IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CORK-JACKETS, FLOATS AND SIMILAR BUOYANT LIFE-PRESERVING APPARATUS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CORK-JACKETS, FLOATS AND SIMILAR
BUOYANT LIFE-PRESERVING APPARATUS" Communicated to him from abroad
by Eliza Russ Cogswell, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th January 1883.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CORK-
JACKETS, FLOATS AND SIMILAR BUOYANT LIFE-PRESERVING APPARATUS "[A com-
munication to him from abroad by Eliza Russ Cogswell, of the City and State of
New York, United States of America]
This invention relates to that class of life preservers which are intended to keep
persons afloat when in water, and which owe their buoyancy therein to a filling
of cork. The said invention is applicable not only to cork-jackets, but to floats and
other varieties of what are generally known as life-preservers. Heretofore cork
life-prescrvers of whatever form or construction have possessed inherent defects,
which have impaired their usefulness and reliability. Cork in its ordinary
condition, whether granulated or in its solid or natural form, slowly deteriorates
through the combined action of air and moisture, especially where the air is not
only damp, but closely confined, as is ordinarily the case in places where life-
preservers are stored, as on ship-board. Where life-preservers are filled with
granulated cork this deterioration increases in rapidity in proportion to the extent
of surface exposed to the action of air and moisture, and although the buoyancy of
a given weight of granulated cork is commonly believed to be greater than that of
an equal weight of cork in its ordinary or solid condition, yet this increased
buoyancy is due to the presence of air confined in the interstices between the
granules of the material. Where, in the use of a life-preserver, water has access to
the granulated material, the air is displaced and the buoyancy of the cork is thus
11

page_text: lessened, thereby impairing the buoyant power of the life-preserver, so that, in
fact, a life-preserver filled with granulated cork of the ordinary character is less
buoyant than it appears to be and is a source of danger instead of a means of
safety to any one depending upon it for aid in the event of accident. Furthermore
all cork as ordinarily used in life-preservers, is liable to absorb more or less
water when immersed and to a corresponding extent become "water-logged" and
thereby less buoyant.
The object of the said invention is to obviate in cork life-preservers the
objections herein before noted. And it comprises certain novel means, hereinafter
described, whereby the said object is offectually secured
To provide the filling for life preservers made according to the said invention, I
take cork, preferably in a fragmentary condition (that commonly termed "waste
cork" serves a very useful purpose) but where desired, the cork may be reduced by
any suitable means to a granular condition of any required or desired degree of
comminution. I also provide a cauldron or other suitable vessel containing
paraffine in a liquid condition, or in lieu thereof paraffine dissolved in any suitable
menstruum or solvent. I then immerse the cork in the paraffine or paraffine-
solution, as the case may be, for a sufficient length of time so that when the cork
is removed the fragments are severally coated with the paraffine. The cork as thus
prepared has air and moisture practically excluded from contact with it, from which
it follows that the cork cannot be deteriorated by air or moisture, or both, and is
thereby prevented from absorbing water.
In the construction of that form or variety of life-preserver commonly termed a
cork-jacket, I provide the jacket proper, which may be of any suitable material and
of any ordinary or suitable shape or configuration, having therein pockets which,
when desired, may be similar to those in which ordinary granular cork has been
used. These pockets may be formed by parallel rows of stitches which connect
the inner and outer fabrics. I also provide sacks or pouches of such size and
configuartion that when distended they will pass readily into the pockets of the
jacket. These pouches I make of any suitable material or fabric which is itself
thoroughly impregnated, treated, or coated with paraffine so as to render it water-
proof. These pouches I fill with the cork coated with paraffine as hereinbefore
explained, seal them as closely as possible to exclude external air, and then insert
them into the pockets of the jacket which I then close by sewing, or otherwise, to
retain the said pouches therein with sufficient security.
As thus constructed the life-preserver is incapable of deterioration from any of
the causes hereinbefore indicated as producing injury or detriment to cork life-
preservers constructed as has heretofore been the practice. When desired, the
pouches, instead of being filled with the coated cork in a more or less fragmentary
condition, may be filled each with one or more blocks of cork, in like manner coated
with the paraffine to prevent access of moisture and air thereto.
When desired, these improvements, or certain features thereof, may be embodied
in life-preservers of other forms and varieties, as for example, in the annular life-
preserver in which a suitable envelope or integument treated with paraffine and
thereby rendered water and air proof is filled with the cork also coated with the
paraffine as bereinbefore explained and for the purpose herein set forth.
It is to be understood that any suitable light woody material having a buoyancy
which will enable it to serve the purposes of cork, may be used as the equivalent
of cork in my said invention. It is also to be understood that any material which,
applied as a covering to the granules, or pieces of, cork will servo to exclude water
or moisture from the interior thereof may be employed as the equivalent of paraffine,
when the said cquivalent is applied in a melted condition.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lako in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th July 1883.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings London "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CORK
JACKETS, FLOATS, AND SIMILAR BUOYONT LIFE-PRESERVING APPARATUS" a coin-
munication to me from abroad by Eliza Russ Cogswell of the City and State
of New York United States of America
This invention relates to that class of life preservers which are intended to keep
persons afloat when in water, and which owe their buoyancy thereon to a filling of
cork. The said Invention is applicable not only to cork-jackets, but to floats and
other varieties of what are generally known as life-preservers.
Heretofore cork life preservers of whatever form or construction have possessed
inherent defects, which have impaired their usefulness and reliability.
Cork in its ordinary condition, whether granulated or in its solid or natural form,
slowly deteriorates through the combined action of air and moisture, especially
where the air is not only damp, but closely confined, as is ordinarily the case, in
places where life-preservers are stored, as on shipboard
Where life preservers are filled with granulated cork, this deterioration increases
in rapidity in proportion to the extent of surface exposed to the action of air and
moisture, and although the buoyancy of a given weight of granulated cork is
commonly believed to be greater than that of an equal weight of cork in its ordinary
or solid condition, yet, this increased buoyancy is due to the presence of air confined
in the interstices between the granules of the material. Where in the use of a
life preserver water has access to the granulated material, the air is displaced and
the buoyancy of the cork is thus lessened thereby impairing the buoyant power
of the life preserver so that in fact a life preserver filled with granulated cork of
the ordinary character is less buoyant than it appears to be and is a source of
danger instead of a means of safety to any ono depending upon it for aid in the
event of accident. Furthermore all cork as ordinarily used in life preservers is
liable to absorb more or less water, when immersed, and to a corresponding extent
become "water logged" and thereby less buoyant.
The object of the said invention is to obviato in cork life preservers the
objections herein before stated. And it comprises certain novel means hereinafter
described whereby the said object is obtained.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a part elevation. of a cork-jacket constructed according to this
Invention.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a side view and sectional view of a pouch filled
with cork.
Figure 5 is a sectional view hereinafter described and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of another form of life preserver
To provide the filling for life preservers made according to the said Invention
I take cork preferably in a fragmentary condition (that commonly termed
"waste cork" serves a very useful purpose) but where desired the cork may be
reduced by any suitable means to a granular condition of any required or desired
degree of comminution I also provide a cauldron or other suitable vessel containing
paraffine in a liquid condition or in lieu thereof paraffine dissolved in any suitable

page_text: menstrum or solvent. I then immerso the cork in the paraffine or paraffine solution
as the case may be for a sufficient length of time so that when the cork is removed
the fragments are severally coated with the paraffine. The cork as thus prepared
has air and moisture practically excluded from contact with it from which it follows
that the cork cannot be deteriorated by air or moisture or both and is thereby
prevented from absorbing water. Figure 5 illustratos a fragment of cork thus
coated with paraffine. A being the cork and a indicating the coating of paraffine
thereon..
In the construction of that form or variety of life preserver cominonly termed a
cork-jacket, I provide the jacket B, which may be of any suitable material and of 1
any ordinary or suitable shape or configuration, having therein pockets b which,
when desired, may be similar to those in which ordinary granular cork has been
used. These pockets are represented in Figures 1 and 2 and may be formed by
parallel rows of stitches which connect the inner and outer fabrics a' b' as shown
at c in Figure 2 1 also provide sacks or pouches B of such size and configuration 1
that when distended they will pass readily into the pockets of the jacket. These
pouches I make of any suitable material or fabric, which is itself thoroughly
impregnated, treated or coated with paraffine, so as to render it waterproof, and fill
them with the cork, coated with paraffine as herein before explained, seal them as
closely as possible, to exclude external air, and then insert them into the pockets
of the jacket, which I then close by sewing or otherwise, to retain the said pouches
therein with sufficient security. As thus constructed, the life preserver, is
incapable of deterioration from any of the causes herein before indicated as
producing injury or detriment to cork life preservers constructed as has heretofore
been the practice.
When desired the pouches instead of being filled with the coated cork in a more
or less fragmentary condition, may be filled each with one or more blocks of cork
in like manner coated with the paraffine, to prevent access of moisture and air
thereto.
When desired these improvements or certain features thereof, may be embodied
in life preservers of other forms and varieties, as, for example, in the annular life
preservers indicated in Figure 6 in which a suitable envelope or integument, treated
with paraffine and thereby rendered water and air proof, is filled with the cork
also coated with the paraffine as herein before explained, and for the purpose herein
set forth.
It is to be understood that any suitable light woody material, having a buoyancy
which will enable it to serve the purposes of cork, may be used as the equivalent
of cork. It is also to be understood that any material which applied as a covering
to the granules or pieces of cork will serve to exclude water or moisture from the
interior thereof, may be employed as the equivalent of paraffine; when the said
equivalent is applied in a melted condition.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim:-
FirstA life-preserver of any suitable construction, containing cork or other
granulated woody matter treated with a water-repellant substance when the latter
is applied in a melted condition, substantially as, and for the purposo, herein set
forth.
Second: A filling for life preservers, composed of cork or equivalent buoyant
woody material coated with paraffine in any appropriate manner to exclude moisture,
substantially as, and for the purpose, herein set forth.
Third: The combination of a filling composed of cork or equivalent buoyant
woody material coated with paraffine, and an enclosing integument rendered air and
water proof by coating or impregnating it with paraffine, substantially as, and for
the purpose, herein set forth.
Fourth: In a life-preserver, a series of connected pouches rendered water and air
proof by being coated or impregnated with paraffine and filled with cork which is
1

page_text: coated with paraffine to exclude moisture and air, substantially as, and for the
purpose, herein set forth.
Fifth A life-preserver comprising one or more pouches B', rendered water and
air proof by being coated or impregnated with paraffine and enclosing a filling
composed of cork in a granular or fragmentary condition, the fragments or granules
of the cork being coated with paraffine, all substantially as, and for the purpose,
herein set forth.
Sixth-The combination, with a jacket B having pockets b, of pouches B'
rendered water and air proof by being coated or impregnated with paraffine, and
filled with cork coated with paraffine to exclude moisture and air, all substantially
as, and for the purposes, herein set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this sixteenth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three."
HENRY H LAKE (L.S.)