IMPROVEMENTS IN APPAREL AFFORDING THE MEANS FOR PRESERVING LIFE AT SEA, AND TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS TO PERSONS CASUALLY IMMERSED IN WATER
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lambert Cowell, of Adelphi, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPAREL
AFFORDING THE MEANS FOR PRESERVING LIFE AT SEA, AND TO PREVENT
ACCIDENTS TO PERSONS CASUALLY IMMERSED IN WATER."
Sealed the 8th April 1859, and dated the 14th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lambert Cowell at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th October 1858.
I, LAMBERT COWELL, of Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPAREL AFFORDING THE MEANS FOR PRESERVING LIFE AT SEA, AND TO PREVENT
ACCIDENTS TO PERSONS CASUALLY IMMERSED IN WATER," to be as follows:-
My said improvements have, mainly, reference to the manufacture of
apparel of waterproof material, principally for external clothing, and made of
double or lined material, in such a manner that the same may be inflated by
the wearer in cases of danger from immersion in the water; and the said
articles may be provided with pockets, or other like receptacles, for holding
provisions or property.
Cloaks, coats, jackets, capes, and similar descriptions of clothing may be
made of double or lined mackintosh, or similar waterproof material, or only
portions or compartments be introduced where most convenient, affording air-
tight bags or reservoirs, having tubes supplied with self-acting valves, for
inflating the same whenever required. Such dresses may be made to button
in front, like over coats, and have a belt, strap, or other means of securing
them to the waist of the wearer, to prevent their rising on immersion of the
person in the water; it is obvious that they may likewise be supplied with

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Lambert Cowell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LAMBERT
COWELL, of Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Lambert Cowell, Her special licence that I, the said Lambert
Cowell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
tho said Lambert Cowell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPAREL AFFORDING THE MEANS FOR PRESERVING LIFE AT SEA, AND TO
PREVENT ACCIDENTS TO PERSONS CASUALLY IMMERSED IN WATER," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Lambert Cowell, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the naturo
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Lambert Cowell, 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 fol-
lowing statement:—
My said improvements have, mainly, reference to the manufacture of
apparel of waterproof material, and to be used principally for external
clothing, so constructed and arranged that it shall act as a life-preserver in
cases of shipwreck, or any casual immersion in water, by giving all the
requisite buoyancy to the person of the wearer. And for the better under-

page_text: standing of my said Invention, I will now proceed to detail the particulars
thereof.
My object in my said improvements is to provide an aquatic life preserver,
so concealed in the usual external or other apparel of the wearer as to present
no particularly observable or objectionable appearance. For this purpose the
coat, cloak, jacket, vest, trousers, or other external clothing is to be made of
double or doubled or folded waterproof material, or the ordinary material
lined with such manufactured waterproof material in such a manner that the
same may be inflated by the wearer by his blowing through an aperture
having a spring valve therein, or other like known means, so as to afford the
most simple and ready means for use in cases of danger from immersion
in the water; and the said or like articles of clothing may be provided with
pockets or other like receptacles and arrangements for holding or securing
provisions or property. Cloaks, coats, jackets, capes, vests, trousers, and like
descriptions of clothing may be made of double or lined mackintosh, or similar
waterproof material; or trousers may have loose waterproof bags fastened to
the waistband, or the same may be prolonged, affording an air bag or bags,
with straps for fastening to the waist; or only portions or compartments
may be introduced in dresses where most convenient, affording air-tight
bags or reservoirs having tubes or openings supplied with self-acting valves to
be used for inflating the same whenever required. Such life-preserving dresses
may also be made to button in front when formed like over-coats, and have
belts, straps, or other suitable modes of securing them to the waist of the
wearer, to prevent their rising on immersion of the person in the water; it is
obvious that they may likewise be supplied with pockets, or other like recep-
tacles, also made of waterproof material, and arranged with water and air-
tight openings.
Having thus fully described my said improvements, I desire it to be under-
stood that I do not restrict myself to any peculiar design of dress or quality of
waterproof material; and I do declare that what I claim as my Invention, is, the
manufacture of capes, cloaks, coats, vests, trousers, and other articles of clothing
to be suitable as aquatic life preservers in the way & manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lambert Cowell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord 1859.
LAMBERT COWELL. (L.S.)