AN IMPROVED METHOD OF EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PLACES OTHERWISE INACCESSIBLE TO. EACH OTHER BY MEANS OF KITES, AND AN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Nares, of Portsmouth, in the County of
Hants, Lieutenant, R.N., for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PLACES OTHERWISE INACCESSIBLE TO. EACH
OTHER BY MEANS OF KITES, AND AN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 28th March 1862, and dated the 5th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Nares at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th October
1861.
I, GEORGE NARES, of Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Lieutenant,
R.N., do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PLACES OTHERWISE INACCESSIBLE TO
EACH OTHER BY MEANS OF KITES, AND AN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be
as follows:-
My improvements in apparatus for effecting communication between places
difficult of access to each other relates to a peculiar construction of kite, and
to the cords and attachments by which it is flown. I make a kite somewhat
of the form of a boy's kite with a central stem, on which the two halves of the
kite are movable, the one on the other, the cross bar or stretcher at the top
being jointed at that point for the purpose. I form the kite of canvass or
other suitable material, and adjust the jointed stretchers by a cross truss or tie

page_text: stretched between them at the back, by which arrangement I am enabled to adjust
and set the kite with more or less surface of resistance as may be suitable for
the breeze or gale of wind blowing at the time. I fly this kite with two lines,
one being in the position usually adopted in flying a kite, but having a thimble
or hoop fixed to it near the kite, through which the second line is rove, which
passes towards the lower part of the central stem of the kite; a stop is placed
on this line to limit the length between the thimble and the kite, and a swivel
is introduced on the first line.
This apparatus is principally applicable for saving life in cases of shipwreck,
but may be used for carrying a line across a river or other place.
The kite is flown in the ordinary manner of a kite by the first line; when
it is over the place to which the line is to be carried the first line is slackened
and the second line held, which immediately brings the kite to the ground.
This kite may also be used to pull a man ashore from a wreck, he being in
the water, and by preference supported by a life buoy or belt.
This kite is furnished with a suitable tail, which may be long enough to
reach the cliff, and pulled down by persons there, in which case a second line
might be dispensed with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Nares in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
NARES, of Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Lieutenant, R.N., send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her.
reign,, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Nares, Her special licence that I, the said George
Nares, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as. I, the
said George Nares, 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,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

page_text: Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IM-
PROVED METHOD OF EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PLACES OTHERWISE IN-
ACCESSIBLE TO EACH OTHER BY MEANS OF KITES, AND AN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Nares, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature 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 George Nares, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My improvements in apparatus for effecting communication between places
difficult of access to each other relates to a peculiar construction of kite, and to
the cords of attachment by which it is flown. I make a kite somewhat of the
form of a boy's kite with a central stem, on which the two halves of the kite
are movable the one on the other, the cross bar or stretcher at the top being
jointed at that point for the purpose. I form the kite of canvas or other
suitable material, and I adjust the jointed stretcher between them at the back,
by which arrangement I am enabled to adjust and set the kite with more or
less surface of resistance as may be suitable for the breeze or gale of wind
blowing at the time. I fly this kite with two lines, one being in the position
usually adopted in flying a kite, but having a thimble or hoop fixed to it near
the kite, through which a second line is rove, which passed towards the lower
part of the central stem of the kite; a stop is placed on this line to limit
the length between the thimble and the kite, and a swivel is introduced on the
first line. This apparatus is principally applicable for saving life in cases of
shipwreck, but may be used for carrying a line across a river or other place.
The kite is flown in the ordinary manner of a kite by the first line; when
it is over the place to which the line is to be carried the first line is
slackened and the second line held, which immediately brings the kite to the
ground.
This kite may also be used to pull man ashore from a wreck, he being in
the water, and by preference supported by a life buoy or belt.
This kite is also furnished with a suitable tail.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents in perspective the improved kite fitted & arranged with
cords and other appendages according to my Invention, and Fig. 2, a top end
view of the same.
a represents the kite, formed of canvas or other material, of a shape some-
what similar to that of an ordinary kite; a stem b runs up the middle of the
kite and extends some distance below it in the form of a tail, it is suitably
enlarged at the end for the purpose of giving the necessary steadiness to the
kite when flying; near the top of the stem 6 are two stretchers c, c, jointed
thereto at d, inclining downwards; the centre stem and these stretchers form
a frame for carrying the two halves of the kite, they are movable on the
joints d in such manner that the kite may be set so as to present more or less
resistance to the wind, the stretching frames c, c, being drawn nearer to each
other or bent backwards, so as to hold less wind as the gale increases. The
stretchers c, c, are secured in any desired position by a rigid cross tie e stretched
between them at the back of the kite. The kite is fitted with two lines f, g,
the ouef secured at h near the top of the centre stem 6 of the kite, the other
g at the point i near the lower part of the same stem.. The two lines are
connected together, the lower one being rove through a thimble or loop k, to
which the upper-line f is attaclied. The lower line has a stop to prevent its
slipping out of position, and also to limit the length between the thimble k
and point i. I also attach a swivel to the end of the first line f, by which
the flying cord or line is connected to it.
The kite may be flown by means of a single line m, in which case it is
secured to the swivel of the line f, while if two cords are used I attach a
second.one p to the end of the lower line g by the loop n. Supposing the kite to
be fitted as represented in the Drawing, in order to fly it, a cord is attached to the
swivel, and the cross tie e fitted in position for securing the halves or wings of
the kites, having the surfaces a little slack, the kite is then allowed to rise if it
is desired to communicate with the shore; for example, in order to rescue a
ship's crew or to convey a line to the beach, about one hundred yards of line
is veered out (keeping the lower line p slack), a length of rope is then
attached to m, having a life buoy or hawser secured to the lower end, as the
case may be; in this manner the kite proceeds until it reaches the shore and
establishes the necessary communication. The kite may then be hauled back
to the ship and the operation repeated. In order to lower the kite when arrived
at its destination, it is only necessary to gradually tighten the lower line p,

page_text: when the kite will immediately fall to the ground. If it be observed that the
kite is falling short of the cliff, slacken the line p and hold on line m, when
the kite will immediately rise. When the kite is down the lines may be used
for hauling larger lines to the shore, by which a hawser may be dragged to the
top of the cliff..
In cases of saving life where there is no life buoy on board, a length of rope
is attached to the kite line m, so as to be readily disengaged and secured
round the armpits of a man; by holding this line with the hands, the kite will
haul the person ashore.
The apparatus may also be used to communicate between vessels at sea,
and in all cases where a boat cannot be used, and also to carry a line across a
river.
When the kite is flown with two lines the second line p may be looped up
at intervals to the main line m, but must run freely through such loops or
thimbles.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare, that what I claim as my Invention, to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,→
Constructing and fitting kites having the surfaces distended by parts as
described, whereby the areas exposed to the wind can be varied at pleasure &
as may be required, for the purposes herein-before set forth.
2ndly, fitting and furnishing kites with flying lines arranged and attached
as and for the purposes herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Nares, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
GEORGE STRONG NAKES. (L.S.)