IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY IN CASES OF SHIPWRECK
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY
IN CASES OF SHIPWRECK."-A communication from abroad by Francois
Sealed the 18th January 1867, and dated the 18th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th August 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AND
PROPERTY IN CASES OF SHIPWRECK," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to save from loss in cases of shipwreck by
means of hollow floating vessels or buoys which are hermetically closed so as
to keep out water from all kinds of valuable objects, such as gold and silver
articles, watches, precious stones, valuable commercial documents, and title
deeds. According to the dimensions of the floating vessels. or buoys, their

page_text: floating power will be such that they may be also made to support in the
water one or more persons. Every passenger may therefore by means of one
of these buoys not only save himself, but also his most valuable articles, and
even if the person should perish the articles contained in the buoy would be
saved. The buoys are constructed of wood or some other light but strong
materials which will not be damaged by exposure to sea water, and are made
somewhat in the form of a barrel with rounded ends or of such other form as
will offer the greatest possible resistance to the action of the sea and waves,
and will give the greatest possible floating power. Inside the buoy is a
metal shell or vessel which is capable of being closed hermetically; in this
sbell or vessel any objects of value may be placed, in order to keep the
articles from moving or knocking about in the vessel, and thus becoming
broken or damaged, a metal or other plate is mounted on the lower end of a
hollow vertical tube
screwed spindle which passes through a nut in a
supported at its upper end by a horizontal bar which extends across the
inner shell or vessel. By this arrangement the articles to be saved will be
placed and secured in the lower part of the buoy, and such part being thus
made the heaviest will always be lowermiost. The steadying plate will also
ensure that the buoy be not too heavily weighted, and that a sufficient power
of flotation to support in addition one, two, or more persons will be obtained.
The edges of the cover of the buoy, which is made of a hemispherical or
convex form are received in a groove provided with a well greased, hempen,
or other packing, so that when the cover is shut and closed down the interior
will be hermetically closed. The cover is held down and secured by means
of screws. The buoy is surrounded and covered externally by a series of cork
This cork
rings which are secured together by means of wood screws.
envelope is covered with some strong fabric, and is protected externally by a
network of cordage. The top and bottom part of the buoy are connected
together by strong cords or ropes, and there are also attached to the buoy
several loose cords or ropes whereby the buoy may be secured or any ship-
wrecked persons may hold on to the buoy. Any convenient number of these
buoys in which valuable articles are secured are placed in a large vertical
cylinder fixed in any convenient part of the ship. The lower part of this
cylinder is pierced with holes to admit water when water enters the ship,
when the water enters this vessel it will float out the safety buoys with their
the water when the ship sinks
contents, which will thereby be left to float on
The upper part of this large vertical cylinder is covered by a life boat, or the
cover itself may be formed of two parts hinged together and provided with
water-tight compartments, so that when this cover is floated off it will oper

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight, hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
unto me, the
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE AND PROPERTY IN CASES OF SHIP-
WRECK," being a, communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 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 William Edward Newton, 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 tho
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
―:
The object of the present Invention is to save by means of caissons or
buoys hermetically sealed objects of value, such as gold or silver, precious
stones, commercial papers, titles, documents, &c.

page_text: According to the dimensions of the buoys their floating power is such that
they can even support or maintain at the surface of the water one or more
human beings; every passenger could then by means of one of these buoys
be sure of a means of safety for himself and the more valuable of his goods;
even supposing that the passenger should perish the buoy will always preserve
that which has been confided to it, can then therefore be returned to the family
of the deceased. The buoys are constructed of materials upon which it is
known that dependance can be placed, and which are arranged together in such
a manner as to form a structure uniting the greatest possible floating power
with a form that will offer the most resistance to the action of the sea and
the force of the waves.. In the interior of the buoy is a metallic chamber
which is hermetically shut, and in which are placed the valuables which are
to be saved. A circular disc attached to the extremity of a screw prevents
these articles from coming violently into contact with each other by maintaining
them in their proper positions. This mechanism is extremely simple, and as
it limits the space that is to be filled it gives the buoy such great floating power
that it is capable of supporting one or more persons at the surface of the
water.
On board steamships the buoys should be placed in such a manner that in
case of the vessel foundering from any cause the influx of the water into the
chambers or wells in which they are enclosed will raise them up on account of
their specific gravity being less than that of the water. The column of com-
.pressed air contained in the well will raise up the outer covering, and thus
render the buoys free to float about in the vicinity of the wreck. The covering
.of the chamber containing the buoys may be constructed in such a manner
that it may be made to open itself by means of hinges, and to constitute when
these two parts are reunited sort of unsinkable lifeboat, thus affording the
shipwrecked mariners a valuable means of safety. The weight of the caissons,
-food cans, water tanks, &c., that are shut up in the chamber should be so
distributed as to effect the opening of the chamber at the moment that the
wreck takes place.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of a buoy
constructed according to the present Invention. This buoy is composed of a
metal receiver surmounted by an arched covering K which enters into a groove,
at the bottom of which is tow and fat, in order to be able to shut it hermetically,
so that the water shall not enter; this covering is retained in its place and
pressed down by means of the thumbscrews e, e, of which there are six. In
the interior of the chamber is a tube B, the extremity of which carries a ring
having a female thread, into which the screw R enters, and at the end of this

page_text: •
screw is a wooden disc T. The top of the tube B turns in an iron cross
head X, which is retained in its place by two small projecting pieces of iron
rivetted to the receiver. There are at the two extremities of this cross head two
small edges which prevent it from turning when the disc is being screwed up.
This little apparatus, which is easily taken out, serves for the stowage at the
bottom of the chamber of objects of value, such as gold, silver, jewels, deeds,
&c. It is necessary to put between the objects at the bottom of the chamber
and the disc I a layer of paper, hemp, or tow. The metallic receiver is
surrounded with hoops of cork A strongly united by long wooden screws. The
top C of this outer covering is detachable at the same level as the covering of
the inner chamber to allow of the entrance or exit of the objects contained in
the buoy. The entire outer covering of cork is surrounded with very tightly
pressed network of cord D. The network that surrounds the cork lid laps
over the network of the other part some little distance. The union of these
two parts is made by means of seven very strong ligatures of cord V. Attached
to the top of the buoy are five loose cords H, which serve as a means of
catching hold of the buoy at sea, or for something for a drowning person to
lay hold of.
These buoys are intended principally for the use of the passengers,
and to contain above all gold, silver, papers, &c. A buoy intended to carry
heavy charges is sbewn at Fig.. 3, and is constructed in the same manner
as that just described. It only differs in the proportion of the diameter to the
height.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the buoy shewn at Fig. 1 taken at
the line 1, 2, of that Figure. In the construction of this buoy great solidity
is united with exceeding buoyancy, and lightness. The inner chamber, on
account of its form, is calculated to offer great resistance, notwithstanding the
thinness of the metal employed in its construction. The cork that surrounds
it preserves it from damage by shocks, and, lastly, the network of cord prevents
the cork from being injured by coming into contact with anything calculated-
to do it any harm. The top of the cork case, which is made to lift up, can
be connected with the other part by means of hinges and a metallic fastening,
but at the same time the above-mentioned ligatures should not be wholly
dispensed with.
For the strongest kinds of buoys the covering of the chamber should
not be of the entire diameter, and instead of the thumbscrews above
mentioned (which are more convenient for the passengers) a regular screw nut
may be substituted, which can be screwed down tighter by means of a key.
Fig. 3 represents the section of a well or safety chamber or store room for

page_text: the valuables and the lifeboat. This store room is composed of a large iron
cylinder R, the base of which is rivetted to the keel at about twenty inches
from the bottom. It is pierced with holes for the admission of the water.
The top of this cylinder should reach above the deck, and if possible quite
clear of the forecastle and poop. This cylinder, which may be named the
"safety store" for valuable articles, is made to contain the buoys B, the number
of which would vary according to their sizes. This cylinder can have either
one or two doors at will, or can receive its cargo from the opening at the top.
The top of this safety store is closed by the lifeboat O, which is made entirely
of iron; it is divided into two equal parts, which are united at the bottom by
three strong hinges D. The top part is attached by holding cords to some
rings. X is the deck of the boat, which is also in iron; -K are iron partitions
forming four compartments, which if made with care should be perfectly
water-tight; M, M, are the water tanks; U, U, the biscuit boxes, which are
all made of iron; they should all be firmly stowed away into the positions that
they should occupy. L is a catch that hooks on to an iron bar T which is
held by a spring when the boat is opened, and helps to maintain it in this
position; H is an iron ball firmly fixed to one of the two halves of the boat
by rivetted bands of iron; it is to this ball that the cords are attached to hoist
the boat out of the safety store. V, V, are the bands of iron that form a
groove round the boat; these grooves are filled with tow. In the Drawing
the sizes of these bands is somewhat exaggerated. They should have as little
play as possible, so that the boat should not move with the motion of the
vessel. The top of the safety store should enter freely into this groove.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken at the line 3, 4, of Fig. 3 of the
safety store and the life boat; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the entire life boat.
The iron bordering I, lined with wood, surrounds the boat; it is necessary to
put an india-rubber band. on this bordering either inside or out in order to
keep the water out of the safety store when the boat is closed. The four
panels A, A, serve as a kind of hatchway into the four close compartments;
they are filled with tow, and covered with strong canvas, and battened down
with hoop iron, so that the water shall not find its way into the compartments.
Y, Y, Y, are three pieces of wood to serve as a mast; they should be jointed
so that they can be fixed together; E is an oar properly secured in the place
where it can be put. All these pieces are fixed to the deck, as are also other
accessories less necessary that are not indicated, but which would be fixed to
the deck or in the boat. The little iron cylinder C is to receive the mast; a
cord for holding the mast is attached to the ball H. When any accident
takes place the passengers would seize hold of the buoys nearest to them, and

page_text: if they were
It is to avoid
if they could contrive to keep above water by means of the buoys they would
have some chance of being picked up by passing ships. If the wreck took
place near the land they would wait for help or be drawn in, to the shore;
but whatever should be the result the valuables would not be lost, the strength
of the buoys would resist the action of the sea for a considerable time, and it
is highly probable that the buoys would be found, and the papers by giving
the proper clue could easily be restored to the owners. The same thing could
not be done with the immense riches that the large ships and above all the
mail steamers carry, the weight of the silver frequently reaching thirty tons.
In a wreck in which the ship went down at once it would be impossible to
get out such a considerable weight from the hold, and even
encased in the improved buoys they would sink with the ship.
that that the safety store provided with the life boat on the top is employed;
thus a steamer having all its valuables placed in the buoys and then in the
safety store, on the top of which is the life boat, should a wreck take place
and the ship sink suddenly the water will quickly enter the hold and ascend
into the safety store by means of the holes pierced in the bottom; directly the
water effects an entrance the buoys will begin to float and push up the life
boat, that is on the top, the groove of which plays freely, and there is nothing
to retain it. This boat, on account of the immersion, would find itself entirely
free and would fall directly into the water which at this moment would cover
the vessel, at the same time as no obstacle would retain the buoys they would
also float freely. At the first moment the quartermasters should place them-
selves upon the boat and should keep themselves there by means of cords placed
there; at the right moment, when the boat should be disengaged, and should
there be no danger of getting entangled with any part of the rigging, they
should cut the two fastenings that hold the boat, which by the position of its
ballast would open itself immediately; then by the help of their oars they could
pick up the shipwrecked people who would be sustained on the surface of the
water by means of their buoys; they would then find in the life boat not only a
refuge but victuals necessary for their subsistence. The buoys should be stowed
in the safety store by means of woollen cushions, which would be sufficient to
avoid shaking, but would form no obstacle to the rising of the buoys. In those
shipwrecks in which it happens that the vessel is abandoned before it sinks
the life boat would always be useful, for there are always means of lifting it
out on board ship, either with a crane or by the yards, or with a block and
tackle. In case of fire, the buoys being separated from the ship by means of
the safety store could not easily be injured even if the iron cylinder became
red hot, as the buoys are separated from the cylinder by the woollen cushions,

page_text: and by rendering these cushions incombustible, either by a solution of alum or
other means, they would thus be easily preserved.
I would remark in conclusion that instead of the three strong hinges for the
lifeboat one would be sufficient and should extend the whole width of the
boat. By this means great solidity would be guaranteed, and when the boat is
being opened nothing could get between the two parts to prevent their locking.
If instead of the straight cone which forms the top of the boat when it is shut
an ogival form should be adopted it would be nearer the shape that experience
shows to be the best. Notwithstanding the position of the ballast the boat at
the moment that the fastenings are cut would not open completely and fasten
itself underneath, but the action of the waves might do it, or the weight of
the passengers at the extremities of the boat would also effect this object.
It would be easy to open it quicker by means of a long and strong screw
worked by gearing and fixed on the deck on one half of the boat and pressing
against a strong keel of iron fixed on the other half. After having moved a
certain way at the moment that it touches the keel the two halves would take
a horizontal position and the boat would be open. In case of fire the safety
store might be surrounded with a second cylinder of thin wrought iron, and
the space between the two cylinders might be filled with some substance that
is a bad conductor of heat.
Having now described the Invention, which has been communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I claim the mode herein set forth of constructing
safety buoys or caissons for saving valuable property in case of shipwreck or
other accidents at sea; I also claim arranging the buoys in a well or chamber
from which they will be floated out in the event of a vessel sinking as herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)