Improvements in Folding-up or Collapsible Ship or other Boats.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding-up or Collapsible Ship or other Boats.
1, JOHN WILLIAM SHEPHERD, of Partick-Hill, Lanarkshire, Shipbuilder, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My said invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction
of folding-up or collapsible hoat, and the mode and means of fitting its parts together,
so that when folded out it will be very strong and rigid, while yet admitting of being
folded up into a space equal to the length and depth of the boat from the top of the
stem and stern posts to the keel, and the width of the keelson, which for a boat of
eight feet beam need not be more than twelve inches, and will occupy much less space
than any collapsible boats heretofore constructed, and thus render it easy for every
passenger-ship to carry a sufficient number of boats to accommodate and launch all
the passengers in them in a few minutes.
According to my invention or improvements, the boat would be of the ordinary
form of Life or Whale boat, preferably with the bow and stern and the stem and
stern posts of the same shape with a wide keelson secured to the wood keel piece below.
To and over this keelson in the middle line the frames and floor timbers, which for
strength and lightness are preferably made of steel and wood combined, are each
connected by a pivot bolt in the centre, by an ordinary screw bolt tapped into a metal
plate let flush into the keelson at the one side, or by an equivalent simple pin bolt, all
so arranged that the frames and timbers can be turned from the stowed position, which
is nearly a fore and aft one, to the athwartship position, which is the position that
gives the form and strength to the boat. The frames and timbers are held in this
athwartship position by the screw or tap bolts, or pin bolts, being turned or let down
into the plate in the keelson before named; and their top ends or heads are secured
to the gunwale by a clamp of steel and a swivel pin or button plate, or other equivalent
secure fastening easily loosened off. The opposite ends of each thwart are so attached
to the frames by a swivel pin and joint arrangement that when the frames are to be
swivelled to the fore and aft position the thwarts are turned down vertically so as to
enable them to swivel parallel with and on the frames. When the frames are so
placed or turned athwart, a portable clamp of steel and wood, of the form of the boat
at the line of top of thwart, is put on the thwarts, which are then turned up on the
pivot bolis or joints to their horizontal or seat position, and held in place by
revolving button or plate, attached to the said clamp, which when swivelled holds the
frame, thwart, and clamp all in their fixed open-boat position.
L
Along the middle line of boat, preferably close above the top side or edge of the
thwarts, is fixed a strong runner or longitudinal beam of wood supported by stanchions

page_text: or pillars from the keelson below it, and by steel knees to the stem and stern posts,
and to which the thwarts are also jointed; the runner has also a securing button or
swivelling plate clamp attached at the part where each thwart, when turned up, will
touch, so securing the runner to the thwarts and thereby stiffen the whole frame
structure in addition to the stanchions. The oars, masts, or other fittings lie along
on the said centre runner, and it is also of use for persons to walk on when moving
from one part of the boat to another, and it will prevent persons, sitting in the boat,
from being thrown from one side of the boat to the other when the boat is tossed by
the sea.
The gunwales of the boat are formed of steel bars and wood for strength
and lightness, and are secured at their ends by eye flanges and a screw bolt passed
through these and the top of the stem and stern posts, or by a plate and pin bolt.
The skin or sides of the boat are made of waterproof canvas or india-rubber cloth
or fabric, or any other strong reasonably watertight flexible material attached to the
keelson and stem and stern posts by a fillet of wood or plate of inetal, and at the
gunwale, (which as stated is formed of steel and wood combined), it is secured by
being placed and clamped between the two materials, the outer steel plate or angle-
iron being secured to the wood inside by screws, all so that these gunwale bars may be
released when the boat is to be swivelled or folded up. The gunwale bars are also
connected to the top ends or heads of the frames or timbers by swivelling securing
plates or buttons, which hold both gunwale and frames in the extended position, and
can be released to fold or close up the boat.
On the inner edge of the gunwale bars, lugs or eyes with flanges are secured to
receive the stems of swivelling metal thow! pins or crutches, so that oars may be
properly worked; and on the runners at middle line of boat, a clutch or clutches is or
are fitted to secure a mast or masts, having their lower ends secured in a step in the
keelson as usual.
Between the frames, which are spaced about 3 feet apart and extend up to the
gunwale, intermediate floor frames are fitted, which also swivel or rotate in the same
manner that the frames have been described to turn on swivel bolts or on the lower end
of the stanchions, and are held in position athwart-ship in the same manner as the frames
are, namely, by screw or plain pins or bolts at the side. At the heads of these floor
frames, a clamp-piece of wood is fitted for the greater part of the length of the boat, on
each side, holding them in parallel position, and so giving stiffness to this form of
boat, and at the same time inaking a secure footboard for those moving or sitting in
the boat.
This boat may either be steered by our, or by a rudder, fittings being provided
for shipping the rudder to either the stem or stern post when this is thought
desirable.
It will thus be seen that this new or improved boat so constructed, has a rigid
frame all secured together, formed of the keel and keelson with the stem and stern
post and mid longitudinal runner or beam above the thwarts, all secured by knees
to the stem and stern posts; and that the gunwales, when unbolted at their ends
on the top of the stem and stern posts, and the swivelling grippers released from the
heads of the frames and floors and thwart beams, then the frames and floors or floor
frames can be swivelled on their centre pivotting bolts on the keelson to the fore and
aft position nearly in line with or close up to the centre runner, when the gunwales
and canvas sides of the boat can be folded down vertically close up to the frames and
runner over and within the width of the keelson, all as hereinbefore stated within a
width of 12 inches of the same length and depth as the boat is when expanded.
It will be further seen that this improved boat so framed of wood and steel
combined will be stronger and lighter than boats of equal size as heretofore
constructed.
D
J
1042

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding up or Collapsible Ship or other Boats.
I, JOHN WILLIAM SHEPHERD, of Partick-Hill, Lanarkshire, Shipbuilder, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing reference being had to the accompanying Two Sheets of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction
of folding-up or collapsible boat, and the mode and means of fitting its parts together,
so that when folded out it will be very strong and rigid, while yet admitting of being
folded up into a space equal to the length and depth of the boat from the top of the
stem and stern post to the keel, and the width of the keelson, which for a boat of
eight feet beam need not be more than twelve inches, and will occupy much less
space than any collapsible boats heretofore constructed, and thus render it easy for
every passenger-ship to carry a sufficient number of boats to accommodate, launch,
and carry all the passengers in them in a few minutes.
And in order that my said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended Two explanatory Sheets of Drawings, in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 shows a longitudinal section of my new or improved
collapsible boat to a small scale, with the parts, in its opened out position, but the
position of the frames and gunwale are also shown in their folded position in dotted
lines. Figure 2 shows an end elevation of the boat in its folded up or collapsible
condition. Figure 3 shows a plan corresponding to Figure 1, in its folded out rigid
position ready for use; Figure 4 is a transverse section of the same corresponding to
Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a plan showing the parts of the frames, and boat as folded
or closed up, corresponding to Figure 2, and the dotted position of the frames in
Figure 1. The Figures 6 to 11 on sheet 2 are drawn to a larger scale to show the
details of construction more clearly than they can be seen in the general Figures 1
to 5. Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of one of the frames, showing its swivelling
attachment to the keelson K and gunwale D), when in its fixed position, showing
also the connection and mode of folding the thwarts B and floors or bottom boards E;
and Figure 7 is a sectional elevation at right angles to Figure 6, of the gunwale D,
showing the mode of fixing the head of each frame to it. Figure 8 is a transverse
section of the keelson K2 and floors, corresponding to Figure C. And Figure 9 shows
the mode of attaching and swivelling of the thwarts B to the upper fore and aft
beam K³ and the upper part of the frames A attached to the thwarts B. Figures 10
and 11 show an inside elevation and plan respectively of one of the stem and stern
posts, and mode of attaching the gunwale D thereto.
Referring to these Drawings:-According to my invention or improvements, the
boat which is of the ordinary form of Life or Whale boat type has preferably the

page_text: bow and stern, and the stem and stern posts K₁ of the same shape with a wide
keclson K2 secured to the outer wood keel piece K below, all firmly secured in a
usual manner to each other at the bow and stern K". To and over this keelson K²
in the middle line, the frames A, which for strength and lightness are preferably made
of steel angles and wood combined, and are each connected by a pivot bolt in the centre
of the keelson K2 by an ordinary screw bolt tapped into a metal plate let flush into
the keelson at the one side, or by an equivalent simple pin bolt at a, all so arranged
that the frames or timbers A can be turned from the stowed or collapsed position
shown in Figures 2 and 5, which is nearly a fore and aft one, to the athwartship
position shown in Figures 1. 3 and 4, which is the position that gives the form and
strength to the boat. The frames or timbers A, are held in this athwartship position
on their keelson K2 by the screw or swivel pin bolts a let down into the plate in the
keelson before named; and their top ends or heads are secured to the gunwale D by
a clamp of steel d¹, or other equivalent secure fastening easily loosened off. The
opposite ends of each thwart B are attached to the frames A by hinge joints b. Each
thwart is also by a swivel pin b' (preferably in vertical line with the central bottom
swivel bolt a) swivelled to an upper central longitudinal beam K³. When therefore
the frames A are to be swivelled to the fore and aft position the thwarts B are first
turned down vertically on their hinge joints b, whereby they are attached to the
frames A, so as to enable them to swivel parallel with and on the frames all as seen in
detail particularly in Figures 6, 7, and 9. When the frames A and thwarts B are
next turned athwart on their centres a and b respectively, a portable stringer or
clamp C of steel and wood, of the form of the boat at the line of top of thwarts B is
placed on the thwarts, hard up against the frames A, on both sides and the thwarts B
are then each turned up on their joints and pivot bolts b b to their horizontal or
seat position; and they are held there in place by a swivelling button or clamp
plate C¹ on each end of the thwart B so as to grip the said stringers or clamps CC,
when turned out over it, and which when so swivelled hold the frame A, thwart B,
and stringers or clamps (all in their fixed open-boat position and the ends of the
stringers or clamps C, might also be secured by a screw or swivel clamp to the stem
and stern posts K¹.
Along the fore and aft middle line of boat, preferably close above the top side or
edge of the thwarts B is fixed a strong runner or longitudinal beam of wood K³,
supported by stanchions or pillars & from the keelson K² below it, and by steel knees ki
to the stem and stern posts K', and to which the lifting rings are secured. Each of
the thwarts B is also jointed by the horizontal and vertical swivel joint and
bolt b, b, to the runner K³ Figure 9, and has also a securing button or swivelling
plate clamp Cattached to the runner K³ at the part where each thwart B, when
turned up, will touch so as to turn under it and so secure the thwarts B to the
runner K³, and thereby stiffen the whole frame structure in addition to the
stanchions k. The oars, masts, or other fittings lie along on the said centre runner K³
and it is also of use for persons to walk on when moving from one part of the boat to
another, and it will prevent persons, sitting in the boat, from being thrown from one
side of the boat to the other when the boat is tossed by the sea. The gunwales D) of
the boat are formed of steel angle bars and wood for strength and lightness, and are
secured at their ends by eye Hanges and a screw bolt D2 passed through these
and the top of the stem and stern posts K' or by a plate and pin bolt as at D³
or both.
The skin or sides of the boat are made of waterproof canvas c or it might be
india-rubber cloth or fabric or any other strong reasonably watertight flexible
material, secured to the keelson K, and stem and stern posts K', by a lath or fillet
of wood as at c', and at the gunwale D d (which as stated is formed of steel and
wood combined), it is secured by being placed and clamped between the two
materials as shown at c², the outer steel plate or angle-iron d being secured to the
wood by screws, all so that these gunwale bars D d may be released at D², D³, when
the boat is to be swivelled or folded up, and these folded down towards the keel, with
the canvas attached to them, as shown in Figure 2, and dotted in in Figure 1. The

page_text: gunwale bars D are also connected to the top ends or heads of the frames or
timbers A, by securing plates & screwed to the underside of the gunwale D, and
which hold both gunwale D, and frames A in the extended position, and can be
released to fold or close up the boat.
On the inner edge of the gunwale bars D d thowl pins or crutches d² are inserted
into holds through the gunwale D, so that oars may be properly worked, or lugs or
eyes with flanges may be secured to the gunwale 1 for carrying the stems of these
thowl pins d and on the runners K³ at middle line of boat, a clutch or clutches is
or are fitted to secure a mast or masts, having their lower ends secured in a step in
the keelson K² as usual.
Between and over the frames A, which are spaced about three feet apart, to give
stiffness to the bottom of the boat, and also make a platform for moving about and
also for placing stores and casks on; ordinary floor frames or footboards E, E', are
fitted and connected by bars E' on the underside, which pass down between the
frames A A, and support the canvas covering c. The two inner bottom boards E E
on each side are connected by hinged straps e jointed at el to the keelson between the
frames A and the two outer boards E' are jointed together by hinged straps at e² to
the former, as seen particularly in detail in Figure 8, so that they fold up together
between the keelson K and the centre runner K³, and allow the fraines A to
swivel in close to them, all as before explained when the boat is housed and
collapsed.
This boat may either be steered by oar, or by rudder, fittings being provided
for shipping the rudder to either the stem or stern post when this is thought
desirable.
It will thus be seen that this new or improved boat so constructed, has a rigid
frame all secured together, formed of the keel K and keelson K2 with the stem and
stern posts K and mid longitudinal runner or beam K³ above the thwarts B all
secured by stanchions k and by knees at k¹, K", to the stem and stern posts. The
gunwales D when unbolted at their ends D2, D3, on the top of the stem and stern
posts K and the grippers d' released from the heads of the frames A, and the
swivelling grippers C, C2, of the thwarts B removed from the stringers C, and the
floor boards folded up on their joints e¹, e², then the frames A can be swivelled on
their centre pivotting bolts a, b, on the keelson K² and centre runner K³, to the fore
and aft position nearly in line with or close up to the centre runner K³, when the
gunwales D and canvas C sides of the boat can be folded down vertically close up to
the frames A, and runner K³ over and within the width of the keelson K², all as
hereinbefore stated within a width of twelve inches of the same length and depth as
the boat is when expanded, as seen in Figures 2 and 5. It will be further seen that
this improved boat, so framed of wood and steel combined, will be stronger and
lighter than boats of equal size as heretofore constructed.
Although the floors and footboards E, E¹ E², have been shown as folded up
vertically on their joints E¹, E, in the centre between the keelson K2, and the
fore and aft beam K³, it will be understood that they might be made short to
swivel on short intermediate floor frames, and lie fore and aft with these all the
same as the thwarts B with their frames A.
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 claim is
First. The construction, or general arrangement and combination of the parts of
folding up collapsible ship or other boats, all substantially as and in the manner
herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In folding up collapsible ship or other boats, the forming and fitting of
their transverse frames A and thwarts B to swivel on a central vertical axis on their
keelson K, and fold or collapse fore and aft over their keelson K, all substantially
as and in the manner and for the advantages herein described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Third. In folding up collapsible ship or other boats, the mode and means of
coupling, or securing and releasing the frames A to their gunwales D, and their
thwarts B, to stringers C, so as to rigidly secure the whole when in their opened
out position, and when released admit of their swivelling on their vertical central
axes, to collapse, all substantially as and in the manner and for the advantages
herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In folding up collapsible ship or other boats, the so coupling of the
gunwales D to their frames A and to the bow and stern posts K', that they may be
made rigid and secured thereto when the boat is to be opened out for use, and when
released folded down vertically fore and aft close up to the stem and stern post K'
over the keelson K, all substantially as and in the manner and for the advantages
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In folding up collapsible ship or other boats, the so securing of their outer
canvas or waterproof covering c to the keelson K, gunwale D, the frames and stem
and stern posts K, as to allow these and the gunwales to be swivelled and folded fore
and aft vertically close over the keelson, all substantially as and in the manner, and
for the advantages herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
#
Sixth. In folding up collapsible ship or other boats, the so hinging of the thwarts B
to their frames A, that they will either fold up horizontally, for stiffening the
frames A when folded out, by stringer, or be folded down for allowing the
frames A and thwaris B to be swivelled fore and aft over the keelson, all substantially
as and in the manner, and for the advantages herein described, in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Thated thin ri h-
L. 1007