IMPROVEMENTS IN BUOYANT APPLIANCES AND ARTICLES FOR SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Macintosh, of Bayswater, in the County of Middle-
sex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUOYANT APPLIANCES AND
ARTICLES FOR SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 24th January 1879, and dated the 29th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Macintosh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th July 1878.
JOHN MACINTOSH, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS
IN BUOYANT APPLIANCES AND ARTICLES FOR SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING,
PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
"
This Invention relates, first, to improvements in life preservers or swimming
collars of the character described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
me, dated 30th January 1871, No. 242, in which an air tube (readily inflated) was
employed closed at each end, and tied or secured around the neck when in use by
means of strings or otherwise, which arrangement is found to be objectionable
owing to the liability of the strings or other fastenings being imperfectly secured,
and the possibility of their coming undone by the action of the water or
otherwise.
Now the first part of my improvements consists in making swimming collars and
other buoyant articles of this character, for preventing persons from drowning, in
the form of an endless tube or chamber of airproof fabric, india-rubber, or other
flexible airproof material, thus forming an air chamber without ends or a division
therein.
For this purpose in carrying out this part of my improvements I make an air-
proof tube of suitable length and unite or connect one end with the other in any
convenient manner, so as to form a circular endless tube or air chamber.
A small tube with a valve is applied to the endless tube or swimming collar for
the purpose of inflating it, as is well understood. An endless airproof tube or

page_text: buoyant article of this description, which will readily pass over the head of the
user before it is inflated, on being inflated will close around the neck so that it
cannot be removed again until the air is discharged.
The size or circumference of such swimming collars or buoyant articles may be
varied so as to surround the body of the wearer under the armpits.
The second part of my improvements consist in making unsinkable or buoyant
ropes by forming them with a core of buoyant materials, such as finely-cut wood
shavings or ground cork, which latter may be spread and secured upon a fabric by
adhesive cement, such fabric being afterwards cut into long strips and rolled up to
form a buoyant, rope or a core to a rope, the outer covering of which may be com-
posed of strands or of hemp or other fibres spun around it, or the buoyant core may
be covered by strands braided upon or around it.
Buoyant ropes of this character will be found advantageous for saving life at sea
or elsewhere by floating when cast overboard, and a network of such ropes with a
buoyant border may be so formed as to support a large number of persons from
drowning by throwing it overboard in cases of shipwreck or otherwise. Ropes of
this character may be caused to float from a vessel in distress to the shore, and thus
afford great facilities for saving life.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Macintosh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
January 1879.
JOHN MACINTOSH, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN BUOYANT APPLIANCES AND ARTICLES FOR SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING,
PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates, first, to improvements in life preservers or swimming
collars of the character described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
me, dated 30th January 1871, No. 242, in which an air tube (readily inflated) was
employed closed at each end and tied or secured around the neck when in use by
means of strings or otherwise, which arrangement is found to be objectionable
owing to the liability of the strings or other fastenings being imperfectly secured,
and the possibility of their coming undone by the action of the water or
otherwise.
Now the first part of my improvements consists in making swimming collars
and other buoyant articles of this character, for preventing persons from drowning,
in the form of an endless tube or chamber of airproof fabric, india-rubber, or other
flexible airproof materials, thus forming an air chamber without ends or a division
therein.
For this purpose in carrying out this part of my improvements I make an air-
proof tube of suitable length and unite or connect one end with the other in any
convenient manner, so as to form a circular endless tube or air chamber.
A small tube with a valve is applied to the endless tube or swimming collar for
the purpose of inflating it, as is well understood. An endless airproof tube or
buoyant article of this description, which will readily pass over the head of the
user before it is inflated, on being inflated will close around the neck, so that it
cannot be removed again until the air is discharged.
The size or circumference of such swimming collars or buoyant articles may be
varied so as to surround the body of the wearer under the armpits.
The second part of my improvements consist in making unsinkable or buoyant
ropes by forming them with a core of buoyant materials, such as finely-cut wood
shavings or ground cork, which latter may be spread and secured upon a fabric by
adhesive cement, such fabric being afterwards cut into long strips and rolled up to
form a buoyant rope or a core to a rope, the outer covering of which may be com-
posed of strands of hemp or other fibres spun around it, or the buoyant core may
be covered by strands braided upon or around it.
Buoyant ropes of this character will be found advantageous for saving life at sea
or elsewhere by floating when cast overboard, and a network of such ropes with a
buoyant border may be so formed as to support a large number of persons from
drowning by throwing it overboard in cases of shipwreck or otherwise. Ropes of
this character may be caused to float from a vessel in distress to the shore, and thus
afford great facilities for saving life.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into practice, what I claim is,―
First. The improved construction of swimming collars and other like buoyant
articles for preventing persons from drowning by making them in the form of an
endless tube or air chamber of airproof fabric, substantially in the manner herein-
before described.
Secondly. I claim the improved construction and application of buoyant ropes
for the purpose of saving life from drowning, substantially as herein-before
described.
Thirdly. I claim the improved construction of rafts or receptacles by means of a

page_text: network of buoyant ropes with a buoyant border or gunwale for the purpose of
saving life from drowning at sea or elsewhere, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Macintosh, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine..
JOHN MACINTOSH. (LS.)