Life-saving apparatus for use at sea

Application filed May 9,

To all whom it may concern,:

Be it known that John Hylard, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 24 Clyde Street, St. Kilda, in the State of 5 Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Life-Saving Apparatus for Use at Sea, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life-saving _ apparatus for use at sea to indicate at night the position of a person in the water.

My invention provides means whereby an individual floating in water may carry or 15 support a light of sufficient brilliancy to at once indicate his or her position.

An object of the invention is to provide means to enable the apparatus to be made ready for operation by a simple manipula20 tion'of the hand, so that when the person enters the water the apparatus will produce an effective illumination above the water line.

A further object of the invention is to 25 provide apparatus which is simple in construction, easy to manipulate, may be manufactured and installed at a low cost, and is so durable that its life is considerable under the usual and all conditions at sea.

In order that my invention may be the more easily understood, reference will be made to tlie accompanying sheet of drawings in which—

Figure 1 illustrates the container, the 35 float guide, and the strap or band, hereinafter described, in position on a wearer.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing the container, the guide, the strap or band, and the lamp, hereinafter referred to, a portion 40 of the strap being broken away.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the container and guide.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing only the guide and a float therein.

Figure 5 shows the bottom of the container and illustrates the locking means for a removable lid disposed thereat.

Figure 6 shows in section a portion of the float guide.

Figure 7 illustrates in section on. a larger scale, means for fixing the lamp to the strap or band.

Figure 8 is a diagram of the wiring hereinafter referred to.

⁵⁵ In the accompanying drawings, 1 is a tubular strap or band of suitable material.

1,574,485 of. To add to the rigidity of the strap at this point, an internal stiffening plate 23 of leather or other suitable material is disposed in the chamber 22. The lamp 21^a is 5 provided with a wire or other suitable guard 23^a. From the contact 15, the wiring 24 is led to one of the parallel contacts 25 disposed within a suitable insulating cement at the top of a float guide 26 integral 10 with or fixed to the container 2. From the adjacent contact 25, the wire 25^a is led through the insulating cement 15^a and is also passed through the holding staple 18, from which it is carried up through into the 15 other member of the strap 1, thence along through said member to the midlength portion where it is passed through the hole 26^a of the plate 19 and also through the stiffening plate 23, the wire being finally 20 connected to the contact 27 embedded in the insulating cement 28 at the bottom of the circular contact 20, the contact 27 cooperating with the contact 27^a.

The circuit formed by tlie described con25 nections is closed and broken by an automatic switch, comprising a float 29 disposed within the guide 26, and resting under normal conditions upon the top' of a screw plug hereinafter described. The float 29 has 30 strengthening plates or heads 30 and 31 at its ends. The plate 30 is provided with a connecting contact 32 which when the float 29 rises passes between and strikes the spaced apart contacts 25.

The float 29 may be fastened in its lowest or circuit breaking position by a pin. 33 which passes through an orifice in the guide 26, and enters an orifice in the float 29 and may be provided with a pull cord 33^a.

In lieu of such pin, a circumferential groove 34 may be made in the float (Figure 4) and at each side of the guide 26 inclined tubes 34^a may be provided in the integral blocks 35. In each tube 34^a may be disposed a 45 ball 36 of metal or other suitable material.

When the container 1 and with it the guide 26 are turned upside down, the balls will run along the tubes 34^a and engage the groove 34, and by doing so hold the float 50 29 preventing contact being made between 32 and 25.

The lower end of the guide 26 is closed by a screw plug 37 (Figure 3) engaging the internal thread 38 (Figure 4) at the ⁵⁵ bottom of the guide 26, and provided with a central opening 39 in which is disposed two vertical arms.40 supporting a flat circular plate 41 forming a guard to prevent the fingers or material being inserted through ⁶⁰ the opening to operate the float 29 after unauthorized removal of the pin 33.

I provide air-releasing means embodied in holes (Figure 4) of suitable dimensions made in the wall of the guide 26 betAveen ⁶⁵ the upper and lower ends thereof. Said holes alloAv the escape of air Avhen the float 29 rises, and are positioned to allow sufficient space betAveen them, and the contacts 25 to ensure an air lock to keep the. Avater from meeting the contacts 25, the upper 70 portion of the guide being closed against the escape of air.

When the apparatus is not in use, the closing of the holes 42 by the accumulation of matter may be prevented by a paper or 75 the like seal (not shown), Avhich may be cemented to the sides of the container and guide and easily removed Avhen necessary. When the container and other parts of the apparatus are not in use, they may be en- ⁸⁰closed in a suitable or light envelope or envelopes to prevent deterioration.

In operation, the strap or band 1 is placed around the neck, the container 2 resting against the front of the wearer’s body, and ⁸⁵is preferably within the life belt 43 shown by dotted lines in Figure 1. After placing the strap or band in position, the next step is to pull the pin 33 out of engagement with the float 29. When the Avearer enters the ⁹⁰water, the latter passes through the opening 39 of the screw plug 37 as indicated by the arrows (Figure 6) and forces the noAv free float 29 upwardly, simultaneously forcing the excess air Avithin the guide 26 through ⁹⁵the holes 42. As the float reaches its limit of upward movement, the connecting contact 32 makes contact with the spaced apart contacts 25, closing the circuit, the current passing from the battery 5 through the de- ³⁰⁰scribed circuit connections. The lamp may noAy shoAV a continuous light for a lengthy period. Should the Avater be rough and the wearer be tossed about, the container may rise briefly out of the water, allowing ¹⁰⁵the float to drop and break the circuit: but when the container and guide again enter the water, the circuit is closed, so that an intermittent light is provided'. The frequency of illumination will, however, be ¹³⁰sufficient to indicate the Avhereabouts of the person in the water under all conditions at sea and enable a prompt rescue to be effected.

It is to be understood that all metal parts ¹¹⁵which come into contact with the water are to consist of a metal of non-corrosive nature.

It is obvious that the container 2 may, in lieu of being carried by the strap or band 1, be carried by or attached to any type of ³²⁰life-buoy or life belt and the like. In any case, the arrangement must be such that the open end of the float guide faces downward and is submerged when the apparatus is in use. 125