IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING INTELLIGENCE FROM ONE VESSEL TO ANOTHER OR FROM VESSELS TO THE SHORE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Morcombe Bromley Baker, of 5, Southampton
Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS
OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING INTELLIGENCE FROM ONE VESSEL TO
ANOTHER OR FROM VESSELS TO THE SHORE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Morcombe Bromley
Baker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1881.
JOHN MORCOMBE BROMLEY BAKER, of 5, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING
INTELLIGENCE FROM ONE VESSEL TO ANOTHER, OR FROM VESSELS TO
SHORE."
THE
This Invention consists of a means and apparatus whereby intelligence may be
conveyed to shore from a vessel, or from one vessel to another with greater
certainty than heretofore.
According to this Invention the apparatus I employ is of a spherical, cylindrical,
or oval form, and made of any suitable material, but preferably of good india
rubber, into which I screw or otherwise suitably fix a tompion in a hole provided
for that purpose.
This tompion is made so as to fix tightly in the aforesaid
chamber, and is also made so as to fix a number of leaves thereto, which are to
contain the intelligence it is desired to convey. On the said apparatus I propose
to paint the name of the vessel on which it is carried. When a vessel is being
wrecked, or when for any other cause it is desired to convey intelligence, it is
simply necessary to write the desired intelligence on the aforesaid leaves, or other-
wise place it in the apparatus, fix in the tompion, and throw the whole over board,
when it will be found, on account of its being constructed as above, that it will roll
as it were on the water, and be carried by the wind very speedily to shore, or be
picked up by another vessel not being dependent on the current, as has been the
case with anything hitherto employed for this purpose, such as bottles, which are
nearly submerged and offer no surface to the wind; it is also next to impossible for
an apparatus constructed as above to be damaged by fish, rocks, or otherwise, or
for it to sink.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Morcombe Bromley Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th November 1881.
<<
JOHN MORCOMBE BROMLEY BAKER, of 5, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex. IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING
INTELLIGENCE FROM ONE VESSEL TO ANOTHER, OR FROM VESSELS TO
SHORE."
THE
This Invention consists of a means and apparatus whereby intelligence may be
conveyed to shore from a vessel, or from one vessel to another, with greater
certainty than heretofore. According to this Invention the apparatus I employ is
of a spherical, cylindrical, or oval form, and made of any suitable material, but
preferably of good india rubber, into which I screw or otherwise suitably fix a
tompion in a hole provided for that purpose. This tompion may be made so as to fix
tightly in the aforesaid chamber, and may also be made so as to fix a number of
leaves thereto, which are to contain the intelligence it is desired to convey. On
the said apparatus I propose to paint the name of the vessel on which it is carried.
When a vessel is being wrecked, or when for any other cause it is desired to
convey intelligence, it is simply necessary to write the desired intelligence on the
aforesaid leaves, or otherwise place it in the apparatus, fix in the tompion, and
throw the whole overboard, when it will be found on account of its being
constructed as above that it will roll as it were on the water and be carried by the
wind very speedily to shore, or be picked up by another vessel not being dependent
on the water currents, as has been the case with anything hitherto employed for
this purpose, such as bottles, which are nearly submerged and offer no surface to
the wind; it is almost next to impossible for an apparatus constructed as above to
be damaged by fish, rocks, or otherwise, or for it to sink.
And in order to explain my said Invention more fully, I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the Sheet of Drawings accompanying this
Specification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 represents section of an apparatus constructed according to my said
Invention.
Fig. 2 represents the apparatus on the sea.
a shews an india rubber ball inflated through the neck or opening b by means
of the inflating tubes 6'. When the ball or apparatus is fully inflated, the opening
or neck b is closed by a lanyard attached thereto, or other suitable means may be
provided for such purpose; c shews the dispatch tube with a cap screwed therein,
and containing a book for information to be written in. I prefer to have more
than one inflating tube, as shewn, so that more than one person may inflate the
apparatus at once in case of sudden emergency in order to economise time.
prefer to make the apparatus or courier of such material (india rubber, for example)
that when out of use on board ship it can be folded up so as to occupy but little
Брасе.
I
When it is desired to use the apparatus the cap should be unscrewed, the
dispatch book taken from the tube, and the necessary memoranda written in it.
Whilst this is being done, the apparatus should be inflated by a second person, or
by three people if constructed with three tubes, as shewn in the Drawing, in order
to economise time in case of sudden emergency. The inflation being completed
and the neck or opening secured by a lanyard or otherwise, nothing remains to be

page_text: done but to restore the dispatch book to the tube, screw on the cap as tightly as
possible, and the apparatus or courier is then ready for launching, and should of
course be thrown overboard to leeward. The apparatus or courier will travel
nearly as fast as the wind. It is preferably made of the best red india rubber, and
having a diameter of, say, 2 ft. 6 in., weighs only 7 lbs. It is made thus large in
order that the wind may have a good hold of it, and from its shape and infinitesimal
displacement it will travel before the lightest air as quickly as the air .current
itself. It cannot be alighted on by birds to its detriment or injured by
fish, whilst violent contact with rocks will not injure the material it is composed
of; but even should perforation take place it will still float, and the contents
remain uninjured. From its size and color it can be seen at a distance of many
miles, and affords a certain method of conveying to the shore such intelligence as
may be necessary.
The above named apparatus will not be subject to the water currents, as is the
case when tin cases, bottles, and other receptacles are employed as hitherto.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention, and the
means whereby the same may be carried into practical effect, I would remark in
conclusion that I do not bind myself to the precise details described and shewn, but
what I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is, the means and apparatus for conveying intelligence from
or to vessels, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Morcombe Bromley Baker, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.