IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BRIDGES, SEATS, AND OTHER DECK FITTINGS OF VESSELS TO RENDER THEM AVAILABLE AS FLOATS OR RAFTS FOR SAVING LIFE IN CASE OF ACCIDENT, SUCH AS THE VESSEL'S SINKING
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edmund Thompson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1878.
EDMUND THOMPSON, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE BRIDGES, SEATS, AND OTHER DECK FITTINGS OF VESSELS TO RENDER THEM
AVAILABLE AS FLOATS OR RAFTS FOR SAVING LIFE IN CASE OF ACCIDENT, SUCH
AS THE VESSEL'S SINKING."
This Invention has for its object the utilization as a means of saving life in case
of accident to vessels of all bridges, seats, or other deck fittings so that the same
may be made capable of lifting or supporting persons when in the water; and,
further, may be adapted for formation into rafts by means of suitable attachments
or connections fitted thereto.
I construct all the bridges, flying and hurricane bridges, connecting gangways,
and deck seats carried on board a vessel in the form of a double pontoon, each
pontoon being of semicylindrical shape with ends tapered as desired, and such
pontoons being joined together at their upper part at any convenient distance apart
by an arch covering the space between the pontoons.
These pontoons are constructed upon transverse frames of one or more pieces,
formed to the requisite shape, and flanged upon their upper and outer edges, such
frames forming a series of water tight transverse bulkheads, the flanged edges
thereof acting as ribs or stiffening pieces for the structure. These frames are placed
every three feet or at other convenient distance apart, and are plated over upon
their outer and upper sides, constituting a double pontoon of semicylindrical shape
with a flat upper side or deck. Where intended to form seats such pontoons are
constructed, say, of 9 feet in length by 4 feet in breadth and 1 foot inches in
depth, or of other suitable dimensions. Upon the upper surfaces T plates, angle
pieces, or other convenient attachment may be secured for the pupose of holding
wooden bars or gratings for seats, or such seats may, if preferred, be formed of
galvanised or other metallic netting, secured or attached to the T plates, or angle
pieces, or other attachment before mentioned. In the central line of the upper side
stanchions may be placed to which wooden bars, gratings, or galvanised or other
metallic netting may be attached in a similar manner to that described for the

page_text: formation of the seats; a convenient space may be left between such bars, gratings,
or netting, forming the backs of the double seats, and such space may be utilized for
carrying the necessary oars or spars for navigating the seat or raft when afloat.
The compartments into which the pontoons are divided by the transverse bulk-
heads may be utilized for carrying fresh water or provisions, but not to such an
extent as materially to interfere with their buoyancy.
For the formation of captains' bridges, flying or hurricane bridges, or connecting
gangways, the pontoons would be made of such suitable length and dimensions as
required, but in all other respects would be of similar formation to those herein
before described as applicable for deck seats I propose to construct all the bridges
or connecting gangways of a vessel of such double pontoons, surrounding them
where required by suitable stanchions and life lines.
Such bridges and deck seats may be carried in crutches of suitable form supported
upon stanchions resting upon the deck, or in the case of deck seats such supporting
crutches may be attached direct to the deck, and would be formed of such shape as
to avoid as far as possible the necessity of using lashings to secure them; but where
desired mechanical means may be employed for attaching or holding the bridges,
seats, or other fittings upon their supporting crutches; and such crutches may,
further, where used for transverse bridges, be utilized as launching cradles, being
capable of depression or elevation to a slanting position to enable the transverse
bridges to be launched free of the vessel's side, after the method described in a
former Patent, granted to me on the 4th December 1877, No. 4590.