Improvements in Marine Life Buoys.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
CAMRY BAA
COME DELE
Improvements in Marine Life Buoys.
A communication by JAMES ALDEN GUEST, of Washington, in the District
of Columbia, and JAMES HERVEY BATES, of Hoboken, in the County of
Hudson and State of New Jersey, both of United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil 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 relates to life buoys which are thrown into the water for the
support of persons in the water.
The invention consists in providing such buoys with electric lamps, especially
such as will be automatically lighted by the water, as, for example, by the use of a
battery which is energised by the water, or by the use of a switch which is closed
by the water or otherwise; also in the construction of such a switch; also in
certain other devices and combinations, all of which are recited in the claims at the
end hereof.
The accompanying drawing illustrates a buoy containing the invention ; in
which :-
Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of one of the lamps and its enclosing cover partly
in section to show the means of attachment.
Figure 3 is a section of a switch box showing the switch structure.
Figure 4 is a cross section of the body with the handles in elevation.
Figure 5 is a side view of the buoy with ballast arm and elevated lamp.
Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the elevated lamp: and
Figure 7 is a side view showing a different method of ballasting.
In these figures-
1 is the body of the buoy, and 2 are floats, which, in the form shown, are arranged
one at each end of the body. Both body and floats may be made of spun metal or
other suitable light material. 3 are handles for convenience in handling the device,
and also for persons in the water to hold on by. They may be in the form of loops
or straps, preferably of such size that a man's arm may be thrust through up to the
shoulder, and they are preferably at such distance apart that a person in the water
with his back to the buoy can thrust an arm through each strap. 4 is the battery,
which may be placed in the body 1, as shown in Figure 1, or in the ballast arm 12,
as shown in Figure 5; in the latter case, the weight of the battery is of value as
ballast. 5 represents the electric circuit. 6 are chambers or boxes arranged at
convenient points on the buoy where the water will enter them, their mouths being
open for this purpose. The electric circuit is provided with terminal binding
posts 8 set in a plug of insulating material 9 and serving to close the inner end of
the boxes. The latter and the plug may both be tapered, as shown: 7 are the
contact pieces of the switch, beld normally apart by a piece 18 of rock salt or
other material whose insulating power will be destroyed by the water, either by
solution or otherwise. 10 are incandescent lamps of low voltage, so as to be easily
glowed by the battery in multiple series. Each lamp is protected by a bell
glass 11. This glass is secured by a ring 14 and screws, and is made watertight,
and secured from breakage by elastic material embracing its flange, such as two
washers of rubber 15 and 16. The lamps may be placed on the floats 2 or other

page_text: part of the buoy. It has been found a good plan, especially in large buoys, to
place one lamp on an arm 13 which will hold it up above the water. 17, Figure 2,
is the lamp base which may be soldered to 2.
In large buoys it is found to be a good plan to provide the body of the buoy
with an arm 12, Figure 5, carrying the battery or other weight at its end, for
ballasting purposes, but, in small buoys, it is preferred to place the ballasting
weights in the floats 2, as shown at 12, Figure 7. 19 (Fig. 1) is a hand hole.
Obviously, many structural variations may be made in the above apparatus
without departing from the invention, and it must be understood that all such are
claimed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A life buoy provided with an electric lamp in combination with electric devices
substantially such as shown and described, adapted by their contact with the water
to cause a current to pass through the lamp.
2. In a life buoy, in combination, an electric lamp, a circuit in which the lamp is
included, a source of electricity, and an electric switch (both carried by the buoy)
whose contacts are normally insulated by a material whose insulating power is
destroyed by water, substantially as set forth.
3. In a life buoy, the combination, substantially as set forth, of an electric circuit,
a lamp included therein, a source of electricity and a switch whose contacts are
normally separated by a soluble insulator, all carried by the buoy.
4. A life buoy, provided with a ballasting arm, an electric battery carried thereby,
an upward projecting arm, an electric lamp thereou, and an electric circuit con-
necting suid battery and said lamp, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a life buoy provided with the
open mouthed boxes 6 and an electric device combined therein and adapted, when
acted on by the water, to start a current through the circuit including them.
Dated this 15th day of January 1894.
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4
WM. F. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.