Improvements in Igniting Apparatus for Signal Lights, Rockets, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Igniting Apparatus for Signal Lights, Rockets,
and the like.
+
I, ALFRED CRAIG, of 2, Rupert Street, High Road, Mitcham, in the County
of Surrey, Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention consists of a friction tube made of suitable material, with outer
end tapered, in which is placed a friction composition attached to a suitable water
proof cord, protected by a fire proof shield, when the cord is drawn the signal,
rocket, or other shield strikes another composition in the centre of tube and causes
ignition.
This mode of innition is anulicable to all kinds of explosives.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Igniting Apparatus for Signal Lights, Rockets,
and the like.
I ALFRED CRAIG of 2 Rupert Street High Road Mitcham in the County of
Surrey, Mariner, 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:-
This invention relates to igniting apparatus for ships or other signal lights
rockets fireworks and other explosives or the like for which such igniting apparatus
may be suitable and my present invention is designed to produce a simple safe and
inexpensive but effective means of igniting such articles.
For this purpose I proceed as follows reference being had to the accompanying
sheet of drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are respectively longitudinal sections
of two arrangements of my ignition device varying slightly in detail but identical
in operation.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a rocket with my igniting device applied thereto
ready to ignite said rocket.
a is the tube or case made of paper or any other suitable material and having the
outer end tapered as shown- -or otherwise as desired.
is the cord (or it may be a rod) made of wire or fibre or any suitable materials
having a loop or grip such as ' on the end outside of the case u.
Referring now to Figure 1 :-
c is the friction end (of such cord b) or end prepared with suitable chemical
composition which is brought in contact with the other frictionally explosive
material d (behind the fire proof shield or guard e) by pulling the end of the
cord through such shield e and composition d and thus by the friction or contact
of c with d the latter is ignited and consequently ignites the rocket (firework or
other signal or explosive) in which my ignition device is inserted after the manner
shown in Figure 3.
с
Or if desired an explosive material (not affected by the friction of c) may be
arranged around c behind shield e and on pulling the cord the composition at d is
ignited (as just previously described) and thereby ignites f and the latter ignites
the firework et cetera.

page_text: Figure 2 shows another arrangement by which the cord bis fixed to a disc or
shield having a frictional composition on its periphery which when the cord
is pulled causes such disc h to rub against the other friction surface y and thereby
ignites the explosive composition and so ignites the firework et cetera to which the
device is applied.
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 :-
An igniting device or apparatus-for igniting ships signals rockets or other fire-
works or explosives or the like-consisting of a casing containing a frictional
chemical composition and a cord capable of movement therein which cord carries
thereon or attached thereto another frictional material which-by pulling out the
said cord is brought in contact with or rubbed against the said frictional
composition in or on the said case and causes an ignition which is communicated
to the firework or the like (to which my ignition apparatus is applied) and 80
ignites same substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set
forth.
Dated this 17th day of December 1891
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Life Saving Apparatus.
I ALFRED CRAIG of 2 Rupert Street, High Road, Mitcham, in the County
of Surrey Mariner do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of rocket with life buoy and light enclosed, such as a
roman candle with spring valve at mouth of rocket to exclude water from rocket
case and also friction tube for firing rocket.
These rockets provided with a line are discharged from two tubular boxes placed
within each other, a number of pegs are placed inside the bottom box which
penetrate into the upper-the rope is wound round the several pegs.
When the rope is fully wound, the several pegs are withdrawn from the top
box by means of a suitable arrangement thereby leaving the rope free for
discharging.
The life buoy is made so as to encircle the rocket and may be constructed of
tin, rubber, or other suitable material.
The friction tube for firing the rocket consists of a tube made of suitable
material with outer end tapered, in which is placed a friction composition attached
to a suitable water proof cord which is protected by a fire proof shield which when
the cord is drawn the rocket shield strikes another composition in the centre of
tube and causes ignition.
Dated this 17th day of March 1891
BROWNE & Co.,
60, Chancery Lane, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Life Saving Apparatus.
I ALFRED CRAIG of 2 Rupert Street High Road Mitcham in the County
of Surrey, Mariner, 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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in or relating to life saving
apparatus more especially to that class of life saving apparatus (known as the
rocket life saving apparatus) or in connection therewith or the like.
For the sake of lucidity as well as of brevity I will proceed to describe my
present invention under two separate headings-and with reference to the drawings

page_text: the position of this life buoy by night.
=
The end of the long line is attached to the life buoy a and the rocket 6 is then
ignited in any convenient manner.
The lighted rocket then carries the life buoy a and the end of the line z through
the air in the direction for which it is aimed-the line running out freely and
readily from the apparatus forming the second part of my present invention or
the line may be "paid out" from any other convenient apparatus or by any other
desired means.
The light at fis ignited by a fuse from the rocket 6 or in any other convenient
manner.
Secondly :-
LINE COILING AND RELEASING APPARATUS.
Figures 2 and 3 (Sheet 2) of the accompanying drawings illustrate my novel
line holder or apparatus in which the line z is coiled or wound and thus carried
about in such apparatus from place to place so that it does not get entangled or
disarranged while being moved about or stored away but immediately it is required
to be used the pins or pegs on which it is wound can be instantly withdrawn
leaving the said line perfectly free to run out whether said line be attached to my
aforesaid combined rocket and life buoy or to any other rocket or (if required) for
other life saving apparatus or purposes either on land or sea.
Referring to Sheet 2 :-
Figure 3 represents a plan of the apparatus with cover thereof removed to show
the line wound on the upstanding pegs or pins m.
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing in dotted lines the position of the line < on
the pegs m and also showing in dotted lines the second position of the parts when
the pegs have been withdrawn i.e. the rope or line z raised off the pegs m.
o is a suitable case or holder which may advantageously be formed cylindrical as
shown (but I do not limit myself thereto) and made of wood or other suitable
material to which any suitable lid or cover is applied.
p is the bottom of such case o and an outer skin or case 9 may be added as
shown and between these walls o and g the raising mechanism is or may be
mounted.
The said raising mechanism consists of a strong racks vertically and securely
fixed to the bottom piece or stand and into the teeth of this racks the teeth or
cogs of the spur wheel or cog wheel u mesh or gear such toothed wheel u being
mounted and carried in or on or between the double casing o q and said wheel u is
revolved by a crank handle v or any other suitable manner.
tare guides secured by the brackets to the bottom stand t.
The pegs m are all carried by and are firmly fixed vertically to the bottom
stand said pegs m all passing through corresponding holes in the inner
bottom p.
A similar racks and pinion u' may be arranged and mounted on the opposite
side of the case as shown in Figure 3 and actuated or not by a crank handle.
The bottom stand part t is or may be supported on feet w or other suitable
supports.
Any suitable number of the vertical pegs m may be arranged and mounted on
the bottom stand t and project through the bottom p into the case o on which
pegs m the life line or other line z is coiled or wound-either as shown in the
drawings or in any other suitable manner.
nn are handles for carrying or moving the apparatus.
The operation is as follows:-
The apparatus Figures 2 and 3 being brought to the spot where it is required
for use the end of the line 2 (now all ready coiled and wound free of entanglements on
the pegs m) is attached to the rocket et cetera and then when everything is in
readiness the pegs m are all simultaneously withdrawn out of the coiled line z by

page_text: rotating the toothed wheel u which thereupon raises the case og and bottom p till
said bottom is almost clear above the pegs m-as shown in the dotted lines in
Figure 2.
The line is now perfectly clear and ready to be run off or dragged off at the
quickest speed.
The end of the line z may be secured (through a hole in the bottoms p and t) to
the cleat y provided for that purpose to prevent the line running right out.
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 life saving apparatus of the character herein before set forth the com-
bination and arrangement of a life buoy such as a surrounding and having a rocket
firmly fixed therein and either with or without a spring valve which life buoy is
carried by the rocket in its flight and has a rocket stick such as d attached and a
line such as z attached to the said life buoy all substantially in the manner and for
the purposes herein before described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
2. I claim the apparatus claimed in Claim 1 in combination with either a signal
such as a roman candle or a light as at Figure 1 or both-substantially in the
manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
3. In connection with life saving apparatus of the character such as herein-
before set forth I claim an apparatus for carrying the line consisting of a bottom
stand carrying a number of vertical pins or pegs which pass through holes in the
bottom of a case or receptacle which latter is capable of being elevated or raised
off the said pegs and thereby clear from the pegs and leave perfectly free the
line previously wound on such pegs substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
4. In connection with life saving apparatus of the character such as hereinbefore
described I claim a stand such as t carrying a number of pins or pegs such as m
vertically fixed thereon in combination and acting in conjunction with a case or
receptacle for the line such as o p q which is capable of being raised and lowered
by suitable mechanism such as suv the pegs m passing through corresponding
holes in the bottom and having the line wound or coiled thereon and the
pegs m then drawn out from said line when required free for use substantially in
the manner and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated in the
drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 17th day of December 1891.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.