Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
We, ROBERT DIMOND MAYO, of Frankfort, in the County of Benzie and
State of Michigan, United States of America, Life Saving Seaman, and DONALD
A. MCLEOD, of 453 Fourth Street, Manistee, in the County of Manistee and
State of Michigan, United States of America, Civil Engineer and Contractor,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Our invention relates to improvements in life floats or life boats, and the object
of the invention is to provide a receptacle adapted to accommodate a predetermined
number of persons, and which receptacle will be capable of floating in any kind
of weather, and also capable of progression whether floating on its top or on its
bottom surface. A further object of the invention is to provide means for supplying
the interior with suitable quantities of air no matter what the position of the boat
may be, and whereby further when the boat is entirely submerged all communi-
cation from the outside will be instantly cut off. Another object of this invention
is to provide for signalling by means of rockets or otherwise from the interior
of the vessel, and to construct the vessel in the lightest, strongest and most
economic manner possible. Another object of this invention is to provide a life
boat or float in which the cage or carriage in which the persons are seated or
contained, will be unaffected by the movement of the hull, enabling the hull to
turn upside down, or to stand upon either side without carrying the cage out of
the perpendicular, and to provide means for supplying air to the living compart-
ment of the boat, the supply being unobstructed no matter in what position the
beat, may be placed, except when submerged, and whereby when the boat passes
below the surface of the water the water will automatically act to close the air
inlet temporarily, the valve through the medium of which the inlet is closed being
automatically opened the moment that the vessel is above the surface, or when a
portion of said vessel is so situated. Another object of the invention is to provide
ball bearings for the cage or car contained in the boat, so that friction will be
reduced to a minimum.
:
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had. to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the boat or float, taken at one side
of its centre and on the line 1-1 in Figure 2;
.
Figure 2 is a transverse section taken transversely on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,
looking in direction of one of the bulkheads;
1
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken through one end of the boat, illustrating.
the valves adapted for closing the air inlets;
Figure 4 is a detail view of the device for controlling the inlets of the air tubes;
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of the body or float;
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section through the said modified form';.
Figure 7 is a transverse section on the line 7-7 of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a similar view on the line:8-8. of Figure 6;
Figure 9 is a like section on the line 9-9 of Figure 6;
.. 1

page_text: Figure 10 is a' detail sectional view of a partition and ball bearing supports
located therein, and adapted as partial supports for the car in the modified form of
the boat;
Figure 11 is a detail sectional view of a portion of an inner bulkhead and that
portion of an air inlet tube which passes through the bulk-head in the aforesaid
modified form of the boat; and
Figure 12 is a partial side elevation of the upper portion of the air-inlet tube
in the modified form of the boat, illustrating the manner in which the valve is
controlled by the action of the water:
In carrying out the invention the hull may be constructed of any light and
durable material, as for example, aluminium, or a metal of any description, and it
will be preferably Mackinaw built that is to say having smooth sides without
overlapping sections. In plan view the hull is pointed at its ends, and it is provided.
with a keel 10, extending longitudinally along the centre of the top, which meets
the keel 11 extending correspondingly along the bottom of the hull, as shown
in Figure 1, and at the sides of the boat or float, fenders 13 are secured in any
approved manner. In cross section the boat is of greater width than height or
depth, as illustrated in Figure 2, and as both the deck and bottom of the hull slope
to the sides from the centre, the boat will ride either with its deck uppermost or
with its deck undermost, with perfect ease.
At both ends of the boat two bulkheads 14 and 15 are formed, of any strong
material, and these bulkheads fit snugly to the sides, top and bottom of the hull.
being: secured thereto by knees 16 or their equivalents. The spaces between the
outer bulkheads and the extremities of the hull are perfectly sealed, and are
virtually air chambers 17, while in that portion of the bull located between the
two bulkheads 14 and 15 a number of openings 18 are made for the admission of
air, the water which would likewise be admitted being provided against in a
manner to be hereinafter set forth..
Access is obtained to the living compartment A. of the vessel, which is located
between the inner bulklieads 15, through the medium of hatches 19, located
preferably in the deck at each side of the deck keel; and these hatches are
provided with suitable covers which are battened down from the interior of the
boat and sealed in a water-tight manner, the hatches being ordinarily screwed to
place; and at one or more points in the deck openings 20 are provided, covered
by doors 21 opening from the inside of the boat, and said openings are adapted
for signalling purposes; since rockets or equivalent signals may find an exit
through them."
At the central portion of the bottom of the body' within the living chamber A, a
ballast chamber 22 is formed; adapted to receive a water ballast in order that the
boat may be immersed in the water a desired distance; and the said ballast
chamber is preferably divided into two compartments a and a¹ by means of a
central partition 23, having an aperture or apertures therein, designated as 24 and
shown best in Figure 1. The valve 25 operated from the living: chamber A is
seated in the bottom of the hull, and by opening this valve to a greater or less
extent the amount of water ballast will be under control, the water passing freely
from one compartment' to 'the other.
The interior of the living chamber is upholstered or is otherwise fitted up for the
comfort of the occupants, and it is lighted by windows 26 located in the inner
bulkhead 15 at the sides thereof, the said windows being placed at the inner
extremities of tubes 28 of suitable diameter; which extend out to the end portions
of the hull through the air chambers 17. These windows are provided with caps 29,
adapted to be screwed on the window casing in order. that should the window
become broken the lighting: tube connected therewith may be closed to prevent
water entering the living compartment.
A third tube 30 located near the centre of each inner bulkhead 15 is passed out
to the end of the hull, and is adapted as a sight tube, through which observations
may be taken; and all of these tubes may be simply passed through the bulk-

page_text: heads 14, the windows being placed in registering openings in the inner bulk-
heads 15, so that in the event of water entering these tubes when the vessel is on
end, for example, or is tossing in the sea, the water will simply fall into the
air-receiving compartment contained between the bulkheads.
Two, air tubes B and B¹ are erected upon the inner face of each inner bulk-
hend 15, preferably at the centre of the said bulkhead, the air tube B being at the
starboard and the tube B' at the port side, as shown in Figure 2; and at the top
and bottom of the boat adjacent to each of the inner bulkheads a centrally located
reservoir 31 is formed, and the tube B, for example, communicates at one end with
the lower reservoir, or that at the bottom, its upper end communicating with the
air-receiving space between the two bulkheads, while the lower end of the opposite
tube communicates with the aforesaid air-receiving space, and its upper end is in
communication with what may be termed the deck reservoir 31. The two tubes
while extending parallel side by side for the greater portion of their length are
brought virtually one over the other at their extremities.
An opening 33 is made in each inner bulkhead 15 where the air tubes connect
with the air-receiving space between the bulkheads heretofore referred to and now
designated as 18. The air is intended to enter the air-receiving tubes through
their inlets 33, and at the opposite end of each of the air-receiving tubes, that is,
adjacent to the reservoir, an opening 34 is made in each of the said tubes,
communicating with the living compartment A; and these outlets 34, as the air
passes into the said compartment through them, are provided with gravity or
balance valves 35, which extend both inward and outward from the openings they
are intended to close, so that their inwardly-extending members form sheds to
prevent any water that might have accumulated in the lower reservoir from passing
out at the outlet 34 of the tube.
Thus, for example, when the boat is floating on its bottom keel, as shown in
Figure 1, the air will enter at the inlet opening 33. of that tube at each end of, the
vessel having its inlet uppermost, or near the top of the vessel, and the air will
then find entrance into the living compartment through the outlets 34 of the same
tubes, the valves in the other tubes being closed.
If, for example, the position of the boat should become reversed, some water may
find its way into the air tubes B and B' from either the sight tube 30 or the
lighting tubes 28, and as the position of the vessel changes, the reservoir of the
tubes B for example, that formerly supplied the air, will be carried at the top of
the vessel, and the reservoirs of the tubes B' that were inactive will then be at the
bottom of the vessel, since the vessel will float with its bottom keel upward, an 1
any water that may have entered the, air tubes will flow into the lowermost
reservoirs, while at the same time the outlet valves of the said air tubes B' will
automatically open, and the corresponding valves of the air tubes B will be
closed.
Thus it will be observed that there will be a constant supply of air to the living
compartment, no matter in what position the vessel may float, as long as a portion
of, the air-receiving chambers 18 are out of the water.
In the event of the vessel being entirely submerged, or should it accidentally
be submerged, the air inlets 33 communicating with the air-receiving compart-
ments 18 should at once be closed, and this is accomplished preferably as shown in
Figure 3.
A valve 37 is provided in each air-receiving compartment 18 for each inlet 33,
being normally held from these openings by means of springs 38 acting in an
This rod is also
outward direction upon a rod 30 connecting the two valves.
attached to a key 40 (Figure 4) which extends within the living compartment
through a suitably packed opening in the inner bulkhead between the air-receiving
tubes B and B¹. When the key is drawn inward the valves 37 will be closed over
the inlet openings, and by turning the key so as to bring its head over a rack 41
of any approved construction, the valves will be held closed; and the moment the
key is released the springs 38 will act instantly to open the valves, it being

page_text: "
understood that a key and a set of valves controlled thereby are located in each
air-receiving compartment.
A drogue pipe 42 extends from each end of the boat through the interior
bulkheads 15, in order to receive a drogue line for the purpose of holding the
boat's head up to the sea. Any approved form of sea anchor or drag may be
carried by this line, and it may be readily manipulated by any person in the living
compartment.
This boat is exceedingly simple in its construction, and it practically needs no
one skilled in seamanship to manage it.
In the modified form of the boat shown in Figure 5, the hull A' is preferably
cylindrical in cross section and tapering at its ends as in the first form described,
and it is provided with a bottom keel 10%, which is extended upward at its end to
meet a deck keel 11", while centrally between the deck and bottom keels side
keels 12 are formed on the hull, which meet the combined end portions of the
aforesaid upper and lower keels, as shown. Near each end of the boat two bulk-
heads 13 and 14 are erected, a space intervening each pair of bulkheads for the
purpose of receiving air, and this air-receiving chamber 15 is provided with
apertures 16 made in the hull and extending circumferentially thercof. The
inner bulkhead 13 at each end forms at each extremity of the boat an air-tight
compartment B2, and between the inner bulkheads 14" the living compartment C¹
of the boat is contained.
Within each of the air-receiving chambers 15ª an upright air-supply pipe 17* is
placed, being contained wholly within the said chamber, except that the lower end
of each of the air-supply pipes or tubes is carried through the inner bulkhead 14ª,
as is best shown in Figures 7 and 11. The bulkheads 14 are provided with
suitable packing 18b around the elbow portion of the said air-supply pipes, in order
that water shall not enter the said living compartment.
Ball bearings 19 are introduced between the elbow section of each air-supply
pipe and the bulkhead through which it passes, so that the hull of the boat may
turn bottom up, or upon its side without affecting the position of either of the said
air-supply tubes. The balls are kept in place by lock nuts 20, secured upon the
inner ends of the air-supply pipes, which are ordinarily threaded.
A valve 21 is located at the top of each of the air-supply pipes, and the valves
are provided with standards 22 (Figure 12) extending downward at each side of
the pipes with which they are connected, and the standards of each valve are
connected through the medium of stems 24 with floats 23º, the stems being pivoted
to the said pipes at opposite sides, and the weight of these floats will normally keep
the valves open.
The valves are guided by a central stem 25 shown in Figure 7, and may be
operated, if anything should happen to the floats, or when they are not brought
into action, by means of a chain 26" or its equivalent, attached to the stem of the
valve and carried through the air-inlet pipe and out at its inner or delivery end, as
is also shown in Figure 7. If in practice it is found desirable but one float 23* may
be used in operating the valve.
The living compartment C₁ is divided preferably by one or more skeleton
partitions 27 shown best in Figure 8, a single central one being illustrated in the
drawings. The partition 27 contains an opening at its centre, in which ball
bearings 28 are placed for engagement with a stud 29° passed loosely through the
aforesaid opening, the balls being held in place by a cap or a nut 30%, as shown in
Figure 10.
In each sub-compartment of the living compartment a car or cage D' is located,
comprising a frame 31", corresponding in general contour to the bottom portion of
the hull; and since the hull is preferably circular in cross-section the bottom of
the frame is somewhat circular or segmental. The frame is provided with end
sections 32, having arms 33" attached to their side portions, the said arms being
made to converge about centrally over the foot sections to meet an upright 34
The upright at each end of the cage or car is made in sectious connected by an

page_text: djusting sleeve 35ª or its equivalent, so that the bottom of the cage or car may be
aised or lowered with respect to the bottom of the hull. Each of the uprights 34*
erminates at its upper end in an eye 36", and these eyes are interiorly threaded in
order that the uprights at the outer ends of the car may be screwed upon the inner
ends of the air delivery tubes, while the eyes at the inner ends of the car are
screwed upon or otherwise secured to the stud or shaft 29 journaled in the
partition 27. The framework of each car or cage is provided with any desired
number of seats 37 conveniently arranged.
Thus it will be observed that no matter in what direction the hull may be
turned it will move without affecting the equilibrium of the cars or cages,
which remain pendent, and if they have any motion at all will have a slight
pendulum one.
i
In order that the cars shall have no end movement, guide wheels 38" are placed
at the ends of the car frame, for engagement, one set with the inner bulkheads and
the other set with the partition 27. Should the boat become submerged, and the
water should therefore enter the air-receiving chambers 15°, as shown in Figure 7,
the water would raise the floats 23ª, and thereby automatically close the outer ends
of the air-conducting tubes. Suitable hatchways 39 are provided, whereby the
boat may be entered, and windows 40" are made in the inner bulkheads, receiving
light from the air-receiving chambers 15°, and a tube 41* is passed through each of
the air compartments B', in order that a drogue line 42" may be attached to the
vessel to keep its head to the sea.
This form of vessel is exceedingly simple in its construction, and will afford a
comfortable and safe means of travel in the event of disaster at sea.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,:
t
1. A life boat or float constructed substantially as
described.
herein shown and
2. In a life boat, air-supply tubes in communication with the living compartment
and in communication with the exterior of the boat, a water reservoir connected
with each tube, and valves controlling outlets for air located near the said water
reservoirs, as and for the purpose specified..
3. In a life boat, air-supply pipes or tubes each provided with an inlet near one
end in communication with the outside atinosphere, and an outlet near the opposite
end in communication with the living compartment of the vessel, and gravity valves
located at the outlets of the said supply tubes, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
4. A life boat having openings in its hull between its air compartments and inner
bulkheads, air-supply tubes in communication at one end with. the said apertured
compartments, the opposite ends of the tubes being in communication with the
living compartment of the vessel and provided with a reservoir for water, an outlet
for air adjacent to the reservoir, and valves located at the said outlets and adapted
to form a partial cover for the reservoir near which they are located, the said
valves being further adapted for automatic action, as and for the purpose
specified.
5. A life boat having openings in its hull between its air compartments and inner
bulkheads, air-supply tubes in communication at one end with the said air
compartments, the opposite ends of the tubes being in communication with the
living compartment of the vessel and provided with a reservoir for water, an outlet
for air adjacent to the reservoir, valves located at the said outlets and adapted to
form a partial cover for the reservoir, near which they are located, the said valves
being further adapted for automatic action, valves located in the open compartment
between the air compartments and inner bulkheads and adapted. to close the inlets
of the air supply. tubes, and meaus, substantially as described, for operating the
said valves from the living room of the vessel, as and for the purpose specified.
J

page_text: 6. In the construction of life boats, a hull having a keel surrounding the same
and provided at each end with an, air-tight compartment, inner bulkheads' between
which the living compartment is located, and valve-controlled air ducts communi-
cating with the 'living compartment and the space between the air compartment
and the inner bulkheads, which space is, in communication with the outside
'atmosphere, as and for the purpose specified.
7. In the construction of life boats, a hull having a 'keel surrounding the same
and provided at each end with an air-tight compartment, inner bulkheads between
which the living compartment is located, valve-controlled air-ducts.communicating
with the living compartment and the space, between the air compartment and inner
bulkheads, which space is in communication with the outside atmosphere, a water-
ballast compartment located in the hull, and a valve.controlling the opening in the
said hull, the said valve being adapted for the supply of air to the said ballast
compartment, as and for the purpose specified.
8. A life boat provided with, a tube extending from its living, compartment
through the exterior of its' hill, adapted to receive a drogue line, as and for the
'purpose set forth.
9. In a life boat or float, an interiorly located cage or car having pendulum
support, as and for the purpose specified."
10. In a life boat or Hoat, a car or cage, and bearings supporting the same
journaled in supports within 'the said boat or float, whereby the said car or cage
will remain in substantially perpendicular position below its axis, no matter in
what direction the hull may roll, as and for the purpose set forth.
11. In a life boat or float, air inlets or supplies, and float valves controlling the
same, as and for the purpose set forth.
12...In a life boat or float, a hull provided with, a living compartiment, air com-
partments at its ends, and an air-supply compartment between the living and air
compartments, communicating with the outside atmosphere, and air-inlet tubes
located in the air-receiving compartments and leading into the living compartment,
the hull being adapted to revolve around the said tubes, as and for, the purpose
.specified.
13. In a life boat or float, a hull provided with a living compartment, air com-
partments at its ends, and an air-supply compartment between the living and air
compartments, communicating with the exterior atmosphere, air-inlet tubes located
in the air-receiving compartments and leading into the living compartment, the hull
being adapted to revolve around said tubes, and a car or cage having a pendulum
suspension from the inner ends of the said air inlet tubes, as aud for the purpose
>>specified.
14. In a life boat or float, the combination, with a hull provided with a living
compartment, sealed air compartments at its ends, and an air receiving compartment
between each sealed compartment and living compartment, the air-receiving com-
partments being provided with openings extending out through the hull and
practically around the same, air-supply tubes located in the air-receiving com-
partments, being passed through the bulkheads thereof into the living compartment.
the huil. being capable of revolving around the inner portions of the said tubes, and
valves operated by the action of the water, located in the said air-receiving
compartments and adapted to close or to open the air-supply pipes, as and for the
-purpose set forth.
15. In a life boat or float, the combination, with a bull provided with a living
compartment, sealed air compartments at its ends; and an air receiving compartment
between each sealed compartment and living compartment,. the air-receiving com-
partments being provided with openings extending out through the hull and
practically around the same, air supply tubes located in the air-receiving com-
partments, being passed through the bulkheads thereof into the living compartment,
the bull being capable of revolving around the inner portions of the said tubes,
avalves operated by the action of 'the water, located in the said air-receiving
compartments and adapted to close or to open the said air-supply pipes, and a cage

page_text: or car pendent from and pivotally connected with the inner walls of the said living
compartment, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
16. In a life boat or float, the combination, with a hull provided with a living
compartment, sealed air compartments at its ends, and an air-receiving compartment
between each sealed compartment and living compartment, the air-receiving com-
partments being provided with openings extending out through the hull and
practically around the same, air supply tubes located in the air-receiving compart-
ments, being passed through the bulkheads thereof into the living compartment, the
hull being capable of revolving around the inner portions of said tubes, valves
operated by the action of the water, located in the said air-receiving compartments
and adapted to close or to open the air supply pipes, a cage or car pendent from
and pivotally connected with the inner walls of the said living compartment, guides
attached to the car or cage, and ball bearings located at the junction of the support
of the car or cage with the supports provided for them in the interior of the hull,
as and for the purpose specified.
17. A boat adapted as a life boat, or for submarine purposes, and of substan-
tially cylindrical shape in cross section, having couical ends and a keel extending
around the boat from top to bottom in a longitudinal direction, and side keels
likewise extending around the hull, connecting with the fore-and-aft keels, as and
for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 24th dor of Santambor 1005
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.