Improvements in Life-buoys or Rafts.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1894-Accepted; 7th July, 1894
Improvements in Life-buoys or Rafts.
I JEAN PIERRE ALBERT GALIBERT of No. 31 Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle,
Paris in the Republic of France, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Life-buoys or rafts have never been hitherto provided on board ships in sufficient
numbers for the passengers to be liberally supplied with them in case of emergency,
and the main reason of this scarcity of the life-buoys or rafts has been the large
space they occupied and the attending difficulty of stowing away a number of them.
This objection is entirely removed by the improved folding or collapsible life-
buoy or raft which is the subject of this invention, and which may be very quickly
converted from an article of very compact shape and small size into a very large-
sized one, either by means of bellows or the like or by simply inflating by means of
the mouth. When out of operation a very large number of these uninflated buoys
or rafts may be carried on board ship, ready for immediate use when required.
One form of the collapsible life-buoy or raft is represented in the accompanying
drawings to illustrate the manner in which the invention can be carried into
practical effect.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section Figure 2 is a cross section and Figure 3 is a
plan of my improved life buoy or raft in readiness for use.
Figure 4 represents the life-buoy or raft uninflated and rolled up ready to be
stowed away.
My improved life-buoy or raft consists of a bag or sack A. of suitable size made of
strong water proof material, and capable of being inflated with air either by means
of bellows or other blowing apparatus or by means of the mouth so as to constitute
a float or raft. But as a float or raft of this kind would lack stability if it were in
a cylindrical shape it is when the bag or sacking is cylindrical caused to assume a
flattened shape by means of a suitable number of tabs or ties l. These tabs or ties
consist preferably of cord or other flexible material retained in position by wooden
or other discs or washers a firmly attached to the fabric. The improved life-buoy
or raft thus assumes the flattened shape of a mattress, when inflated, and possesses
great stability when afloat on the water. The air is introduced through a nozzle
closed with a screw tap, as at b, which nozzle may be arranged either at one end of
the life-buoy or raft or at any convenient part thereof. The sides of the life buoy
or raft are fitted with handles or hold fasts B, of which there may be any desired
number, they being retained by wooden or other discs attached to the life buoy or
raft, in the same manner as the tabs or ties are attached by the discs or washers a.
The attachment of the discs or washers is preferably effected before the bag or
sack A is closed. The said handles or hold-fasts B may consist of india-rubber straps
to which are secured cross pieces of wood in a convenient position to be grasped by
the persons using the apparatus. At the ends of the handles there may be formed
loops which supplement the said cross pieces and increase the convenience afforded
by them. When the life-buoy is not required for use, and is consequently uninflated
aud rolled up, the said handle or hold fasts are turned inside, so that the volume or
bulk of the whole arrangement is reduced to a minimum, and any required large
number of them may conveniently be carried on board ship. In case of peril
or emergency, they may be inflated and made ready for immediate use in the most
simple and rapid manner. By connecting a number of these inflated life-buoys or

page_text: rafts together a large raft may be almost instantaneously built up, thereby renuer
ing my improved device serviceable for use, not only on sea voyages, but also in
crossing rivers.
It will be understood that my improved folding or collapsible life-buoy or raft
may vary in size according to circumstances. Small sized buoys or rafts being
suited for use in learning to swim.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A life buoy or raft consisting of an inflatable bag or sack, adapted to be
distended by the forcing in of air and capable when out of operation and uninflated,
of being folded up into a small volume aud compact form so that a large number of
such life buoys or rafts can be conveniently kept in store and carried on board ships
substantially as herein before described.
2. In a life buoy or raft as claimed by the preceding claiming clause the com-
for the purpose of imparting the required
bination of tabbing or ties such as
stability to the life buoy, or raft substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In a life buoy or raft as claimed by the preceding first claiming clause the
combination of handles or hold fasts on the sides in convenient positions to be
grasped by the persons making use of the apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described.
4. The life buoy or raft consisting of the combination of parts hereinbefore
-described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 5th day of June 1904
JOHNSONS & W ILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.