AN IMPROVED NAUTICAL SAFETY APPARATUS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Mols, Gentleman, Quartier Sainte Gilles,
in the City of Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED NAUTICAL SAFETY APPARATUS."
Sealed the 25th May 1866, and dated the 28th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Mols at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th November 1865.
I, FRANÇOIS MOLS, Gentleman, Quartier Sainte Gilles, in the City of
Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED NAUTICAL SAFETY APPARATUS,"
follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved arrangements and apparatus
having for their object the preservation of human life from drowning. A
waterproof waistcoat or corset of india-rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable
waterproof material is so constructed as to be capable of inflation with air,
the same being introduced through an inlet provided for such purpose and
furnished with a valve or other analogous contrivance to prevent the escape
thereof; or the waistcoat or corset may be constructed of cork, the
same being in either case covered with strong sailcloth or other suitable
material. The waistcoat or corset is fastened to the body of the wearer by
means of a belt, thus enabling the wearer to maintain himself on the surface
of the water. Suitable bearings for the revolution therein of the axes of
wheels to be actuated by the wearer for the purposes of propulsion are

page_text: attached to the waistcoat or corset. The wheels are so placed as to be
situated on each side of the wearer, the same being respectively furnished
with three or more floats for the purpose of acting upon the water.
Crank
handles are also provided so that the wheels can be readily caused to revolve
by the wearer either together or separately, thus enabling the person using
them to move in any required direction. If desired the axes or the crank
handles may be prolonged and furnished with additional or supplementary
floats, whereby increased propulsive power may be obtained. For the purpose
of resting the feet of the wearer of the apparatus and preventing their
becoming benumbed, stirrups are suspended from the waistcoat or corset by
means of straps attached thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Mols in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANÇOIS
MOLS, Gentleman, Quartier Saint Gilles, in the City of Brussels, Kingdom of
Belgium, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing. date the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in. the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said François Mols, Her special licence that I, the said François Mols,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
François Mols, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all 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 "AN
IMPROVED NAUTICAL SAFETY APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said François Mols, 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 mouths next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said François Mols, do hereby declare

page_text: 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 accompanying Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to certain improved arrangements and apparatus
having for their object the preservation of human life from drowning.
One form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of my
said Invention is as follows:-A waterproof waistcoat or corset of india-rubber,
gutta percha, or other suitable waterproof material is so constructed as to be:
capable of inflation with air, the same being introduced through an inlet :
provided for such purpose and furnished with a valve or other analogous con-
trivance to prevent the escape thereof; or the waistcoat or corset may be
constructed of cork, the same being in either case covered with strong sail-
cloth or other suitable material. The waistcoat or corset is fastened to the
body of the wearer by means of a belt, thus enabling the wearer to maintain
himself on the surface, of the water. Suitable bearings for the revolution
therein of the axes of wheels to be actuated by the wearer for the purpose
of propulsion are attached to the waistcoat or corset. The wheels are so
placed as to be situated on each side of the wearer, the same being respec-.
tively furnished with three or more floats for the purpose of acting upon the
water. Crank handles are also provided so, that the wheels can be readily
caused to revolve by the wearer either together or separately, thus enabling:
the person using them to move in any required direction. If desired the axes
or the crank handles may be prolonged and furnished with additional or.
supplementary floats, whereby increased propulsive power may be obtained.
For the purpose of resting the feet of the wearer of the apparatus and pre-
venting their becoming benumbed, stirrups are suspended from the waistcoat
or corset by means of straps attached thereto.
The Figures on Sheet 1 of the annexed Drawings will more clearly explain
the before-mentioned particulars.
In Figure 1, A is the waterproof waistcoat or corset; B, B, the wheels
carrying the floats for propulsion; a convenient size of the floats is about
one foot in width by about ten inches in depth, and about one inch in thick-
ness; C, C, are the supplementary floats. Figure 2 shews the waistcoat or
corset A; a, a, being the belts by which it is secured to the body of the
wearer; B, B, being the wheels and floats, and C, C, the supplementary
floats. In Figure 3, E, E, are the straps depending from the waistcoat or
corset, and to which the stirrups F, F, are attached. Figure 4 shews one of
the wheels separately.

page_text: Another modification of my said Invention. consists in employing, instead of
the waistcoat or corset, an air and water-tight boat-like structure constructed of
waterproof materials and provided with an aperture sufficiently large for the
admission of a man, to whose body the structure is secured by means of
suitable belts or attachments. The structure may also be formed to accom-
modate two or more persons instead of one, paddles being provided and
properly secured for the purposes of propulsion and locomotion: The
structure being air and water tight consequently possesses perfect buoyancy,
thus affording a most efficient apparatus for saving human life in cases of
shipwreck.
The Figures on Sheet 2 of the annexed Drawings fully explain the nature
of this modification of my said Invention.
Figure 1 represents the buoyant structure just described, A being the
aperture for the admission of the person by whom it is to be used; B, B, is
the upper portion of the apparatus, formed of wood, the lower portion C
being formed of cork or wood or other solid and buoyant material; D, D,
are straps and stirrups to be used for the purpose before mentioned, and E, E,
are rings by which the structure can be conveniently carried, or to which
cords may be attached for the purpose of lowering it into the water; F is a
paddle to be used for the purposes of propulsion and locomotion, and of
which any requisite number may be provided. Figure 2 represents a similar
structure suitable for two persons.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe, in
conclusion, that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as
constituting the Invention secured to me by the said in part recited
Letters Patent, is, the construction of the apparatus herein-before mentioned
in the manner and for the purposes substantially herein-before described and
set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Mols, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
FRANCOIS MOLS. (L.s.)