A NEW OR IMPROVED LIFE BOAT OR ARK
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HENRY HARGREAVES, of Stratford in the County of Essex do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED LIFE BOAT OR ARK," to
be as follows:-
This invention consists of a new or improved life boat or ark intended to be
carried on board seagoing vessels for the purpose of affording means of saving the
lives of passengers and crew in case of fire, shipwreck, collision or other emergency
of the kind, but it is also applicable for use as a means of saving life from the
shore.
This new or improved life boat or ark is of the following construction :--The
lower part thereof is more or less of the shape and proportions of an ordinary
boat, but above the gunwale is formed a suitably shaped arched roof over the entire
boat, of a curved form so as to present a surface capable of resisting the action of
the waves in a heavy sea A portion of this roof is made removeable for the
purposes of ingress and egress, etcetera, which portion is by preference adapted to
be removed in convenient sized pieces or segments, which may be lashed to the
inside walls of the boat or ark when not forming part of the roof, or be otherwise
disposed of. The size of the opening in the roof may thus be varied according to
requirements, each piece or segment being provided with suitable fastenings so
that it may form a part of the main roof independently of the other pieces or
segments. The boat and roof are preferably constructed in the usual way with
inner and outer sheathing of wood with cork and canvas between. Airtight
chambers are also provided all round the boat in order to increase the buoyancy in
a manner well understood.
The interior of the boat or ark is divided into fore and aft compartments by a
bulkhead with watertight doors communicating between the said compartments.
The boat is propelled by a screw driven by preference by gearing from a shaft
extending from aft to the fore compartment where it is provided with any con-
venient number of cranks which are operated by means of hand levers by persons
seated face to face on bunkers disposed on each side of the said chamber.
bunkers also form receptacles for a supply of food etcetera. The steering is
preferably effected by means of a wheel mounted on the bulkhead and connected
to the helin by a chain or rope. The after compartment is provided with a deck
under which the screw shaft and gearing are arranged, and under which also are
These

page_text: disposed fresh water tanks. This deck is provided with self discharging water
tubes and pumps. Air for ventilation is admitted into the upper part of the
compartments through tubes opening into the outer air preferably a little above
the gunwale. Self closing watertight outlets for foul air are also provided in the
roof. Watertight windows or sight holes are also provided, and speaking tubes
between the two compartments.
Provision is also inade for a mast and sail and oars as auxiliary or alternative
means of propelling the boat or ark in fair weather.
A life boat or ark constructed in accordance with this invention is practically
unsinkable, cannot be capsized, forms a perfect protection from exposure, and is
easily propelled by persons unaccustomed to such labour, also affording ample and
watertight accomodation for provisions, signal rockets, etcetera.
Dated this tenth day of April 1884.

page_text: I, HENRY HARGREAVES, of Stratford, in the County of Essex, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED LIFE
BOAT OR ARK" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying sheet of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon:-
This invention consists of a new or improved life boat or ark intended to be carried
on board sea going vessels for the purpose of affording means of saving the lives of
passengers and crew in case of fire, shipwreck, collision, or other emergency of the
kind, but it is also applicable for use as a means of saving life from the shore.
This new or improved life boat or ark is of the following construction: The
lower part thereof is more or less of the shape and proportions of an ordinary boat,
but above the gunwale is formed a suitably shaped arched roof, over the entire
boat, of a curved form so as to present a surface capable of resisting the action of
the waves in a heavy sea. A portion of this roof (more or less according to
circumstances) is made removeable for the purposes of ingress and egress and for
converting more or less of the boat or ark into an open boat. This removeable
portion is by preference adapted to be removed in convenient sized pieces or
segments which may be lashed to the inside walls of the boat or ark when not in
use to form part of the roof, or they may be otherwise disposed of. The size of the
opening in the roof may thus be varied according to requirements, each piece or
segment being provided with suitable fastenings, so that it may form a part of the
main roof independently of the other pieces or segments. Figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying Drawings represent the life boat or ark in elevation and longitudinal
section respectively, and Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections at A. A and B B
respectively of Figures 1 and 2. Similar letters relate to like parts in each of the
Figures. The boat and roof are preferably constructed in the usual way with inner
and outer sheathing C C¹ of wood, with cork and canvas between. D are airtight
chambers which extend all round the boat in order to increase its buoyancy. The
interior of the boat or ark is divided into fore and aft compartments as shewn, by
the bulkhead E with watertight doors F F¹ communicating between the said
compartments. The boat is propelled by a screw G driven either direct or by the
gearing H or otherwise from the shaft I which extends as shown from aft to the
fore compartment where it is provided with any convenient number of cranks J
which may be operated by means of the links K and the hand levers L by persons
seated face to face on the bunkers or lockers M disposed on each side of the fore
compartment. The bunkers or lockers M, besides providing seats for the persons
operating the cranks, also form receptacles for a supply of food, etcetera. The
steering of the boat or ark may be effected by means of a wheel N which operates
the helm O through the gearing P; or from a wheel mounted on the bulkhead E
and connected to the helm by a chain or rope.
The after compartment is provided with a deck Q under which the screw shaft I
and gearing H are arranged and under which also are disposed the fresh water
tanks R R provided with charging nozzles S S¹ as shewn and with draw off
cocks T T in the fore compartment. The deck Q is provided with self discharging
water tubes U and also a bilge pump V as shewn.
Air for ventilation may be admitted into the upper part of the compartments
through the tubes W which open into the outer air preferably a little above the
gunwale. Self closing watertight outlets X for foul air may also be provided in the

page_text: roof. Y are watertight windows or sight holes, and Z Z arc speaking tubes
through which orders may be given and communications made from the after to
the fore compartment or vice versa.
a, a¹, a' and a³ (See Figure 3) are the removeable pieces or segments of the roof,
one or more of which may be removed in fair weather or for the purposes of ingress
or egress as before explained, Each segment is fastened to the ends of the opening
independently of the others by bolts b or in any other convenient manner;
the
lowermost segments a and a³ being provided with tangs c which take into recesses
formed as shewn in Figures 2 and 3. When these segments are removed rowlocks d
may be inserted into holes prepared for them and the oarse (which at other times
may be conveniently stowed away on the top of the watertight chambers D as
shewn) may be used for the propulsion of the boat or ark. A mast f and sail g
may also be hoisted into the footstep ŉ the mast being also held by the stay i.
By these means the boat or ark may be propelled at considerable speed with or
without the action of the screw G.
When the mast and sail are not in use they may conveniently be stowed away
in the forks j one of which is fixed to the block k carrying the end bearing for the
crank shaft Ĭ and the other to the deck Q-A notch is formed in the sill of the
opening through the bulkhead E in which the mast lies and the lower corners of
.the doors F F are also shaped so as to fit over the upper part of the mast, the.
aperture thus formed being provided with watertight packing.
By this arrangement the watertight character of the fore compartment is
preserved notwithstanding that the mast passes through the bulkhead. The above
mentioned aperture may be filled by a plug or other suitable means to prevent
water entering the fore compartment through it when not filled by the mast.
The doors F F are made folding so that they can be closed in behind the
mast when the latter is hoisted into the position shown in dotted lines in
Figures 2 and 3.
A life boat or ark constructed in accordance with this invention is practically
unsinkable, cannot be capsized, forms a perfect protection from exposure, is easily
propelled even by persons unaccustomed to such labour and it affords ample and
watertight storage accomodation for provisions, signal rockets and the like. Its
fish-like shape enables it to deflect water striking it in almost any direction
especially at the forepart. Being wholly covered in if and when desired, it may be
launched direct from the ship into the sea without admitting water into the
interior and if so launched into the sea in any position whatever, even upside
down, it will immediately right itself. Its buoyancy is such that if filled with
water it will rise to such an extent that all the water above the deck Q will run
out at the deck scuppers and the rest can then be pumped out. The faculty of
removing a part of the cover in segments as described and shown enables the boat
or ark to be used partly as an open boat and partly as a covered boat, or wholly as
a covered boat if required which I consider to be an important improvement in
boats of this kind because in boats which are wholly and permanently covered
it is more difficult for the persons enclosed in them to make signals or to operate
sails than in open boats besides which in moderate weather it is not necessary or
desirable that the occupants of the boat shall be entirely closed in.
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 new or improved life boat or ark the lower part of which is
constructed more or less of the shape and proportions of an ordinary boat,
but above the gunwale is covered with an arched roof part of which is made
of removeable segments, the boat or ark being divided by a bulkhead with
watertight doors into two compartments one of which can be made water-
tight while the other can be used as an open decked boat. The whole
arranged combined and adapted as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the drawing herato annexed

page_text: Second-In life boats or arks propelled by a screw the employment of the hand
levers and connecting links for imparting rotary motion by manual power
to a crank shaft connected directly or by gearing or otherwise to the screw
shaft as herein before described and illustrated in the drawings hereto
annexed.
Third-In covered life boats or arks the construction of more or less of the cover
in removeable segments or parts capable of being bolted or otherwise
secured together and to the rest of the roof or cover of the boat and to the
sides thereof whereby the said covered lifeboat or ark may be used more or
less as an open boat or wholly as a covered boat as herein before described,
and illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.
Fourth In covered life boats or arks with a bulkhead provided with water-
tight doors, the arrangements for passing the mast watertight through the
said bulkhead, whereby a comparatively long mast can be stowed away
without interfering with the watertight character of the said bulkhead, as
herein before described and illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.
1034
H. HARGREAVES.
Per W. H. Beck, Agent,
115, Cannon Street, London.