Improvements in and connected with Yachts and other Boats or Vessels,
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 8th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Yachts and other Boats or
Vessels,
I, CHARLES PELHAM Junior, of 36, Pier Road, Littlehampton, in the County
of Sussex, Captain of Yacht, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
This invention relates to improvements applicable to yachts and other boats or
vessels having drop-keels or centre-boards.
According to my invention I make the casing of the drop-keel or centre-board
collapsible in such a manner that, when the drop-keel is lowered, the casing falls
with it so that, when the boat is under weigh, the space usually occupied by the
casing is rendered available. This arrangement allows of the usual long handles
being dispensed with.
In order to prevent shingle, sand or the like getting into the space between the
drop-keel and the sides of the casing when the boat is beached or otherwise lying
aground I provide the bottom of the drop-keel with a flange so that, when the keel
is raised, the said flange closes the opening in the bottom of the casing.
In cases where the drop-keel is arranged so that it may have a movement in a
lateral direction instead of providing it with a flange as above stated I make use of
a plate which can slide horizontally in a slot in the keel proper of the boat. The
said sliding plate has a slot in it through which the drop-keel can pass. My said
sliding plate is of a width greater than the width of the opening in the casing
Bo that, as the drop-keel is moved laterally, the said plate will always cover the
opening in the casing no matter into what position the drop-keel may be moved,
thereby preventing a rush of water into the casing when the boat is on the
water, and also preventing the entrance of shingle and the like when the boat is
aground.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Yachts and other Boats or
Vessels.
I, CHARLES PELHAM Junior, of 36, Pier Road, Littlehampton, in the County
of Sussex, Captain of Yacht, 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 improvements applicable to yachts and other boats or
vessels having drop-keels or centre-boards.
According to my invention I make the casing of the drop-keel or centre-board
collapsible in such a manner that, when the drop-keel is lowered, the casing falls
with it so that, when the boat is under weigh, the space usually occupied by the
casing is rendered available. This arrangement allows of the usual long handles
being dispensed with.
In order to prevent shingle, sand or the like getting into the space between the
drop-keel and the sides of the casing when the boat is beached or otherwise lying

page_text: aground I provide the bottom of the drop-keel with a flange so that, when the keel
is raised, the said flauge closes the opening in the bottom of the casing.
In cases where the drop-keel is arranged so that it may have a movement in a
lateral direction, instead of providing it with a flange as above stated I make use
of a plate which can move horizontally in a slot in the keel proper of the boat.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a boat having the ordinary drop-keel arranged
within a collapsible casing; and,
Figure 2 is a section on the line a x, Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but representing the keel as projecting
through the bottom of the boat and the casing consequently collapsed:
Figures 4 and 5 are a side elevation and plan respectively of the centre-board
detached:
Figure 6 is a plan view representing the application of my invention to a drop-
keel adapted to have a lateral movement imparted to it:
Figure 7 is a section on the line y y, Figure 6; and,
Figure 8 is a section on the line z z, Figure 7.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
a is the centre-board or drop-keel, and 6 the casing enclosing the same, the said
casing being composed of the top piece c to which the drop-keel is directly attached
and of the collapsible portion d. The said collapsible portion, as shewn in the
drawings, is secured to the floor of the boat by means of a clamping collar e which
also serves as a seating upon which the part c of the casing will rest, as shewn in
Figure 3, when the casing is collapsed, whilst the upper edge of the collapsible
portion d of the casing is, as shewn, secured to the top c of the casing.
fis the flange which I place upon the bottom of the ordinary drop-keel and
which, when the drop-keel is drawn up into the boat as shown in Figures 1 and 2,
serves to prevent shingle, sand or the like from getting into the slot through which
the drop-keel moves.
The collapsible casing is supported in the position shewn in Figure 1 by means
of legs g, g pivotted at their upper ends to a bar / secured to the top e of the casing
and at their lower ends adapted to bear upon the floor of the boat, as shewn most
clearly in Figure 2.
In Figures 6, 7 and 8 which illustrate the application of my invention to a drop-
keel adapted to be moved laterally in order to place it at an angle to the ordinary
keel, indicates the movable plate which I use in lieu of the flange ƒ upon the
bottom of the drop-keel. The said plate is pivotted at ; in a recess & in the
ordinary keel and is provided with a slot through which the drop-keel can move.
The said sliding-plate is of greater width than the opening in the bottom of the
boat so that, as the drop-keel is moved laterally, the said plate will always cover
the said opening no matter into what position the drop-keel may be moved,
thereby preventing a rush of water into the casing when the boat is on the water
and also preventing the entrance of sand, shingle and the like when the boat is
aground.
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 :-
1. In a yacht or other boat having a drop-keel or centre-board, the combination
with the said drop-keel or centre-board of a collapsible casing, substantially as, and
for the purposes, described.
2. The combination with a drop-keel or centre-board of a casing, the top of
which is rigid and carries the collapsible portion whilst the walls of the said casing
are collapsible, substantially as described..
3. The combination with a drop-keel mounted in a collapsible casing of a flange

page_text: fixed to the said keel or of a pivotted plate having a slot through which the drop-
keel passes, substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
4. The improvements in or connected with yachts and other boats and vessels
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 8th day of November 1892.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.