IMPROVE- MENTS IN FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE BOATS
Year: 1884

page_text: I GEORGE JOHN THEODORE BARRETT of 253 Essex Road, Islington in the County
of Middlesex Solicitor do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE BOATS" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in folding or collapsible boats.
For this purpose I form the bottom and the sides and ends of a number of frames
hinge jointed the one to the other.
The bottom I make of two rectangular frames each of half the length of the
bottom of the boat jointed together by hinge joints on their under side so that by
preference their under sides may be brought together when the boat is folded up.
Each side I also make of two rectangular frames of the same length. These
I hinge together end to end and also to the side edges of the two frames forming
the bottom in such way that they can be folded down so as to lie over the top of
these frames or be turned up into a position at right angles thereto.
When so turned up cross bars or seats may be put between the two sides to keep
the sides from turning inwards.
The bar or seat at the centre of the boat may also be formed at its ends to
clamp and hold together the abutting ends of the two frames which form each
side, so that they may then form a stiff girder to keep the two frames which form
the bottom in a plane one with another and prevent their folding together by
turning on the hinge joint which connects them.
Each end I form of a triangular frame jointed to the end of each half of the
bottom by a hinge which allows it to turn down over the top of the sides when
the boat is folded up. To the apex of the triangle are jointed two bars which at
their opposite end are jointed one to the top of the end of one side, the other to the
top of the end of the other side.
"When the boat is unfolded the two bars jointed to the apex of the triangular
end hold this end inclining upwards so as to bring the apex level with the top of
the sides.
When the boat is folded up these bars can lie between the two sides, as the sides
need not meet that is the sides may each be somewhat less in height than half the
width of the bottom. I also provide ties to prevent the sides from turning
outwards when the boat has been opened. The whole of the framework so con-
structed I cover externally with a waterproof canvas covering and at the joints

page_text: where the several parts are hinge jointed to one another I provide sufficient loose-
ness in the covering to allow the parts to be folded one over the other in the
manner described.
Boats constructed in this manner will when folded up occupy but little space-
They will only occupy a space of one half the area of the rectangular bottom by a
few inches in depth. Light boats formed in the above manner when opened out
will be perfectly serviceable for river work but heavier boats might be formed in
the same manner to serve as pontoons or for other purposes.
The two frames which form the rectangular bottom of the boat I preferably fill
in with light basket work to form a floor to the boat.
I, GEORGE JOHN THEODORE BARRETT of 253 Essex Road Islington in the County
of Middlesex Solicitor do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE BOATS and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in folding or collapsible boats.
For this purpose I form the bottom and the sides and ends of a number of frames
hinge jointed the one to the other.
The bottom I make of two rectangular frames each of half the length of the
bottom of the boat jointed together by hinge joints on their under side so that by
preference their under sides may be brought together when the boat is folded up.
Each side I also make of two rectangular frames of the same length. These
I hinge together end to end and also to the side edges of the two frames forming
the bottom in such way that they can be folded down so as to lie over the top of
these frames or be turned up into a position at right angles thereto. When so
turned up cross bars or seats may be put between the two sides to keep the sides
from turning inwards.
The bar or seat at the centre of the boat may also be formed at its ends to
clamp and hold together the abutting ends of the two frames which form each side
so that they may then form a stiff girder to keep the two frames which form the
bottom in a plane one with another and prevent their folding together by turning
on the hinge joint which connects them.
Each end I form of a triangular frame jointed to the end of each half of the
bottom by a hinge which allows it to turn down over the top of the sides when the
2'

page_text: boat is folded up.
To the apex of the triangle are jointed two bars which at their
opposite end are jointed one to the top of the end of one side the other to the top
of the end of the other side. When the boat is unfolded the two bars jointed to
the apex of the triangular end hold this end inclining upwards so as to bring the
apex level with the top of the sides. When the boat is folded up these bars can lio
between the two sides as the sides need not meet, that is, the sides may each be
somewhat less in height than half the width of the bottom. I also provide ties
to prevent the sides from turning outwards when the boat has been opened. The
whole of the framework so constructed 1 cover externally with a waterproof canvas
covering, and at the joints where the several parts are hinge jointed to one another
I provide sufficient looseness in. the covering to allow the parts to be folded one
over the other in the manner described.
Boats constructed in this manner will when folded up occupy but little space.
They will only occupy a space of one half the area of the rectangular bottom, by a
few inches in depth.
Light boats formed in the above manner when opened out will be perfectly
serviceable for river work, but heavier boats might be formed in the same manner
to serve as pontoons or for other purposes. The two frames which form the rect-
angular bottom of the boat I preferably fill in with light basket work to form a
floor to the boat.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effent. I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section.
Figure 3 is a plan and
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the same.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are diagrams illustrating the folding.
Figure 5 is the plan open and corresponds to Figure 3.
Figure 6 is the plan when the first fold is made, the sides being turned inwards
and laid flat upon the bottom.
Figure 7 is the plan when the second fold is made, the ends being turned inwards
and laid down flat.
Figure 8 is the plan when the last fold is made which brings together the under
sides of the two bottom frames.
In Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, a a are the two bottom frames hinged together at a¹.
bb are the side frames b' b¹ are the hinges which connect these with the bottom
frames and b² 6ª are the hinges which connect the frames b the one to the other.
These hinges are sufficiently long to reach to the underside of the bottom frames
when the parts are folded as in Figure 6 and the bottom frames are recessed to
receive them.
c, c, are removeable cross bars some or all of which serve as seats they support
the side frames. Webbings or flexible ties are also provided connecting diagonally
the frames b, b, to the bottom frames a, a, so that the hinges b₁ b₁ may be
prevented opening beyond the right angle. The central cross piece c is forked at
its ends and embraces the side bars of the frames b, b. A hook and eye fastening
is provided to retain the frames b, b, in position when the centre cross piece is
not used.
d, d, are the triangular end frames-they are connected with the bottom
frames a, a, by hinges d', d, which are sufficiently long to admit of the end frames
folding down flat over the side frames as represented in Figure 7.
e, o, are bars
jointed to the apices of the triangular frames & and also to the side frames b, b, at
their adjacent upper parts.

page_text: The bars e, e, when the boat is folded as in Figure 7 are received between the
side frames. Or if the sides be too high to admit of this the bars e may fold on to
the top of the side frames.
ff, is the covering of waterproof fabric or material,
When the end bars fold between the sides the canvas must be passed inside them
to enable the ends to lie flat.
At the ends of the boat I may provide air tight enclosures g, g, of any suitable
fabric or flexible material. g¹, g¹ are air tubes for allowing the enclosures g, g, to
inflate when the boat is set up for use. These tubes by their own weight hang
downwards in any position of the boat so that although they always remain open
water can never enter the enclosure by these tubes.
The boat may as already mentioned be provided with a light basket work floor.
In canoes or small boats the folding of the bottom may be dispensed with and
so also the joints at 6ª, b².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1.) A folding or collapsible boat of which the sides and ends fold inwards and
the bottom is jointed to fold transversely substantially as described.
(2.) A folding or collapsible boat of which the sides and ends fold inwards
substantially as described.
(3.) A. folding or collapsible boat substantially as herein described and represented
by the annexed drawings.