Patent Model, Life and Treasure Buoy
{"id": "ld1-1643399486815-1643399503734-1", "version": "", "unitCode": "NMAH", "linkedId": "", "type": "edanmdm", "content": {"descriptiveNonRepeating": {"record_ID": "nmah_687549", "online_media": {"mediaCount": 1, "media": [{"thumbnail": "https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?id=NMAH-2009-5593&max=150", "idsId": "NMAH-2009-5593", "usage": {"access": "CC0"}, "caption": "Patent model, Lee's Life and Treasure buoy", "guid": "http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/bq99ca746b5-fada-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa", "type": "Images", "content": "https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?id=NMAH-2009-5593", "resources": [{"width": 4288, "height": 2848, "label": "High-resolution JPEG", "url": "https://ids.si.edu/ids/download?id=NMAH-2009-5593.jpg", "dimensions": "4288x2848"}, {"label": "Screen Image", "url": "https://ids.si.edu/ids/download?id=NMAH-2009-5593_screen"}, {"label": "Thumbnail Image", "url": "https://ids.si.edu/ids/download?id=NMAH-2009-5593_thumb"}]}]}, "unit_code": "NMAH", "title_sort": "PATENT MODEL, LIFE AND TREASURE BUOY", "guid": "http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ab-f58d-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa", "title": {"label": "Title", "content": "Patent Model, Life and Treasure Buoy"}, "metadata_usage": {"access": "CC0"}, "data_source": "National Museum of American History"}, "indexedStructured": {"date": ["1850s"], "exhibition": [{"exhibitionTitle": "On the Water", "building": "NMAH"}], "geoLocation": [{"Other": {"type": "Place", "content": "United States"}}, {"Other": {"type": "Place", "content": "South Carolina"}}, {"Other": {"type": "Place", "content": "Charleston"}}, {"points": {"point": {"latitude": {"type": "decimal", "content": "32.7667"}, "longitude": {"type": "decimal", "content": "-79.9167"}}}}, {"points": {"point": {"latitude": {"type": "decimal", "content": "32.7667"}, "longitude": {"type": "decimal", "content": "-79.9167"}}}}], "object_type": ["patent model, life & treasure buoy", "Patents", "Models"], "name": ["Lee, Francis D."], "onPhysicalExhibit": ["Yes"], "topic": ["Transportation", "Safety", "On the Water exhibit"], "place": ["Charleston", "United States", "South Carolina"], "online_media_type": ["Images"]}, "freetext": {"setName": [{"label": "See more items in", "content": "Work and Industry: Maritime"}, {"label": "See more items in", "content": "Transportation"}, {"label": "See more items in", "content": "On the Water exhibit"}, {"label": "Exhibition", "content": "On the Water"}, {"label": "Exhibition Location", "content": "National Museum of American History"}], "date": [{"label": "Date made", "content": "1858"}, {"label": "patent date", "content": "1858-04-17"}, {"label": "patent date", "content": "1858-04-27"}], "identifier": [{"label": "ID Number", "content": "TR.308537"}, {"label": "accession number", "content": "89797"}, {"label": "catalog number", "content": "308537"}, {"label": "patent number", "content": "20,072"}], "notes": [{"label": "Description", "content": "This patent model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office by Francis D. Lee, an architect in Charleston, South Carolina, to illustrate his idea for a shipboard water tank that would float free of a sinking ship if drained in time. Passengers would cling to its exterior while a \u00e2\u0080\u009ctreasure safe\u00e2\u0080\u009d suspended below the tank would save \u00e2\u0080\u009cbullion, mails, and other valuables.\u00e2\u0080\u009d If the tank itself sank, a smaller cork buoy would float out of the turret at the top to \u00e2\u0080\u009cmark the location of the lost treasure.\u00e2\u0080\u009d Lee\u00e2\u0080\u0099s first design of this invention was patented in 1857. This is the model for his revised version, also awarded a patent, in 1858."}, {"label": "Description", "content": "The model is made of brass and measures 5\u00e2\u0080\u009d square and 6\u00e2\u0080\u009d high. A collar faced in wood separates the buoy\u00e2\u0080\u0099s square upper portion from its pyramidal lower section. Aboard ship, the square portion would sit exposed on the open deck, while the inverted pyramid would extend below. A strongbox, now missing from the model, would attach to the very tip of the pyramid. In an emergency, crew would stand on the wood-faced collar and hold fast to the rope lifelines. One man would turn a handle on the buoy\u00e2\u0080\u0099s side to open the hatches in the faces of the pyramid and drain the interior of its store of water. A small amount of water would remain in the bottom of the tank to act as ballast. If all went well, the buoy and its passengers would float away from the foundering ship."}, {"label": "Description", "content": "In the 19th century, the U.S. Patent Office granted hundreds of patents for a wide variety of lifepreserving boats, rafts, clothing, and other gear. The surge in interest in lifesaving at sea was triggered by an increase in the number of passengers crossing the world\u00e2\u0080\u0099s oceans and by the expanded distribution of print media, which brought shipwreck details into more family parlors than ever before."}], "name": [{"label": "patentee", "content": "Lee, Francis D."}, {"label": "inventor", "content": "Lee, Francis D."}], "publisher": [{"label": "Related Publication", "content": "On the Water online exhibition"}, {"label": "Related Web Publication", "content": "http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater"}], "topic": [{"label": "subject", "content": "Safety"}, {"label": "related event", "content": "Expansion and Reform"}], "place": [{"label": "associated place", "content": "United States: South Carolina, Charleston"}, {"label": "home of patentee", "content": "United States: South Carolina, Charleston"}], "physicalDescription": [{"label": "Physical Description", "content": "copper alloy (overall material)"}, {"label": "Physical Description", "content": "wood (part material)"}, {"label": "Physical Description", "content": "ferrous (fitting material)"}, {"label": "Physical Description", "content": "textile (fitting, tag tie material)"}, {"label": "Physical Description", "content": "paper (card material)"}, {"label": "Measurements", "content": "overall: 6 in x 4 in x 4 in; 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm x 10.16 cm"}], "dataSource": [{"label": "Data Source", "content": "National Museum of American History"}], "objectType": [{"label": "Object Name", "content": "patent model, life & treasure buoy"}, {"label": "Object Type", "content": "Patent Model"}]}}, "url": "edanmdm:nmah_687549", "hash": "2e318552622b1953902581237c06c8659a3c261c", "docSignature": "671c36b1d176fda4c8da26bcdaab0a6b", "timestamp": 1663782564, "lastTimeUpdated": 1655973789, "title": "Patent Model, Life and Treasure Buoy"}