Improvements in Life Boats.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
Improvements in Life Boats.
We, ALGERNON LAWSON HASSARD-SHORT, and PAUL DINKELSPIEL; both
residents of 245 Broadway New York, County of New York; and State of New
York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to life boats, and the object thereof, is to provide au
improvement in this class of structures, by means of which the upsetting or over-
turning of a boat will be rendered impossible, and also by means of which a boat
of a given size will be enabled to support more people than one of tlie same size
which is not provided with my improvement; and with this and other objects in
view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of
parts hereinafter described and claimed.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following Specification of which the
accompanying drawing forms, a part, in whichi ;--
Fig. 1, is a transverse vertical section of a boat provided with my improvement;
and,
Fig. 2, a plan view thereof, on a smaller scale.
In the practice of my invention, I employ an ordinary life boat, A, such as is now
in general use, and the boat A is provided with an elliptical frame B, which
entirely surrounds the same, and is pointed at each end. The body, portion of this
frame B, is composed preferably of cork, which has a cover of rubber or similar
The frame B, is
material, and within the centre thereof, is a core C, of wood.
supported by means of wooden strips D, which are bent into the form shown in
Fig. 1,, and passed through the keel of the boat from one side to the other, and
connected with the core C of the frame B, and the frame B, is also supported by
means of iron rods E, connected with the sides of the boat as shown in Fig. 1, and
with said frame, and secured thereto, in any desired manner.
I also employ longitudinal wooden strips F, which are passed around about
midway between the top of the boat and the frame B, and are secured to the
strips D, and at the bow of the, boat, to a cross piece (r, which connects the bow
of the boat with the bow end of the frame B.
At the stern of the boat are secured rods H, which are arranged in the form of
a triangle, and connect with the stern end of the frame B, and between the rods H,
is placed the usual rudder K.
In place of the cork filling of the frame B, I may employ air, or an ordinary
inflated rubber tube or casing which will be supported in the manner herein-
before described, or by means similar to those referred to, and when constructed
as hereinbefore shown and described, the frame B, will, when the boat is in the
water, be even all around with the water line thereof.
The strips D and F, may be covered with cork or have a layer of cork
placed thereon, if desired, and it is evident that changes in, and modifications,
of, the construction berein set out may be made without departing from the
spirit of my invention, or sacrificing its advantages, and I therefore reserve
the right to make all such alterations therein, as fairly come within the scope
thereof.
In addition to serving as a means for preventing the upsetting and overturning
of the boat, my improvement will also act as a fender or guard to prevent injury to

page_text: the bont, caused by striking or coming in contact with the side of a ship, when
being launched, or from coming in contact with any other body or structure, and it
will thus be seen that I provide a safe attachment for life boats which is simple in,
construction and operation, and which is well adapted to accomplish the result for
which it is intended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A life boat provided with an attachment or frame, which surrounds the same,
and is supported in connection therewith, at about the water line thereof, and said
frame being composed of light material, and adapted to serve as a guard therefor,
substantially as shown and described.
2. The combination with a life boat, of an attachment consisting of a frame
which surrounds the boat, said frame being composal of a casing which is filled in
with cork or other light material, said frame being also supported and connected
with the boat by means of strips which pass beneath the boat, and through the
keel thereof, and rods which are secured to the top of the boat, substantially as
shown and described.
3. The combination with a life boat, of an attachment consisting of a frame
which surrounds the boat, said frame being composed of a cusing which is filled in
with cork or other light material, said frame being also supported and connected
with the boat by means of strips which pass beneath the boat and through the keel
thereof, and rods which are secured to the top of the boat, said strips being bound
together by means of other strips arranged transversely thereof and which meet at
the bow of the boat, substantially as shown and described.
4. The combination with a life boat, of a frame which is elliptical in form and
pointed at each end, and which surrounds said boat, and is supported at a distance
therefrom, by means of strips which are connected there with, and which are passed
beneath the boat and through the keel thereof, and by rods which are connected
with the boat, said frame being provided with a central core with which said strips
and rods are connected, and said frame being filled in with light material, such as
cork or similar substances, substantially as shown nad described.
5. The combination with a life boat, of a frame which surrounds the same, and
which is connected therewith, and supported at a distance therefrom, and on the
line with the water line of said boat, said frame being hollow and filled in with cork
or similar material, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 10th day of October 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.