AN APPARATUS OR INSTRUMENT FOR SAVING HUMAN LIFE, OR OTHER PURPOSES, IN CASES OF SHIPWRECK OR OTHER DISASTERS BY WATER
Year: 1834

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JONAS
BATEMAN, of Upper Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Cooper,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Thirtieth day of June, in the fifth year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Jonas Bateman, His especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Jonas Bateman, my exors, adññiors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Jonas Bateman, my exors, adiiors, or assigns,
shoulat at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN APPARATUS OR INSTRUMENT FOR
SAVING HUMAN LIFE, OR OTHER PURPOSES, IN CASES OF SHIPWRECK OR OTHER
DISASTERS BY WATER;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said Jonas Bateman, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the samo is to be per-
formed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Jonas Bateman, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention does
consist in providing a security from drowning to all persons using the said
Invention in the manner herein-after directed, and that the mode of con-
structing the same is also in the manner herein after directed, that is to say:-
Let a frame or case be made of the dimensions and of the materials
following, that is to say, about five feet six inches in length, and about two
feet six inches in width at the upper part or top, and about seven and a half
inches in depth, regularly reducing in dimension, so as to be about five feet in
length and about two feet in width at the lower part or bottom. This case or
frame is to be composed of strong light wood, such as deal, and secured in the
first instance at each corner by any known or common method; then divide,
(with three boards of similar description), the interior of the case or frame into
four parts or divisions, in the following manner:-Place one of these three
boards in the centre, or at an equal distance from each end of the frame or
case, then place the other two boards one towards each end from such centre
board, and at about seventeen inches therefrom; then part the two middle
divisions with two similar boards, as follows:-Place one board lengthways
about thirteen inches from the outside of the case or frame, which will leave
a space of about seventeen inches between such partition and the other side
thereof; then put in a similar manner in the other middle division, placing
one of these two last-named boards towards one side, and the other board
towards the other side of the case or frame; these two larger spaces are to be
left open for a purpose to be herein-after described; all these partition boards
may be fastened in the first instance to the outside part and to the cross
boards by similar means that the outside was directed to be so fastened; then
cover with similar boards the whole of the lower or bottom part, excepting the
two spaces before directed to be left open, and fasten such bottom boards to
the other parts, as before directed; then prepare and fix to the case or frame
by metal hoops, in the manner and in the quantity following, that is to say,
for the whole case or frame six hoops will be required, four of which are to be
of equal length, and to go entirely round the case or frame, and each of them,
as well as being perforated with holes to admit nails or screws to attach them
to the wood, to have holes to admit bolts or other fastenings or articles to be
herein-after described, each hoop to have for the bottom part two holes about
half an inch squaro or diameter, about one third of the width of the whole
bottom apart from each other, with
opposite to the two first-named holes.
part of the apparatus, it will also be
two similar holes placed so as to be
When such hoops are fixed on the top
required to have, for a purpose to be

page_text: herein-after described, three holes in each of these four hoops in that part of
the hoop that passes up each side of the apparatus, as also two holes in that part
of the hoops that is to be on the top of the apparatus, near the sides thereof.
The remaining two hoops are each to be sufficiently long to go round that part
of the apparatus which is enclosed at the middle thereof, one of them to go
round each such part, and each of them to have one hole about balf an
inch square or diameter in that part that is to be fixed on the bottom and
about the middle thereof, also a similar holo in that part that is to be fixed on
the top, and opposite thereto, as also three holes in each in that part of the
hoop that is to be fixed on the side of the apparatus; the size of the whole of
the holes in the hoops, except those already described, to be about a quarter
of an inch in diameter or square. The first four metal hoops are to be placed
as follows: one of them to be placed as nearly as convenient to each end, and
one of them also as nearly as convenient to the cross board that is next to the
end. Then prepare four metal plates, one of which is to be fixed on each
corner on the end; each plate to have two holes about a quarter of an inch in
diameter or square. as well as holes to attach them to the wood, for a purpose
to be herein-after described. Then fix by an improved method in each angle
or corner in the inside of the apparatus two metal plates, having holes in them
to admit articles to attach them to the wood, each of which plates having at
one end a screw sufficiently long to go through the wood and hoops before
described, and a nut to go on to such screw on the outside of the apparatus, for
which purpose twenty-eight of such articles will be required, eight more of them
will also be required for the two partitions that are placed lengthways, videlicet,
two for each end of each partition, to be nutted through the cross partitions;
these being secured, attach stout metal rings by means of an eye, a screw, and
nut through each of the hoops before described, nutted inside the apparatus in
a similar manner as the before-named articles where nutted outside thereof,
as also two such rings at each end of the apparatus; more such rings may
also be attached to any other part of the apparatus that may be thought to be
useful. This being done, the whole of the space that is enclosed at the
bottom is to be stowed compactly with cork, then with boards, such as those
already described, cover the whole of the space so filled with cork, and fasten
such boards to the other parts, as before directed, after which fold the hoops
over the upper part or top. Then take ten metal bolts, about half of an inch
in diameter or square, having each at one end a stout ring inserted through an
eye, and having each a screw and nut at the other end, these bolts to be
of sufficient length to pass through the whole depth of the cork, wood, and
hoops, from the top to the bottom of the apparatus; screw the whole of the

page_text: nuts tightly, then form two compact bodies of cork sufficiently large so as to
nearly fill the spaces left vacant in the apparatus, and secure such bodies
of cork by any approved method to keep them together, then stow them in
such spaces when the apparatus is not in use; but if it should unfortunately be
wanted, the last-named bodies of cork are to be screwed to the rings by any
approved means on those parts of the top of the apparatus between the spaces
where they had been previously stowed and the ends of the apparatus, and in
a line with such spaces. Then prepare a case or bag of canvass or other
flexible article, of sufficient size to be when expanded about three inches in
diameter, and of sufficient length to go entirely round the apparatus at the top
or widest part thereof, inserting a stout cord through the entire length of such
bag or case, and fill the said bag or case as full as can be conveniently done
with cork; this bag or case of cork is to be securely fastened to the upper part
of the apparatus by cords or other means through the rings before described.
A similar case or bag of cork is to be prepared for each person having occasion
to use the apparatus, of sufficient length to pass round the body under the
arms, with a cord or other article to pass from such bag or case of cork over
each shoulder, to prevent its shifting; also a spring, hook, cord, or other
article to attach such case or bag so enclosing such person to the apparatus.
All these cases or bags of cork may either be kept at all times attached to the
apparatus or not, as it will require expert bands but a very short time in case
of necessity so to attach them. The apparatus thus prepared will be capable
of giving perfect security from drowning to at least six persons, and also the full
use of their arms, its power of buoyancy being such as to render it unsusceptible
of sinking by the gravity of such six persons; thus situated two of them are to
place themselves in the two spaces left in the apparatus in the first place, the
other four persons are to be attached to the outsides of the apparatus, two on each
side thereof, and opposite to each other. It will also be scarcely possible it should
upset in any sea, as the buoyancy given by one of the bodies of cork placed on
the top, and also by the cases or bags of cork herein-before described, together
with the entire gravity of three of the persons, all of which must act upon
the
apparatus to prevent it so upsetting. If it should be thought necessary to use
means to direct the course of the apparatus when in use, rowlocks by any
known or approved method may be attached to the apparatus for such
purpose, and it may then be propelled by oars in the manner of a common
boat. Bearings for the feet may also be suspended to the proper length by any
approved method, such as a small piece of lead pipe, with a cord passed
through it. A scat for each of the two persons in the interior spaces may also
be furnished upon any approved principle, so as the same does not interfere

page_text: with the buoyancy of the article. The method or methods of putting tho
apparatus in use will, of course, depend upon the circumstances under
which the necessity arises for having recourse to its assistance, but which
method or methods will readily be suggested to the minds of the persons
requiring its use.
I do not claim as my Invention any of the articles hercin-before described
separately considered, the construction of which articles may be performed
by any approved or known method; but I do claim as my Invention the
combination of such articles thus herein-before described for the purposes
intended to be answered thereby.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonas Bateman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the fifth year
of the reign of our Sovereign Lord William the Fourth, and in the
year of our Lord One thousand oight hundred and thirty-four