Improvements in Life Saving Apparatus.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Life Saving Apparatus.
I, OLE ROSENDAHL, of 100 Temple Court, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of
America, Ship Carpenter, 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 that class of apparatus which is employed at sea for saving
persons from drowning in case of shipwreck, by supporting those clinging to, or
secured upon, the same, and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of
the parts of said apparatus. The object of said invention is to provide a safe, compact
and inexpensive apparatus for supporting several persons upon the water.
The apparatus is so constructed that it cannot be easily overturned or swamped by
force of the waves or breakers, and it is therefore well adapted for use at life saving
stations in rescuing shipwrecked persons. This apparatus may be propelled by
paddles or may be towed or drawn by any suitable ineans to and from the wrecked
vessels.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which
like figures of reference designate corresponding parts of the apparatus.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus and Figure 2 a longitudinal vertical section
of one of the hulls. Figure 3 is a cross section and Figure 4 an end view of said
apparatus folded for storage or transportation.
The halis 2 are made of any desired length to accomodate one or more persons
between said hulls. The apparatus shown in the drawings is provided with two hulls
and is designed to sustain twelve persons, but the capacity of the apparatus may be
increased or decreased by varying the number and length of the hulls. These hulls
are by preference made of equal length and size and arranged parallel to each other.
They are flexibly united with a space between them sufficient to admit the body of a
grown person, and are provided with appendages suitable for securing persons to said
apparatus. These hults are preferably of elliptical form in cross section and rounded
at their ends. They are formed with a rigid core 3, as shown, of solid wood, which is
an inexpensive and otherwise desirable material for the purpose. The core is
surrounded by a mass of cork or other buoyant material, which is tightly packed in.
the envelope or cover preferably made of water proof material. The object of this
core is to give the hulls the desired rigidity and the same object might be obtained by
the use of two or more strips extending lengthwise of the hull outside the filling.
These strips might be secured together by bolts or pins passing through the buoyant
material.
In this form of construction the filling might be securely held in place should the
cover become torn, or the cover might be dispensed with, especially when course
filling material is used. The bulls are flexibly united by bands 6 and 7. The bands 6
extend around the hulls and are suitably connected to bands 7 at the under side of the
hulls, or both bands may be made in one piece as shown.
These hands are preferably made of webbing but rope would answer the purpose,
and in any case the part 6 should be secured to the outside of the bulls. The part or
loop 7 is made of sufficient length to serve as a support for one person sitting astride
thereof between the hulls. The hulls are also flexibly united and kept from unduly
separating by means of rope 8 which runs along the outside of the hulls under bands 6
and unites the ends of the hulls, as shown, the length of the rope being regulated to
give the desired space between said hulls. The part of rope 8 which extends from one
hull to the other is provided at either end with two sleeves, 13, as shown in Figure 1.
These sleeves are calculated to keep the hulls apart when in the water, but do not
interfere with the compact folding of the apparatus.

page_text: The rope 9 is connected to rope 8 at either end of the apparatus between these
sleeves and midway between the hulls. This rope passes under and is so secured
to each of the bands 6, at the side of the hulls as to form convenient handles for
persons within reach, and also suitable and convenient means for towing the apparatus.
By attaching a tow rope to rope 9 at either end of the apparatus at the point of its
junction with rope 8, the strain is equally distributed and the apparatus is moved
smoothly through the water. The ropes 8 and 9, at their junction, form desirable
seats for children, who may be conveniently held in place by persons seated on end
bands 7. The loops 10 are secured to bands 6 at the same point as rope 9 and these
loops may readily be grasped by persons alongside the apparatus and are made of
sufficient length to pass over the head and under the arms of persons in the water,
inside or outside the hull. These loops are preferably made of webbing.
The paddles 11 are secured by cords 12 to rope 8, and preferably so that said cord
slips on rope S. These paddles when not in use are slid under bands 6, and when in
use are not detached, thus avoiding the danger of losing the same in the water and
making them a fixed appendage of the apparatus.
#
The apparatus is constructed to admit of its being compactly folded for convenience
of storage and transportation, without the removal of any of the parts.
An apparatus adapted to support three persons in the water, one between and two
outside the hulls, may be easily carried in the hand. The construction is such, that
when the apparatus, of whatever size is thrown in the water it unfolds automatically
and is ready for use without adjustments.
The apparatus may be employed to carry luggage or merchandise, and when
properly loaded, there is no danger of capsizing in a rough sea or in passing through
breakers.
The apparatus being in the water, the space between the hulls should be first
occupied. The hulls, in a measure, protect persons between the hulls from the force
of the waves and render this position the most comfortable and safe. The handles and
loops 10 may be readily grasped by persons in the water nearly to whom assistance'
may be conveniently rendered by those situated between the hulls in securing such
persons to the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
First. The construction of the hulls of a life saving apparatus substantially as set
forth.
Second. The combination of two or more hulls of a life saving apparatus flexibly
united substantially as set forth.
Third. The construction, with two or more hulls, of a life saving apparatus, of
ropes 8 and 9, for the purpose and substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination in a life saving apparatus of ropes 8, 9, and bands 6, 7,
for the purpose and substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the hulls of a life saving apparatus of paddles 11 and
rope 8, the paddles being secured to said rope by cord 12, substantially as described.
Sixth. The combination and arrangement of the parts of a life saving apparatus for
the purposes and substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying.
drawings.
Dated the 1st day of October 1889.
HERBERT J. ALLISON,
Agent for the Applicant.