Improvements in Apparatus for Saving Life from Drowning.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Saving Life from Drowning.
ARTHUR BELT 8 Epworth Grove Epworth Street Beverley Road, Hull,
Yorkshire, Officer of Her Majesty's Customs, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
A piece of cork of a round or oval shape the underside of which is scooped or
hollowed out (to fit the head). In the centre a piece is cut entirely out, in the
space thus formed a roller works, on a loose spindle, which is fixed by two spring
brackets at the ends; on to the roller a length of cord is wound, having at its loose
end a swivel snap hook, which is attachable to an eyelet fixed in the collar of the
wearers coat.
Two pieces are cut entirely out of the cork (one at each end) the spaces thus
formed being covered with wire gauze for ventilation. A piece of wire gauze
attached to the cork by means of a wire spring at each end, covers the roller at
the top, at the underside of the cork is a spring button which retains the gauze in
position, but releases it (the gauze) on being pressed, thus admitting of the roller
being easily removed, from the cap or hat.
A brass lined hole is made near the centre to admit of the swivel snap hook being
pushed through out of position, when not in actual use.
Dated this Fourth day of December 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Saving Life from Drowning.
I ARTHUR BELT, of 8 Epworth Grove, Epworth Street, Beverly Road, Hull,
in the County of Yorkshire, Custom House Officer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to enable bystanders or spectators to quickly and
certainly rescue a person falling into the water, by affording an exact indication of
the spot where the person is submerged.
And in order that my said invention may be more clearly understood I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings accompanying this
Specification in which
Fig. 1 shews a top plan of the apparatus, made to fit into a hat or cap,
Fig. 2 shews section of a hat representing the position of the apparatus when
inserted therein. This figure is drawn to a reduced scale.
Fig. 3 shews section through line A B Fig. 1.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the views.
a shews a piece of cork, preferably made concave as shewn at Fig. 3, for the
better accommodation of the head, bb shew holes, preferably covered with gauze,
for the purpose of ventilation, c shews a roller upon which the cord d is wound,
e shews spindle of the roller c, which roller c revolves in bearings fixed in the
piece a. Over the opening in the piece a containing the roller c, I prefer to fit a
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page_text: hinged gauze flap g. h shews a catch to hold the flap g closed when in use. i shews
hole in the piece a for passing the cord d through. shews swivel snap hook for
booking on to the coat or other garment of the wearer.
The action is as follows:-
Supposing a person having my apparatus fitted in his hat or cap to fall in the
water the apparatus (either with or without the hat or cap) will float and thus
indicate the spot where the person has fallen in, and if anyone is near at hand
facilitate the rescue as the top of the apparatus when taken hold of and pulled will
have the effect of drawing the drowning person to the surface so that he may be
taken out of the water, or if a person should fall in when no help is at hand and
be drowned then the apparatus will indicate the exact position of the body and
thus save the necessity of dragging for this purpose of course assuming that the
apparatus remains attached to the garment by means of the fastening aforesaid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) In apparatus for saving life from drowning the float a in combination with a
reel on which cord is wound for the purposes set forth.
(2.) The apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Dated this Fifth day September 1895.
BROWNE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.