IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE BOATS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE AT SEA."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Forster, of Streatham, in the County of
Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE BOATS FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF LIFE AT SEA."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Forster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August 1880.
THOMAS FORSTER, of Streatham, in the County of Surrey.
FLEXIBLE BOATS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE AT SEA."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The object of this Invention is mainly to provide a boat which when out of use
can be stowed away in a small space so that a number of them may be carried by
passenger vessels, and also so that when launched from a vessel they cannot be
swamped and lost, as is so frequently the case with ships' boats; in fact, boats
made according to this Invention might safely be lowered into the water by a rope
attached to one or other of their ends without any danger of their being injured or
capsized.
The boat is made with a bottom of waterproof material composed of stout canvas
covered on both sides with india rubber; the sides and ends are waterproof bags
or cells of the same material made up in one piece with the bottom; the ends are
tapered to a point and curved upwards so as to be higher at the stem and stern
than at the centre. The air tight bags or cells along the sides of the boat are
divided by a vertical longitudinal flexible partition each into two compartments;
the ends also are similarly divided into two or more compartments; small air
passages are provided in the partitions between the compartments so that when
air is pumped into one of them it may pass into and inflate the others. An air
pump of a bellows like form is fitted by preference on the top of the air tight
compartments at the bow and stern and is worked by a lever handle. The air
tight bags or cells are somewhat of a rounded form, so that their inner sides to
some extent overlap the waterproof bottom. Upon the top of this bottom is placed
a rigid floor which goes under the overhanging sides.
Along the top of each side of the boat is a stout wooden bar held to the top of
the bags forming the sides by lashing it to tabs of fabric incorporated with the
fabric of which the bags are formed.
Boards are placed at intervals across the boat to form seats; the ends of these
rest upon and are secured to the longitudinal bars, which are secured to the top of
Di c

page_text: the side bags. Stanchions are also fitted to these longitudinal bars and to the end
seats at either end of the boat. These carry a netting which forms a bulwark all
around the interior of the boat. The stanchions are made so that they can turn
down inwards on hinge joints, so that when the boat is to be stowed away they
can be turned down parallel with the bottom, and when the air has been discharged
from the bags the whole boat will flatten down and a number of such boats piled
one on the top of the other will occupy but little space.
When the stanchions are
turned up they can be secured and held by any suitable fastenings.
To the stern of the boat a rudder post is secured by lashings in the same way as
the bars are secured to the top of the sides.
.
The rudder when in place is hung on the post in such a way that it will not
become detached unless it rises the whole height of the post.
Along the centre of the bottom of the boat is also secured a keel, which when
the boat is in the water can be kept at right angles to the bottom by ropes passing
from its lower edge and secured to the two sides of the boat.
Rope handles are also attached to the sides of the boat by which it can be
lifted;
there is also a rope around the sides and ends of the boat and secured at
intervals to it, so that any one in the water might hold on this rope and get taken
into the boat. The boat is provided with oars which when the boat is stowed
away can be laid along the top of the side bags and secured to them, and also
provided with a removeable mast and sail which can be similarly stowed away.
when out of use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
William George Forster, executor of the said Thomas Forster, in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 28th February 1881.
WILLIAM GEORGE FORSTER, of Streatham, in the County of Surrey, Executor
of Thomas Forster, deceased. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLEXIBLE BOATS FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF LIFE AT SEA."
The object of this Invention is mainly to provide a boat which when out of use
can be stowed away in a small space, so that a number of them may be carried by
passenger-vessels, and also so that when launched from a vessel they cannot be
swamped and lost, as is so frequently the case with ships' boats; in fact, boats
made according to this Invention might safely be lowered into the water by a rope
attached to one or other of their ends without any danger of their being injured or
capsized.
Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed shows a side view of the boat ready for use,
and Figure 2 a transverse section taken on the line A, A, in Figure 1; Figure 3 is
a plan view on a smaller scale.
The boat is made with a bottom of waterproof material composed of stout
canvas covered on both sides with india rubber; the sides and ends are waterproof
bags or cells a, a, of the same material made up in one piece with the bottom; the
ends are tapered to a point and curved upwards, as shown in Figure 1, so as to be
higher at the stem and stern than at centre. The air tight bags or cells a, a, along
the sides of the boat are divided by a vertical longitudinal flexible partition b, b,
each in two compartments; the ends also are similarly divided into two or more
compartments. These divisions tie the top and bottom of the cells together and
keep the boat to the required form when the cells are inflated; each of the
longitudinal bags or cells may in addition be divided horizontally and also
transversely to subdivide it into a greater number of cells. An air pump of a
bellows like form is fixed by preference at c, c, on the top of the air tight
compartments at the bow and stern and may be worked by a lever handle. A
separate air pump may be provided for inflating each separate cell, or each cell
may in turn be coupled up with one or other of the pumps by a flexible tube or
otherwise, and when inflated may have the air retained in it by a suitable valve.
The air tight bags or cells are on the inside somewhat of a rounded form, so that
their inner sides to some extent overlap the waterproof bottom, as shown in
Figure 2. Upon the top of this bottom is placed a rigid floor d, d, of wood or
other suitable material, which goes under the overhanging sides. This rigid
floor d, d, is made of two or more sections according to the length of the boat.
Each section is divided longitudinally into two equal parts, which are connected
together by hinges in order to facilitate their being placed in position and removed
therefrom when the boat is not in use, and when in the boat the two parts of
each section may be stayed by cross bars to lock them together so as to form a rigid
bottom.
-
Along the top of each side of the boat is a stout wooden bar e, e, held to the top
of the bags forming the sides by lashing it to tabs of fabric f, f, incorporated with
the fabric of which the bags are formed.
The ends of these bars e, are also inserted into caps or sockets of fabric g, g,
incorporated with the fabric of which the bags are formed.
Boards are placed at intervals across the boat to form seats; the ends of these
rest upon and are secured to the longitudinal bars e, which are secured to the top
of the side bags. Stanchions i, i, are also fitted to these longitudinal bars e and to
the end seats h at either end of the boat. These carry a netting, which forms a
bulwark all around the interior of the boat.
The stanchions are made so that they can turn down inwards on hinge joints, so
that when the boat is to be stowed away they can be turned down parallel with

page_text: the bottom, as shewn by dotted lines in Figure 2, and when the air has been
discharged from the bags the whole boat will flatten down, and a number of such
boats piled one on the top of the other will occupy but little space.
When the
stanchions are turned up they can be secured and held by any suitable fastenings.
Some of the stanchions may also be formed to carry rowlocks, as shewn.
The pointed stern of the boat has an upright strengthening piece secured within
it, or is thickened, as shewn in the section, Figure 4, and on each side of it are
strips of fabric & incorporated with the fabric of which the bags are formed.
A rudder post Z, shaped to embrace the stern end of the boat, is secured to the
stern by lashings passed through it and through the strips of fabric. A rudder is
hung on to the rudder post in any ordinary manner, but preferably it is hung on
the post in such a way that it will not become detached unless it rises the whole
height of the post. The bow of the boat may also have a rigid strengthening piece
secured in front of it in a similar way by lashings.
Along the centre of the bottom of the boat is also secured a keel m; it is lashed
to tabs of fabric incorporated with the fabric of which the bottom of the boat is
formed; this keel, when the boat is in the water, can, if desired, be kept at right
angles to the bottom by ropes n passing from its lower edge and secured to the two
sides of the boat.
Rope handles o are also attached to the sides of the boat, by which it can be
lifted; there is also a rope p around the sides and ends of the boat and secured at
intervals to it, so that any one in the water might hold on this rope and get taken
into the boat. The boat is provided with oars, which, when the boat is stowed
away, can be laid along the top of the side bags and secured to them. And also
provided with a removeable mast and sail, which can be similarly stowed away
when out of use.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood I am aware that it has before
been proposed to construct boats of flexible material and with the sides and ends
formed of bags or cells which can be inflated with air; I do not therefore claim
generally the construction of flexible boats with the sides and ends formed of air
bags or cells, but I claim,-
First. The construction of flexible boats for the preservation of life at sea,
substantially as described and illustrated by the annexed Drawings.
Second. The combination with flexible collapsible boats of a folding keel, which
can be folded flat against the bottom of the boat when the boat is not in use.
Third. The means, substantially as described, of securing stem and stern posts
to flexible boats.
Fourth. The means, substantially as described, of securing a frame of wood or
other material upon the top of the sides of flexible boats.
Fifth. Placing a net work around such framing, the net work being carried by
stanchions which can turn downwards into a horizontal position or be locked and
held in a vertical position, substantially as described.
Sixth. The division of the waterproof bag forming the sides and ends of a
flexible boat into longitudinal cells by means of vertical longitudinal divisions,
which serve as ties and maintain the boat in the required form when inflated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William George Forster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one: