New or Improved Implements, Appliances, or Apparatus for Use where a Line, Life Buoy, or other Small Object has to be Thrown to Establish Communication or otherwise.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 9th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 19th July, 1887.
New or Improved Implements, Appliances, or Apparatus for Use
where a Line, Life Buoy, or other Small Object has to be
Thrown to Establish Communication or otherwise.
I, CHARLES EDWARD THOMPSON, 56 Conran Street, Harpurhey, Manchester in
the County of Lancaster, Boiler Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object, an apparatus for throwing by hand or power,
a tape, line, or light (flat coiled) hose pipe for conveying water, or for being blown
out with air to increase its floating power, life buoy, or other object to a person in an
otherwise inaccessible, or difficultly accessible position, so as to open up communication,
save life, or to pass a wire or rope across a stream or street, or into a building.
The invention consists primarily of a pulley or reel round which a tape is coiled,
and to which the inner end is fixed, and a clip to which the free or outer end of the
tape is attached, and which is secured to the person or discharging apparatus on any
required point, in any suitable manner. A form of the apparatus applicable for use
by bystanders in case of a skating accident, or for other purpose, requiring
comparatively little strength, consists of a light reel with weighted rim, carried on a
quickly detached clip, or bracket, attached by a belt to, or held by the person, and to
a cross bar, on which the end of the tape is sewn. To use it, the reel is detached by
pressing the side lever, and is then thrown with a circular bomerang twist, so that it
shall rotate rapidly on its axis in flying, and thus unwind the tape or line, as it
proceeds, by reason of the axial motion given to it. Thus the force of the throw is
not in any way used up by the resistance of the tape or cord to unwinding; one
form of clip is a pair of levers, each pivoted to the reel at one end, and hooked at the
other end, and resting upon and pressing against a rubber or other spring in the
centre of the reel, one end preferably enters an eye in the clip to which both the tape
and the body belt are attached by one or more cross pieces; by pressing both the
levers simultaneously, the reel is liberated from the clip.
In much larger apparatus the reel can be discharged from a cannon or mortar, or
be attached by a swivel to a rocket, the force being so applied as to set the reel

page_text: spinning as it flies. The reel if fired from a mortar can also have rocket attachments
so as to fly further. Strong reels or life buoys painted with luminous paint if desired,
can be hooked to the railings of the quarter deck to be thrown to a man overboard.
In such cases they can be made buoyant and painted with luminous paint. Policemen
and Humane Society men could carry a light reel to save people in skating accidents,
and other drowning persons and as an apparatus useful for such object only weighs a
few ounces private individuals could also carry them without inconvenience when
accompanying persons likely to fall into danger.
An apparatus can be used for throwing a line at sea, for throwing a line over a
river or chimney, for the use of firemen etcetera. The tape can be fine textile fabric,
or partly or wholly metallic, steel or preferably aluminium bronze wires being used,
wholly or partially for the longitudinal web.
For sea use, whalebone may be used in lieu of india rubber for the centre spring as
the latter deteriorates rapidly when in contact with salt water. To prevent the reel
being injured or injuring other things on being thrown, I prefer to protect the edges
of the reel with india rubber projecting like a flange or to place rings of india rubber
or other suitable material where requiring protection.
The apparatus I prefer to use consists-
1st. Of a bed resting on a very powerful spring capable of being compressed by
winding or screwing up, but on liberating it of instantly expanding in the direction
of the throw.
2nd. Of a plane inclined to a slight angle or curve, with the direction of the throw,
so that as the rim is driven over the plane, it shall he forced to revolve by friction, or
I rest the reel on a revolvable bed, and set this revolving, and thus making the reel
revolve in an unwinding direction an instant before the reel is ejected. Side guards
in each case are preferably used to cause the reel to fly out in the right direction and
edgewise. I prefer an apparatus consisting of an arm actuated by spring or springs
with suitable rest for the reel, which on being released, throws the reel, and in doing
so, gives it a revolving motion unwinding the tape owing to the reel resting on
revolving roller steadied by two or more guide rollers.
Another form is an adaptation of the present system of throwing glass balls for
shooting, the difference here being that instead of the reel resting on rollers, it has a
pivot on each side lever on which it revolves in the action of throwing owing to the
tape being held taut. Or in place of these an arm actuated by spring or springs
(with suitable rest for the reel) which on being released throws the reel, and in so
doing gives it a revolving motion unwinding the tape owing to the reel resting on a
revolving roller steadied by two or more guide rollers. Or the apparatus now used
for throwing glass balls for shooting can be employed, except that the reel will rest on
rollers and have a pivot on each side lever on which it revolves in the action of
throwing owing to the tape being held taut.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: New or Improved Implements, Appliances, or Apparatus for Use
where a Line, Life Buoy, or other Small Object has to be
Thrown to Establish Communication or otherwise.
I CHARLES EDWARD THOMPSON now of No. 98 York Chambers, Rochdale in the
county palatine of Lancaster 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 :-
This invention has for its object an apparatus for throwing by hand or power a
tape line or light (flat coiled) hose pipe conveying water or for being blown out with
air to increase its floating power, life buoy, or other object to a person in an otherwise
inaccessible or difficultly accessible position so as to open up communication, save life,
or to pass a wire or rope across a stream or street or into a building.
The invention consists primarily of a pulley or reel round which a tape is coiled and
to which the inner end is fixed, and a clip to which the free or outer end of the tape is
attached, and which is secured to the person or discharging apparatus on any required
point, in any suitable manner. A form of the apparatus applicable for use by
bystanders in case of a skating accident, or other purpose requiring comparatively,
little strength, consists of a light reel with weighted rim carried on a quickly
detatched clip, or bracket, attatched by a belt to or held by the person, and to a
cross bar on which the end of the tape is sewn. To use it the reel is detached by
pressing the side lever, and is then thrown with a circular twist, so that it shall rotate
rapidly on its axis in flying, and thus unwind the tape or line as proceeds by reason
of the axial motion given to it. Thus the force of the throw is not in any way used
up by the resistance of the tape or cord to unwinding, one form of clip is a pair of
levers, each pivoted to the reel at one end and hooked at the other end, and resting
upon and pressing against a rubber or other spring in the centre of the reel, one end
preferably enters an eye in the clip to which both the tape and the body belt are
attached by one or more crosspieces by pressing both the levers simultaneously the reel
is liberated from the clip.
In a much larger apparatus the reel can be discharged from a cannon or mortar or
be attached by a swivel to a rocket, the force being so applied as to set the reel
spinning as it flies. The reel if fired from a mortar can also have rocket attachments
so as to fly further.
Strong reels or life buoys painted with luminous paint if desired can be hooked to
the railings of the quarter deck to be thrown to a man overboard. In such cases they
can be made buoyant and painted with luminous paint. Policemen and Humane
Society men could carry a light reel to save people in skating accidents, and other
drowning persons and as an apparatus useful for such objects only weighs a few ounces
private individuals could also carry them without inconvenience when accompanying
persons likely to fall into danger.

page_text: An apparatus can be used for throwing a line at sea, for throwing a line over a
river or chimney for the use of firemen &c.
The tape can be fine textile fabric or partly or wholly steel or preferably aluminium
bronze wires being used, wholly or partially for the longitudinal web.
For sea use whalebone may be used in lieu of india rubber for the centre spring as
the latter deteriorates rapidly when in contact with salt water. To prevent the reel
being injured or injuring other things on being thrown I prefer to protect the edges
of the reel with india rubber projecting like a flange or to place rings of india rubber
or other suitable material where requiring protection.
The apparatus I prefer to use consists-
1st. Of a bed resting on a very powerful spring capable of being compressed by
winding or screwing up but on liberating it of instantly expanding in the direction of
the throw.
2nd. Of a plane inclined to a straight angle or curve with the direction of the
throw so that as the rim is driven over the plane it shall be forced to revolve by
friction, or I rest the reel on a revolvable bed, and set this revolving and thus making
the reel revolve in an unwinding direction an instant before the reel is ejected.
Side guards in each case are preferably used to cause the reel to fly out in the right
direction and edgewise. I prefer an apparatus consisting of an arm actuated by a
spring or springs with suitable rest for the reel which on being released throws the
reel, and in doing so gives it a revolving motion, unwinding the tape owing to the
resting on revolving rollers steadied by two or more guide rollers.
Another form is an adaptation of the present system of throwing glass balls for
shooting the difference here being that instead of the reel resting on the rollers it has
a pivot on each side lever on which it revolves in the action of throwing owing to the
tape being held taut, or in place of these an arm actuated by a spring or springs (with
suitable rest for the reel) which on being released throws the reel and in so doing
gives it a revolving motion unwinding the tape owing to the reel resting on a
revolving roller steadied by two or more guide rollers.
In order to describe the nature of my said invention and the manner of performing
the same I have caused to be annexed to this specification, the accompanying sheet of
drawings illustrative of the application and mode of throwing the said implements as
herein before described.
Fig. 1. represents an elevation of the reel complete with tape and securing or
fastening mechanism.
Fig. 2. is a section of same.
Figs. 3 & 4. are elevation and plan of the discharging or throwing apparatus
with springs.
Fig. 5. elevation of the discharging or throwing apparatus with springs and
revolving rollers.
Fig. 6. elevation of Fastener.
In order to make my description clear I will describe the mechanism with reference
to the accompanying drawings and illustrations.
a is the wood reel or apparatus upon which the tape is wound. bb are the brass or
other metal rings for securing the rubber rings or discs cc in position against the
flanges of the reel which flanges project or overlap the external circumference of
the reel in order to lessen the liability to damage in case it comes in contact with
some hard substance. It also acts for purpose of weighting the reel in order to
increase the momentum when revolving during the tape is unwinding.
h is a fork or fastener to which one end of the tape is securely fastened-the other
end of the tape being wound upon the drum or reel. The extremity or extremities
are guided into a slot or recess in the reel by a small brass plate or plates which are
secured to the reel. 2 are small brass clips which are secured to the reel and upon
one extremity of each clip is a projection. A slot in each extremity of the fork can
he slipped or guided under the plate f for the purpose of fitting on to the projection
on the clip and thus forming a connection for hanging the apparatus by. The clips h²
are extended or forced outwards by the action of a spring e of rubber or other

page_text: materials which passes through the centre of the cork e which is used for purpose of
attaining sufficient buoyancy when floating. The india rubber or other springs press
out against the spring clips h which shew the projection.
a (in Fig. 3) represents the reel which is placed in position upon the discharging
spring or springs (i) which are supported in position by the bracket or brackets w³.
The brackets w rest upon a plate m³ and are free to turn upon or in circular grooves
made in the base plate m. This circular motion being provided for purpose of placing
the discharging apparatus in the exact position required for throwing. is a catch
lever to hold or fix the plate m² and the whole apparatus in any definite position.
The brackets k¹ are fixed upon the base plate m² and are used for the purpose of
carrying the winding barrel which is provided with a catch or ratchet wheel E. The
lever is used for preventing the catch wheel upon the winding barrel from unwinding
whilst winding the spring down to its lowest or compressed state preparatory to
liberating such catch lever (!) and thus allowing the reel to be discharged owing to
the action of the extention of the spring.
a (in Fig. 5) is the reel which is held between rollers p p which rollers can be
geared to revolve by any suitable mechanism in order to unwind the tape before the
spring is liberated and thus lessen the resistance to the throwing or discharging of
the reel.
The rollers p p are supported by brackets which rest upon a base n fixed upon the
upper surface of the springs. The fork or fastener h is shewn as detached from the
reel and held by the swivel 2 which is connected with a wedge which wedge is
secured into any rigid block w or substance which may be necessary for holding
the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of my
said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1stly. The combination of parts which compose or form the reel or any similar
modifications, imitation, or equivalent apparatus upon which the tape or other material
is wound and which is rendered
(a) Buoyant for purpose of floating.
(b) Cushioning action or spring action for preventing damage to the reel when
coming in contact with a hard substance.
(c) The weighting of the rim in order to increase the momentum as and for the
purposes herein before described and illustrated.
2ndly. The method or arrangement of securing the tape to the fork end and the
further securing of the fork in the face or faces of the reel in order to be easily
engaged or disengaged therefrom by the action of the extention or compression of
the spring against the clips as and for the purposes herein before described and
illustrated.
3rdly. The combination of mechanism referred to in Figs. 3 and 4 for discharging
the reel to any required definite point as and for the purposes herein before described
and illustrated.
4thly. The arrangements of the revolving rollers upon which the reel is caused to
rest as and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated.
D19
ديم
1
T
1007