IMPROVEMENTS .IN APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA'
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1883. Communicated
to him from Paul Tristan Ramakers and François Xavier Nyer persons
resident at Paris in the Republic of Franco
"
a com-
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS .IN APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA'
munication to me from Paul Tristan Ramakers and François Xavier Nyer, persons
residont at Paris in the Republic of Franco
The improved life saving apparatus constructed according to this Invention
combines the advantages of life buoys, cork jackets and other ordinary life saving
contrivances with special advantagos peculiar to itself.
The said apparatus consists essentially of a float or buoyant sphere of cork or
other equivalent material containing an air chamber or chambers and combined
with a belt or girdle or with an annular float as hereinafter described so as to be
capable of supporting the person or persons using the apparatus in any position
whether swimming or at rest with equal facility The buoyant sphere is provided
with a watertight chamber or chambers for the reception of aliments and other
necessaries and appliances for sustaining life and giving signals of distress.
In carrying out this invention the float or buoyant sphere is preferably divided
horizontally into two compartments by a horizontal partition.
The upper compartment is provided with a watertight plug or stopper
connected to the apparatus by a lanyard and preferably provided with a ring to
facilitate its removal-The float or sphere is conveniently composed of two
hemispheres joined together and covered with a coat of paint or impermeable
filling and is encased in prepared and tarred sail cloth, leather or other suitable
material capable of resisting the corrosive action of the salt water. The seams of
the covering are preferably covered with a layer of tarred cord.
This float is connected by means of a ring at its lower part to a belt or girdle
which may be attached to the body of the person using the apparatus by straps
and buckles-This girdle which is preferably made of material proof against the
action of salt water is surrounded by a cord passing through the ring at the
bottom of the float and firmly attached to the girdle for about one half of the
ength of the said cord, it being loose for the other half so as to be capable of

page_text: "
slipping in the ring at the bottom of the float to allow the person using the apparatus
to turn his body round or assume any desired position relatively to the float as
may be most convenient for the purposes of swimming, resting, or obtaining food
from the watertight chamber or compartment herein before described.
In case the plug or stopper of this chamber be accidentally lost so as to allow
the chamber to become filled with water, the apparatus will still presorve its
buoyancy sufficiently to enable it to sustain a human being.
The apparatus may be so arranged as to be capable of supporting a number of
persons in the water simultaneously-In this case a float or buoyant sphere
constructed on the same principles as the one hereinbefore described is employed
being also divided internally into two compartments by a horizontal partition of
cork.
These compartments are used to carry food, stimulants and other necessaries
sufficient to supply a number of persons for several days-This sphere is
surrounded by a solid ring (or annular float) of cork or other equivalent materials
connected to the sphere by sheets of canvas The sphere and the ring are preferably
overlaid with tarred cord at suitable intervals. Each of the two compartments in
the sphere is provided with a plug or stopper secured as hereinbefore described-
A cord is carried round the ring, being fastened thereto in such a manner as to
hang in loops between each layer of tarred cord-The persons using the apparatus
are supported by holding on to this cord which is provided with rings to which the
said persons may also attach themselves when fatigued by means of hooks on belts
.or girdles secured round their waists as in the arrangement herein before described-
A cane or flexible staff is provided on each side of the ring, being carried in rings
attached to each layer of tarred cord and carries a flag for making signals during
the day. When in use this staff is stepped in a metal socket on the ring-Loud
and shrill whistles or horns are also attached to the cords on the ring and may bo
used for the purpose of attracting the attention of passing vessels-Waterproof
rockets for giving signals at night may be carried in the compartments of the
float.