IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM DROWNING, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF THE MATERIAL EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND FOR RENDERING ARTICLES BUOYANT IN WATER
Year: 1860

page_text: το
am Forgie, of the
Or Nottingham, Lace
Cap Manufacturer, and Thomas Finn, of the Town of Nottingham,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF APPARATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM DROWNING, AND IN THE
PREPARATION OF THE MATERIAL EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND FOR
RENDERING ARTICLES BUOYANT IN WATER."
Sealed the 1st November 1860, and dated the 3rd September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Forgie and
Thomas Finn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 3rd September 1860.
We, WILLIAM FORGIE, of the Town of Nottingham, Lace Cap Manu-
facturer, and THOMAS FINN, of the Town of Nottingham, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM DROWNING, AND IN
THE PREPARATION OF THE MATERIAL EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND FOR RENDERING
ARTICLES BUOYANT IN WATER," to be as follows:-
According to the first part of this Invention, jackets, vests, belts, or other
similar apparatus employed for the preservation of life from drowning, are
constructed as follows:-We first prepare the cloth or fabric of which the
jacket, vest, or other buoyant article is to be made, with india-rubber, gutta
[Price 8d.]

page_text: percha, or other waterproof solution to render it waterproof. The fabric is
then to be coated or plated with cork in the form of sawdust, or in fine par-
ticles, and prepared or reduced to this condition by machinery or apparatus,
as hereafter described, according to the second part of our Invention. A
coating of india-rubber or gutta percha, or other suitable cement, is spread
over the surface of the prepared waterproof fabric, and the cork sifted on
to it, and then pressed down to form an even coating. The fabric thus pre-
pared is then formed into tubes or pipeings, which are to be filled with ground
cork, and these tubes or pipeings may be subdivided into compartments to
keep the ground cork in its place by tieing bands 'round them at certain dis-
tances apart. These prepared tubes or pipeings are then combined together
with fabric into the form of jackets, vests, or belts suitable for being worn
when required for the preservation of life from shipwreck or otherwise to save
life from drowning.
The second part of our Invention consists in preparing or rendering cork or
cork shavings suitable for the purposes of our Invention, by grinding or
rasping the same, so as to convert it into sawdust or powder, and this we
prefer to accomplish by means of a roller having a rough or serrated surface,
against which the cork in a dry state is pressed, whilst the roller is caused to
rotate at a high speed, or the waste pieces or cuttings of cork may be ground
or reduced into fine particles suitable for the purposes of our Invention by pass-
ing the same between suitable grinding or rubbing surfaces, or between rollers
rotating at different velocities. The cork after being ground or rasped and
sifted through a fine sieve will be very soft and pliable, and thus prepared will
possess great buoyancy and be very suitable for being applied for the purpose
of rendering articles buoyant in water by enclosing it in tubes or pipeings, as
before described, in respect to the first part of our Invention, or it may be
enclosed in any other convenient manner for the purpose of being employed in
the construction of life buoys, life boats, or other buoyant articles..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Forgie and Thomas Finn in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
FORGIE, of the Town of Nottingham, Lace Cap Manufacturer, and THOMAS
FINN, of the Town of Nottingham, Manufacturer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
William Forgie and Thomas Finn, Her special licence that we, the said
William Forgie and Thomas Finn, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said William Forgie and Thomas Finn, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPA-
RATUS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM DROWNING, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF
THE MATERIAL EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND FOR RENDERING ARTICLES BUOYANT
IN WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William
Forgie and Thomas Finn, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
us, or them, 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 we, the said William Forgie and Thomas Finn,
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 the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
According to the first part of this Invention jackets, vests, belts, or other
similar apparatus employed for the preservation of life from drowning are con-
structed as follows:-We first prepare the cloth or fabric of which the jacket,
vest, or other buoyant article is to be made, with india-rubber, gutta percha,
or other waterproofing solution to render it waterproof. The fabric is then to
be coated or plated with cork in the form of sawdust or in fine particles, and
prepared or reduced to this condition by machinery or apparatus as hereafter
described, according to the second part of our Invention. A coating of india-
rubber or other suitable cement is spread over the surface of the prepared
waterproof fabric, and the cork dust is sifted on to it, and then pressed down
to form an even coating. The fabric thus prepared is then formed into tubes
or pipeings, which are to be filled with ground cork, and these tubes or
pipeings may be subdivided into compartments to keep the ground cork in its

page_text: place, by tieing bands round them at certain distances apart. These prepared
tubes or pipeings are then combined together with fabric into the form of
jackets, vests, or belts suitable for being worn when required for the preser-
vation of life from shipwreck, or otherwise to save life from drowning.
Figures 1 and 2 show an external view and the interior lining of an over-
coat; Figures 3 and 4 show a side view and section of a vest constructed
according to this part of our Invention. a, a, are a series of waterproof tubes
or pipeings enclosed in the interior lining of the coat or vest, which may be
made up and worn as ordinary articles of clothing, and are suitable for being
worn at sea or in other situations where risk is incurred from drowning. The
lower parts or flaps a¹, a', of the coat and vest are so arranged that when the
wearer becomes, immersed in water they are capable of turning upwards, so as
to place the buoyancy of the coat or vest around the upper part of the person
of the wearer; and in cases, of shipwreck the, wearers of life preservers con-
structed according to our Invention will be less liable to injury from the effects
of floating portions of wreck.
The second part of our Invention consists in preparing or rendering cork (or
cork shavings) suitable for the purposes of our Invention, by grinding or
rasping the same, so as to convert it into sawdust or powder, and this we
prefer to accomplish by means of a roller having a roughened or serrated.
surface, against which the cork in a dry state is pressed, whilst the roller is
caused to rotate rapidly; or the waste pieces or cuttings of cork may be ground
or reduced into fine particles suitable for the purposes of our Invention, by
passing the same between suitable grinding surfaces, or between rollers
rotating at different velocities.
Figure 5 shows a plan, and Figure 6 a longitudinal section of a machine
suitable for carrying out this part of our Invention. a is a roller formed with
a rough or serrated surface, and turns in bearings on the side framing of the
machine. The roller a receives motion in the direction of the arrow by means
of the crank handle c¹ on the axis c, or by other motive power. The cork
chips or cuttings previously rendered perfectly dry, are placed on the inclined
board or table b, and conducted under the feed roller c, which gives motion by
a band or strap a to the pulley a' fixed on the roller a, as shown, and as the
pieces of cork or pressed or carried forward by the roller c against the
surface of the roller a, they are ground or reduced to a state of granulation,
and conducted down the incline d into the chamber e, which is furnished with
a sliding door to discharge the contents as required. The cork after being
ground or rasped and sifted through a fine sieve will be
very soft and pliable,.

page_text: and thus prepared will possess great buoyancy and be very suitable for being
applied for the purpose of rendering articles buoyant in water by enclosing it
in tubes or pipings, as before described, in respect to the first part of our
Invention; or it may be enclosed in any other convenient manner for the
purpose of being employed in the construction of life buoys, boats, or other
buoyant articles; and Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 show several views of two
forms of life buoys composed of waterproof tubes, pipings, or compartments
containing granulated cork prepared for this purpose according to this part of
our Invention; and in like manner may life boats, ships' mattresses, cushions,
or other articles be rendered buoyant for the purpose of preserving life from
drowning.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Forgie and Thomas Finn,
have hereunto set our hand and seal, this 28th day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
WILLIAM FORGIE. (L.S.)
THOMAS FINN.
(L.S.)