A New or Improved Folding Boat...
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
A New or Improved Folding Boat...
I, WILHELM GUSTAV KOPPE, of 115, Schonebeckerstrasse, Magdeburg-Buckau
in the Empire of Germany Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to a new or improved Folding Boat, which shows con-
siderable advantages over that of the Reverend Mr. Berthon as it has no parts
which are loose or that require to be removed. It can, therefore, be much more
easily, quickly, and reliably expanded or folded than the Berthon boat. The
new folding boat is illustrated in the accompanying drawing:-
Fig. 1 is a side view
Fig. 2 a Plan
Fig. 3 a Section through the frame amidships
Fig. 4 a corresponding Section, the boat being folded.
Fig. 5. a Plan of the Folded Boat.
Fig. 6 a detail.
The bottom of the boat is composed of two planks a & b, which are fastened
to one another with screws by means of the rod c. An india-rubber plug intro-
duced into the joint serves as packing. The ribs e are secured to the
bottom planks and at their upper extremities are joined to the battens f
which form the top of the boat's side or gunwale. The bottom planks when the
boat is folded occupy the positions shown in Figure 4. When the boat is ex-
panded they are horizontally extended and fixed in this position by the horizontal
member of the jointed frame work marked g. The upright members of this frame-
work are marked on the drawings. The horizontal member gis movable about the
bolt which passes through the bottom plank. This horizontal member y when
the bottom planks are horizontally extended is held under the tappet i while
the upright members are securely but flexibly attached to the gunwales by the
toggles or fasteners 1. The upright members k can be conveniently
carried above the top of the side or gunwale so as to serve as rowlock pins. The
gunwales are stretched apart by the lever n which consists of two linked arms
so formed that a projection o on the one lies flat against the other and can there
be fastened by means of ring o pushed over it. Upwardly projecting iron
rods P furnished with wooden wedges q serve as stem and stern posts. The entire
framing formed in this manner is covered with water proof material, such as sail
cloth or canvas steeped in strong oil varnish. If it be desired to fold the boat,
the ring o is first removed from the projection o of the lever n then by loosing
the toggles or fasteners the upright members are loosened from the gunwales f
the horizontal member g is rotated about the bolt so that it extends lengthwise
along one of the bottom planks while at the same time the upright members are
hinged out round the centres m so that the whole jointed frame work occupies
the extended form represented in Figure 5.
The bottom planks are thrown together in the manner shown in Fig 4. where-
upon the battons and gunwales f are brought near to one another, so that the boat

page_text: assumes the folded position represented in Fig. 5. The unfolding is effected
by the inverse process simply by at first drawing the gunwales apart from one
another, stretching the bottom planks in the horizontal direction. These are then
bolted together, and the canvas stretched between them and the gunwales by
means of the stays or braces. After extension of the lever n, the boat is ready
for use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I elaim is
WILHELM GUSTAV KOPPE
Per J. G. Lorrain
Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London W.C.
Chartered Patent Agent.