Improvements in Apparatus for Establishing Communication between a Vessel and the Shore.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application. 1st June, 1891-Accepted, 13th July, 1891
Improvements in Apparatus for Establishing Communication
between a Vessel and the Shore.
We FREDERICK SPIERS and PIERRE ANDREW SPIERS of 35 Willow Grove
Plaistow in the County of Essex, Mariners 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 thereof that is
to say:-
Our invention relates to improved appliances for saving life from wrecked
vessels at sea and consists in sending off a kite from such a vessel the line of which
carries with it a life line or hawser which is unwound from a large drum, while the
kite line is unwound from a smaller drum suitable breaks being provided for both
drums. It will be obviously understood that when a vessel is driven on shore the
wind must blow in that direction and hence will convey the kite likewise on shore
so that the people watching the wreck may obtain a hold of the life line and thus
be able to save human lives.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of my improved appliances.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the drums and framework shewing the brake bands in
section.
Fig. 3 is a front view of the kite.
Fig. 4 fully illustrates in two views the mode of connecting the kite line with
the hawser.
B is a box placed or fixed on deck or on any other part of the ship. To the
right hand side of this box is bolted a frame f carrying two drums a and b. Upon
the larger drum a is coiled the hawser or life line H, while the smaller drum is
furnished with the kite line likewise coiled thereon. K is the kite to which the
line is fixed (Fig. 3) and which is furnished moreover with a wire n carrying a
few balls m of suitable metal. The hawser H is looped at the end as shown in
Figs. 1 and 4 and the line passes on its way to the kite first through the metal
lozenge i to which it is tied by a knot or otherwise and then through the said loop
or eye of the hawser H. Over the lateral extension a' of the drum a passes à
band e of suitable material one end of which is connected to the bent up end # of
the lever j pivoted at o on the frame, while its other end is fastened to the link pl
connected to the projection p of the said lever j which is furnished with a handle j¹.
Over the lateral extension of the drum b on the other side of the frame passes
the band d of an exactly similar brake lever the remaining parts of which are not
shown in the drawings. c is the handle actuating the drum a and by means
of which the line and the hawser H are both unwound from their respective
drums a and b.
When a vessel is being driven towards shore and runs a risk of being wrecked
the kite K is held up on board the said vessel and the line attached thereto when
by turning the handle e both the line and hawser H will be unwound and the kite
will rise and will be carried as it catches the wind towards the shore taking the
hawser H away with it.
C
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The improved appliances for saving life from wrecked vessels at sea arranged
constructed and operating substantially as herein described and shown and for the
Durnese cat fart1.

page_text: 2. The utilization of a kite 'for conveying to the shore a hawser proceeding
from a vessel in distress at sea substantially as herein described and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated the 1st day of June 1891
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.