AN IMPROVED RAFT AND LIFE-BOAT, APPLICABLE, ALSO AS A MILITARY PONTOON
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pastor Perez de la Sala, of Bond Court Chambers,
Walbrook, in the City of London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED RAFT
AND LIFE-BOAT, APPLICABLE, ALSO AS A MILITARY PONTOON."
ealed the 26th June 1877, and dated the 28th February 1877.“,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pastor Perez de la Sala
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, on the 28th February 1877.
PASTOR PEREZ DE LA SALA, of Bond Court Chambers, Walbrook, in the City of
London. "AN IMPROVED RAFT AND LIFE-BOAT, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A MILITARY
PONTOON."
This Invention consists in so forming a raft of flexible buoyant waterproof
material strengthened with strips of pine or such like buoyant inaterial that the
raft may either lie flat and. float upon the surface of water or may even when
floating be drawn together into, the form of a boat. To effect this I attach to a
stout sheet of waterproof canvas or other buoyant waterproof material a number of
parallel strips, say of pine, at a slight distance apart from one another; the water-
proof. material connecting the strips thus serving as hinge joints between the strips.
The strips are placed longitudinally of the raft so that the sides of the raft may be
bent upwards, until they assume the form of a boat. Near the ends of the raft
there are cross.divisions.in the longitudinal strips to allow the ends to turn up and
form the ends of the boat; .parts of the end strips are also cut away, so that when
the ends of the raft are thus turned upwards the canvas may form into pleats
between them. Towards each end of the raft a cord is led along each of its sides,
and is passed through eyes on each of the end strips, and it is then led back and
attached to the centre of the end of the canvas; thus when the cords at the sides of
the raft are. hauled upon, the ends are caused to assume the form of the end of a
boat, whilst at the same time the sides are caused to curve upwards and approach
one another. By securing the ropes the raft can then be retained in the form of a
boat.
£
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Along the bottom of the boat may be a strip of wood to form a floor, and stops
upon the strips attached to the canvas may come against the sides of the floor piece,
thus the sides of the boat will be restrained from coming together. Other cross
1

page_text: pieces may also be applied to keep the sides of the boat at the required distance
apart. The rigid strips of wood or other material may be secured to both sides of
the waterproof canvas, or strips of wood, cork, or other material may be placed in
the centre between two thicknesses of canvas.
Ten raft life-boats constructed as above described, and capable of saving one
hundred persons can readily be stowed on board any vessel, as they would hardly
occupy more space than an ordinary boat intended to save the life of ten persons.
The raft boat can also be applied for crossing rivers or lakes, as well as for the rapid
landing of troops, or for conveying troops rapidly across a river at any desirable
point; they may also serve as pontoons for military bridges.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Pastor Perez de la Sala in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th August 1877.
"
PASTOR PEREZ DE LA SALA, of Bond Court Chambers, Walbrook, in the City of
London. AN IMPROVED RAFT AND LIFE-BOAT, APPLICABLE ALSO AS A MILITARY
PONTOON."
This Invention consists in so forming a raft of flexible buoyant waterproof
material strengthened with boards of pine or such like buoyant material that the
raft may either lie flat and float upon the surface of the water, or may, even when
floating, be drawn together into the form of a boat, lighter, barge, pontoon, or other
craft: Two examples of such structures are shewn in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
The structure shewn at Figures 1, 2, and 3, is composed of a stout sheet of water-
proof canvas a, or other buoyant waterproof flexible material, having attached to
each side of it a number of parallel boards b,.say of pinc, at a slight distance apart
from one another; the waterproof material which connects the boards will thus
serve as hinge joints. The boards b are placed longitudinally of the raft, so that
the sides of the raft may be bent until they assume the form of a boat, as shown at
Figures 2 and 3. Near the ends of the raft there are cross divisions c in the
longitudinal boards to allow the ends b¹ to turn up and form the ends of the boat,
parts of the end boards b¹ are also cut away so that when the ends of the raft are
thus turned upwards the canvas may form into pleats between them, as shewn at
Figures 2 and 3, or the pleats may be on the outside of the boat. Towards each
end of the raft a cord or rope is led through eyes c*, at its sides, then through eyes
d on the under side of the pieces 6', and across the under side of the raft, and
through eyes e along the edge of the end of the canvas; thus when the cords at the
sides of the raft are hauled upon, the ends are caused to assume the form of the end
of a boat, as shewn at Figures 2 and 3, whilst at the same time the sides are caused
to double upwards and approach one another. On the ropes are eyes f, and by
slipping these over the hooks g the ropes are secured, and the raft retained in its
boat-like form. Other means than those shewn may, if desired, be adopted for
securing the ropes.
Along the bottom of such boats or vessels may be a strip of wood to form a floor,
and stops upon the boards b which are attached to the canvas may come against the
sides of the floor piece, thus the sides of the boat will be restrained from coming
together. Other cross pieces may also be applied to keep the sides of the boat at
the required distance apart. The rigid boards of wood or other material may be
secured to both sides of the waterproof canvas, as shewn in the Drawings above
described, or strips of wood, cork, or other material may be placed in the centre
between two thicknesses of canvas.
Another form of raft which may similarly be converted into a lighter, barge, or
life-boat is shewn at Figures 4, 5, and 6. When such a structure has been drawn

page_text: together, and made to assume the form of a lighter or barge, as shewn at Figures 5
and 6, the two central boards b are kept in a line with one another by means of
wooden cross pieces h fixed to a central longitudinal beam i so as to form a flat
floor. The lower part of the sides of the lighter or barge are also by this means
kept at the required distance apart, whilst at the gunwale the sides arė kept apart
by other stretchers k, k. The number and strength of such cross pieces and
stretchers will vary according to the size of the structure. In other respects the
structure is very similar to the one, shewn at Figures 1, 2, and 3; the end pieces 6'
having eyes attached to them, through which is passed a rope c, by which the sides
can be drawn together, and the ends doubled inwards as shewn.
Lighters or barges, such as above described, may be easily carried by any vessel,
as when flattened out they can be folded on their centre and sides; they may thus,
when necessary, be used as life-boats.
Ten such boats, capable of saving one hundred persons, can readily be stowed on
board any vessel, as they would hardly occupy more space than an ordinary boat
intended to save the life of ten persons.
Similar structures to those above described can also be applied for crossing rivers
or lakes, as well as for rapid landing of troops or for conveying troops rapidly across
a river at any desirable point; they may also serve as pontoons for military bridges.
Portable baths may also be made in the same manner.
When in forming structures, such as hereinbefore described, boards of pine or
other wood are secured on opposite sides of a sheet of canvas or other material, I
secure together the boards on the opposite sides of the canvas by means of closed
hollow tubes or connections of wood or other material inserted through perforations
made through the boards crosswise of the grain. By this means not only are the
boards firmly connected one to the other, but at the same time they are rendered of
less specific gravity, so that the boards may even be of a wood of greater specific
gravity than water.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,
First. The construction of rafts of flexible waterproof material strengthened with
boards of pine or other material, and capable of being drawn together by cords or
their equivalents into the form of a boat, lighter, barge, pontoon, or such like craft;
also the construction of baths in the same manner, substantially as described.
Second. Uniting boards of pine or other strengthening material to the opposite
sides of canvas or other waterproof flexible material and to one another by hollow
rivets closed at the ends, as and for the purpose herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pastor Perez de la Sala, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
PASTOR PEREZ DE LA SALA. (L.S.)