An Improved Life Boat or Balsa and Means for Launching same and Conveying Passengers thereto.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1889-Accepted, 13th July, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Life Boat or Balsa and Means for Launching same
and Conveying Passengers thereto.
1, DANIEL AMMEN, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, retired, residing at
Ammendale, Maryland, United States of America, 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 :-
The balsa is composed primarily of two floats, which may be connected by a fixed
or a hinged platform. The floats are composed of flanged sections.
Fig. 1 is a plan, with some parts broken away showing the general character of the
balsa.
Fig. 2 is a plan of end float section.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section below the flanges of central float section. Fig. 4 is
a cross section through one of the floats.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 a plan of the balsa on the launching
ways. Fig. 7 is a central cross-section of folded balsa, and Fig. 8 a similar cross-
section of balsa on the launching ways.
The balsa has two floats, indicated by A A in the drawing.
Each float A is
The end
made up of longitudinal sections, preferably three in number, a, b, c. The central
section à may be broadest at the centre, or may have parallel sides.
sections, b and c, are duplicates of each other, and fit respectively to the front and
rear of the midship section a, tapering towards the ends.
The longitudinal sections a b c are each composed of a flanged hull d, and a flanged
cover e. The hull and cover sections may be cast or struck up from thin metal
or moulded or otherwise formed from paper, paper pulp, celluloid, or analogous
material. The hull pieces d are by preference nearly semi-cylindrical in cross-
section, with internal keelson f, and side flanges g, g. (The hull may be again
divided along the keelson f, said keelson being composed of inturned flanges on
the separate pieces, and other longitudinal divisions may be made in the same
manner.) The section covers hh are arched or elliptical, with side, flanges g' g¹.
The longitudinal sections of the float have inturned flanges i, which may extend
entirely across the float, as at ¹. The sections are secured together by bolts passing
through the flanges. A strip of rubber or felt may be interposed between the flanges,
to make tight joints. The covers e will have man-holes, to permit the tightening of
bolts, and for stowage of provisions and water. The cross-partitions divide the
floats into water-tight compartments.
k
The end pieces may be of wood or metal secured in the float sections, or may be
integral with the sections.
which reach down a little
The cover pieces may be sustained by light ribs, m,
way into the hull, and these may be stayed from the keelson.
Two floats A A are coupled by cross-bars B, which are attached to the floats and
support the grating C. The cross-bars B are preferably hinged, so that the floats
may be turned one on the other, as shown in Fig. 7. The hinged joint can easily be
made rigid when the bars are straightened out, by braces or bolts passed through
rings or brackets on the bars, or in other manner of making a locked joint.
If the grating () does not extend the entire length of the balsa, netting D may
be provided, and life-lines E having floats F can be secured conveniently alongside
the balsa.
The floats of full sized balsa will preferably be about 24 feet long. The balsa
may be folded and carried on the deck of a ship. For launching, a long way or
ladder H should be provided, preferably astern of the ship. The side bars I of
this ladder should be about as far apart as the distance between the floats of the

page_text: balsa. The cross-braces, 1', answering to rungs of a ladder, may be cut away at top,
so that a canvas chute can be put between the side-bars, and persons may slide down
the way to the balsa after the same is launched. An enclosed box K at the outer end
of the ladder or way serves to float that end of the ladder. The ladder can be held
by guy lines, and the balsa when launched held at the lower end of the ladder so
that persons sliding down the chute may be caught on the netting of the balsa.
The balsa may carry a light mast and sail and be provided with oars.
The great
advantage over most life boats is that it cannot capsize, and if launched bottom up it
it will still float a large number of people.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. The balsa float.made in sections with flanges secured together in the manner
substantially as described to make a water-tight float of the general character
described.
2. The balsa composed of floats of the character described hinged together so as to
fold up, and capable of being spread out and secured so that the platform will be
rigid, substantially as herein before stated.
3. The launching way adapted to fit between the floats of the balsa and having a
float at its outer end and a chute down which persons may pass to the balsa, substan-
tially as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of™ 1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.