IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE SAVING AND FLOATING APPLIANCES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Don Pástor Pérez de la Sala of Sevilla House Navarino
Road Hackney in the County of Middlesex for an invention of “IMPROVEMENTS
IN LIFE SAVING AND FLOATING APPLIANCES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Don Pástor Pérez de la Sala
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th April 1882.
DON PASTOR PÉREZ DE LA SALA of Sevilla House Navarino Road Hackney
in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE SAVING AND FLOATING
APPLIANCES
"
It consists in utilizing certain varieties of carbon as a substitute for cork bark
or air chambers in the manufacture of buoyant contrivances for the protection of
life in the waters, and for other floating purposes.
I make use of the fumes from the imperfect combustion of hydrocarbons or from
the produce of the destructive distillation or carbonization of vegetable matter,
giving preference to that resulting from the combustion of suberine, richer in
carbon than any other vegetable cellulose, which remains not only impervious to
water, but greatly modified in the specific gravity it possessed in its woody state.
Life saving and other appliances, when stuffed or padded with this material, are
lighter and more buoyant than cork bark contrivances, and at the same time
also more reliable than those in which air forms the floating medium, as in
these contrivances the smallest puncture or fissure makes them entirely useless,
whereas those in which carbonized suberine constitutes the buoyant factor, will not
lose through similar accidents their substantial floating capacities.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Don Pástor Perez de la Sala
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th December 1882.
DON PASTOR PEREZ DE LA SALA of Sevilla House Navarino Road Hackney
in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE SAVING AND FLOATING
APPLIANCES
"
It consists in utilizing certain varieties of carbon as a substitute for cork bark
or air chambers in the manufacture of buoyant contrivances for the protection of
life in the waters, and for other floating purposes.
I make use of the fumes from the imperfect combustion of hydrocarbons, or of
the produce of the destructive distillation or carbonization of vegetable matter
giving preference to that resulting from the combustion of suberine, richer in
carbon than any other vegetablo cellulose, which remains not only impervious to
water, but greatly modified in the specific gravity it possessed in its woody state.
Life saving and other appliances when stuffed or padded with this material are
lighter-and-moro. buoyant than cork bark contrivances, and at the same-time-also-
more reliable than those in which air forms the floating medium, as in these con-
trivances the smallest puncture or fissure makes them entirely useless, whereas
those in which carbonized suberine constitutes the buoyant factor will not loose
through similar accidents their substantial floating capacities.
The easiest and cheapest way of obtaining carbonized suberine is simply to burn
cork bark (suberis cortex) shavings or granulated cork or any kind of waste of the
same bark, such as useless corks from bottles, worn out life buoys &c. The produce
__so_obtained will be a very light and lumpy carbonaceous substance, spongy in
appearance and of a metallic lustre and insoluble in water.
Principally with this material I stuff and make buoyant every kind of con-
trivances intended for life saving or other floating purposes encasing tho suberine
charcoal either in textile fabrics or in wood or metallic cases or receptacles.
Analogous results I also obtain from the use of other carbonaceous substances
derived from the imperfect combustion of vegetable matter or from mineral,
vegetable or animal hydrocarbons, substances commonly known by the names of
soot and vegetable or lamp blacks.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention, its advantages and the
manner of carrying the same into effect I would have it understood that what I
claim is The stuffing or padding with light carbonaceous substances, either those
derived from the burning or destructive distillation of vegetable matter, or those
resulting from the imperfect combustion of vegetable, animal, or mineral hydro-
carbons commonly known as soot or vegetable and lamp blacks, every description of
life saving appliances, such as buoys, cushions, belts, hainmocks, bolsters, mattresses,
military accoutrements and wearing apparel, and also the stuffing of boxes or other
receptacles to give buoyant and life saving conditions to boats, rafts, pontoons, or
any other kind of floating contrivance.
In witness whereof I the said Don Pástor Perez de la Sala have hereunto
set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of December in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.