IMPROVE- MENTS IN PRESERVING LIVES AND PROPERTY FROM WATER AND FIRE, AND IN PRODUCING PRESSURE FOR VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RUTHVEN, of Edinburgh, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing dato at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of
April, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the twelfth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Ruthven, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Ruthven, my
exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Ruthven, my
exors, admors, or assigns, should 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRESERVING LIVES AND PROPERTY FROM WATER AND FIRE, AND IN
PRODUCING PRESSURE FOR VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Ruthven, should cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her 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 there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Ruthven, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
My Improvements in Preserving Lives and Property from Water and Fire,
and in producing Pressure for various useful Purposes, are illustrated by the
accompanying Drawings, with reference to the following explanation.
For preserving property from fire in buildings, I place one or more tanks or
cisterns on the highest part (or make an erection for them if the property.
is at a distance from a building, such as farmyards), and I attach to the said
tanks or cisterns pipe or pipes, such as are used for conveying gas, having
coupling screw nuts for joining them. These pipes are placed outside, so as to
terminate at a window or other desirable position. At the terminus of each
of these pipes a screw coupling stopcock is fixed. A screw coupling to fit the
screw coupling of the stopcock is attached to one end of a flexible pipe of
gutta percha or prepared indian-rubber pipe, of any required length or
capacity, and on the other end a mettle nozle or director with a stopcock on
it. The tank or cistern being filled with water, which may be done by forcing
up water through the pipes that descend with a portable fire extinguisher, as
herein described or otherwise, so that water may be always in the tank or
cistern. When required to extinguish a fire, the gutta percha or indian-
rubber pipe is attached to the screw coupling stopcock, and by turning it the
water is conveyed and discharged wherever it is necessary in a few seconds
of time. This may be better understood by referring to the Drawing No. 1.
Figure 1, a sketch of a building with a tank or cisterna on the rocf, and a
pipe leading from it to the window, the pipes having screw coupling stopcocks
for attaching the gutta percha or indian-rubber pipe (as mentioned above)
at A, A, A. The flexible pipes are connected to the screw coupling stopcocks
either from the inside or outside of the building, and conveyed where required.
Figure 2, a director G, with stopcock B, for attaching to the end of the flexible
pipes to be connected to A, and when connected by turning the stopcock
at A the water is discharged, or not discharged by turning the stopcock B,
so that none of the water is rendered useless.
For giving greater security against fire, I adopt a portable fire extinguisher,
represented by Figure 3. B, a stopcock on C, a director. D, flexible pipe.
E, cylinder, with a valve in the bottom at b, and pipe d for supplying water
to the cylinder E. F, a piston. G, an air vessel, with a valve in the bottom

page_text: at c. H, a vessel for containing a supply of water.
Figure 4, a section of
Figure 3, the same letters of reference applying to both Figures. By turning
the winch handle e the piston is raised or lowered, and the water in the
vessel H discharged through the flexible pipe and director. By detaching
the director, and connecting the flexible pipe to one of the screw coupling
stopcocks A, the tank or cistern may be filled with water by turning the
winch handle, and supplying water into the vessel H; or, by connecting a pipe
to the bottom of the cylinder E, water may be taken from any other source
adapted for it.
For preserving lives from water, I use a piece of pipe about one inch in
length and three fourths of an inch in diameter, in which I place à valve,
and attach the pipe containing the valve to an air-tight case of any form"
required, made of a flexible or other material impervious to water. The valve
is made to open inwards when inflating, and shuts by the expansion of the
air in the case when the inflation ceases. In this way, when inflating by the
mouth, respiration is freely allowed without the air escaping. An air case
sufficient to support twenty pounds weight on the water can be filled in eight
seconds of time.
Figure 5 is a sketch of an air case, inflated with the piece of pipe contain-
ing the valve. K, a section of the pipe and valve full size. An air case to
support twenty pounds weight on water weighs about three ounces, and is
adapted for hats, travelling bags, and similar objects, ready for inflating when
required. On a voyage an air case or tube may save both life and valuable
property.
For producing pressure I adopt the arrangement of parts represented in
Figure 6, all made of iron or other material, and of any dimensions required.
L, a beam or lever. M, a pillar for attaching one end of the lever L by a bolt
as a fulcrum at f. The pillar M is fixed to one end of a bed or bar N. At
the other end of the bed or bar two upright flat pillars o, o, are fixed. A
bent lever P is placed between the two upright flat pillars, with a bolt at Q
through them and the bent lever, the bolt forming a fulcrum for the bent
lever. Another bolt R is put through the knee of the bent lever, and also
through two straps or links S, S, one on each side, of equal length and form.
The other end of the straps or links are connected to the end of the lever L,
one on each side, with a bolt through them and lever L. On moving the bent
lever P from the upright position to the horizontal, the lever L is moved
into a position giving an encreasing power as the bent lever approaches the
horizontal position.
Figure 7 represents this mechanical arrangement for producing pressure,

page_text: and taking copies of letters or impressions from type, engraving on wood or
other surfaces.
In my improvements in preserving property from fire, I do not claim that
of placing tanks or cisterns on the upper part of buildings for the reception
of water. But I claim the application of screw coupling stopcocks, and con-
necting by them gutta percha or prepared indian-rubber pipes to the pipes
from the tank or cistern; and also the stopcock on the director by which the
water is supplied, or not, as desired, and none wasted.
In the portable fire extinguisher I do not claim any of the parts separately,
but the arrangements by which I produce the effect.
For preserving lives and property from water, I claim the inflating with
air waterproof cases adapted for hats, travelling bags, and similar purposes,
also the inflating by a valve opening inwards while inflating, and shutting
when not inflating, so that respiration may be freely allowed without the air
escaping.
For producing pressure I do not claim the form of any of the parts, but I
claim the arrangements by which I produce the results.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ruthven, have hereunto set my.
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord.