IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFE AND OTHER BOATS BUOYS RAFTS OR FLOATING APPARATUS"
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Ray Hodgson of Poplar in the County of
Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
LIFE AND OTHER BOATS BUOYS RAFTS OR FLOATING APPARATUS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Ray Hodgson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1883.
JOSEPH RAY HODGSON of Poplar in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFE AND OTHER BOATS BUOYS RAFTS OR FLOATING
APPARATUS
"
.. This invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
buoys, boats, or floating apparatus of the character described in the specification
of Letters. Patent granted to the said Joseph Ray Hodgson dated 12th May
1882 N° 2245 and consists in making life boats and ship's boats much cheaper and
simpler and yet giving the same good sailing and rowing qualities and also
with the same strength and stability as those manufactured under the said
specification.
According to my present improvements I make two tubes (both alike) of
woven material say of cotton, flax, jute, or hemp or any other suitable material, or
I make the tubes of any kind of leather or green hide either stuffed or on a suitable
frame-work which may be or not coated inside with paint or india rubber solution
or any other waterproof solution painted outside and they may also be properly
and thoroughly tanned to preserve them from rotting.
These tubes are either made in one piece or woven in several pieces sewn
together and of the same proportional shape as in the said specification i,e, the
ends are made smaller in cross section than at the middle for the purpose of
giving better lines and insuring good rowing and sailing qualities.
The tubes are then filled with any suitable buoyant material or materials such
for example as cork shavings or they may be built of cork or other light material
or they may be kept open by means of a strong metal or wood framework fitted
inside the said tubes,

page_text: The tubes are fastened together at the ends by sewing with or without metal or
wood stems the stems being dispensed with when cheapness is an object.
Between the tubes i,e, in the centre of the boat (the tubes forming the sides and
ends) I put a strong framework of wood or metal either or both combined or any
other suitable material formed of two stringers which are lashed by means of rope
(great longitudinal and transverse strength is thus given to the whole to resist any
strain) to the inner side of the two tubes or the said stringers can be made to fit
inside the tubes and the two tubes sewn up afterwards or they can be carried
right through the two tubes and made to act as keel and gunwale if preferred or I
put stringers outside the tubes as well as inside and advantageously bolt them
together with through bolts from side to side.
Several stretchers limited to the size of the boat and also acting as stretchers
when the boat is used for rowing purposes are placed horizontally across the boat
attached to the stringers and thus keeping them in the required place.
Within this framework I put deck work of any suitable material but
advantageously of taut hemp or other fibrous material deck as in the aforesaid
specification attached to the said stringers.
It may not generally be known but it is a proved fact that no water comes up
through this deck and if any water is shipped it runs through the meshes of the
deck it is also very good when persons are thrown on the deck it does not hurt
them. On the outside of the tube can be placed rubbing wales or stringers of
wood or metal with or without a covering of cork or india rubber and a rudder
may be fitted at either end and thwarts are fitted with pins and lanyards so as to
be used on the top or bottom of the boat and rowlocks are fitted with lanyards so
as to be used on the top or bottom of the boat. When gunwales and keels are not
used the rowlocks grummets are fitted by lashings of course when cheapness is an
object, I dispense with the keels and gunwales also the rubbing wales any or all
of them
Life lines are secured to the boat and rings for towing and hoisting purposes are
also fitted..
According to my improvements I produce a boat with great strength with all
the perfect sailing and rowing qualities described in the specification before referred
to and also one which it is almost impossible to damage and at very small cost, of
course this boat can be used for the same purposes as named in the specification
before referred to.
t
In addition it is especially suitable for carrying soldiers either on the sea or up
rivers or if wheels are placed underneath the boat so as to run on the land it then
acts as an effective screen to shield the men in the boat from bullets and similar
projectiles. The boat may be filled with cork or other such like materials

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Ray Hodgson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd November 1883.
JOSEPH RAY HODGSON of Poplar in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LIFE AND OTHER BOATS, BUOYS, RAFTS OR FLOATING
APPARATUS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
buoys, boats or floating apparatus of the character described in the specification of
Letters Patent granted to the said Joseph Ray Hodgson dated 12th May 1882
N° 2245 and consists in making Life boats and ships boats much cheaper and
simpler and yet giving the same good sailing and rowing qualities and also with
the same strength and stability as those manufactured under the said specification
According to my present improvements I make two tubes (both alike) of woven
material say of cotton, flax, jute or hemp or any other suitable material or I make
the tubes of any kind of leather or green hide either stuffed or on a suitable
framework which may be or not coated inside with paint or india rubber solution
or any other waterproof solution painted outside and they may also be properly
and thoroughly tanned to preserve them from rotting.
These tubes are either made in one piece or woven in several pieces sewn together
and of the same proportional shape as in the said specification ie the ends are
made smaller in cross section than at the middle for the purpose of giving better
lines and insuring good rowing and sailing qualities.
The tubes are then filled with any suitable buoyant material or materials such
for example as cork shavings or they may be built of cork or other light material
or they may be kept open by means of a strong metal or wood framework fitted
inside the said tubes. Inside the outer tube as above described there may be a
tube or tubes of any suitable diameter, thickness and made of any suitable and
light material advantageously wood either in one piece or fastened securely together
by any suitable means. The space between the inner and outer tubes may or may
not be packed with cork or any other suitable material as above described. The
object of these inner tube or tubes being to diminish the amount of packing
required and thereby lighten the Boat. If the space between these tubes be not
filled with cork a metal or wood framework can be used.
The tubes are fastened together at the ends by sewing with or without metal or
wood stems the stems being dispensed with when cheapness is an object.
Between the tubes i, e in the centre of the boat (the tubes forming the sides and
ends) I put a strong framework of wood or metal either or both combined or any
other suitable material formed of two stringers which are lashed by means of rope
(great longitudinal and transverse strength is thus given to the whole to resist
any strain) to the inner side of the two tubes or the said stringers can be made to
fit inside the tubes and the two tubes sewn up afterwards or they can be carried
right through the two tubes and made to act as keel and gunwale if preferred or I
put stringers outside the tubes as well as inside and advantageously bolt them
together with through bolts from side to side
Several stretchers limited to the size of the Boat and also acting as ordinary
stretchers when the Boat is used for rowing purposes are placed horizontally across
he Boat attached to the stringers and thus keeping them in the required place.
Within this framework I put deck work of any suitable material as described in

page_text: the aforesaid specification but advantageously of taut hemp or other fibrous
material as in the aforesaid specification attached to the said stringers.
It may not generally be known but it is a proved fact that no water comes up
through this deck and if any water is shipped it runs through the meshes of the
deck it is also very good when persons are thrown on the deck it does not hurt
them. On the outside of the tubes can be placed rubbing wales or stringers of wood
or metal with or without a covering of cork or india rubber and a rudder may be
fitted at either end and thwarts are. fitted with lanyards so as to be used on the
top or bottom of the Boat and rowlocks are fitted with lanyards so as to be used
on the top or bottom of the Boat. When gunwales and keels are not used the
rowlocks grummets are fitted by lashings of course when cheapness is an object
I dispense with the keels and gunwales also the rubbing wales any or all
of them.
5:
Life lines are secured to the Boat and rings for towing and hoisting purposes
are also fitted.
:
•
According to my improvements I produce a boat with great strength with all the
perfect sailing and rowing qualities described in the specification before referred
to and also one which it is almost impossible to damage and at a very small cost,
of course this boat can be used for the same purposes named in the specification
before referred to. In addition it is especially suitable for carrying soldiers on
the sea or up rivers or if wheels are placed underneath the Boat so as to run on
the land it then acts as an effective screen to shield the men in the Boat from
bullets and similar projectiles.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the Boat in which the netting strip c Figure 2 is
kept in its place by the lashings b, b. The thwarts d, d are secured to the lashing-
board by the lashings ff. The tubes h, h are fastened together at their ends by
sewing with or without metal or wood stems. The stems being dispensed with
when cheapness is an object.
.
Between the tubes h, h I put a strong metal or wood framework either or both
combined which is hereinafter called the netting strip c which is shown in the plan
Figure 2. Several stretchers i, i limited of coarse to the size of the Boat are fixed
to the netting strip c and also aid to keep the said strip c in its place. o, o are
the rowlock grummets which are secured to the lashings b, b
.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the Boat which is filled wholly inside with cork
or other light material with an outer skin of canvass, hemp, cotton, leather or
hide m.
green
Figure 4 is also a vertical section of the Boat only instead of being filled entirely
with cork or other suitable material m it has two tubes n, n which are secured
together by the strips of metal p or instead of having two tubes one tube. of any
These tubes run in the same
shape can be used as shown in Figures 5 and 6.
direction and are of the same shape as the tubes h, h The same letters and figures
of reference refer to every figure of the Drawing
:
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the manner in which
the same is or may be carried into effect I claim:-
:-
First The two tubes made of cotton, jute, hemp, leather or green hide and on
the same lines as the Specification herein before mentioned coated inside with
waterproof paint or india rubber solution and filled inside with cork or any other
light material substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
Secondly-The inner tube or tubes made of any diameter, length and of any
suitable material made in one or more pieces in conjunction with the outer tube,
These tubes being kept apart by the cork shavings or other light material or by

page_text: the suitable framework substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described.
In witness whereof I the said Joseph Ray Hodgson have hereunto set my hand
and seal this first-day of-November-in the year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
Witness.
A. J. SMITH
17 Great George St
Westminster
S.W.
JK HODGSON (L.S.)