Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Saving Life from Drowning and other Analogous Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1890-Accepted, 2nd Aug, 1890
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Saving Life from
Drowning and other Analogous Purposes.
1 JAMES FOULKES LOWE of Dee Bank Chester Assay Master, do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
This invention has mainly reference to that kind of apparatus for saving life from
drowning generally termed life lines.
Apparatus involving improvements according to my invention has the following
characteristics :-
A line of light form but of sufficient strength for the purpose, said line being so
adapted or of such structure or manufacture that it will float; and a body attached to
end of the line of sufficient weight or weighted as to enable it to be thrown by a user
of the apparatus, and also constructed or adapted to float; and in conjunction with
this apparatus I use a case or receptacle in which the line is coiled when not in use and
by which it can be carried when it is so desired to do so.
The line may be constructed to float and made to float in any suitable way, for
instance it may be provided with hollow air tight tubes or cases at certain points, said
cases being held in position by the strands of which the line is made, or attached
thereto in any suitable way. Or, it may be made hollow water proofed, or the core
wholly or partially filled with a light material such as cocoanut fibro, wood bast, or
shavings, or the like, so as to cause the line to float on water; or, a like material of
the above kind or its equivalent may be spun or twisted in strands of twine to provide
the necessary strength to the line; or such material may be bound or secured to the
line in any suitable manner.
The weighted body may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, wood, or
cane, and weighted at one end, in such a manner that the user may take hold of one
end (the light one) and be enabled to throw it conveniently and a considerable distance
into the water; and if made in this manner it will float with one ond out of the water.
The line may be conveniently attached to the centre or at any point between the two
extremities.
To enable the apparatus to be used to the best advantage the line should be coiled
and placed in the box above mentioned, so that when used (taat is thrown into the
water) the line will " pay out freely and without check. The box may be in the
form of a tub or bucket and provided with a suitable cover and handle, so arranged
that wet will be kept out if placed in the open and it can be easily carried.
The box would be preferably made of wood if exposed to wet or moisture to preserve
the apparatus and keep it in good condition.
It may be remarked that the apparatus may be used instead of or in conjunction
with life-buoys under the various conditions in which they are now employed in the life-
boat service, as river and coast life saving apparatus, and for various like and equivalent
or analogous uses.
AL 1
At 1980
JAMES FOULKES LOWE.
By Cheesbrough & Royston,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Saving Life from
Drowning and other Analogous Purposes.
I, JAMES FOULKES LOWE, of Des Bank, Chester, Assay Master, 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 :-
This invention has mainly reference to that kind of apparatus for saving life from
drowning generally termed life lines.
Apparatus involving improvements according to my invention has the following
characteristics :-
A line of light form but of sufficient strength for the purpose, said line being so adapted
or of such structure or manufacture that it will float; and a body attached to the end
of the line of sufficient weight, or weighted, so as to enable it to be thrown by a user
of the apparatus and also constructed or adapted to float; and in conjunction with
this apparatus I use a case or receptacle in which the line is coiled when not in use and
by which it can be carried when it is desired to do so.
The line may be constructed to float, or made to float, in any suitable way, for
instance it may be provided with hollow air tight tubes or cases at certain points, said
cases being held in position by the strands of which the line is made, or attached
thereto in any suitable way. Or, it may be made hollow and water proofed, or the
core wholly or partially filled with a light material such as cocoanut fibre, wood bast or
shavings, or the like, so as to cause the line to float on the water; or a like material
of the above kind or its equivalent may be spun or twisted in strands of twine to
provide the necessary strength to the line; or such material may be bound or secured
to the line in any suitable manner.
The weighted body may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, wood, or
cane, and weighted at one end, in such a manner that the user may take hold of one
end, (the light one), and be enabled to throw it conveniently, and a considerable
distance, into the water, and if made in this manner it will float with one end out of
the water. The line may be conveniently attached to the centre or at any point between
the two extremities.
To enable the apparatus to be used to the best advantage, the line should be coiled
and placed in the box above mentioned, so that when used (that is, thrown into the
water) the line will pay out freely and without check. The box may be in the form
of a tub or bucket and provided with a suitable cover and handle, so arranged that
wet will be kept out if placed in the open, and that it can be easily carried.
The box would be preferably made of wood if exposed to wet or moisture to preserve
the apparatus and keep it in good condition.
It may be remarked that the apparatus may be used instead of, or in conjunction
with, life-buoys under the various conditions in which they are now employed in the
life-boat service, as River and Coast Life Society Apparatus, and for various like and
equivalent and analogous uses.
Having now generally described the nature of my invention, I will set it forth with
reference to an example of apparatus which I have illustrated upon the accompanying
sheet of drawings.
In-these drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, showing a bucket with line and
staff arranged and stowed in the manner already specified.
Figure 2 is a plan of same; and Figure 3 is a sectional elevation, illustrating the
connection of the staff and line.
Figures 4 and 5 show two examples of types of line which I may use in carrying
out the invention.
With reference now to the drawings a designates the bucket; bis a cover thereon,
having a handle and an annular pendant lip 2 c is the line stowed in the bucket a
in a suitable coil, and passing out of the bucket through a gap d, such coil being
secured at one end of the buckete is the staff to which the line c is fastened; and f

page_text: is a socket fixed to the bucket a, and in which the staff e is held in its ordinary
position.
The bucket a is provided with a handle g by which it may be carried about, and has
holes and in the bottom and upper part thereof, respectively, by which air may
pass in and out of the bucket and ventilate it, for the purpose of preventing the line
from being detrimentally acted upon by damp or the weather.
It will be seen that the end of the line which is seized onto the staff e at i, will not
be protected from the weather by the bucket or its lid; therefore cover it with
canvas or other suitable material and render it waterproof by painting it, or otherwise
treating it. The point at which the line is seized onto the staff, is about the
centre thereof, and just below this I provide a collar which comes against the
upper edge of the socket f and holds the staff in position.
The staff e would be bound at the handle end e' with cord, or otherwise suitably
provided with such a surface as to enable a firm grip to be had by the user; the
other end would be made heavier or loaded, so as to enable it to be thrown
out, in the first place, and in the second place, to cause it to stand upright in the
water when thrown therein. It would also by preference be painted say red and
white in circular stripes to render it conspicuous and easily seen.
The action of this apparatus is plain, that is to say, when it is about to be used,
the handle g is thrown down and the lid itself removed; the staff e is then
withdrawn from the sleeve and thrown or flung outwards into the water to the
desired spot.
In this action, the coil of line readily pays out and without any
impediment. When in the water the staff e floats with its lighter end out of the
water whilst the line itself, being constructed as described, also floats upon the
water, and hence, it may be seen by the person in the water and easily grasped.
If the staff is fastened at a certain point to the line, say from its leading
end, and the line towed along, say, a river bank or the like, both staff and line
may be towed and drawn from one spot to another, the staff itself being caused to
travel outwards away from the bank, due to the point of connection with the line.
In Figure 4, the fine illustrated is a hollow braided one, a suitable size being from
about to of an inch in diameter. The core c' of this cord may be filled with any
suitable material such as above specified, which will float, or the cord itself may be
waterproofed and having no stuffing. In either case it will float.
The line in Figure 5 consists of an outside tube c filled with corks e' having rounded
ends. In this case also the tube may be coated and treated with waterproofing material
in any known way, and of any suitable known kind.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for saving life from drowning, or other purpose, constructed or
consisting of a line, and a staff, to which said line is attached, said staff being adapted
or constructed to float; for the purposes set forth.
2. A line for use for saving life from drowning or like purpose, of the construction
or form substantially as described.
3. Apparatus for saving life from drowning or other purpose, constructed or con-
sisting of a line, and a staff, to which said lino is attached, both said line and staff being
constructed to float; for the purposes set forth.
4. An apparatus for saving life from drowning and other like purposes, comprising
a line such as c; a staff such as e; and a containing vessel adapted to stow the line
such as a; also the arrangement and form of said parts substantially as set forth with
reference to the drawings.
5. An apparatus or appliance for saving life from drowning or like purposes,
consisting of a line, and a staff, said lined being connected to said staff at a point such
as specified, whereby the line may be towed when in the water and kept away from
the bank or other surface from which it is towed by the action of said staff in the
water, substantially as described.

page_text: 6. A receptacle or vessel for stowing life lines, consisting of a bucket a having a
lid band provided with ventilating apertures substantially as described.
7. Life lines of the form or constructed substantially as set forth respectively with
reference to Figures 4 and 5, respectively, of the drawings.
Dated this 6th day of May 1890.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.