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through hooks / h formed thereon and being fastened by buckles cc', in the usual
manner. Inside the band e' is fixed between two layers of material one end of the
bent tube t one end of which leads and within the belt receptacle while its other
end communicates with a small cylinder d with which is likewise connected the end
of a double bent pipe connected by joint to the tube g fixed to the reservoir T and
communicating therewith. The said pipe f carries a tap k, which enables the com-
pressed air to pass from the tubular reservoir T into the receptacle formed between
the two layers l'and hence to inflate the belt.
When my Improved belt is realy for use, the reservoir T is charged and the tap k
being closed, the belt is rolled up with the tube T inside and is placed in any
suitable part of a ship, on deck or in the cabins, so that whenever required in a
moment of emergency all that is to be done is to fix it on the body by means of the
straps, and then to open the tap when the belt will become quickly inflated and capable
of fulfilling its purpose. Fig. 3 shews in a general manner the application of my
Invention to a life buoy. I provide inside the buoy likewise made of two layers
of waterproof material a tubular storage reservoir T for the compressed air connect the
same with the body of the buoy i.e. between the two layers thereof by means of
suitable pipes or connections provided likewise with a tap. This inner storage
reservoir communicates by means of radial pipes oo o etc. with an outer reservoir R
so that the two reservoirs and radial pipes may be normally filled with a sufficient
quantity of compressed air to ensure the buoy being suitably inflated when com-
munication is established between the latter and the compressed air reservoir T.
In some cases when the buoy has a small capacity only make use of the inner
reservoir. Fig. 4 shews the application of my Invention to mattress or raft. In this
case the storage reservoir or tube T is placed at one end as shown and communicates
with the inner part of the mattress by a suitable pipe n stopcock and connections.
When uninflated the said mattress may be placed under an ordinary mattress, the
tube T serving as a bolster.
I may in like manner inflate any receptacle, mattress, bag and the like made of
pliable fabric or material, these articles being used for any suitable purpose, for
instance mattresses arranged according to my Invention may be stored in hospitals
and inflated when required for the use of invalids.
I may likewise use lighting gas, hydrogen or any other suitable gas instead of
compressed air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Applying to life belts, buoys, rafts, and other receptacles capable of being
inflated and collapsed a charged compressed air storage reservoir of tubular or other
form suitably connected thereto by means of pipes, stopcocks and the like for the
purpose of rapidly inflating the said devices and rendering them buoyant substantially
as herein described and shewn.
2. The improved life belt constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
3. The improved life buoy constructed arranged and operating substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
4. The improved mattress or raft constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Talad him til La
1304
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.