IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE FOR PRESERVING LIFE AT SEA
Year: 1885

page_text: [Communicated from abroad' by Elisha Waters and George Arthur Waters, of
the Town of Troy, County of Rensselaer, State of New York, United States
. of America, Gentlemen.]
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE
FOR PRESERVING LIFE AT SEA" (a communication from abroad by Elisha Waters
and George Arthur Waters, of the town of Troy, county of Rensselaer, State of
New York, United States of America, gentlemen,) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
+
This invention relates to those preservers which are designed to be worn on the
person, the aim of the invention being to produce an article, which may be manu-
factured cheaply; which shall be light in weight and which shall automatically
adjust itself to persons differing in size.
.
To this end, it consists essentially in the combination of two oblong floats,
preferably of cylindrical form, designed to be used, one on the breast and the other
on the back, connected by adjustable or flexible bearings adapted to pass beneath
the arms of the user, and in various details connected therewith.
Life preservers for individual use have heretofore been constructed in a great
variety of forms, but ordinarily of two general classes, one consisting of flexible
chambers or floats to be inflated for use, and the other consisting of cork or similar
buoyant bodies, contained in an envelope of canvas or equivalent material.
Preservers of the first class, owing to their rapid decay, and to the liability of the
valves to fail when in action, have passed almost wholly into disuse; preservers of
the second class are objectionable because of their excessive weight, their cumbrous
form, and the difficulty of adjusting them securely and properly in position during
the hurry and excitemert which commonly prevails on occasions which render
their use necessary. It is to avoid these difficulties that our device is designed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,-
Fig 1. represents a perspective view of our preserver in its most simple and
preferred form

page_text: Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same in a modified form, portions being
represented in sections to illustrate the details of construction.
Fig 3. represents an end view of the sainc.
In the drawings,―
A A represent two hollow floats, preferably of cylindrical form, and of a length
of about eleven inches, and a diameter of from four to five inches, although it is to
be understood that the dimensions may be modified within moderate limits. These
floats may be of any suitable material, but are preferably of paper constructed as
hereinafter described. They are arranged parallel with each other, and united at
both ends, by transverse connections B, which may be of any suitable form and
material, provided they are of length sufficient to pass beneath the arms of the
wearer when the floats are extended across the breast and back respectively. The
office of these connections is to rest beneath the arms, and .sustain the weight of
the wearer, at the same time retaining the floats in their proper position. When
adjusted for use on a person of definite size, the connections may be rigid, but it is
preferred to have them elastic or extensible in order that they may be readily
adjusted to persons of different sizes.
In Fig 1. the connections are represented of webbing or equivalent woven
material of a flexible nature. When thus connected it is not necessary that they
shall be adjusted in length, although the use of buckles or equivalent adjusting
devices as represented in the drawings is recommended.
The essence of the invention in this regard consists in uniting two elongated
floats, one for use at the breast, the other at the back, by connections adapted to
pass beneath the arms of the user, and it is manifest that the sectional form of the
floats may be modified as desired.
It is preferred to retain the circular form for various reasons, the principal one
being that when the connections are pivoted as shown at the center of such floats,
the latter may revolve freely, and thus be conveniently rolled into position upon
the body.
In Fig 1, the connecting straps are shown as passing through slots in plates D,
which are pivoted centrally to the ends of the floats as shown at E.
Referring now to the modified construction represented in Figs 2 and 3, it will
be seen that the floats are similar to those represented in Fig 1, but that the
flexible connecting straps are replaced by extensible spring connections.
At each
end of the preserver a tube F, designed to bear beneath the arms of the user.
contains a strong spiral spring G, the ends of which are extended beyond the tube
and connected to caps H, which are in turn pivoted to plates or links D, pivoted
centrally to the ends of the floats. The springs thus applied; serve as elastic
connections between the two floats, and tend to draw them toward each other
snugly against the person of the user, at the same time permitting them to be
separated a sufficient distance to admit of the preserver being applied to persons
large in body. To protect the springs from excessive strain, and prevent the
separation of the floats in the event of breakage, a strong cord or chain K, is passed
centrally through each spring, and secured at its ends to the respective caps H.
The springs may be connected to the caps, in any suitable manner, but it is
preferred, as in Fig. 2, to recess the caps, insert the springs therein, and insert a
central plug M, which engages within the end of the spring, and which is provided
with a threaded neck extending through the cap, and secured by an external
nut O. The links D, permit the floats to adjust themselves the more freely to the
person of the wearer, but if desired, the caps H may be pivoted directly to the ends
of the floats, or to the ends of the spring otherwise attached to the floats. The
tubes F, prevent any chafing or cutting action of the springs, but they may be
omitted or replaced by a flexible covering of any suitable character.
'
Passing now to the construction of the floats, it is preferred to form them of
sheets of paper wound tightly one upon another and united by glue, a solution of
rubber, or other appropriate adhesive material. The ends may be composed either
of laminated paper, or of wood, or other suitable material, After being otherwise

page_text: completed, the cylinder is treated with varnish, paint, or other material to render
them waterproof. To give them additional strength, and protect them from
abrasion, their outer surfaces are usually covered with canvas or other fibrous
material P, glued or cemented thereon, and finished by a coating of paint, varnish,
or like material. As a further means of strengthening the floats, and protecting
them from injury, I encircle the ends of each by a metallic ring K, of angular form
in cross-section, adapted to bear upon the periphery and also against the under.
surface. The employment of paper is considered preferable to that of any other
known material on account of the extreme cheapness, lightness, and rigidity of
the cylinder.
We are aware that a strap provided with a buckle and intended to encircle the
body of the user has been provided with two small substantially rectangular floats
free to slide thereon, but we believe ourselves to be the first to employ the
elongated rigid floats united at both ends by flexible connections adapted to pass
beneath the arms of the wearer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1st A life-preserver, consisting of two rigid elongated floats, adapted to lie across
the back and breast respectively, combined with flexible devices connecting said
floats permanently at both extremities, and adapted to pass beneath the arms of
the wearer.
4
2nd A life-preserver, consisting of two rigid cylindrical floats united at both ends
by adjustable connections adapted to pass beneath the arms of the user.
3rd In a life preserver, the combination of two rigid elongated floats, and two
spring connections, uniting said floats at their ends as described.
4th A life-preserver consisting of two cylindrical paper floats rendered water-
proof, and permanently connected at their two ends substantially as described.
5th The improved float for a life-preserver, consisting of a laminated paper body,
and the fibrous covering rendered waterproof, substantially as described.
6th In a life-preserver, two rigid elongated floats, in combination with two
flexible connections uniting the ends of said floats, and pivoted thereto substantially
as described; whereby the floats are permitted to revolve substantially as, and for
the purpose described.