A New or Improved Appliance for Saving Lite at Sea.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 26th July, 1900-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Appliance for Saving Lite at Sea.
We, JEREMIAH REAH, of 29, Gloucester Street, Newcastle on Tyne, in the
County of Northumberland, ships' compass maker, and WILLIAM TINKLER, of
East Clere," Whitburn, in the County of Durham, Builder, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:.
:-
C
This invention relates to an improved appliance for saving life at sea, and is
especially applicable for making communication between a vessel or ship in distress
and another vessel attempting the rescue of the crew of the distressed vessel, when
the state of the sea or the rolling of the ship or ships prevents the usual means of
communication being carried out. The appliance should be carried on board
of every ship and consists of a flexible buoyant bawser or rope of suitable length
and a whip line or light strong rope. The buoyant rope may be a hollow flexible
tube preferably waterproof and filled with cork or other buoyant material, or
it may consist of pieces of cork or other buoyant material of uniform diameter
threaded on a strong rope and covered with canvas or other material so that the
outer surface is comparatively smooth and uniform. The whip line is hitched
or connected at short intervals to loose rings or runners on the hawser in such
a manner as to be easily detached, thus preventing the whip line from sinking
or fouling rocks &c. A lamp, buoy, or flag is attached to the loose end of the
hawser so as to be easily seen when the hawser is in the sea. When the crew
of the distressed vessel use the appliance, one end of the hawser is fastened to
the ship and the hawser is then thrown overboard on the side preferably nearest
to the rescuing vessel. The hawser having floated a suitable distance from the
distressed ship is picked up by the other ship. The whip line is detached and
communication effected between the vessels. The members of the distressed
crew can then be drawn singly from one ship to the other by attaching each man
to a buoy or float fastened to the whip line and supported from the hawser by
an easy running carriage or other means, the whip line and with it the buoy
being drawn to and fro until all are rescued. Instead of attaching a man to
the running buoy or float it may sometimes be possible to attach a boat so that
more than one of the crew at a time can be conveyed from the distressed to the
rescuing ship. If there be no ship near the distressed vessel and the latter be
sinking the hawser may be used for supporting the crew in the water.
Dated this 20th day of October 1899.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicants.

page_text: 66
East Clear," Whitburn, in the County of Durham, Builder, 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 an improved appliance for saving life at sea and is
especially applicable for making communication between a vessel or ship in distress
and another vessel attempting the rescue of the crew of the distressed vessel when
the state of the sea or the rolling of the ship or ships prevents the usual means of
communication between them being carried out. The appliance should be
carried on board of every ship and consists of a flexible buoyant hawser or rope
of suitable length and a whip line or light strong rope.
The buoyant rope may be a hollow flexible tube preferably waterproof and filled
with cork or other buoyant material or it may consist of pieces of cork or other
buoyant material of uniform diameter threaded on a strong rope and covered
with canvas or other material so that the outer surface is comparatively smooth
and uniform. The whip line is hitched or connected at short intervals to loose
rings or runners on the hawser in such a manner as to be easily detached, thus
preventing the whip line from sinking or fouling rocks etc.
A lamp buoy or Hag is attached to the loose end of the hawser so as to be
easily seen when the hawser is in the sea. When the crew of the distressed
vessel use the appliance one end of the hauser is fastened to the ship and the
hawser is then thrown overboard on the side most convenient. The hawser
having floated a suitable distance from the distressed ship is picked up by the
other ship. The whip line is detached and communication effected between the
vessels. The members of the distressed crew can then be drawn singly from one
ship to the other by attaching each man to a buoy or float fastened to the whip
line and supported from the hawser by an easy running carriage or other means,
the whip line and with it the buoy being drawn to and fro until all are rescued.
Instead of attaching a man to the running buoy or float it may sometimes be
possible to attach a boat so that more than one of the crew at a time can be
conveyed from the distressed to the rescuing ship. If there be no ship near the
distressed vessel and the latter be sinking the hawser may be used for supporting
the crew in the water. The invention may be modified so as to be of assistance
to persons learning to swim and also of service to bathing machine proprietors,
and further in case of saving property this apparatus may be used for conveying
another hawser or tow line so that communication may be effected in towing
the distressed vessel.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows a section of flexible hawser.
Fig. 2 an elevation of a particular form of life buoy for use with this apparatus
this figure illustrating the buoy when not in use.
Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations of Fig. 2, showing bayonet joint for connect-
ing the ends together when bent to the circular form as shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 5 illustrates the arrangement of flexible hawser with life buoy, float
whip line and runners.
A is the flexible hawser composed of a strong rope A¹, forming the core, and
pieces of cork or other buoyant material B threaded on said core A. C is a
canvas or other covering enclosing the cork. D represents the whip line and E
an easy running carriage on the flexible hawser connected to said whip line D
by ropes F. G shows a life buoy with or without straps H and J a rope fixed
thereto. K shows a rope for connecting the life buoy to the whip line D. This
life buoy is normally straight (Fig. 2) but when required for use is bent into a
circular form and its ends fastened by bayonet joints or other suitable means
as shown in Fig. 5. L represents runners on hawser A with grip supports for
the whip line D. M is a float attached to end of the hawser provided with means
for carrying a flag or lamp.
Instead of using the special life buoy as shown in the drawing an ordinary
life buoy may be used.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A new or improved appliance for saving life at sea comprising in combina-
tion a flexible buoyant hawser constructed substantially as set forth, runners
at intervals on said hawser, a whip line suitably connected to said runners and
a life buoy or belt or other conveying means suitably attached to said whip line
substantially as described.
2. In the appliance described in Claim 1 the combination with the buoyant
hawser of a float at the end thereof.
3. In the appliance described in Claim 1 the construction of hawser of a
central rope A₁ blocks of cork or other buoyant material B strung thereon and
an outer canvas cover C substantially as set forth.
Dated this 26th day of July 1900
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicants,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand.