Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1886.
Complete Left, 3rd Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 25th Mar., 1887.
I, ALEXANDER SMITH, of 35 West Abbey Street, Arbroath, Forfarshire, Iron
Moulder, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object the production of a new or improved portable con-
struction of life buoy to be used on board of ships or other vessels at sea, or at the
wharves of sea port stations, for being thrown or cast to persons who may have fallen
into the water, or in the case of shipwreck, to support and prevent them getting
drowned; which improved life buoy will be more efficient and generally useful than
those heretofore in use.
And the nature and novelty of my invention consist all as follows:-Near each and
of a central longitudinal hand spindle or stiff-connecting stem, I mount or attach a
buoy. The buoys at each end of spindle would preferably be of elliptical or oval or
round shape, and would consist of an india rubber bag or vessel surrounded with an
outer covering or casing of cork, secured by metallic hoops or other equivalent, the whole
being enclosed within an outer cover of canvas or waterproof material, and preferably
painted on the outer surface. A tube or nozzle would be connected from the outside
to the india-rubber bag, into which air would be blown by the human mouth and this
tube would have a stopper or tap on its outer end, and when closed would be held
down on the outer surface of the buoy by means of a buckle and strap; or other means
of charging the bag or buoy with gasseous fluid might be used.
Instead of making these buoys of india-rubber bags charged with air, they may
be formed of solid cork alone, and be covered as in the former arrangement.
Around each of these buoys would be attached a series of short projecting stiff ropes
or rods provided with eyes at their outer ends, their inner ends being secured within the

page_text: canvas covering. Through these eyes would be passed thin ropes, one main rope
preferably passing longitudinally along each side of the spindle and round both buoys
through the eyes, while short intermediate ropes would pass through eyes in both buoys
or buoy heads between the lines of the main rope. The spindle or buoy connecting
link or handle, would be made of light wood or metal, and warped or covered with
string saturated with tar or other substance, and the outer ends preferably formed
with eyes for attaching hauling ropes.
When the new or improved construction of life buoy is to be used, it would be
grasped at the central stem or handle by the one hand and at the inner end by the
other hand and thus thrown towards the person in the water,
This improved construction of life buoy would be made in various sizes, and of
sufficient buoyant strength to support one or more persons as desired.
พ.
D 1 1
100

page_text: ALEXANDER SMITH 35 West Abbey Street Arbroath Forfarshire Iron Moulder. I 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:
My invention has for its object the production of a new or Improved Life Buoy to
be used on board ships or other vessels at sea or at the wharves of seaport stations.
Said Buoy being thrown or cast to persons who may have fallen in the water or in the
case of shipwreck to support and prevent them from being drowned which Improved
Life Buoy will be more efficient and generally useful than those here before in use.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section and elevation of buoy
with india rubber vessel. Fig. 2 is a cross section of same Fig. 3 is a longitudinal
section and elevation of buoy made of solid cork Fig. 4 is a plan referring to both con-
structions of life buoy.
And the nature and novelty of my invention consists all as follows, near each end
of a central longitudinal hand spindle or staff or connecting spindle A which may be
made of wood or metal, I mount or attach a Buoy B.
The Buoys at each end of the spindle would preferably be of elliptical, oval, or
round shaped and would consist of an india rubber bag or vessel C surrounded with an
outer covering or casing of cork D secured by hoops 1 to maintain the stability of said
Buoys. The whole being enclosed within an outer coating of canvas or waterproof
material and preferably painted on the outer surface. A tube nozzle H. would be
connected from the outside to the india rubber vessel C and into the outer end of this
tube H would be fixed a mouth piece J by which air would be blown by the human
mouth into the india rubber vessel C. This mouth piece has a stopper or tap which
prevents the escape of the air that has been blown into the vessel C. or other means
might be used for charging the Buoy with gaseous fluid. Instead of making these
Buoys as above described on Fig. 1 they may be made of solid cork as shown on
Fig. 3 and covered as in the former arrangement. Round these Buoys are eyelets
which have extended ends screwed into or otherwise fastened to the staff or spindle A
and through these eyelets pass the hand ropes O which are so arranged that they can
be easily grasped by the hands of the drowning persons.
These hand ropes are
fastened to the end of the staff or spindle A. At each end of the staff or spindle A.
is fixed a thimble ring P. to which is attached a hauling rope Q the other end of which
is used by the person on board ship or other vessel, or on a wharf, or in shipwreck.
These Buoys can be made any size.

page_text: longitudinal hand spindle or staff A. with one hand and the inner end of the same by
the other hand and thus throw the Life Buoy to the person in the water after this Life
Buoy has been thrown to the drowning person they can easily grasp the hand ropes O.
when the central longitudinal hand spindle or staff A. will come to them, they can
then pass both arms through the ropes on the upper side of Buoys and will then be
perfectly safe from drowning having the entire advantage of the floating power of this
New or Improved Construction of Life Buoy.
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
1st. In a life bouy the combination of a hand spindle at each end of which is attached
a bouy that contains an india rubber vessel enclosed in cork and hooped by wood or
other material.
2nd. In a life bouy a combination of hand ropes which are attached to each end of
hand spindle and pass through eyelets that are fixed to said spindle.
3rd. In a life bouy a combination of hand ropes, eyelets and hand spindle, to each
end of said spindle is fixed a bouy constructed of solid cork and covered with water-
tight material