IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE GARMENTS AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA AND ON OTHER PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Schönrock, of Lubeck, in the German
Empire, but at present of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE GARMENTS AND
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA AND ON OTHER
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Schönrock
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd September 1875.
I, ERNEST SCHÖNROCK, of Lubeck, in the German Empire, but at
present of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE GARMENTS
AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE WITH FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA AND ON OTHER
WATERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention primarily consists of a garment in the shape of a
waistcoat made of india-rubber, having one, two, three, four, or more

page_text: air chambers, but proferably four, in order that there may be two
chambers at the back and two in front, so that in case of accident to
one those remaining would be sufficient to support the body. Air is
conveyed to the apparatus by a tube or tubes communicating with each
chamber or compartment. The garment is provided with buttons or
other fastenings at the front and bottom so as to attach it with facility
to the clothes of the wearer. Other fastenings are also used, such for
example as a strap passing between the legs of the wearer; in fact such
fastenings may be used as will not in any way interfere with the move-
ments of the body during swimming or during the performance of other
evolutions in the water.
My Invention further consists in the employment of a box, preferably
made of tin, in connection with the aforesaid garment or apparatus, in
which the same is packed firmly secured by a screw. The box is
intended to contain food, valuable documents, a pair of "goggles" for
the protection of the eyes, preferably those known as Professor Tyndall's,
or such other articles as may be required, as well as tho life-saving
garment itself. The box has a red cross or some other distinctive mark
painted on it, as well as on the apparatus itself, whereby the same may
be casily seen while floating in the water.
In the event of the person wearing the apparatus aforesaid being
drowned or dying from exhaustion the body is subsequently identified
with facility from the contents of the box, which always remains firmly
connected to the apparatus.
'
Boxes with apparatus inside constructed as herein-before described
can be thrown to persons in the water for their use by mortars or other
apparatus, even by hand; and for this purpose in order that they may be
in readiness when required I propose that lifeboat, coastguard, and
other stations should be provided with sufficient numbers of the said
apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ernest Schönrock in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
SCHONROCK, of Lubeck, in the German Empire, but at present of
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Ernest Schonrock, Her special
licence that I, the said Ernest Schonrock, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ernest Schonrock,
my executors, administrators, and 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, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Ohannel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE GARMENTS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE-
WITH FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA AND ON OTHER WATERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Ernest Schonrock, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ernest Schonrock, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that
is to say :-
This Invention will be best understood by reference to the accom-
panying Drawings, and it primarily consists of a garment, as shewn at
Figure 1, in the shape of a waistcoat made of water and air proof ·

page_text: material, and having one, two, three, four, or more air chambers, but
preferably more than one chamber, say, four, in order that there may bo
two chambers at the back and two in front, so that in case of accident
to one those remaining are sufficient to support the body. Air is
conveyed to the apparatus by a tube or tubes a communicating with
cach chamber or compartment. The tube a is reduced or recessed near
the end, as shewn at Figure 1, and is provided with a movable cover or
ferule, which is slid over the inlet orifice or hole y when the chamber
or chambers in the garment bave been inflated. When it is desired to
empty the chamber or chambers the cover a is slid back to the position
shewn on the Drawing, the air being thus allowed to escape through the
hole y. The garment is provided with buttons and button holes b¹ or
other fastenings at the front and bottom so as to attach it with facility
to the clothes of the wearer. Other fastenings are also used for keeping
the garment in the right position on the body, so that the latter may be
kept in the right position, with the head well above the water, such for
example as a strap or straps c passing between the legs of the wearer,
and another strap d round the waist; in fact such fastenings may be
used as will not in any way interfere with the movements of the body
during swimming or during the performance of other evolutions in the
water.
My Invention further consists in the employment of a box, such as
that shown at Figure 2, preferably made of tin, in connection with the
aforesaid garment or apparatus, in which the same is packed firmly
secured by a screw. The box is intended to contain food, valuable
documents, a pair of goggles for the protection of the cyes (such pair of
goggles as is shewn at Figure 3), preferably those known as "Professor
Tyndall's," or such other articles as may be required, as well as the life
saving garment itself. The box has a red cross or some other distinctive
mark painted on it, as well as on the apparatus itself, whereby the same
may be easily seen while floating in the water.
Figure 4 shows a person with apparatus on and inflating same before
entering water, while another person is shown having just entered the
water with the apparatus fully inflated.
In the event of the person wearing the apparatus aforesaid being
drowned or dying from exhaustion the body is subsequently identified
with facility from the contents of the box, which remains firmly con-
nected to the apparatus.

page_text: Boxes with apparatus inside constructed as herein-before described can
be thrown to persons in the water for their use by mortars or other
apparatus, even by hand; and for this purpose, in order that they may be
in readiness when required I propose that bathers, ships' passengers,
and the crews of ships and lifeboats, coastguard and other stations
should be provided with sufficient numbers of the said apparatus.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself
to the precise arrangement described for the construction of apparatus
according to my Invention, because the same may to some extent be
varied without departing from my Invention, but I claim as my improve-
ments in portable garments and apparatus connected therewith for
saving life at sea and on other waters,-
First. The construction and employment of a garment in the form of
a waistcoat made of waterproof material for receiving air, the said
garment being constructed and secured to the body substantially in
manner and for the purposes described and illustrated by the accom-
panying Drawings.
Second. The combination with the garment aforesaid of a box or casc
bearing a distinctive mark, such as a red cross, for containing the
garment aforesaid and other articles, all substantially in manner and
garment aforesaid and other articles, all substantially in manner and
for the purposes described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Schonrock, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.