Improvements in Life Buoys.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 18th May,
1894
Improvements in Life Buoys.
I, JAMES RAPER THAME, of Two Waters Mill, Boxmoor in the County of
Herts, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of life buoys out of fibrous material such
as compressed paper pulp or similar material and has for its object; the subdivision
of the buoy into separate hermetically sealed compartments, so that, should the
buoy become injured by having its outer case perforated, the whole efficiency of
the buoy is not destroyed but only to the extent of that of the compartment or
compartments that have been damaged.
My invention consists in the construction of the buoy, so that the space enclosed
within the outer casing is subdivided into a series of separate and independent
hermetically sealed compartments. I carry out my invention by taking a tube of
wood pulp or other suitable material preferably manufactured in the manner
described in the Specification of British Letters Patent No. 346 of 1888.
I may then arrange within the interior of the tube a series of retaining rings at
certain intervals of length along the tube, in a rigid manner.
Upon each of these rings I place a circular disc of wood pulp or other suitable
material and fixedly attach it to the tube and the retaining rim by red lead cement
or other jointing compound, and if necessary by fastening devices, such as nails,
rivets, or screws, so that the disc makes an hermetically sealed joint with
the tube.
When all the internal division discs have been fixed in place, I close the ends of
the buoy with suitable ends. These ends I prefer to form of dished shape, so that
the edge of each end when pressed into shape forms a cylinder, so as to engage
with the end of the tube, the edge of the end resting upon a retaining ring fixed
inside the tube as before described in connection with the division discs.
When the ends have been placed in position, a hoop is placed about the outside
of the end of the tube, so as to contract the tube upon the end, and retain it in
position.
I may equivalently arrange two or more closed tubes placed within an outer
casing, as one way of carrying the desired object into effect I may take a pulp
tube and close the ends as herein before described and subdivide it by division if
desired.
This tube I support within an outer tube by a series of annular divisions which
support the tubes one within the other and also subdivide the compartments
between the inner and outer tubes. I may make the ends of the inner and outer
tubes at the same end integral with or separate from one another as desired. I
may pass a stay rod from end to end to further strengthen the structure and by
way of forming a neat end, I form a recess in the end in which the bolt rivet head
or other fastening device of the stay can be situated and which can be filled up
with any suitable cement when the construction of the buoy is completed.
When the buoy is complete as far as the construction is concerned it is treated
with a mixture of linseed oil and rosin or other suitable gum, in the proportion of
about 1 to 3; or drying resin oil may be. substituted for the linseed oil, the object
being to make the material thoroughly waterproof and the joints impervious to
water or air. The separate parts may, be treated with the waterproofing mixture
before being put together.
F...

page_text: When the manufacture of the buoy is completed the outside surfaces can be
coated with enamel or japan.
Dated this 18th day of May 1893.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life Buoys.
I, JAMES RAPER THAME of Two Waters Mill, Boxmoor in the County of
Herts, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of life-buoys out of fibrous material
such as compressed paper pulp or similar material and has for its object the
subdivision of the buoy into separate hermetically sealed compartments so that,
should the buoy become injured by having its outer case perforated, the whole
efficiency of the buoy is not destroyed but only to the extent of that of the
compartment or compartments that have been damaged.
My invention consists in the construction of the buoy, so that the space enclosed
within the outer casing is subdivided into a series of separate and independent
hermetically sealed compartments. I carry out my invention by taking a tube of
wood pulp or other suitable material preferably manufactured in the manner
described in the Specification of British Letters Patent No. 346 of 1888.
I may then arrange within the interior of the tube a series of retaining rings at
certain intervals of length along the tube in a rigid manner.
Upon each of these rings I place a circular disc of wood pulp or other suitable
material, such discs may be dished, so as to give a certain amount of spring or
elasticity to the discs to ensure the said discs keeping firmly in position. The discs
1 fixedly attach to the tube and the supporting rim by red lead cement or other
jointing compound, and if necessary by fastening devices such as nails, or screws
so that the disc makes an hermetically sealed joint with the tube.
When all the internal division discs have been fixed in place I close the ends of
the buoy with suitable ends. These ends I prefer to form of dished shape so that
the edge of each end when pressed into shape forms a cylinder, so as to engage
with the end of the tube, the edge of the end resting upon a retaining ring fixed
inside the tube as before described in connection with the division discs.
When the ends have been placed in position, a hoop is placed about the outside
of the end of the tube, so as to contract the tube upon the end, and retain it in
position.
I may equivalently arrange two or more closed tubes placed within an outer
casing as one way of carrying the described object into effect I may take a pulp
tube and close the ends as hereinbefore described, and sub-divide it by divisions if
desired.
This tube I support within an outer tube by a series of annular divisions which
support the tubes oue within the other and also sub-divide the compartments
between the inner and outer tubes.
I may make the ends of the inner and outer tubes at the same end integral with
or separate from one another as desired. I may pass a stay rod from end to end to
further strengthen the structure and by way of forming a neat end. I form a
recess in the end in which, the bolt head or nut of the stay rod is situated and
which can be filled up with any suitable cement when the buoy is completed.
When the buoy is completed as far as the construction is concerned it may be
treated with a hot mixture of linseed oil and rosin in the proportion of
oil 80 per cent. and resin 20 per cent.

page_text: I however in practice find it better to make all the parts of the buoy and prior
to putting them together, to first thoroughly desiccate them and then saturate them
in a hot bath of linseed oil and resin in the above named proportions, such hot
bath should be kept at a temperature of from 250 Fah. to 300 Fab. After saturating
the now thoroughly waterproof parts of the buoy, should be kept in a dry house
until the oil is oxidized and hard the parts can then be put together joints made
and as a final precaution such joints may be wiped over with a good varnish such as
shellac or brown hard spirit varnish.
The buoy when completed should receive two or three coats of stoving enamel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a life buoy, in which A is the outer tube B the
supporting or retaining rings, carrying the dished discs C forming the hermetically
sealed compartments D, E E¹ being the dished ends and F the hoop keeping the
ends E E' firmly in place by contraction of the ends of tube A.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of a life buoy in which A is the outer tube B and
C inner tubes held in position by the division discs D, E said divisions being fixed
in place by means of the supporting rings F F'.
The inner tubes BC being kept in position endways by means of spacing
tubes G GG' G' each tube A B, C being closed by means of dished and recessed
ends H H H* H* H* H*.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a life buoy of a shallower type than Figures 1
and 2 and is intended for use in deck seats life rafts &c.
A is the outer tube with a middle division consisting of two dished discs B C
supported by ring D D' spacing tube E to take the strain of clamping nuts I I¹
end discs FF held in place by rings G G G G and further secured by stay
bolt and clamping or tightening nuts JJ' in recesses K K¹ which may be filled in
with cement flush with the top of ends F F¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.
invention I declare that what I claim is
1st. The construction of life buoys consisting of a tube of wood pulp indurated
and fitted with division discs forming hermetically sealed chambers or compartments
as hereinbefore described and shown in Fig. 1.
2nd. The construction of life buoys consisting of 2 or more tubes held in
position by the annular rings and end tubes as hereinbefore described and as shown
in Fig. 2.
3rd. Life buoys consisting of outer tube with dished ends middle division stay
rod and clamping nuts, spacing tube and recessed ends as hereinbefore described
and as shown in Fig. 3.
Dated this 19th day of February 1894.
JAMES RAPER THAME.