IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BOATS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Amory Hawkesworth, of Abbey Road,
Torquay, in the County of Devon, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BOATS."
Sealed the 16th March 1853, and dated the 13th. November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Amory Hawkes-
worth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 13th November 1852.
I, AMORY HAWKESWORTH, of Abbey Road, Torquay, in the County
of Devon, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BOATS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of constructing a life boat with air cham-
bers on either side, the air chamber or chambers on one side being
completely closed so as to prevent water getting in to displace
the air, whilst the air chamber or chambers on the other side of the
boat is or are open below, such open chambers having pipes de-
scending to near the bottom thereof, down which air descends into
the chamber or chambers to displace the water when the boat is
righting itself, by which arrangements (combined with the ballast.
to overcome the buoyancy of one side) the boat, if turned over, will
right itself by reason of the water flowing into and filling the air
chamber or chambers on one side only, leaving the buoyancy of the
other, aided by the ballast, to act to right the boat. And in order
to get rid of any water which may from time to time be shipped,
valves opening downwards are used, which revent the water flowing

page_text: into the boat from below; but on shipping water, the valves will
open, and the water will flow away down to the water line outside,
and the pump will remove the remainder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Amory Hawkesworth in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 13th May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
AMORY HAWKESWORTH, of Abbey Road, Torquay, in the County of
Devon, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November in the
year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the
sixteenth
year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Amory Hawkesworth, Her special
licence that I, the said Amory Hawkesworth, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Amory Hawkesworth,
my 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 BOATS" upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Amory Hawkesworth, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 Amory Hawkesworth, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists of constructing a life boat with air chambers
on either side, the air chambers on one side being completely closed

page_text: so as to prevent water getting in to displace the air, whilst the air
chamber or chambers on the other side of the boat is or are open
below, such open chambers having pipes descending to near the
bottom thereof, down which air descends into the chamber or
chambers to displace the water when the boat is righting itself;
by which arrangement (combined with the ballast to overcome the
buoyancy of one side) the boat, if turned over, will right itself by
reason of the water flowing into and filling the air chamber on one
side only, leaving the buoyancy of the other, aided by the ballast, to
act to right the boat; and in order to get rid of any water which
may from time to time be shipped, valves opening downwards are
used which prevent the water flowing into the boat from below; but
on shipping water the valves will open and the water will flow away
down to the water line outside, and the pump will remove the
remainder. And in order that my said Invention may be most fully
understood and readily carried into effect I will proceed to describe
so as to prevent water getting in to displace the air, whilst the air
chamber or chambers on the other side of the boat is or are open
below, such open chambers having pipes descending to near the
bottom thereof, down which air descends into the chamber or
chambers to displace the water when the boat is righting itself;
by which arrangement (combined with the ballast to overcome the
buoyancy of one side) the boat, if turned over, will right itself by
reason of the water flowing into and filling the air chamber on one
side only, leaving the buoyancy of the other, aided by the ballast, to
act to right the boat; and in order to get rid of any water which
may from time to time be shipped, valves opening downwards are
used which prevent the water flowing into the boat from below; but
on shipping water the valves will open and the water will flow away
down to the water line outside, and the pump will remove the
remainder. And in order that my said Invention may be most fully
understood and readily carried into effect I will proceed to describe
the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is a plan of a boat constructed according to my improve-
ments. Figure 2, is a longitudinal section, and Figure 3, is a transverse
section thereof, in each of which Figures the same letters are used
to indicate the saine parts. The whole of the lower part of the boat,
excepting the space in the middle, is divided into numerous air-tight
compartments, the iron or other ballast being fixed at a, a, and the
outer planking and the inner ribs or frame are to be constructed
in the best manner, according to the judgment of the builder. b, b₂
are the seats, and c, c, are ropes running nearly fore and aft, and
they are fixed at intervals, as shewn they are for the crew to hold
on by when necessary; d, d, is an open space in the midships covered
with a grating e, below which is a fixed platform f, having openings
at g, g, which are covered by valves h, h, which open outward, and
have a tendency to remain shut at all times by reason of the weights
h; the valves, however, will give way when pressed on by water
above, and allow of such water flowing away down to the water line
outside, and pass away thro' the openings h², and the remainder

page_text: of the water may be pumped up by the pump i. a, a, are air pipes
for the passage of air when the boat is lowered into the water. On
one side of the boat at j, j, and running nearly from end to end of
the boat, is a hollow space or air chamber, divided longitudinally
and tranversely into numerous smaller air chambers or compart-
ments, which are rendered air tight in order to prevent the water
entering into them or any of them; hence this side of the boat
will be very buoyant at all times. On the other side of the boat at
, k, and running nearly from end to end of the boat, there is also
an air chamber, which is divided by transverse partitions 1, 1, at
intervals, as shown. These compartments of the air chamber are
open at bottom, and are usually full of air; but in case of the boat
being turned over the water would flow in and displace the air, and
thus render this side of the boat heavier than the other side, whilst
the other side will be buoyant, and will, together with the ballast,
be caused to right itself, when the air will descend down the pipes
m, m, and displace the water from the air chambers, and thus the
boat will right itself.
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 details herein shown and described,
as the same may be varied, so long as the peculiar character of the
Invention in other respects be retained.
But what I claim is the mode herein described of constructing
life boats.
In witness whereof, I, the said Amory Hawkesworth, have here-
unto set my hand and seal this Twelfth day of May, in the
year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
thuo
Witness,
FREDK. HARRIS.
AMORY HAWKESWORTH. (L.S.)