IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BUOYS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred William Birt, of 42, Dock Street, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BUOYS AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Scaled the 21st January 1879, and dated the 23rd July 1878.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred William Birt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July 1878.
ALFRED WILLIAM BIRT, of 42, Dock Street, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BUOYS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention has for its object improvements in life buoys and in apparatus
connected therewith.
I construct life buoys in the following manner:-I take a wooden plank, say
nine inches broad and of any convenient length, and I attach to it on either side
sheets or pieces of cork until I have built up a cylinder upon the plank equal to it
in length, and of which the width of the plank is the diameter. I connect such
cylinders together in pairs by means of metal rods passing through the wood only,
and so I form ladder-like structures. These from their form will be found not only.
to possess great buoyancy in the water but also they will possess great stability and
will not be liable to turn over when loaded on one side or end.
These ladder-like life preservers I secure around the bulwarks of a ship with the
cylinders lying horizontally one beneath the other, and so as to form two continuous
beadings or bands all round the bulwarks or as nearly so as the fittings of the ship'
will admit. In this way a large number of life preservers may be carried without
inconvenience or dis-sight.
The life preservers may be secured in their places by lashings, which may be cut
when the life preservers are required for use. If desired, either in addition to the
lashings or otherwise, the life preservers may be secured by means of hooks on an
axis which has to be turned round to free the life preservers. In this case the axis
is locked, so that a key which would be carried by an officer has to be used before
the life preservers can be detached from the ship.
In order to throw the life preserver to a distance from the side of the ship clear
of the screw springs may be employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred William Birt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
January 1879.
ALFRED WILLIAM BIRT, of 42, Dock Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BUOYS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention has for its object improvements in life buoys and in apparatus
connected therewith.
I construct life buoys in the following manner: I take a wooden plank, say
nine inches broad and of any convenient length, and I attach to it on either side
sheets or pieces of cork until I have built up a cylinder upon the plank equal to it
in length, and of which the width of the plank is the diameter. I connect such
cylinders together in pairs by means of metal rods passing through the wood only,
and so I form ladder-like structures: A Buoy of life preserver thus constructed is
represented by Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings, in which the parts formed of
cork are marked A, the wooden planks are marked B, and the metal braces C.
These buoys or life preservers from their form will be found not only to possess
great buoyancy in the water, but also they will possess great stability and will not
be liable to turn over when loaded on one side or end.
These ladder-like life preservers I secure around the bulwarks of a ship with the
cylinders lying horizontally one beneath the other, and so as to form two continuous
beadings or bands all around the bulwarks or as nearly so as the fittings of the ship
will admit. Figure 2 is an elevation of a ship thus equipped, the two parallel light
lines on the upper part of the ship's side being the buoys. Figure 3 shows to a
larger scale the way in which the buoys are arranged to avoid davits or like
obstructions. In this way a large number of life preservers may be carried without
inconvenience or dis-sight..
The life preservers may be secured in their places by lashings which may be cut
when the life preservers are required for use, and this I believe to be both the
simplest and best way of securing them. The lashings passing through small holes
bored in the bulwarks can be cut from the inside with great facility and speed.
But if desired, either in addition to the lashings or otherwise the life preservers
may be secured by means of hooks on an axis which has to be turned round to free
the life preservers. In this case the axis is locked, so that a key which would be
carried by an officer has to be used before the life preservers can be detached from
the ship.
Figure 4 illustrates the action of the life buoy in the water.
Having thus described the naturo of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,—
Life buoys formed and applied in such manner as to constitute a double beading
around the bulwarks of a ship or vessel, substantially as described.
I also claim the life buoy substantially as represented in Figure 1 of the annexed
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred William Birt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine
ALFRED WILLIAM BIRT. (LS.)