IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- RATUS FOR THROWING OUT ROPES OR LINES FOR THE BETTER PRESERVA- TION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR THROWING OUT ROPES OR LINES FOR THE BETTER PRESERVA-
TION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY."-A communication from Monsieur
D' Houdetot, of Havre, in the Empire of France, Receiver
General of Finance.
Sealed the 29th March 1854, and dated the 30th September 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 80th September 1858.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
BATUS FOR THROWING OUT ROPES OR LINES FOR THE BETTER PRESERVATION
OF LIFE AND PROPERTY," being a communication from Monsieur D'Hou-
detot, of Havre, in the Empire of France, Receiver General of Finance,
to be as follows :-
:...
...This Invention relates to an improved mode of conveying life lines

page_text: over any required object, such as a ship in distress, or a building on
fire, for effecting the saving of life and property. It consists in fitting a
capsule of caoutchouc or a combination of caoutchouc with some other
material, such as gutta percha, to the muzzle of a cannon or other
fire-arm. The cord to be conveyed is attached to this capsule, and is
suitably coiled to allow of its being readily run off. On the discharge of
the fire-arm the ball will enter a small chamber in the capsule, and
carry it, with the end of the life line, to the object required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 30th March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her
special license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THROWING OUT ROPES OR LINES FOR THE
-BETTER PRESERVATION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY," a communication from
Monsieur D'Houdetot, of Havre, in the Empire of France, Receiver
-General of Finance, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature, of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed. and

page_text: cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar. months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement. reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
The said Invention relates to an improved mode of conveying life
lines over any required object, such as a ship in distress, or a building
on fire, for effecting the saving of life and property. It consists in
fitting a capsule of caoutchouc or a combination of caoutchouc with
some other material, such as gutta percha, to the muzzle of a cannon
or other fire-armi. The cord to be conveyed is attached to this capsule,
and is suitably coiled to allow of its being readily run off. On the
discharge of the fire-arm the ball will enter a small chamber in the
capsule, and carry it with the end of the life line to the object required.
Figure 1, of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a
longitudinal section of the capsule as just discharged from a musket
barrel; Figure 2, is an elevation of a musket barrel with the capsule
in its place on the muzzle of the gun, ready for firing; Figure 3, is an
elevation of the capsule detached from the line; and Figure 4, is a
section of the same. The whole of the figures are drawn full size.
The capsule A, is composed of caoutchouc or gutta percha or other
suitable material, and is attached to one end of a line or cord B, which
is passed through a hole made transversely across the front end of the
capsule, and through lateral holes in its socket C, the free end being
eventually joined to the main cord at D, in a line with the axial line
of the capsule, so that the direction of its flight may not be interfered
with by any lateral or unequal rag upon it. The cord to be conveyed
to a wreck, building on fire, or other place of danger is suitably coiled
in a receptacle E, to allow it to pay off freely. On the musket being
fired the ball F, enters a chamber G, in the capsule, and carries it
with it to its destination.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which
I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of the said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
The system or mode herein-before described of conveying life lines
to ships in distress or to other places of danger.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have
⚫ hereunto set my hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of March,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)