An Improved Life-saving Device, also applicable for Use in Teaching the Art of Swimming, and for like purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1895
Complete Specification.Left, 13th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Life-saving Device, also applicable for Use in
Teaching the Art of Swimming, and for like purposes.
A communication by LEOPOLD KLIMA, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria,
Captain in the Imperial and Royal Austrian Army.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, and 31, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
This invention relates to an improved life-saving device in the form of a balloon
which is recommended by its simple construction and its collapsibility and convenient,.
form when not in use.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the safety balloon.;..
Figure 2 a view from beneath;
"
Figure 3 a front view of the belt employed with the-life-saving. balloon and».
Figure 4 a side view of said belt.
The balloon A is formed öf wire ribs a, which are covered with material
impervious to water or air, such. for instance as oiled silk, indiarubber or the
like, the wire rings which may also themselves be covered with oiled silk .or
indiarubber to prevent them rusting being attached by means of strips 6 attached.
thereto.
The balloon, is preferably egg-shaped, so that when it is collapsed, the
rings a fit together in consequence of their respective diameters; diminishing
towards the ends of the balloon; whereby the balloon when 'collapsed occupies
very little space.
-
The balloon A is thoroughly tightly closed at the top. by means of a plate c
'whilst at the bottom the material tightly encloses a ringd in which a closing
plate e may also be tightly screwed..
This closing plate e has an opening which is automatically closed by means of a
flap valve h, hinged at g, and has an indiarubber. washer, i, the closing being effected.
as soon as the balloon is filled with air..
The closing of the valve is effected by a cord which is connected to a ring k
on the valve and to a fixed ring j on the plate c. and which is of such a length that
it closes the valve as soon as the balloon A is fully expanded and inflated. .
In order to keep the valve closed, a slide bolt o. is provided, which is adjustable
in a guide m and a longitudinal slot n, and said. bolt being under the pressure-of-a
spring p, springs over the closed flap-valve, and. the latter is only freed again by
the bolt being drawn away.
Another ring 9 is provided on the closing plate e, on which ring a snap hook is
hung, the fixed shanks of the latter being bent out in the manner shown, in order
that it may be very easily and quickly...engaged in anything, for instance in the
buttonhole of an article of clothing.
For use with this life-saving balloon, which is also applicable for teaching the-
art of swimming and for like burneses
hole chamn in

page_text: employed. This consists of a solid hemp webbing into which are woven successive
cord loops t in order that the latter may not easily be torn off. When in use the
belt is fastened round the body by means of the buckle u and one of the
herein before described safety balloons is hooked on to the loops at each side
of the swimmer.
Dated this 13th day of June 1895.
DE MULTICATION.
An Improved Life-saving Device, also applicable for Use in
Teaching the Art of Swimming, and for like purposes.
A communication by LEOPOLD KLIMA, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria,
Captain in the Imperial and Royal Austrian Army.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the
County of Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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 :—
This invention relates to an improved life-saving device in the form of a balloon
which is recommended by its simple construction and its collapsibility and convenient.
form when not in use.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the safety balloon;
Figure 2 a view from beneath;
Figure 3 a front view of the belt employed with the life-saving balloon;
Figure 4 a side view of said belt and
Figure 5 a view from beneath of the closing valve.
The balloon A is formed of 5 wire ribs a, which are covered with an envelope
of material impervious to water or air, such for instance as oiled silk, india-
rubber or the like, the wire rings which may also themselves be covered with
oiled silk or indiarubber to prevent them rusting being attached by means of
strips b.
The balloon is preferably egg-shaped, so that when it is collapsed the rings a
fit together in consequence of their respective diameters diminishing towards the
ends of the balloon; whereby the balloon when collapsed occupies very little
space.
The balloon A is thoroughly tightly closed at the bottom by means of a plate c,
whilst at the top the material tightly encloses a ring in which a closing plate e
may also be tightly screwed.
:
This closing plate e has an opening f which is tightly closed by means of an
indiarubber valve or washer g on a plate i, a spring h pressing the washer against
the closing plate e at one end and bearing at its other end against a plate k screwed
in the plate e and provided with air inlet openings j. On the upper face of the
indiarubber washer is a button or knob / projecting through the opening f, against
which knob a projection m ou a handle o revoluble in its supports n rests in such a
way that when the handle is in a vertical position the projection m presses on the
button, thereby forcing the washer g downwards and opening the valve.
loop or handle o be turned to one side (Figure 2) the button is released from
the projection m and the valve is again tightly closed.
If the
A ring 9 is provided on the closing plate c, on which ring a snap hook r is hung,

page_text: the fixed shank s of the latter being bent out in the manner shown in order that
it may be very easily and quickly engaged in anything, for instance in the-
buttonhole of an article of clothing.
In order to use this balloon, the handle o is turned in line with the axis of the
balloon, thus opening the valve, the balloon is drawn out so that it fills with air,.
and finally the handle o is turned down, whereby the valve is again closed and the
balloon remains full of air.
For use with this life-saving balloon, which is also applicable for teaching the
art of swimming and for like purposes a belt B shown in Figures 3 and 4 is
employed. This consists of a solid hemp webbing into which are woven successive.
cord loops t in order that the latter may not easily be torn off. When in use
the belt is fastened round the body by means of the buckle and one of the
hereinbefore described safety balloons is hooked on to the loops t at each side of
the swimmer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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 :-
1. A life saving or swimming balloon consisting of a collapsible floating-body (A)
formed of wire ribs or rings (a) covered with an envelope of material impervious
to water and air, and adapted to be drawn out or expanded in order to fill
itself with air through a valve provided for the purpose, substantially as
described.
2. In a life-saving or swimming balloon such as described an air-inlet valve
consisting of a closing plate (e) with an aperture (f) adapted to be closed by
means of an indiarubber washer (9) and spring (h) and having a revoluble loop or
handle (o) with a projection (m) adapted to engage a button (1) on the washer and
to thereby press down the latter when the handle is turned down, thereby
opening the valve, substantially as described.
3. In a device for use in teaching the art of swimming and for the like
purposes; the combination of a belt (B) having loops (t) secured thereto, and
floating bodies such as (A) adapted to be attached to said loops substantially as
described.
Dated this 10th day of March 1806
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.