US2088251A

US2088251A - Lifesaving device

Info

Publication number: US2088251A
Application number: US40311A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry W Walters
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-09-12
Filing date: 1935-09-12
Publication date: 1937-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 1954-07-27

Description

July 27,1937. H. w. WALTERS I 2,083,251,

' LIFESAVING DEVICE I Filed Sept. 12, 1935 9 I u r 4 n H A3);

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149m char;

Patented July 27, 1937 .11- UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE' u aosasiffi i f V gLIr s v NanrvwE ,7

Henry W. Walters, "Jacksonvilla 1 H Application September 12, 1935', Serial No. 40,311

3 Claims.

- of this specification:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of life saving apparatus made in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan View of another form.

Referring particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1 a hollow buoy 5; preferably elongated, with pointed ends, which may be identical in construction with the buoy disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 683,686

filed August 4, 1933, or which may be of a different construction. The only essential is that the buoy be capable of sustaining the weight of a human body submerged in water, and it is preferred that it be shaped, as shown, to facilitate towing it through water, especially Water disturbed by breakers or travelling waves.

The buoy 5 has eye-bolts 6 at either end and has loops or eyes 1 intermediate its ends, and a tarred rope 8 is run through the eyes, as shown, and may then be spliced so as to be endless, to provide means which a bather may graspto receive support from the buoy. The rope8 also aids towing of the buoy by a life-guard.

A rope 9 is passed through one of the eyes 6 and has snap buckles II] on its ends. Floats II are adjacent the snaps Ill, so as to overcome the weighting efiect of the snaps, thus insuring that the ends with the snaps (which are commonly free of the rope 9) will not sink in water and hence will be in sight at all times to permit quick grasping and snapping of the buckles on rope 9, as shown. Buoyant toggles H are also carried on rope 9 in such a way that loops 9w are formed, and as the lengths of rope 9 which pass through toggles l2 are frictionally held within the toggles, said loops 9a may be enlarged to any extent permitted by the'length of rope 9. Obviously each toggle l2 forms two loops, when the corresponding snap buckle II] is engaged with rope 9.

Attached preferably to the same eye 6 that receives rope 9, but in some cases to the eye at the other end of the buoy, is a rope l3 having a toggle l4 and a looped end l3a carrying said toggle.

The toggles I2 and M are buoyant, so as to support the ropes in water, but they are preferably adjustable to insure a tight frictional grip at all times on the ropes, even after the latter are Weather-beaten.

In the form of Fig. 2, the same buoy 5 is used, with eyes 5 and l and a rope 8 strung about its sides and ends. Also the end rope I3 with its loop l3a. and toggle I4 is secured to one of the eyes 6 at one end of the buoy, all as in the form of Fig. 1.

Attached to either side of buoy 5 is a rope [5 having snap buckles It on its ends, securing it to the rope 8. Floats H are adjacent each snap buckle l6, and support the ends of rope I 5 on the surface of the water. The rope is doubled as at I50. and the two lengths of the rope are passed through a buoyant toggle i8, which frictionally grips therope; and when the snap buckles l5 are engaged with rope l5 as shown, said rope forms two loops at one side of the buoy 5.

On the other side of the buoy there is a second rope l5 which may be arranged as already described, but which is shown arranged differently to illustrate the possibilities of the apparatus. Here the rope has both ends engaged by means of snap buckles It with the loop [5a, thus creating a double loop at the side of the buoy.

The uses and advantages of the described apparatus when effecting rescues of drowning persons at beaches, etc, will be fairly obvious. The rope I3 is useful for towing the buoy, as the loop Isa may be laid over the shoulder or around the neck of the life-guard, who may then swim with arms and legs unimpeded. The loops formed by ropes 9 and [5 may be placed around the chest and shoulders of an exhausted or half-drowned bather, and he will be supported while the rescuer goes to the relief of others, or until the buoy is towed to the shore. Ea-ch loop of rope 9 may support one body, or the two loop-s together may be secured more or less tightly about the shoulders and upper arms of the person in distress, the toggles l2 permitting adjustment of the loops to grip the limbs as snugly as desired. The loops formed by ropes 9 and I5 may also receive the legs of the bather, and his weight will then be supported from a lower point, making it somewhat easier for him to swim with the towed buoy. The device prevents the loss of a half-drowned person while struggling through surf with a strong undertow, and will make possible many rescues which cannot be effected by the strongest swimmers.

Obviously the present invention may be embodied in several forms neither shown nor described.

Having described two forms of the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Life saving apparatus comprising, in combination, a buoy; a rope secured to the buoy and extending around the sides and ends thereof; and another rope having snapbuckles on and in- 10 termediate its ends to connect it with the rope on the buoy and having a toggle slidable on the rope on opposite sides of the intermediate buckle to adjust the loops formed in said rope by said buckles.

15 2. Life saving apparatus comprising, in combination, a buoy; a rope secured to one side of the buoy; and another rope having a toggle intermediate its ends and forming a loop; means to attach said loop to the buoy rope; and means on the ends of the second named rope to attach said ends quickly to the loop or to the buoy rope.

3. Life saving apparatus comprising, in combination, a buoy; means attached to the buoy by which it may be towed; a rope loosely attached to one end of the buoy and having snap buckles on each end; the loosely attached rope being provided with two buoyant slidable toggles through each of which are passed two lengths of said rope, each toggle providing two loops when the ends of said rope are attached to the rope by means of said snap buckles.

HENRY W. WALTERS.