IMPROVED SUSPENDED FLOATS TO BE USED FOR PRE- VENTING THE SINKING OR FOUNDERING OF SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Nicol at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 25th February 1878.
ALEXANDER NICOL, of 40, St. Donatt's Road, Lewisham High Road, Lewisham,
in the County of Kent. "IMPROVED SUSPENDED FLOATS TO BE USED FOR PRE-
VENTING THE SINKING OR FOUNDERING OF SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS."
I provide the ship with floats which, as far as circumstances will permit, I suspend
around her exterior. Hinges are fitted to the upper parts of the floats, which being
attached at the vessel's sides near the top, will allow them to hang for a considerable
distance down her sides, so that they are ready for immediate use when necessary.
They are to fit or lie closely to the vessel so as not to impede its speed.
I make the floats either of wood or of metal, as for instance iron, or a combination
of the two, with an addition of cork to increase their buoyancy.
Whether the floats be made of metal or of wood, or a combination of the two,
they are so constructed as to admit of being compressed, that is to say, have their
thickness reduced so that they shall not present too bulky an appearance when not
required for use.
I effect their compression either by making them telescopic, that is to say, making
the edge or rim of one portion of the float pass easily under that of the other in
much the same way as the tubes of a telescope pass within one another; or by pro-
viding the rim or edge with hinges which, allowing them to fall between the two
sides of the floats, will permit them to come closer together.
Springs are placed in the interior of the floats, which, as soon as the chains
which secure them in their place are loosened, expand them to their proper dimen-
sions or thickness.
If the ship should be of great length the floats are made in sections, that is to say,
the two large floats which almost cover the sides of the vessel are divided perpen-
dicularly from top to bottom at convenient distances.
As soon as the vessel has met with an accident, and is filling with water, the
chains which secure the floats are loosened. Being thus set free they rise by their
own buoyancy, and will offer such resistance to the downward tendency of the

page_text: vessel as to prevent its foundering; whilst floating bars or hollow cylinders, the
latter are the best as they are more buoyant, are passed horizontally through aper-
tures (from the interior to the exterior) in the sides of the vessel in order to maintain
and support them in a level position.
The cylinders are closed at the ends, and fit the openings through which they
pass to prevent an influx of water.
The Invention will be very useful as a means of saving precious lives and valuable
property.
The novelty of the Invention consists in having floats which are almost self-
adjusting, self-expanding, and are capable of being compressed when not required
for use.
The Invention as claimed by me is confined to the aforesaid floats, which are
constructed, suspended, and arranged on the exterior of the ship, to whatsoever
description or class it may belong, in the manner I have herein and previously
described.