Improvements in or relating to Life-belts.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Life-belts.
I, JOHANNES CARL FRIEDRICH RUCK, of Wesselburen, Province of Schleswig-
Holstein, in the Empire of Germany, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a life-saving or floating-belt provided with a small
gas-generator for supplying gas in order to inflate the belt. The principle involved
in this invention is that of using in connection with an empty or hollow belt an
acetylene or other gas generator which starts working directly it comes in contact
with the water and then fills with gas the empty belt which is adapted to be
worn upon the body.
Further more novel means are provided for starting the acetylene gas-generator.
This starting
effected by causing the pressure of the water to act upon a
suitable locking device and so disengage a helical spring previously compressed.
The action of the spring causes an enlargement of internal space after the
manner of bellows thus producing a suction of water through an appropriate
valve, while simultaneously therewith an hermetically closed box containing
calcium-carbide is disengaged and caused to eject its contents into the water just
entered.
The pressure developed from the rapid generation of acetylene gas closes the
water inlet valve and the gas itself passes through a non-return valve into the
life-belt.
Instead of calcium carbide any other material may be employed which is
capable of generating gas when brought into contact with water.
The improvement is shown in the accompanying drawing on a slightly enlarged
scale.
Figure 1 illustrates a section of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a view of the carbide box in its disengaged position.
Figure 3 is a section on the line A A of Figure 2, and
Figures 4 and 5 show a front and side-elevation respectively of a disengaging
mechanism.
The outer casing a of the acetylene generator connected with the lift-belt is
fixed, by means of a perforated screw-ring b, to a plate c and is closed at top
by a screwed cover d. The casing r is furthermore divided by a false bottom or
division plate a into two compartments in which rubber discs or membranes f
and g form separation walls for the chambers h and i and k and respectively.
Above the rubber disc g which is firmly gripped between the upper edge of the
'casing a and the screw-cover d is a. circular plate m adapted to participate in
the movements of the rubber disc g. Both the parts g and m are.secured to a
centrally arranged screw bolt.n to the upper conical end of which is attached a
rubber sleeve o held in position by a conical ring p. This elastic sleeve o allows
the rubber disc g to have free movement the lower end of said sleeve being placed
over a tubular socket 7 in connection with the bottom plate e

page_text: Both
In the chamber are two movable covers r and s, the upper one, when the belt
is inflated, pressing against the rubber disc g, and the lower one resting upon a
tubular body widened at its lower end and supported in the plate e.
the said covers r and s are formed with double sockets and respectively adapted
to engage, the one in the other see Figure 1, and to receive a helical spring w
which tends to separate the two covers r, s. To the exterior of the double socket u
of the cover r is screwed the carbide box which is shown closed in Figure 1 and
opened in Figure 2. This box consists of an outer annular casing open at
bottom and adapted to receive a circular 'drawer y.open only at its outer periphery
and having an aperture z in the bottom ring for filling in the carbide. After
the two portions have been placed one in the other a bottom plate 1 provided with
rubber packing is secured against the lower edge of the casing by means of
two or more bell-crank levers 2. These levers 2 are pivotted at 3 and their lower
ends are each engaged with a clamp 4 pivotted to the bottom plate 1, while the
free end of the other arm rests against a catch 5 fixed to the cover-plate 7.
The bell-crank levers 2 thus by means of the clamps 4 keep the two portions
and y locked, while a spiral spring 6 in the upper portion has the tendency to
force out the carbide-filled portion or drawer y from its outer casing..
Upon the drawer y being forced out a flat coiled spring 7 in the interior thereof
ejects all the carbide.
In the casing a is further provided a water inlet valve 8 and a gas outlet
valve 9 both being non-return valves, the former being adapted to let water into
the apparatus but preventing either water or gas from escaping, and the latter
valve 9 allowing of the gas from the generator passing into the life-belt without
possibility of returning.
In the chamber h is pivotted at 15 a cranked-lever 16 the longest arm of which
is pressed by a spring 10 against the lower rubber disc or membrane f. This lever
in conjunction with suitable link mechanism keeps the bolt n in its lower position
and thereby causes the helical spring w to be kept in compression between the two
covers r and s as will be readily understood from Figure 1. The link-mechanism
for controlling the bolt n is shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5. To the short arm of the
lever 16 there is pivotted a draw-bar 12 which by means of two short links 11 is
connected to two pivot pins 13 which latter in their locked position, see Figure 1.
project slightly to the right beyond the axial line of the bolt n.
pins 13 also unite together the links 14 and 18 the former of which are hinged to
The said pivot
the lower end of the bolt n, while the links 18 are secured to pins 19 fixed in the
bottom plate e Figure 5. In this manner a slight pull on the draw-bar 12 towards
the left, see Figure 1, by the water pressure upon the long free arm of the
lever 16, suffices to bring the link mechanism into the position shown in Figure 1,
in other words to release the bolt n and enable the helical spring w to come into
operation.
The manner of operating is shortly as follows:-
The acetylene or other gas generator connected by the tube 17 with the life-
belt reaches the water at the same time as the latter whereupon water rushes
through the perforations in the screwed ring into the chamber i. The water
pressure acts against the rubber disc f and therefore also against the lever 16
causing this latter to disengage the bolt n. The bolt then is forced upwards
and separates the covers rands from each other. This produces an enlargement
of space with the result that water is drawn in through the non-return valve 8
into the compartment k. At the same time the catches 5 strike the free ends of
the bell crank levers 2 and impart motion thereto around their pivots 3. The
clamp 4 becomes disengaged from the plate 1 and thereby enabling the spiral
spring 6 in the interior of the casing to eject the circular drawer y containing
the carbide or like charge. On the drawer y being thus ejected from the casing
the carbide or the like is forced into the water in the compartment by the
expansive force of the spring 7. Thereupon an immediate and forcible generation
of acetylene gas takes place which flows in the direction indicated by arrows in
2°

page_text: Figure 1 and which finally passes through the non-return valve 9 and pipe 17
into the life-belt and so inflates the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Life-saving or floating belt in combination with an acetylene or other gas
generator for inflating the belt with gas characterized by the fact that the water
entering the generator releases a spring to previously compressed which there-
upon produces a space-enlargement with the result that water is drawn into the
gas generating chamber.
2. In the life-saving or floating-belt claimed in Claim 1 in combination with
an acetylene or other gas generator the arrangement of two rubber discs or
membranes and of which the first for the purpose of compressing the helical
spring w through the intervention of a bolt and suitable link mechanism 11,
13, 18, 19, 14, is coupled with a cranked-lever 16 the free end of which is in
contact with the other rubber-disc or membrane f in such a manner that the
water entering through the perforations in the screw-ring b presses against the
disc f and thus acts upon the link mechanism for freeing the bolt n so as to
enable the helical spring to expand and come into operation.
3. In the life-saving and floating belt claimed in Claims 1 and 2 in combination
with an acetylene or other gas generator the arrangement of a divided carbide-
container, consisting of an outer box or casing . and an inner box or drawer y
the outer one of which is open at its lower end and the inner one at its periphery,
they being normally placed one in the other and locked until a spiral spring 6
in the outer casing is allowed to eject the inner box or drawer and discharge the
calcium carbide into the water drawn into the interior.
Dated this 4th day of October 1800.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.