An Apparatus for Rescuing from the Grave Persons Buried by Mistake.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1892-Accepted, 11th June, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Rescuing from the Grave Persons Buried by
Mistake.
I, ADALBERT KWIATKOWSKI, of Posen Wilda, in the Empire of Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:--
The object of my invention is to construct an apparatus by means of which air
may be conveyed to a person who may happen to have been buried by mistake, and
whereby the person so buried may on recovery also be enabled to signal to persons
above ground.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus in position ready for action.
Figs. 3 to 8 are detail views.
kis the coffin containing the body. z is a short tube (shown enlarged in Fig. 5)
firmly secured to the coffin, over the opening o.
When the coffin is being carried to the ground the tube 2 is covered with a
cylindrical perforated cap or cover e, Fig. 8, admitting air to the coffin.
After placing the coffin in position in the grave, the cover e is removed, and the
tuber is fitted to the tube z. For the purpose of adjusting the appliances herein
after described, openings 2, 2, are provided in the tubes 2 and r, as shown in
Fig. 5.
When the apparatus has been adjusted, the sliding shutters ¹¹ are closed over
the openings in the tubes r and z, and the earth is filled in, as shown in Fig. 2,
leaving the upper end of the tuber projecting a short distance above the ground,
covered with the cap p.
C
In the tuber a spring fis fitted, the lower end resting upon a fixed annular
flange, and the upper end being confined by the piston b, attached to the rod t.
The upper end of the rod t carries a disc i and a head w, formed of any bright
colored substance. The lower end of the rod t is provided with a hook to receive
the lever c.
One end of the lever c is held by a bracket 4; the other end is held
against a revolving rod a, by the power of the spring f. The rod a is held
horizontally in brackets 33; its underside being made flat, as shown in Figs. 6
and 7. is an arm attached to the rod a for imparting a partial rotation thereto.
y is a rod cord or wire pivoted to the arm 1, and also pivoted to the double ended
lever h, as shown. The lever is pivoted to a fixed rod at v. Above the lever /
a hook 5 is fixed to the coffin, from which a cord or weak spiral spring 6 hangs, the
lower end of which is fixed to the lever h. u is a band padded with suitable soft
material, attached to the lever h and resting on the forehead, as shown in Fig. 2.
Attached to the other end of the lever is an arrangement of cords or lines 88
and n, to which a band m is so attached as to retain the lever h in a horizontal
position. The band is shown enlarged in Fig. 3, and the arrangement of corde s
and n in Fig. 4.
The operation is as follows:-As shown in Fig. 2, the spring f is compressed,
by means of the lever e holding down the rod t, the end of the rod c being held
under the flattened end of the revolving rod a as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The
brush or other article w is also enclosed in the tube r, and covered by the cap p.
In case the body should evince signs of returning life, and push the head against
the band u; or grasp the cord n with the hands; or impart motion to the lever by

page_text: means of the band m when breathing such motion will cause the partial revolution
of the rod a by the arm 1, as shown in Fig. 7, whereby the lever c is allowed to rise,
letting go the rod t, and allowing the spring to expand. is thereby raised
considerably above the ground, and rendered conspicuous, displacing the cap p and
admitting fresh air to the coffin. The position of to calls the attention of officials
to the fact that help is needed, and that a life may be saved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
1. An apparatus attached to a coffin placed underground, containing a person
supposed to be dead, consisting of a tuber, enclosing a spring f and a brush or
other indicator w, for giving notice to officials and others, substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The general arrangement and combination of the several and respective parts
together forming my invention of an apparatus for rescuing from the grave persons
buried by mistake, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the
drawings.
Dattun
May 1992.
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.