Improvements in or Applicable to the Manufacture of Buoyant Devices for Life Saving and other Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1886.
Complete Left, 29th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 30th Sept., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Applicable to the Manufacture of Buoyant
Devices for Life Saving and other Purposes.
I, FRANCIS WENTWORTH BREWSTER, of Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex,.
Manufacturer of life saving appliances, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the application to devices of the nature hereinafter
described, as means of imparting buoyancy thereto, of Reindeer hair, and of the hair,
wool, down and feathers obtained from the skins, integuments or external mem-
branous envelopes of other Vertebrate animals, separately, in any combination, or in
any combination with other means of imparting buoyancy to such devices.
The devices herein before referred to, consist, of flexible buoyant rescue-ropes con-
structed preferably with an inner core for ensuring the necessary strength, and
rendered buoyant by isolated floats or buoyant parts occupying relatively fixed
positions apart and thereon, various modifications of which are described in the
Specification of Letters Patent, No. 2381, of 1883, granted to me on the 10th day of
May, 1883, and of analogous devices constructed with such flexible buoyant rescue
ropes united or combined between such isolated floats by cross rungs or ropes per-
manently or detachably lashed or attached thereto; such devices being especially
serviceable for buoying up any person or persons taking hold thereof in the water,
and being flexible and easy to cling to or throw about one's-self, or to climb up by
anyone in the water needing such assistance.
The especial object of the present improvements is to increase the buoyancy of such
devices; and this object I attain by using as the means of imparting the required
buoyance, reindeer hair, or the hair, wool, down and feathers obtained from the skins,
integuments, or external membranous envelopes of other vertebrate animals, separately,
or in any combination, in substitution for the materials hitherto used for such purpose,
or in combination therewith.
The hair, wool, down or feathers may be used in the natural state, or after it or
they has or have been rendered by suitable means more repellent of water than when
in their natural state, and such material or materials may be applied to the purpose of
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page_text: the Invention (separately, together, or in combination as aforesaid) in various ways,
but I prefer that it or they should be applied as a filling into annular cartridges or
flexible tubing intended to form the floats.
I prefer when forming the floats with a waterproof enclosure, to construct them in
the form of hollow annular cartridges with closed ends, the buoyant material being
contained in the interior thereof, and to form the device by threading such cartridges
upon the flexible core ropes, and by inserting them into an outer or enclosing tubing
or network, adjusting the floats at the required distances apart on the core ropes by
making knots in the latter or by other suitable means, and also by lashing the outer
or enclosing envelope or network about the ropes between such floats for the required
distance.
A short length of about one fathom of flexible buoyant rescue rope constructed in
the manner hereinbefore described, and fitted at its ends with a becket and toggle or
with other suitable connections, is especially serviceable as a Yacht's fender and as a
flexible circular buoy which can be readily passed and fastened round the body under
the arms.
Dated this 30th day of November 1886
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Devices for Life Saving and other Purposes.
I, FRANCIS WENTWORTH BREWSTER, of Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer of Life Saving Appliances, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to the application to devices of the nature hereinafter
described, as means of imparting buoyancy thereto, of Reindeer bair, and of the hair,
wool, down and feathers obtained from the skins, integuments or external mem-
branous envelopes of other vertebrate animals, separately, or in any combination, in
substitution for the materials hitherto used for such purposes or in any combination
therewith; the especial object of the Invention being to increase the buoyancy of such
devices.
The devices hereinbefore referred to consist of flexible buoyant rescue-ropes con-
structed preferably with an inner core for ensuring the necessary strength, and
rendered buoyant by isolated floats or buoyant parts occupying relatively fixed
positions apart and thereon, various modifications of which are described in the
Specification of Letters Patent, No. 2381, of 1883, granted to me on the 10th day of
May, 1883, and of analogous devices, of the nature illustrated on the accompanying
drawings, constructed with such flexible buoyant rescue ropes united or combined
between such isolated floats by cross rungs or ropes permanently or detachably lashed
or attached thereto, such devices being especially serviceable for buoying up any
person or persons taking hold thereof in the water, and being flexible and easy to cling
to or throw-about one's-self, or to climb up by anyone in the water needing such
assistance.
The hair, wool, down or feathers may be used in the natural state, or after it or
they has or have been rendered by any known or suitable means more repellant of
water than when in their natural state, and such material or materials may be applied
to the purpose of the Invention (separately, together or in combination as aforesaid)
by being applied as a filling into flexible tubing in which it is suitably isolated in
sections intended to form the buoyant parts of the device with or without a central
rope, or into independent cartridges intended to be inserted into such tubing with or
without being threaded on a central rope, or threaded on such rope without being
inserted into such external tubing, substantially in the manner modifications of which
are described in the specification of the said previous Patent, or in any other suitable
way.
I prefer to construct the floats as represented on the accompanying drawings in the
form of hollow annular cartridges made of any suitable fabric in any suitable
manner. I find it of advantage to make such cartridges of inner and outer
cylindrical parts intended to be sewn together at the ends or to be joined by
intermediate annular end pieces to which the said cylindrical parts are sewn. Such

page_text: parts are sewn together at one end of each cartridge before such cartridge is filled
with the buoyant material which is preferably done while the cartridge is supported
in a suitable mould, the said parts at the open end of the cartridge being subsequently
sewn together to complete the formation thereof.
I also prefer to thread such floats upon flexible core ropes, 4, their position thereon
may be ensured by knotting the rope externally of the floats as represented at, 5, or
by intermediate washers, beads, reels or distance pieces as represented at, 6, the position
of which may be ensured by rivetting the same to the rope as at, 7, or in any other
suitable manner.
Or such threaded floats may also, as represented on such drawings, be enveloped in
an outer or enclosing flexible tubing, 8, of fabric or suitable material, or in network.
their position upon the rope being secured by any suitable means as aforesaid, or by
rivetting or sowing the portions of the enclosing fabric intermediate of the adjacent
floats to the rope as represented at, 9, and also by lashing the outer or enclosing
envelope or network about the rope, 4, between the floats 1, for the required distance
as represented at 10.
When such devices are desired to be made in the form of a flexible buoyant ladder
as represented on the annexed drawings, the cross rungs or ropes, 11, may be, as
aforesaid, permanently rivetted, clinched or secured to the ropes between the said
floats as represented at, 12, or they may be detachably lashed (or otherwise suitably
secured) thereto as represented at, 13.
A short length of about one fathom of flexible buoyant rescue rope constructed
and adapted in the manner herein before described and fitted at its ends with a
becket, 14, and toggle 15, or with other suitable connections, is especially serviceable
as a Yacht's fender, and as a flexible circular buoy which can be readily passed and
fastened round the body under the arms.
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. The application to buoyant devices of the nature herein before described, for life
saving and other purposes, of the means herein before mentioned of imparting buoyancy
thereto.
2. The manufacture of such devices substantially in the improved manner herein
before described.
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