IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Parratt, of No. 19, Wilton
Street, Grosvenor Place, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS."
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS."
Sealed the 20th May 1873, and dated the 8th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick
Parratt at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th February 1873.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK PARRATT, of No. 19, Wilton Street, Grosvenor
Place, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for 16
IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to improve the construction of life
rafts, such as are described in the Specification of a Patent granted to
me on the 8th November 1853 (No. 2592).
The first improvement relates to the decking over of such rafts with
a decking of canvas or other flexible material impervious to water, in

page_text: addition to employing a decking of network to cover over the space
enclosed between the inflated bags as described in the Specification
above mentioned, and so prevent a too free current of water flowing
through the deck, which in practice I have found to be dangerous in a
rough sea.
In order also to give greater buoyancy to the longitudinal central
spar of the raft, and to render the raft more steady when on the water,
I attach to the central spar one or more air-tight flexible cylinders or
vessels.
I also in some cases form cach flexible air-tight tube or vessel with
numerous transverse partitions to divide it into a number of com-
partments, in order that any injury happening to one of the com-
partments may not render useless the other portions of the air-tight
vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Frederick Parratt in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
FREDERICK PARRATT, of No. 19, Wilton Street, Grosvenor Place, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Frederick Parratt,
Her special license that I, the said George Frederick Parratt, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Frederick Parratt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIPE RAFTS," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that I, the said George Frederick Parratt, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Frederick Parratt, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object to improve the construction of life
rafts, such as are described in the Specification of a Patent granted to
me on the 8th day of November 1853, No. 2592.
The raft as I now construct it consists of a central spar (or usually of
three spars clamped together) and two side frames made of metal tubes,
which are usually filled with wood. The side frames are connected with
the central spar or spars by telescopic or expanding connecting frames,
so that the side frames may, when the raft is out of use and out of the
water, be brought up close to the central spar or spars. When the raft
is in use the side frames stand away at a distance from the central
spar or spars and are retained by stretchers inserted for the purpose.
To the central spar or spars and to the side frames and all around the
raft air-tight bags are attached, which are inflated when required for
use. The bags are made of macintosh fabric, and are enclosed in painted
canvas and bound around with strong cords; a net of similar material
forms a deck to the raft, and underneath this is a canvas deck to prevent
the waves dashing up through the network deck, which in a rough sea
would be dangerous. There is a bulwark of netting around the raft; it
is supported by stanchions, which can be lowered out of the way when
the raft is not in use.
Sometimes I replace the central spar or spars with a metal cylinder
or cylinders, and in the cylinder or cylinders I stow provisions and
water; and also it may be the apparatus necessary to inflate the bags:
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and

page_text: Figure 1 is a side view of a life raft constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 2 is a plan with some of the parts removed; and
Figure 3 is a transverse section.
a, a, a, are three spars firmly bound together with metal clips, or for
these spars metal cylinders or pontoons may be substituted; b, b, are the
side frames, which I form of light metal tubes filled with wood; b', ', are
strengthening pieces on the four corner uprights of the frames. To
these strengthening pieces tubes c, c, are fixed, and these with the
tubes c¹, c¹, and c², c², form the telescopic cross frames. The tubes c², c²,
are clamped to the central spars, and when the raft is stowed away they
receive within them the tubes c and c', so that the side frames come
nearly alongside of the central spar. d, d, are two stretchers with which
the raft is distended for use; they are each in two parts, held together
by a joint pin d'. Each part of the stretcher terminates in a fork ď²,
which embraces a neck formed for it on the upright of the side frame.
The forks having been properly placed, the two limbs or parts of the
stretcher are forced down, so moving the side frames outwards until the
parts of the stretchers are parallel, and side by side, and they are then
secured by sliding along them the rings d³, d³. e is the central air bag;
it is divided by partitions into three compartments, each provided with
a screw nozzle by which it can be inflated. This bag e is secured by
lashings to two jack stays f, f, stretched along the central spars on either
side; g, g, are similar bags with inflating nozzles g¹, g¹; these bags are
lashed to the top and bottom members of the side frames 6; h, h, is a
wire rope passing around the raft and connecting the upper ends of the
side frames b, b, to the extremities of the spars a; i, i, are air bags
secured by lashing them to these stays, and at their ends they are laced
to the bags e and g; k, k, are stanchions hinged to the side frames, so
that they can fold down when not required; at other times they are
supported by the stays k¹, k¹; 1, 1, are other stanchions which are held
in sockets at the ends of the central spars; they can slide up and down
in the sockets, but when in use they are secured by the stays 1, 1. A
rope m is passed around the raft through the eyes at the top of the
stanchions, and in this way the bulwark nettings n, n, are supported.

page_text: The raft is decked over its whole area with a canvas deck secured by
lacings to the jack stays f, f, on the centre spars a to the side frames
and to the wire h.
rope A portion of this deck is seen at o, o, in
Figure 2. The canvas deck is covered with a netting, which both adds
strength and gives a better hold. A portion of this net is seen at p, p;
q, q, are movable seats for rowers; they are supported upon the side
frames b. The raft may be propelled by sail when desired. In some
cases I employ rule jointed stretchers in place of the scissor like
stretchers d.
What I claim is the construction of life rafts substantially in the
manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Frederick Parratt, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
4
GEORGE FREDERICK PARRATT. (L.S.)
GEORGE FREDERICK PARRATT. (L.S.)