IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFE BOATS, AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. AND IN SAILS FOR THE SAME, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING LIFE AT SEA
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Forgie and John Thornton, both of the
Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Machinists, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFE BOATS, AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Forgie and
John Thornton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 21st June 1866.
We, WILLIAM FORGIE and JOHN THORNTON, both of the Town and County
of the Town of Nottingham, Machinists, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFE BOATS. AND IN
SAILS FOR THE SAME, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING LIFE AT SEA." to be as
follows:-
Our improvements relate, first, to the application of waterproof tubes or
pipings filled with broken or granulated cork in the construction of life boats,
either placed or arranged in the interior, or employed in the construction of the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: hull of a boat, or in combination with india-rubber, gutta percha, wickerwork,
wood, or other suitable materials. The waterproof tubes or pipings containing
cork form a considerable number of separate chambers or air-tight compart-
ments which impart great buoyancy to life boats constructed or parily con-
structed therewith according to this part of our improvements.
The second part of our improvements relates to the construction and appli-
cation of a hood or sail to boats for saving life at sea. This hood or sail is
fixed or placed on to the fore part or stem of the boat, extending round and
above the gunwale to about one-third of the length of the boat. and consists
of a number of separate air-tight compartments combined together in the form
of a hood: these separate air-tight compartments forming the hood or sail
may be made of thin metal, wood, gutta percha, india-rubber, waterproof
fabric, or other suitable materials, and the compartments may, if desired, be
filled with any light buoyant material, by preference broken or granulated
cork.
Life boats constructed as previously described. and furnished with a
buoyant hood or sail, may, if required, be despatched from a vessel wrecked on
a lee shore, and by paying out a line (attached to the vessel) from a drum
mounted at the stern of the boat it will sail by itself before the wind and act
as a messenger to form a communication with the land, life boats of this
character may be constructed to carry several or a number of persons according
to the size and buoyancy imparted thereto, the buoyant hood or sail preventing
it from being capsized, and by drawing very little water life boats so con-
structed will float in very shallow water. The form and position of the hood
or sail causes the boat to be driven before the wind, and should it be cast over
the buoyancy of the hood or sail will immediately cause it to right itself again.
Apertures are formed in the boat for discharging any water that may be
shipped in a rough sea, or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Forgie and John Thornton in the Great Seal 3
Patent Office on the 20th December 1866.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six. in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said William Forgie and John Thornton, Her special licence that
we, the said William Forgie and John Thornton, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we. the said William Forgic and
John Thornton, our executors, administrators. and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFE BOATS, AND IN SAILS FOR THE SAME. FOR
THE PURPOSE OF SAVING LIFE AT SEA," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said William Forgic and John Thornton, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Forgie and John Thornton,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention. and in what manner
the same is to be performed. In be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof. that is to say:
Our improvements relate, first, to the application of waterproof tubes or
pipings filled with broken or granulated cork in the construction of life boats.
either placed or arranged in the interior, or employed in the construction of
the hull of a boat, or in combination with india-rubber, gutta percha, wicker-
work, wood, or other suitable material. The waterproof tubes or pipings
containing cork form a considerable number of separate chambers or air-tight
compartments which impart great buoyancy to life boats constructed or
partly constructed therewith according to this part of our improvements: and
we construct life boats of this character with a superficial buoyant gunwale a,
superposed upon and carried round so as to cover the exterior of the ordinary
gunwale of a life boat, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawing hereunto
annexed, which shows different views in perspective of a life boat constructed
according to our Invention; this superficial gunwale imparts great steadiness

page_text: to life boats, and is a great preventive against capsizing or sinking. It may
be constructed of solid cork alone or in combination with india-rubber, guita
percha, wickerwork, wood, or other suitable buoyant materials.
The second part of our improvements relates to the construction and appli-
cation of a hood or sail b to boats for saving life at sea, as shown in Figure 1
of the Drawing hereunto annexed; this hood or sail is fixed or placed on
to the fore part or stem of the boat, extending round and above the gun-
wale to about one-third of the length of the boat, and consists of a number
of separate air-tight compartments combined together in the form of a hood.
These separate air-tight compartments forming the hood or sail b may be
made of thin metal. wood. gutta percha, india-rubber. waterproof fabric, or
other suitable materials, and the compartments may, if desired, be filled with
any light buoyant material, by preference granulated cork.
Life boats constructed as previously described, and furnished with a buoyant
hood or sail, may if required be despatched from a vessei wrecked on a lec shore,
and by paying out a line c (attached to the vessel) from a drum mounted at
the stern of the boat it will sail by itself if necessary before the wind, and act
as a messenger to form a communication with the land. Life boats of this
character may be constructed to carry several or a number of persons
according to the size and buoyancy imparted thereto. the buoyant hood or
sail b preventing it from being capsized, and by drawing very little water
life boats so constructed will float in very shallow water. The form and
position of the hood or sail causes the boat to be driven before the wind, and
should it be cast over the buoyancy of the hood or sail together with the
superficial gunwale will immediately cause it to right itself again. Apertures
are formed in the boat for discharging any water that may be shipped in a
rough sea, or otherwise.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into practice, we would have it under-
stood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details herein described,
so long as the particular character of our Invention is retained, but what we
claim is-
First, the application of waterproof tubes or pipings filled with broken
or granulated cork (forming a number of separate air-tight compartments)
in the construction of life boats, such tubes or pipings being employed for
this purpose either alone or in combination with india-rubber, gutta
percha, wickerwork, wood, or other suitable buoyant materials as herein
described.

page_text: Secondly, we claim the construction of life boats with a hood or sail b,
ormed and constructed in the manner herein described, and shown in Figure I
of the Drawing hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Forgie and John Thornton,
have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Eighteenth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six
WILLIAM FORGIE. (L.s.)
JOHN THORNTON.
(L.s.)