Abstract: A salvaging device, particularly for a personal device such as a smartphone dropped into a body of water. A housing has an opening and a gas cartridge. A triggering mechanism is further packed within the housing, which includes a lever arm. A main spring is above the lever arm cocking the lever arm in a downward position. A plunger is aligned with the gas cartridge. A water-soluble retainer abuts the lever, wherein upon the retainer dissolving in a water environment, the main spring recoils to thereby unload the plunger into the gas cartridge such that gas can exit the opening. A balloon is connected at the opening inflatable by the gas to thereby provide a buoyancy force to the handheld device upon inflation.

Abstract: A marker and recovery device comprising: an enclosure secured to a torso of a wearer; a bladder configured to fit within the enclosure in an uninflated state, the bladder including an elongate tube being physically connected at a first end to the enclosure; a first upper tube fluidly connected to the elongate tube at a distal end of the elongate tube; and a second upper tube fluidly connected to the elongate tube at the distal end of the elongate tube; and an inflation mechanism to inflate the bladder to extend the bladder from the uninflated state to a deployed state in which said elongate tube extends from said enclosure and where the first upper tube and second upper tube form a handle portion at the end of the elongate tube.

Abstract: For protecting surface floating wave energy converters (WEC's) against surface turbulence, the WEC's are removed from the water surface. For reducing the force required, the WEC's include a hollow member having an apertured outer wall. In the case where the WEC is to be lifted out of the water, the hollow member is normally submerged and full of water, and, during its lifting, water drains through the wall apertures thereby reducing the weight of the member and reducing the force required to lift it. In the case where the WEC is to be submerged, the hollow member is normally empty of water but fills with water through the wall apertures as the member is pulled beneath the surface. The weight of the water reduces the force required to submerge the member.

Abstract: A life-saving device for protection against drowning, the device incorporating buoyancy apparatus for holding the potential drowning victim and an attached transmitter above water. A receiver and alarm device converts the signal from the transmitter into audio and visual alarms which summon help.

Abstract: A balloon storage and inflation assembly comprises a circular inflatable balloon containing a pair of chemical reactants separated from one another, one of the reactants being held in a burstable container. The balloon is placed between two plates of a support structure, the burstable container and a portion of the balloon being disposed in a recess formed by two aligned openings in the plates. The support structure is further provided with a pair of doors hingedly secured to respective ones of the plates along edges of the openings. The doors are swung into the openings to compress the burstable container and to facilitate a rupture thereof upon the striking of one of the doors by a fist or other object.

Abstract: An inflatable bag comprises a small sack which is charged with sodium bicarbonate and accommodating a small externally breakable container filled with an acidic solution. The small sack is enveloped in an inflatable bag member which is made of a synthetic resin having no permeability to the gas which is generated as a reaction between the sodium bicarbonate and the acidic solution. As the small container is collapsed by external pressure, the acidic solution flows out of the container into reaction with the sodium bicarbonate, thereby generating carbon dioxide gas. The small sack is punctured by the gas pressure with a sound of a bang or a whistle and, thereafter, the inflatable gas member is gradually inflated. It is possible to use a plurality of small sacks made of a material which exhibits small extension, such that one small sack is contained in another sack.

Abstract: An improved automatic actuation device for inflatable life-saving equipment which comprises a housing, a compressed gas cylinder, a piercing pin for piercing the seal cap of the gas cylinder to open it, a L-shaped lever for driving the piercing pin and an automatic actuation device which will automatically operate when submerged in water to actuate the lever, characterized in that the automatic actuation device can be readily fitted on the compressed gas cylinder of any kind of the conventional life-saving equipment and comprises an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder, an actuating spring being compressing received between two cylinders, a water-soluble paper coil being surrounded around two projecting pins of the cylinders when two cylinders are pressed and fastened together and the water-soluble paper coil is used in the form of a replaceable unit.

Abstract: A liquid-sensitive actuator for actuating a displacement responsive device, such as an inflator for a flotation device. The actuator comprises a sensing member within a housing which expands upon contact with a liquid entering the housing through an inlet. Expansion of the sensing member imparts displacement to the device and thereby causes its actuation. In the case of a flotation device, actuation may involve displacement of a trigger member to cause discharge of gas from a cartridge to deploy an inflatable cell. The sensing member may comprise a dried, compressed natural sponge member which expands rapidly and forcefully when immersed in water to actuate the device. A cover is provided for the housing which is movable between a latched, closed position substantially sealing the liquid inlet and an open position to permit entry of liquid into the housing. When the cover is in the closed position, the sensing member is physically immobilized to prevent premature activation of the actuator.

Abstract: The rescue-unit includes a housing containing, a folded floating element and a bottle of compressed gas for automatic inflation of the floating element in the water. Inflation is initiated as soon as disc-like support-elements, placed on edge, become soft and buckle, when water enters, and thus no longer prevent actuation of a valve loaded by a spring located below the bottle of compressed gas. The spring can be completely released, for the purpose of actuating the valve of the compressed-gas bottle, only when a locking element, projecting into a preloading device loaded by the spring, is removed. The locking element is firmly connected to a retainer in which the housing is secured. When the housing is withdrawn from the retainer, the preloading device is automatically unlocked, leaving the rescue-unit ready for automatic inflation of the floating element as soon as the water gains access to the support-elements.