IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFE BUOYS AND ATTACHED LIGHTS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Jones, of Southampton, in the County
of Southampton, Master Mariner, for an Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFE BUOYS AND ATTACHED LIGHTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1881.
EDWARD THOMAS JONES, of Southampton, in the County of Southampton,
Master Mariner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFE BUOYS
AND ATTACHED LIGHTS."
This Invention has for its object to facilitate the launching of life buoys with
attached lights. The lights to be employed in carrying out the Invention are of
the kind known as Holmes' self-lighting inextinguishablo lights, and each is in a
cylindrical case having a central tube, the opposite ends of which tube have to be
perforated or opened when the light is about to be used. The light is in each case
combined with a life buoy, to which it is attached by a cord. A block or frame is
provided to be fixed on the tafrail of a ship or in any other suitable position, with
its outer part projecting over the water, and on the upper side of this frame a
cradle or recess is formed to receive the light with its tube in a horizontal position.
Two levers moving horizontally are centered on the frame, one on a stud at its
outer end, and the other on a stud some distance from its outer end, and the levers
are connected by a link at their inner ends, whilst one of them has a handle formed
upon it. Pointed projections are formed on the lovers in positions facing the ends
of the tube of the light, the projection on one lever being to the inner side of its
fulcrum, and that on the other lever to the outer side of the fulcrum, and in conse-.
quence of this arrangement when the handled lever is moved to cause one projecting
point to penetrate one end of the light tube, the other end of the tube will be
penetrated by the other point. A steel spring is fitted in connection with the
handled lever, and is formed with a hooked part, with which the lever is engaged
when the parts are arranged ready for use. The handled lever has also connected

page_text: to it by a cord a pin or toggle, which is entered through a loop attached to the life
buoy, this loop being passed up from below through a hole in the block or frame,
the pin or toggle retaining the life buoy. When the apparatus is to be used the
handled lever is first moved in the direction to clear it from the hook of the spring,
this movement causing the perforation of the ends of the light tube; and the
handled lever is then moved in the opposite direction, and drawing out the pin or
toggle releases the life buoy, which by its connecting cord draws the light out of
its cradle, and both fall into the water. A simple backward and forward movement
of the handled lever is thus all that is necessary for placing the buoy with its
attached light in the water, this promptness of action largely increasing the
probability of saving the life of any one in danger of drowning.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Thomas Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd September 1881.
EDWARD THOMAS JONES, of Southampton, in the County of Southampton,
Master Mariner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING LIFE BUOYS
AND ATTACHED LIGHTS."
My said Invention has for its object to facilitate the launching of life buoys with
attached lights. The lights to be employed in carrying out my Invention are of
the kind known as Holmes' self-lighting inextinguishable lights, and each is in a
cylindrical case having a central tube, the opposite ends of which tube have to be
perforated or opened when the light is about to be used. The light is in each case
combined with a life buoy, to which it is attached by a cord. A block or frame is
provided to be fixed on the tafrail of a ship, or in any other suitable position, either
on a ship or pier or other structure, with its outer part projecting over the water,
and on the upper side of this frame a cradle or recess is formed to receive the light,
with its tube in a horizontal position. The frame has fitted upon it parts for
perforating the tube ends of the light, and for launching it and the buoy.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing a convenient modification of my
improved apparatus.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a plan, and Figure 2 is a
corresponding elevation. The same reference numerals are used to mark the same
11 parts wherever they are repeated.
or
On a block 3 of wood (or it might be a frame of metal or other suitable material)
there is fixed or formed a cradle 4, made with a concave recess to receive the
cylinder 5, which is the case of the "light," and which has a cord 6 attached to
and passing partly round it, the part of the cord beneath the cylinder 5 lying in a
groove made for it in the bottom of the cradlo recess. Two levers 7, 8, moving
horizontally are centered on the block 3, one, 7, on a stud 9 at its outer end, and .
the other, 8, on a stud 10 some distance from its outer end, and the lovers 7, 8, are
connected by a link 11, whilst one of them has a handle 12 formed upon it.
Pointed projections 13, 14, are formed on the levers 7, 8, in positions facing the
ends of the tube 15 of the light 5, the projection 13 on one lever 7 being to the
inner side of its fulcrum 9, and that, 14, on the other lever 8, to the outer side of
the fulcrum 10; and in consequence of this arrangement, when the handled
lever 12, 7, is moved to cause one projecting point 13 to penetrate one end of the
light tube 15 the other end of the tube will be penetrated by the other point 14.
A steel spring 16 is fitted in connection with the handled lever 12, 7, and is formed
with a hooked part 17, with which the lever 7 is engaged when the parts are
arranged ready for use, and to one side of the spring 16 there is fixed a bar 18,
which serves as a support and guide for the levers 7, 8. The handled lever 12, 7,
has also connected to it, by a cord 19, a pin or togglo 20, which is entered through
a loop 21 attached to the life buoy 22, this loop 21 being passed up from below
through a hole in the block or frame 3, the pin or toggle 20 retaining or holding up
the life buoy until it is required.
When the apparatus is to be used the handled lever 12, 7, is first moved in the
direction to clear it from the hook 17 of the spring 16, this movement causing the
perforation of the ends of the light tube 15. In Figure 1 the levers 7, 8, are shown
in the position they take in performing this part of the operation. The handled
lever 12, 7, is next moved in the opposite direction, and over the spring hook 17,

page_text: and after withdrawing the points 13, 14, draws out the pin or toggle 20, releasing
the life buoy 22, which by its connecting cord 6 draws the light 5 out of its
cradle 4, and both fall into the water. A simple backward and forward movement
of the handled lever 12, 7, is thus all that is necessary for placing the buoy 22 with
its attached light 5 in the water, this promptness of action largely increasing the
probability of saving the life of any one in danger of drowning.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
The combining of parts of apparatus for launching life buoys and attached lights,
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Jones, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.