IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE. RAFTS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Parratt, of 19, Wilton Street,
Grosvenor Place, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE. RAFTS."
Sealed the 21st September 1875, and dated the 30th April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick
Parratt at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 30th April 1875.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK PARRATT, of 19, Wilton Street, Grosvenor
Place, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "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 Specifications of former Patents granted to
me, No. 2592 in the year 1853, and No. 469 in the year 1873.
I substitute for the central spars a metal pontoon, in which I house a
centre board, which can be lowered when it is desired to sail the raft
across the wind.

page_text: 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 30th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
FREDERICK PARRATT, of 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 Thirticth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
cighth 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 executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Frederick Parratt, my

page_text: 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 LIFE RAFTS," upon the condition (amongst others)
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
performed, 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: -
The objects of this Invention is to improve the construction of life
rafts, such as are described in the Specification of a former Patent
granted to me No. 2592 in the year 1853.
I substitute for the central spars a metal pontoon with lockers in it
for the storage of necessaries. On this pontoon I mount a centre board,
which can be lowered when it is desired to sail the raft across the
wind.
The two side frames of the raft are held apart by stretchers, which are
so formed as to keep the side frames in place.
Each stretcher is forked at both ends, and in each case with three
prongs.
The centre prong passes through the upright of the side frame,
and the others embrace it on either side. There is also at each end of
the stretcher a bracket or heel piece to keep the stretcher and the
upright of the frame at right angles to cach other. I attach to the
frames by means of lashings or spring hooks hollow metal cylinders or
small pontoons, which may if desired be filled with cork.
Canvas-bags
containing cork may be substituted.
The raft is also provided with cylinders or air bags of flexible material,
which can be inflated after the raft is launched.
1

page_text: Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2 is a plan; and Figure 3 is an
end view, one-half in section, of a life raft constructed according to my
Invention.
a, a, is the central pontoon constructed of thin sheet metal; it is
strengthened internally at intervals by transverse frames, and it is also
strengthened by a keel a¹, which is turned up at the ends, and carries
the standards b, b. A portion of the space within the pontoon a serves
for the stowage of stores, and water-tight doors a, a, are provided, by
which access may be had to the interior. a is a socket let into the
pontoon a for the insertion of a mast. The upper surface of the pontoon a
is flat, and a wooden deck c is fixed down upon it.
d, d, are the side frames of the raft; they are constructed by pre-
ference of metal tubes. The side frames are connected with the wooden
deck c by the canvas sheets e, c; and when the raft is expanded for use,
as the Drawings show it, the side frames are held apart by the stretchers
ff, which are lashed down to the deck c.
Each of the stretchers is made in two parts, jointed together at f¹, and
the ends of the stretchers are forked to embrace the uprights of the side
frames. There is also a central prong and a hecl piece to each fork;
the central prong enters a socket provided for it in the upright, and the
heel piece forms a stop or abutment for the upright to rest against. The
frames & are applied to the ends of the stretchers before the stretchers
are lashed to the deck, and the frames are forced apart so as to distend
the canvas sheets e by the straightening of the stretcher until its two
parts, turning about the pin at f', are brought to lic side by side, where.
they are secured by means of the sliding rings f²; 9, 9, are cords or
stays connecting the side frames with the sides of the pontoon a, and
aiding in holding them in their places; h, h, are uprights or stanchions
fixed on the side frames for supporting the bulwark nettings i, i. The

page_text: uprights have projections formed upon them at h' to facilitate the
attachment of a cord to hold an oar by which the raft may be rowed, or
for other purpose. The uprights b, b, at the end are made with openings
through them, as is shown, which is convenient for holding an oar for
steering or propulsion. The bulwark nettings are also secured to the
end uprights.
j, j, are pontoons or bags of flexible air-tight fabric; they are secured
to the side frames and to the heel piece a¹; k, k, are similar but larger
pontoons or air bags secured by lashings to the side frames; 1, 1, arc
small metal pontoons or floats attached to the side frames; they are for
the purpose of giving stability to the raft when the pontoons or bags k
are uninflated, as the inflation of the flexible air bags or pontoons is
most conveniently done when the raft is in the water; m, m, are other
flexible air bags or pontoons applied over, the canvas sheets e, e, to
which they are secured, or a net may be passed over them; n is the
centre board; it is carried on the pontoon a, and can be raised and
lowered at pleasure.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the exact details described, but what I claim is,
the construction of life rafts substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Frederick Parratt, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-ninth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
fivc.
GEORGE FREDERICK PARRATT. (L.S.)