IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick John Money, of Blenheim House, Brighton,
Sussex, Doctor in Medicine, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING."
Sealed the 2nd May 1879, and dated the 2nd November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick John Money at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd November 1878:
FREDERICK JOHN MONEY, of Blenheim House, Brighton, Sussex, Doctor in
Medicine. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE FROM DROWNING."
An air-proof and water-proof bag of any suitable material having in it a hole
closed by an air-tight valve opening inwards, and kept shut by a light spring.
In this bag is placed a mixture of some solid acid and some supercarbonated
alkali, chemicals which are incapable of re-acting upon one another so long as they
continue in a dry state. I usually employ fine crystals either of tartaric or oxalic
acid and fine crystals of bicarbonate of soda. Such a bag lies nearly flat while
undistended, and may be sewn into any garment between the outside material and
the lining, where it may be worn habitually, hardly attracting notice either by its
bulk or weight. As soon as the wearer falls into water the liquid enters by the
valve opening, forcing back the valve, which is kept free from too great pressure by
a rigid flattened dome forming a small air chamber around it. As soon as the water
reaches the mixed salts violent effervescence ensues, and the bag is rapidly filled
with carbonic acid gas, which is prevented from escaping by the air tight valve.
The bag thus at once becomes a powerful float, without any action on the part of
the wearer. The gas liberated from 2 ounces of bicarbonate of soda has been found
capable of sustaining a weight of over a quarter of a hundredweight five minutes
after immersion.
Air-proof bags thus chemically expansible may also be fixed under the thwarts of
a boat, where they will lie flat and occupy little space until the boat is swamped,
when any slight fastening that may have been used to keep the bag flat will be
burst, and the bag, by its rapid expansion, will at once transform the vessel into a
life-boat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick John Money in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
May 1879.
FREDERICK JOHN MONEY, of Blenheim House, Marlborough Place, Brighton,
Sussex, Doctor in Medicine. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SAVING LIFE FROM
"DROWNING."
My Invention consists of an air-proof and water-proof bag of any suitable material
having in it a hole closed by an air-tight valve opening inwards, and kept shut by
a light spring. The material and mechanism of this valve and spring are of no
importance so long as they fulfil their purpose of-admitting-water easily and pre-
venting the escape of air. In the bag I place a mixture of some solid acid and
some supercarbonated alkali, chemicals incapable of re-acting upon one another so
long as they continue in a dry state. I usually employ fine crystals of either
tartaric or oxalic acid and dried bicarbonate of soda. A bag so charged lies nearly
flat while undistended, and may be sewn into any garment between the outside
material and the lining, where it may be worn habitually without occasioning
inconvenience either by its bulk or its weight. As soon however as the wearer
falls into water the liquid enters at once through the valve opening, forcing back
the valve, which is protected from too great pressure by a rigid flattened dome,
forming a small air-chamber around it. The shape of the valve apparatus, as that
of the bag itself, is immaterial. The moment the water reaches the mixed salts
violent effervescence commences, and the bag is rapidly filled with carbonic acid
gas, which is prevented from escaping by the air-tight valve firmly closed as it now
is by the air-pressure behind it. The bag thus becomes a powerful float, without
any action whatever on the part of the wearer, who will be kept up in the water,
even if intoxicated or insensible from any cause, and unable in any way to help
himself. The gas liberated from ounces of bicarbonate of soda has been found
capable of sustaining a weight of seven pounds within half a minute after immersion
and of a quarter of a hundred-weight within five minutes.
Air-proof bags thus constructed, expansible by chemical means, may also be fixed
under the thwarts of a boat, where they will lie flat and occupy little room till the
boat is swamped, when any slight fastenings which may have been used to keep
the bags flat will be burst, and the bags, by their rapid expansion, will at once
transform the vessel into a life boat.