IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTING OF LIFE AND OTHER BOATS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTING OF LIFE AND
OTHER BOATS."-A communication from abroad by Matthias Ludlum, of
Fairhaven, in the State of Vermont, United States of America.
Sealed the 16th August 1859, and dated the 13th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th June 1859.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FITTING OF LIFE AND
OTHER BOATS," to be as follows:→
This Invention relates to that description of life and other boats which are
provided with floats along either outside thereof. The floats it is preferred
to construct of an oblong or oval form in their transverse section. These floats
are fitted to the boat so as to secure for them a large buoyant capacity within
only a moderate extension of them beyond the sides of the boat. I also prefer,
and by preference they are constructed of ten (more or less) separate air-tight
canisters arranged in lines corresponding in direction with the length of the

page_text: boat, and terminating so as to form elevated prow ends to the float. These
canisters may be connected by a continuous brace, and the whole be held
together by clasp or other bands on the exterior of the float.
The boat is fitted with air or water-tight lockers at either end of the boat
for the stowage of provisions or other articles, and water tanks are to be
placed below them for supplying water to the crew through taps or faucets.
The lockers above the tanks may be converted into air compartments for
the same purpose, and should be provided with water-tight doors of a valvular
construction, by forming them of outer lids suitably hung and capable of being
secured when closed, and carrying within them independent lids acted upon by
semi-elliptic or other springs interposed between the inner and outer lids.
The inner lids may be faced with some soft material, and should shut against
the projecting edges of inner frames, and be held in close contact therewith by
the interposed springs on closing to the outer lids or doors.
The sides of the boat on its interior may also be constructed with lockers
made in compartments or otherwise, to contain clothing, provisions, or other
articles. These lockers should also be convertible into air compartments, and
should be provided with double doors similar to those of the end lockers.
The floats which are arranged along the outsides of the boat, so that the
gunwales of the boat will serve to protect them, are rigged to the boat in such
manner that they may either be drawn in into close proximity with the sides
of the boat, or be thrown out their entire width (more or less) from the boat.
This action is secured to the floats by providing them with loops or eyes at
either end and intermediately of their length, and hanging or hinging them
thereby on hooks screwed into the sides of the boat; they may be held from
accidental unshipping by detachable caps bolted to the boat and covering
the hooks. An elastic fender surrounding or surmounting the gunwales of
When the
the boat serves to prevent injury thereto from concussion.
floats are thrown out from the side of the boat, they may have a bearing
throughout their length against a shield on either side of the boat, and they
may further be held from being thrown out beyond their proper limits by
chains connecting the ends of either float with the boat, while the floats may
be held secure against the action of the waves and from moving inwards from
their set outer position by braces hinged to the floats, so as to fall of their own
weight when the floats are thrown outwards, and biting into racks or notches
in the sides of the boat. The floats are thrown outwards by coiled springs
surrounding the one arm of guards, and acting against ears at or near the ends
of either float. These guards protect the float from injury. The floats. are
drawn in by pulling on cords or chains connected with the floats, or with

page_text: the braces attached thereto, and passing through the keel. In connection
with these adjustable or with stationary floats rigged to the outsides of the
boat, may be an open or trelliswork railing attached to either float, and
arranged to project below it. These railings not only serve to stiffen the floats
and prevent their warping, but also afford foot hold for persons in the water
for whom there may not be room in the boat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 13th December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 THE FITTING OF LIFE AND OTHER BOATS," being a com-
munication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,.
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,

page_text: relates to that description of life and other boats which are provided with
floats extending along its opposite sides. The floats it is preferred to construct
of an ablong or oval form in their traverse section, their shortest diameter
being in the direction of the width of the boat or thereabouts, so as to secure
for them a large buoyant capacity with a small or contracted lateral expansion.
These floats are constructed, by preference, of air-tight metallic canisters
arranged in line corresponding in direction with the length of the boat, and
terminating so as to form elevated prow ends thereto; or they may be made
with a cork filling, or india-rubber bags or other suitable buoyant material
may be employed. The canisters are carried with wood, and may be con-
nected by a continuous brace, the whole being held together by clasp or other
bands on the exterior of the float. This construction of float will ensure
strength and lightness, and when desired one or more of the canisters.may be
easily removed and replaced by others in case of accident. The division of the
floats into water-tight compartments will increase their efficiency by rendering
them the more 'secure against accidents. The canisters may be made of zinc or
copper, or in the case of a gun boat (to which the improvement is applicable)
of galvanized iron. The exterior of the floats may be made of cedar. This
construction, however, of 'the floats may, as regards details, be more or less
varied at pleasure.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents a side view of a lifeboat
constructed according to this improvement; Fig. 2 is an inverted plan or view
of the boat turned upside down; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of
the boat; and Figures 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sections of the boat with
the floats that pertain to it in different positions. Like letters or marks of
reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several Figures.
- A is the boat proper, which may be made of any suitable size, form, and
material; it may be provided with cross seats, and any approved means for
effecting its propulsion. B, B, are air or water-tight lockers or safes at either
end of the boat for the stowage of provisions or other articles; and C, C, are
tanks, which may be supplied with water by pipes a, a, and from which the
water may be drawn off as required by lower faucets b, b. These tanks may
he converted into air compartments to assist in buoying up the boat should
occasion require, by emptying the tanks of their water, and then closing the
faucets b, b, and plugging the supply pipes a, a, at their tops, or closing them
by caps c, c. The lockers B, B, above the tanks may be converted into
air compartments for the same purpose, and should be provided with water-
tight doors of a valvular construction by forming them of outer lids D, D,
suitably hung, and capable of being fastened when closed, and carrying within

page_text: them independent lids d, d, acted upon by semi-elliptical or other springs
interposed between the inner and outer lids. The inner lids d, d, may be
faced with some soft material, and should shut against the projecting edges of
inner frames e, e, and be held in close contact therewith by the interposed
springs on closing the outer lids or doors. By this construction of double doors
a water-tight joint is secured, and the same movement that opens or closes the
outer lid D, opens or closes the inner lid d, and failure of the outer lid or door
to set close to its seat does not destroy the efficiency of the inner lid.
The sides of the boat on its interior may also be constructed with lockers E, E,
made in compartments or otherwise, to contain clothing, provisions, or other
articles. These lockers should also be convertible into air compartments, and
should be provided with double doors similar to those of the end lockers.
These double doors (as before described) for the several lockers may vary in
shape according to the form of the opening they are designed to close, and be
made of an oblong, square, round, or other desired shape.
The boat at its bottom may be provided with plugs or valves F, F, F, F,
arranged along either side of the keel for emptying her of water, but these and
many other of the devices previously named may be omitted, if desired, or
other appliances added. G, G, are the floats arranged along the outsides of
the boat, and preferably so that the gunwales of the boat will serve to protect
them. These floats are made with prow ends, and are rigged to the boat in
such manner that they may either be drawn in into close proximity with the
sides of the boat or be thrown out their entire width (more or less) from the
boat, without, however, in either case or of necessity changing their buoyant
or original shape, which distinguishes them from mere collapsible floats. This
action is secured to the floats by providing them with loops or eyes f,f, at
either end and intermediately of their length, and banging or hinging them
thereby on hooks g, g, screwed into the sides of the boat. This mode of
fastening facilitates detachment of the floats when required, and they may be
held from accidental unshipping by detachable caps h, h, bolted to the boat
over two or more of and covering the hooks.
By referring to Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen that the floats G, G, (one on
either side of the boat,) may be made to lie either in close proximity to the
sides of the boat, or be thrown out a considerable distance, therefrom, in
assuming which different positions they will serve as it were to give more or
less width of beam to the boat to suit varying circumstances. The float on the
one side may also be thrown out while the other float is kept in, when the
exigencies of the case make that a desirable distribution of the floats. The
circumstances under which such alterable and manageable actions of the floats

page_text: will be found serviceable are numerous. Whether drawn in or thrown out, the
floats still preserve their buoyant figure. When drawn in, the floats may bear
throughout their length against the sides of the boat, and need not project any
further from the sides than will secure them being held "covered" or protected
by an elastic fender H, surrounding or surmounting the gunwales of the boat,
and serving to prevent injury thereto from concussion. When the floats are
thrown out from the sides of the boat, they may have a bearing throughout
their length against a shield or piece I, one on either side of the boat, and
they may be further held from being thrown out beyond their proper limits by
chains i, i, connecting the ends of either float with the boat, while the floats
may be held secure against the action of the waves, and from moving inwards
from their set outer position by braces K, K, hinged to the floats, so as to fall
of their own weight, when the floats are thrown outwards, and biting into
racks or notches in the sides of the boat: The floats are thrown outwards by
springs, l, coiled round an arm of the guards L, L, and acting against ears
m, m, at or near the ends of either float.
These guards L, L, are intended to
protect the floats from injury. The floats are drawn in by pulling on cords or
chains n, o, connected with the floats or with the braces attached thereto.
These cords or chains pass through the keel and through staples in the sides
of the boat to prevent sagging, and carry at their upper ends rings which,
when the floats are drawn in, bitch on to side hooks or pins r, s. On releasing
these rings from their holding pins, the springs 1, l, throw the floats out.
Any other suitable devices, however, than those here described may be used
for throwing out, or drawing in, and for fastening or holding the floats in either
position.
In connection with these adjustable floats, or with stationary floats rigged
to the outsides of the boat, an open or trelliswork railing N may be used,
the same being attached to either float, and arranged to project below it for
the purpose of stiffening the floats and prevent their warping, and also to
afford foot hold for persons in the water, for whom there may not be room in
the boat. It is not, however, proposed to use this railing in all applications of
the Invention. It should also be remarked that the adjustable floats may be
so applied to the boat's sides as not only to allow of their being moved out
laterally, as explained, but also to rise up to even above the gunwales, so as
to serve as fenders and also allow of oars plying freely between the gun-
wales and the floats. The details of the arrangement for thus modifying the
adjustment of the floats will readily suggest themselves to any practical.
shipwright.
A lifeboat constructed or fitted as above explained can go over from the.

page_text: vessel into the water in but one, and that the right way; its floats are its
ways" or runners.
The improvement may be applied with advantage to gun boats, surf boats,
fishing boats, and pleasure and other boats.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the
Fitting of Life and other Boats," as communicated to me from abroad, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim the fitting of
boats in the manner and for the purpose berein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)