IMPROVEMENTS IN MATTRESSES OR APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING LIFE AND PROPERTY AFLOAT, PARTS OF WHICH APPARATUS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO NAVIGATION AND OTHER AQUATIC PURPOSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert William Pike, of Kennington Lane, in
the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MATTRESSES OR APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING LIFE AND PROPERTY AFLOAT,
PARTS OF WHICH APPARATUS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO NAVIGATION AND OTHER
AQUATIC PURPOSES."
Sealed the 16th October 1875, and dated the 22nd April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albort William
Pike at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 22nd April 1875.
I, ALBERT WILLIAM PIKE, of Kennington Lane, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN MATTRESSES OR APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING LIfe and PropertY
AFLOAT, PARTS OF WHICH APPARATUS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO NAVIGATION and
Other Aquatic PURPOSES,” to be as follows:-

page_text: in the case of an emergency for the preservation of life and property
afloat.
The body of the mattress consists of a casing which may be
stuffed with any ordinary or suitable material, around which body
I fit an air tube or a belt of a similar material to that of which
life buoys are constructed, in order to obtain buoyancy and also
protection in case of fouling and collision in case of fouling or
collision. In the body of the mattress I provide compartments for
containing air for assisting in floatation, also for containing water,
provisions, rocket apparatus, signals, and other necessaries, and I
also provide a sail and mast and steering apparatus, if required. In the
centre of the mattress I form an aperture, to the upper edge of which I
fix a waterproof coat and hood of envelope or other shape adaptable to
any size and which may be adjusted by a buckle and strap, or otherwiso,
and to the lower edge of such aperture there aro attached waterproof
casings or leggings having wooden shoes at their extremity. In the
normal condition of the apparatus the aperture and all the compart-
ments are covered by two flaps, which are hinged to the mattress in
such a manner as to be capable of falling back when required to the
stem or stern of the same.
When the apparatus is required to be utilized as a life preserver the
flaps are first folded back so as to afford access to the central aperture,
and the person intending to use the apparatus then inserts his legs in
the under leggings or casings and draws over his body the waterproof
coat and hood, whereby ho is perfectly shielded or protected against the
influences of the temperature of the water, which result may also be
augmented by lining the casings with any woollen or other suitable
material. The occupant may then propel the apparatus with his legs,
the sail before mentioned being also utilized when practicable for assisting
in the propulsion of such apparatus.
A seat is provided in the central aperture for the convenience of the
occupant, who when fatigued or exhausted may draw up his legs into an
aperture formed on the body of the apparatus for their reception or rest
them, upon a rod if desired.
It is obvious that apparatus of the before-mentioned description may
be constructed for use independently of a mattress, and be provided with
any required number of apertures and casings so as to enable it to be

page_text: utilized for pleasure trips, fishing, shooting, and other purposes for
which punts or boats are ordinarily employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Albert William Pike in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALBERT
WILLIAM PIKE, of Kennington Lane, in the County of Surrey, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Albert William Pike, Her special
license, that I, the said Albert William Pike, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Albert William
Pike, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MATTRESSES OR APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING
LIFE AND PROPERTY AFLOAT, PARTS OF WHICH APPARATUS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE
TO NAVIGATION AND OTHER AQUATIC PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Albert William Pike, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal,
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 Scal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Albert William Pike, 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, reference being had to the accom-

page_text: panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
My said Invention relates to apparatus intended more particularly for
use on board ships, and which, whilst serving as a mattress, may be
utilized in the case of an emergency for the preservation of life and
property afloat.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures :-
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a perspective viow
of a mattress constructed in accordance with my Invention.
Figure 2 represents a sectional clevation of a modification; Figure 3
is a plan; and Figure 4, a transverse vertical section of the same.
The body A of the mattress consists of a waterproof casing which
may be stuffed with any ordinary or suitable material, around which
body I'fit an air tube or a belt B of a similar material to that of which
life buoys are constructed in order to obtain buoyancy and also pro-
tection in case of fouling or collision. 'In the body A of the mattress
I provide compartments C, O, for containing air for assisting in flotation,
also for containing water, provisions, rocket apparatus, signals, and
other necessaries, and I also provide a sail and a mast, the socket for
which is shewn at D, and steering apparatus if required. In the centro
of the mattress I form an aperture E, to the upper edge of which I fix
a waterproof coat and hood F of envelope or other shape, adaptable, if
preferred, to any size, and which may be adjusted and fastened by a
buckle and strap G and buttons, or otherwise, and to the lower edge of
such aperturo there are attached waterproof casings or leggings H, H,
having wooden or gutta percha shoes I, I, at their extremity fitted with
propelling paddles K, K, if desired. In the normal condition of the
apparatus the aperture E and all the compartments C, C, are covered by
two flaps L, L, which may be hinged to the mattress or otherwise
attached in such a manner as to be capable of falling back when
required to the stem or stern of the same, as shown in the Drawing,
Figure 1, the compartments C, C, being themselves covered by under
flaps M, M, over which the main flaps L, L, are turned down.

page_text: When the apparatus is required to be utilized as a life preserver the
flaps are first folded back to the position shown in the Drawing, so as
to afford access to the central aperture E, and the person intending to
use the apparatus then inserts his legs in the under leggings or
casings H, H, and draws over his body the waterproof coat and hood F,
whereby he is perfectly shielded or protected against the influences of
the temperature of the water, which result may also be augmented by
lining the casings H, H, with any woollen or other suitable material.
The occupant may then propel (the apparatus with his legs, assisted by
the paddles K, K, when employed, the sail before mentioned and any
other suitable appliances being also utilized as an auxiliary means for
the propulsion of such apparatus when necessary.
A seat N is provided in the central aperture E for the convenience of
the occupant, who when fatigued or exhausted may draw up his legs
into an aperture formed for their reception in the under part of the
body A, if desired.
Apparatus of the before-mentioned description may be constructed
for use independently of a mattress and be provided with any required
number of apertures and casings so as to enable it to be utilized for
pleasure trips, fishing, shooting, and other purposes for which punts or
boats are ordinarily employed.
An apparatus of this character, having a single aperture E, is shewn
in the modification, Figures 2, 8, and 4, of my Drawings. This appa-
ratus is similar in construction to that described with reference to
Figure 1, but made in the form of a boat, as shewn. The air
tubes B, B, which may be inflated by the act of the occupant blowing
thereunto through a suitable tube, is attached to the body A. by
bolts 0, 0¹.
In Figure 2 the coat and hood F is shewn in the position in which it
is placed when in use, whilst in Figures 1 and 3 it is represented as
thrown back on to the body of the apparatus.
This modification of apparatus may also be utilized as a mattress, for
which purpose it is simply necessary to remove the bolts O' and turn
the air tubes B, B, over on to the top of the apparatus, as shewn by the
red lines in Figures 3 and 4, when a convenient air mattress will be
formed which may be readily restored to its former condition whenever
required.

page_text: It is obvious that apparatus of this description by being constructed
of suitable dimensions may be employed as a floating raft, pontoon, or
bridge if found desirable.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
First. The peculiar construction of buoyant mattress capable of being
utilized as an apparatus for preserving life and property afloat, and
provided with means for the protection of the body of the occupant
and for the storage of provisions and other articles in combination or not
with appliances for effecting the propulsion and steerage of such appa-
ratus, all substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by my
Drawings.
Second. The application and use of apparatus of the before-mentioned
description for navigation and other aquatic purposes, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert William Pike, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day
of October One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.