Mr. Traugott Beek of Newark, New Jersey, came up with a pretty fun futuristic life-preserver design for his time. Instead of just keeping someone afloat, it was a tiny survival shelter.

The upper section worked as a floating buoy, giving the wearer enough freedom to move their head and arms while staying above water. It could also store up to a month’s worth of food and drinking water. Not sure that the design as illustrated showed how it could keep that much food and water. Maybe it would be dragged behind?

If the weather turned rough, a cover could be pulled shut to protect the occupant from the waves. A small window provided visibility, and a curved breathing tube supplied fresh air.

The whole thing was made from waterproof sailcloth stretched over metal rings. It included watertight pants and rubber boots reinforced with metal bands to help protect against rocks and, according to the inventor, “voracious fish.”

Original illustration: