US1205033A - Life-raft. - Google Patents

Description

B. W. SEELY.

LIFE RAFT.

APPLICATION FILED JUMZG. lets.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETS-*SHEET 1'.

B. W. SEELY.

LIFE RAFT.

APPLICATION FILED mums. m5.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

2 SHEEN-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

BENJAMIN W. SEELY, PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

- LIFE-RAFT.

' To all whom it may conceo n Be it known that I, BENJAMIN W. SEELY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pensacola, in the county of Escambia and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Rafts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a, full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to life saving apparatus for use at sea, and more particularly to an inflatable life raft, which is normally carried by the ship in a deflated state, for occupying a minimum amount of space aboard the ship or vessel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a housing opening overboard of the ship, which retains the inflatable or pneumatic life raft when in a deflated position, and to connect one end of the life raft to inflating means, so that when the raft is inflated, it will be gradually forced out of its housing and overboard into the sea, and also to provide means for releasing the inflatable body from connection with its housanother object of this invention is to attach a plurality of ropes to the sides of the inflated body of the raft, which ropes sag from one point of connection to the other, and have their ends hanging free, so that persons may cling to the ropes, or if it is desired, hooks may be connected to the ordinary type of life saving belts for attachment to the ropes, and further to reinforce the inflatable body, against liability of rupture, by a mesh-work for encompassing the same. a

With the foregoing and other objectsin view this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a ship, showing the life raft carried thereby, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the raft being inflated and partially forced from its housing, Fig. 3 is a side elevation Specification of Letters Patent. Patented No 14 1916 Application filed June 26, 1915. Serial No. 36,441..

"ings, 1 designates a ship or vessel of any desiredtype. The vessel 1 has a housing 2 carrled thereby, in any suitable location,

which housing has one end opening overboard of the ship or vessel. The housing 2 1s provided for containing or housing an inflatable life raft indicated at 3.. The raft 3 is composed of any suitable type of material, and normally lies in a deflated state within the housing 2.

The body 4 of the life raft 3, has a check valve, indicated generically at 5 associated therewith, which controls the inflation and deflation of the body. The check valve 5 has a collar 6 carried thereby, which collar is adapted for screwthreadable engagement with a collar 7. The collar 7 has a shank 8 formed thereon and extending rearwardly therefrom. The collar 7 and shank 8 are rotatably mounted upon the pipe 9, which supplies the air for inflating the body 4. A handle 10 is connected to the shank 8 and is provided for rotating the shank 8 and the collar 7 for disconnecting the collars 6 and 7 so as to permit the inflatable life raft 3 to pass out of thehousing 2, and be entirely free from any connection therewith.

The pipe 9 communicates with an air storage tank, indicated at 11, which tank with reinforcing rings 14, which extend laterally about the same. The rings 14 have ropes 15 attached thereto, which ropes extend from one reinforcing ring to the other, hanging slack, as is shown at 16, between each of the rings. The ends of the ropes, as shown at 17 hang downwardly from their point of connection with the rings, and are free, so as to provide means for persons conveniently gripping them. The forward end of the body 4 of the raft, has a ring 18 secured thereto, to which a "cable 19 is attached. The rope or cable 19 is also connected in any suitable manner to the vessel 1, or it may be connected to the housing 2, as desired. The cable 19 is provided for towing the raft rearwardly or along side the vessel, until it is desired to cut it free or cast it off from connec ion with the vessel. In Fig. 5 of the drawings, a modified form of the life raft is shown, wherein the infiatable body 20 is covered with a meshwork or net indicated at 21, for reinforcing the same and eliminating the liability of rupture of the body.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the advantages of construction and of the method of operation of the improved life raft will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains and, while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of this invention has been described together with various features of construction, it is to be under stood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided such alterations are comprehousing. 1

hended within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is-:

In a device of the character described comprising a cylindrical housing secured to a vessel and rovided with one of its ends closed, an inflatable life raft positioned within-the housing, a check valve secured to one end of the life raft, an externally screwthreaded collar formed on the free end of the check valve, an air supply pipe extend- In testimony whereof in presence of two Witnesses.

BENJAMIN W. SEELY.

Witnesses:

SIDNEY BELL, LONNIE FILLINGIM.

I aflix my signature

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