IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE AND OTHER BOATS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS of No 2 Great George Street Westminster S.W. in
the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE AND OTHER BOATS" to be as follows:
The objects of my Invention are to provide boats for use as ship, boats, ships
life boats and for coast lake and river work and also for pleasure purposes which
shall combine the following qualities
First: They shall be unsinkable.
Secondly:-They shall be practically unupsetable and if upset they will form a
life buoy or raft.
Thirdly. They shall carry without discomfort more or as many persons as any
boat of the same length or breadth.
'
Lastly. Should any sea be shipped it is able to get away immediately without
interefering with qualities one and two.
With these objects in view I take two tubes of wood, metal or any other
suitable material of nearly a hemispherical shape in cross section flat or nearly so
at top and rounded at bottom and I place these tubes parallel amidships at any
distance apart and keep them in that position by means of the stretchers and I
then taper these tubes fore and aft so that they are smaller in cross section there
than athwartships and bring them together fore and aft and secure them to the
metal or wood stem thus forming a camber at each end. I do this so that the boat
is enabled to give better rowing and sailing qualities.
I also provide watertight bulkheads in these tubes if they are made of metal but
if made of cork shavings covered over with waterproof canvas I dispense with them
and if the boat is made of wood I advantageously make it of two skins laid in
different directions with or without waterproof canvas between and inside I put
these watertight bulkheads in them.
On the outer side and top of these tubes I put a bulwark either upright or
curved and of any suitable height or any shape made of metal or wood or any
other strong and durable substances and kept apart by means of stays made of
wood or metal. It has been proved that a boat made with tubes on the lines
above described and supporting bulwarks and with an open deck or centre is
practically uncapsizeable therefore the top bulwarks are a special feature but if it
should be upset it is still unsinkable and forms a life raft.

page_text: Between these tubes I place a taut deck made of Manilla rope or hemp or
made in anyway. so that the deck is open to allow any water that is shipped to
get away.
Keels are provided which run in a straight line but can be put either in the
centre of the bottom of the tubes or near the side as shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
The minor details of the boat are of the same materials and shapes as ordinary
boats and are fully shown in the Drawings accompanying this Specification.
DESCRIPTION OF Drawings.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the boat in which a are the tubes b, b the
bulwarks c the metal or wood stem d the rubbing wale e the rudder which is
attached to the pintles f which can be attached and used at both ends of the boat
g are the rowlocks attached to bulwarks b. and x, x are the keels.
Figure 2 is a plan of the boat in which, h is the deck of Manilla rope or hemp
i, i the stretchers j the thwarts, k the mast step. Figure 3 is an end elevation
and Figures 4, 5 and 6 are cross sections of boat in which 8, 8 are the stays showing
different construction of bulwarks b. The same letters refer to the same parts in
all Figures of the Drawings.

page_text: I, ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS of N° 2 Great George Street Westminster. S.W:
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN LIFE AND OTHER BOATS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The objects of my Invention are to provide boats for use as ships boats ships
life boats and for coast, lake and river work and also for pleasure purposes which
shall combine the following qualities.
First. They shall be unsinkable.
Secondly. They shall be practically unupsetable and if upset they will form
life buoy or life raft.
Thirdly. They shall carry without discomfort more or as many persons as any
hoat of the same length and breadth.
Lastly. Should any sea be shipped it is able to get away immediately without
interfering with qualities one and tw..
With these objects in view I take two tubes. of wood or metal or any other
suitable material of nearly a hemispherical shape in cross section flat or nearly so at
top and rounded at bottom with keels either in centre or side and I place these
tubes parallel amidships at any distance apart and keep them in that position by
means of wood or metal stretchers and I then taper these tubes fore and aft so
that they are smaller in cross section there than athwartships and bring them
together fore and aft and secure them by the most suitable means to the metal or
wood stem thus forming a camber at each end. I do this so that the boat is
enabled to give better rowing and sailing qualities for it is then easier to propel it
through the water. I also provide water tight bulkheads any suitable distance
apart in these tubes that is if they are made of metal but if made of cork shavings
covered over with waterproof canvass I dispense with them and if the boat is
made of wood I advantageously make it of two skins laid in different directions
with or without waterproof canvass between and inside I put these water tight
bulkheads.
On the outer side and top of these tubes I put a bulwark either upright or
curved and of any suitable height or any shape made of metal or wo id or any
other strong and durable substance. It has been proved that a boat made with
tubes on the lines described above and supporting boat bulwarks and with an open
deck or centre is practically uncapiseable therefore the top bulwarks are a special
feature but if it should upset it is still unsinkable and forms a life raft. Between
the tubes I place a deck of Manilla rope or hemp or made in any way so that the
deck is open to allow any water that is shipped to get away.
Keels are provided which run in a straight line but can be put either in the
centre of the bottom of the tubes or near the side as shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
The minor details of the boat or top half are of the same material and shape as
ordinary boats and are fully shown in the Drawings.
Figure 1 of which is a side elevation of the boat a being the tube b the
bulwarks made of wood or of any strong and durable material The tubes aa
meet and are fastened together and to the metal or wood stem c by the most
suitable means available d is the rubbing wale which can be made of cork, india
rubber or wood e is the rudder which is attached to the pintles f. g, g the
rowlocks attached to the bulwarks b.
Figure 2 is a plan of the boat in which h is the deck of Manilla rope or hemp or
wood which is open to allow of water should any be shipped to run away any part

page_text: of the deck may be open and any part may be closed. jj the thwarts which can
be lashed or fastened in any suitable manner. k is the mast step.
Figure 3 is an end elevation and Figures 4. 5 and 6 are cross sections of the
boats showing the means of constructing the tubes. The same letters of reference
apply equally well to all the Figures of the Drawing.
1
I have not thought it necessary to enter into the minor details of the boat as
they are the same as ordinary boats but the principal feature of my Invention. is
the attachment of the top of an ordinary boat having bulwarks to the two tubes
hemispherical in shape or nearly so in cross section as hereinbefore described.
Having now describe the nature of the said Invention and the manner in which
the same is or may be carried into effect claim the use of the top part of an
ordinary boat having bulwarks bow and stem rowlocks, thwarts and rudder (with
or without masts) all.supported on the top of two tubes with or without keels and
an open or partially open deck of any suitable material between them substantially
as and for the purposes herein before described.