Improvements in Apparatus used for Saving Life at Sea.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1891-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus used for Saving Life at Sea.
I, JOHN D'ARCY-IRVINE, of Howth, in the County Dublin, Ireland, Retired
Commander, Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus used for saving life at sea,
and has special reference to a certain invention secured to me by Letters-Patent,
dated the Third day of February 1888, No. 1609, entitled "Improvements in
projectiles used for saving life at sea, and other purposes."
"
The present invention bears more particularly on the feature known as the
projectile described in the above recited Letters Patent, and is designed for the
purpose of constituting the said projectile a floating body after its discharge from
the gun. The improvements consist in inserting a cross head through longitudinal
slots formed at opposite extremities of a diameter towards the point of the projectile.
This cross head carries a tube of suitable bore which penetrates the projectile to a
certain distance, and in this tube slides a hollow striking rod which is provided at
its free end with a suitable valve for the purpose presently described. The valve
is retained in its seat by means of a spiral spring, and is kept open when required
by means of a flat spring mounted on the hollow striking rod. Both the tube, and
striking rod thus described slide longitudinally in suitable packing collars arranged
in the interior of the projectile, and the cross head is retained in its normal position
at the point, or head of the projectile, by means of a spiral spring in the annular
space between the inner surface of the projectile, and the outer surface of the tube.
To the free ends of the cross head are attached suitable bags of a flexible, and
air tight material.
The action of these improvements is briefly as follows.
When a projectile as thus provided is fired in the manner prescribed in the
hereinbefore recited Letters Patent, the pull exerted on the cross head by the line
will cause it to recede from the head of the projectile in the longitudinal slots,
carrying with it the tube and hollow striking rod, and opening the valve provided
at the free end of the latter, whereupon the compressed air or other suitable gas
with which the projectile has been previously charged, rushes into the hollow
striking rod, through the tube, and the cross head, and entering the flexible bags,
inflates same, thus producing a means whereby a buoyancy is imparted to the
projectile.
By this arrangement a sinking body-namely the projectile, per se--is converted
into a floating body on its arrival at its destination, and is thus rendered available
for use as a buoy or otherwise, in case of emergency at sea.
Dated this 29th day of December 1890.
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9, Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus used for Saving Life at Sea.
I, JOHN D'ARCY-IRVINE, of Howth, in the County Dublin, Ireland, Retired
Commander, Royal Navy, 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 improvements in apparatus used for saving life at sea,

page_text: and has special reference to a certain invention secured to me by Letters-Patent,
dated the Third day of February 1888, No. 1609, entitled "Improvements in
projectiles used for saving life at sea, and other purposes."
The present invention bears more particularly on the feature known as the
projectile described in the above recited Letters-Patent, and is designed for the
purpose of constituting the said projectile a floating body after its discharge from
the gun.
The improvements consist in charging part of the projectile with air or gas of
any suitable kind, at high pressure, liquified or otherwise, and, providing suitable
valve and connections, so that on being fired from a gun, the gas at high pressure
is allowed automatically to expand into a suitable bag or bags of flexible material.
The object is accomplished in the following manner.
The projectile is composed of two hollow tubes screwing into each other about the
middle, the lower half is charged with gas at high pressure, and is provided at its
front end with a valve, its base or lower end being solid. In the upper part of the
projectile is arranged a striker which opens the valve, and allows the gas to escape
into the upper portion, thence through the cross head into the flexible bag, inflating
same, and rendering the whole apparatus buoyant.
The striker (the moment the projectile is discharged from a gun) acts on the
valve in two ways, first, by its own inertia, and secondly, by the pull of the life line
attached to the cross head.
In order that my said invention may be more readily understood, and carried into
practice, I will describe the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1, is a view showing the projectile, cross head, life line, and flexible bag
complete, ready for firing. The dotted lines show the form of the bag fully
inflated;
Fig. 2, is a view of the projectile, cross head, and ends of life line, with link to
which the continuation of line is attached ;
Fig. 3, is a broken longitudinal section (larger scale) of the complete apparatus,
minus the bag, illustrating the first method of actuating the mechanism;
Fig. 4, is a side view of the striker;
Fig. 5, is a sectional view of the upper part of projectile, illustrating the action
of the mechanism by the second method;
Fig. 6, is a side view (outside) of same.
The action of the apparatus is as follows.
Taking the first method. Assuming the lower part b, of the projectile is charged
with compressed gas, the striker s, is set in position in the upper portion by inserting
same between the spring hooks o, o, in such a manner that the shoulders when moved
about of an inch will enter the hooks of springs, and be there retained, while at
the same time valve k opens. The compressed air then escapes into the part b', of
the projectile, thence through the arms of the cross head f, into the flexible bag a, a,
which is shown in Fig. 1, in a collapsed state, and by dotted lines as fully inflated.
The bag is attached to the life line h, h, by means of suitable bands d', d', and the
life line in turn is kept parallel to the projectile by means of a collar d, which latter
is slipped over the muzzle of the gun, and surrounds the outside of barrel, thus
holding the bag in position, while at the same time fulfilling the function ascribed to
same, the collar, in my herein before recited Letters-Patent.
It should be understood that the striker acts by its own inertia, the moment the
projectile is fired. The striker is maintained in the upper portion of the projectile
by being gripped between the springs o, o, sufficiently tight to retain its normal
position, with ordinary handling of the apparatus.
As to the action of the second method of actuating the mechanism illustrated by
Figs. 5, and 6, that is by the pull of the life line.
The cross head f, f, slides in longitudinal slots y, formed in the projectile, and
carries a tube 6", the free end of which moves piston rod fashion through soft felt
packing, and acts on the shoulders y', of the striker s, and thus opens the valve k
in manner according to the first method.

page_text: The cross head is maintained in its normal position by the spiral spring . A
side view of the cross head and slot in which it slides is shown in Fig. 6.
The base of the projectile is provided with a felt washer c', which fills up the bore
of the gun, and prevents escape of the charge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
First. The method whereby a projectile upon being discharged from a gun, is
automatically rendered buoyant, and converted into a floating body for use at sea,
in the manner substantially as herein described and set forth.
Second. The use and application of apparatus as herein described, for the purpose
of rendering a projectile, upon being fired from a gun, buoyant, and capable of
floating in water, substantially as specified and set forth.
Dated insist day o
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9, Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicant.
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
9, Westland Row, Dublin, Agents for Applicant.