New and Improved Means for Saving Life from Drowning.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left 3rd May 1808 Accented
30th July 1808
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New and Improved Means for Saving Life from Drowning.
I, WILLIAM OLIVER, of 69, York Road, Lambeth, in the County of London,
Greengrocer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is designed to provide a means of automatically inflating a life-
saving tube or belt or other similar inflatable contrivance, such contrivance being,
preferably, so constructed that it may be worn as an article of clothing.
The invention consists in combining with a life-belt or other like article for
saving life from drowning, an apparatus containing any suitable chemical or com-
pound, for instance calcic carbide, which will generate a buoyant gas when mixed
with water; the said apparatus is constructed in such a way that when it is in the
water, a sufficient quantity of the latter will be mixed with the chemical in order
to generate the gas so as to inflate the article automatically.
According to one way of carrying out this invention I make a vessel of suitable
size and form and into this vessel I fit a hollow plunger provided with an inlet to
which I fit an inlet valve. In the aforesaid vessel I fit a spring which acts on the
aforesaid plunger so as to force it up. On each side of the aforesaid vessel (outside)
I hinge an arm, the upper portions of said arms having inclined planes on their
inner surfaces so that when the aforesaid plunger is pressed down and the arms
are fastened together at their upper ends, the top of the plunger will come under
the aforesaid inclined planes and thus hold the plunger down, so long as the arms
are fastened together as aforesaid. I fasten the said arms together with paper of
such quality that it will break when wetted so as to release the aforesaid arms and
allow the plunger to be forced up by the action of the aforesaid spring so that water
may be sucked into the apparatus and mix with the chemical therein.
The outlet of the apparatus communicates with the belt or other article to be
inflated. The aforesaid plunger is suitably packed so as to make the vessel gas-
tight. I provide a valve at the outlet to prevent air being sucked into the
apparatus.
New and Improved Means for Saving Life from Drowning.
I, WILLIAM OLIVER, of 69, York Road, Lambeth, in the County of London,
Greengrocer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
[Price 8d.]

page_text: the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention is designed to provide means for automatically inflating a life
saving tube or belt or other similar inflatable contrivance, such contrivance being,
preferably, so constructed that it may be worn as an article of clothing.
The invention consists in combining with a life-belt or other article for saving
life from drowning, an apparatus containing any suitable chemical or compound, for
instance calcic carbide, which will generate a buoyant gas when mixed with water;
the said apparatus is constructed in such a way that when it is in the water, a
sufficient quantity of the latter will be mixed with the chemical in order to
generate gas so as to inflate the article automatically.
According to one way of carrying out this invention I make a vessel of suitable
size and form and into this vessel I fit a hollow plunger provided with an inlet
to which I fit an inlet valve. In the aforesaid vessel I fit a spring which acts on
the aforesaid plunger so as to force it up. On each side of the aforesaid vessel
(outside) I hinge an arm, the upper portion of said arms having inclined planes
on their inner surfaces so that when the aforesaid plunger is pressed down and the
arms are fastened together at their upper ends, the top of the plunger will come
under the inclined planes and thus hold the plunger down, so long as the arms are
fastened together. I fasten the arms together with paper of such quality that it
will break when wetted so as to release the aforesaid arms and allow the plunger
to be forced up by the action of a spring so that water may be sucked into the appa-
ratus and mix with the chemical therein.
The outlet of the apparatus communicates with the belt or other article to be
inflated. The aforesaid plunger is suitably packed so as to make the vessel gas
tight. I provide a valve at the outlet to prevent air being sucked into the
apparatus.
And in order that my said invention may be better understood I will now pro-
ceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings accompanying this
specification, in which Fig. 1 shews a sectional elevation of an apparatus for gene-
rating the gas. Fig. 2 shews the apparatus drawn to a reduced scale and fitted to
an article to be inflated, a life belt for example.
The same letters denote the same parts in both views.
a shews a hollow cylinder perforated with small holes at b. The cylinder a is
provided with an internal flange c. The lower end of this cylinder is made to screw
off. d shews an inlet valve. To the upper part of the cylinder a I hinge arms ee
the upper ends of which are inclined as shewn at f f g shews a paper band
wound round the upper ends of the arms e e. h shews another hollow cylinder
or hollow plunger working in the cylinder a. The plunger h has an ex-
ternal flange i, between this flange and the flange c is a flexible washer, for
making a tight joint when the apparatus is at work, by means of the spring n.
The plunger h is provided with a screw cover k and outlet nozzle 7.
tube, perforated at its lower end, this tube is fitted in the plunger h and is pro-
vided with an outlet valve r at its upper end. n shews a spring.
The action is as follows:-
m shews a
The cylinder h is pressed down and the calcium, carbide or other chemical is
placed therein, the arms e e are brought into position shewn at Fig. 1 so that the
inclined planes f f come over the flange of the cover k, the arms e are then bound
together by the paper band 9. The apparatus is connected to the article to be
inflated, say a life saving belt for instance, as shewn at Fig. 2 in which fig. o shews
the belt pan outlet for the gas when it is desired to deflate the article. I may also
have a safety valve to prevent too great a pressure of gas in the article to be
inflated.
Upon the apparatus entering the water, the paper band g will break thus caus-
ing the plunger h to spring up to the position shewn in dotted lines at Fig. 1,
this will have the effect of sucking water through the holes 6 which water coming
into contact with the carbide of calcium or other chemical, will generate gas and

page_text: inflate the article to which the apparatus is connected, by the gas passing up the
pipe m and through the nozzle 1.
With apparatus constructed as above described I obtain a simultaneous suction
of water, a gas tight joint and free exit of the gas to the article to be inflated;
moreover the chemical is hermetically enclosed in the apparatus.
It will be found in practice that a belt will become inflated in a few seconds
after the apparatus is immersed in the water.
I do not wish to confine myself to the precise details herein described as the
same may be varied without departing from the principle of my invention.
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:-
Apparatus constructed and operated substantially as herein described, for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1898.
BROWNE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant, 9, Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London, W.C.