Improvements in Life-boats.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Life-boats.
I, JAMES MITCHELL, Senior, of Arrow River, in the Province of Manitoba
and Dominion of Canada, Weaver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
My invention relates to an improvement in life boats, said boat being shaped
as a hollow enclosed figure having pointed ends, the cross section thereof being
of a circular form, with the lower portion flattened. The boat is provided with
suitable hatchways for the entrance and exit of passengers and with a rudder and
steering ropes which may be operated from the hatchways or from within the
boat. It it also provided with a suspending rope which enters the boat at either
end and extends longitudinally within the same, by means of which rope the
boat may be dropped from its davits by cutting the rope within the boat.
The invention also consists of certain details of improvement which will be more
particularly pointed out in the following specification.
The boat may be constructed of wood or metal. For example I may construct
the body of the boat of wood staves placed side by side, similar to the staves of
a barrel, to form the main body. Outside of these are placed hoops to retains
the staves in position. The boat is strengthened by internal ribs of stout wood or
metal and which increase the strength of the body. At each end of the boat is a
large block which is of a conical shape and has a passage extending through
the same, the two ends of the passage being at right angles to each other and
forming a guideway for the suspending rope.
The boat tapers from the central portion towards each end and is provided
with a rudder at one end which is connected to a tiller and this in turn with
ropes which extend forward to a hatchway through convenient openings to the
centre of the boat and by means of these ropes the boat may be readily steered.
The boat is also provided with a mast stepped in a central socket. It is also
provided with hatchways, one at each end of the boat; these are covered by
hatches which slide in guides. The boat is provided with a bench which extends
horizontally of the boat in its centre and upon which passengers may sit with
their backs to each other. The boat is provided with a heavy keel which will
give the boat stability and right the boat should it by any accident be over-
turned. It is also provided with port holes which are glazed in a manner similar
to the port holes of a steamer.
A number of ventilating pipes which extend across the upper interior portion
of the boat, are connected at each end with the outside air. Just within the
boat they are provided with valves which enable the pipes to be closed and
prevent the entrance of water whenever the same is necessary. These pipes are
provided with perforations between the said valves, through which the air enters
the interior of the boat. The boat may also be provided with a pump connected
by the discharge pipe with the exterior, by which any water which may enter
the boat may be forced outside.

page_text: Within the body of the conical blocks at each end of the boat and inter-
secting the rope guideway is a recess which contains a sliding block, which is
held down upon the rope by a spring. When the rope is removed from the
guideway the block will be forced down so as to close the passage and prevent
entrance of water through said guideway.
In case it is necessary to launch the boat, the boat will be filled while suspended
from its davits. In case it is inconvenient or impossible to launch the boat
in the usual way by letting out the rope, the boat may be launched by cutting
the rope from within the boat. When this is done the boat will drop, the rope
being pulled out through the guideways at each end.
From the shape and method of construction of the boat, it will be very strong
and a drop, even of considerable distance, will not injure the boat. From its
construction it will also be impossible to overturn the boat or put it in such
a position that it will not immediately right itself.
Dated this 9th day of May 1898.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
I, JAMES MITCHELL, Senior, Weaver, of Arrow River, in the Province of
Manitoba, and Dominion of Canada, 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:-
My invention relates to an improvement in life boats, said boat being shaped as
a hollow enclosed figure having pointed ends, the cross section thereof being of
a circular form with the lower portion flattened.
The boat is provided with suitable hatch-ways for the entrance and exit of
passengers, and with a rudder and steering ropes which may be operated from the
hatch-ways or from within the boat. It is also provided with a suspending rope,
which enters the boat at either end and extends longitudinally of the boat within
the same, by means of which rope the boat may be dropped from its davits by
cutting the rope within the boat.
The invention also consists of certain details of improvement which will be
more particularly pointed out in the following specification and 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 sectional elevation of my boat;
Figure 2 is a cross sectional elevation thereof;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the stern portion of the boat; and
Figure 4 is a cross section taken through the cavity which contains the slide
for closing the rope guide-way at the end of the boat."
The boat may be constructed of wood or metal. In the construction shown in
the drawings wooden staves are employed to form the body of the boat. These
staves are placed side by side, similar to the staves of a barrel, to form the main
body A. Outside of these are placed hoops A', which act similar to the hoops of a
barrel to retain the staves in position.
The boat is strengthened by internal ribs B, which are formed of stout wood
or metal and which increase the strength of the body.
At each end of the boat is a large block C, which is of a conical shape and

page_text: has a passage extending through the same, the two ends of the passage veng
at right angles to each other and forming a guideway for the suspending
b.
rope
The boat tapers from the central portion towards each end and is provided
with a rudder E at one end, which is connected to a tiller E¹ and this in turn
with ropes E, which extend forward to a hatch-way through convenient openings
to the centre of the boat, and by means of these ropes the boat may be readily
steered.
The boat is also provided with a mast F stepped in a central socket F¹. It
is also provided with hatch-ways a, one at each end of the boat; these are covered
by hatches a, which slide in guides ².
The boat is provided with a bench G which extends horizontally of the boat
in its centre and upon which passengers may sit with their backs to each other.
The boat is provided with a heavy keel H, which will give the boat stability
and right the boat should it by any accident be overturned. It is also provided
with port holes which are glazed in a manner similar to the port holes of a
steamer.
A number of ventilating pipes I which extend across the upper interior portion
of the boat, are connected at each end with the outside air. Just within the boat
they are provided with valves I¹ which enable the pipes to be closed and prevent
the entrance of water, whenever the same is necessary.--
These pipes are provided with perforations between the said valves, through
which the air enters the interior of the boat. The boat may also be provided with
a pump connected by the discharge pipe J¹ with the exterior, by which any
water which may enter the boat may be forced outside.
Within the body of the conical blocks C at each end of the boat and inter-
secting the rope guideway C, is a recess which contains a sliding block L, which
is held down upon the rope by a spring L. When the rope is removed from
the guideway, the block L will be forced down so as to close the passage and
prevent entrance of water through said guideway.
The rope D) is the rope from which the boat will be suspended. In case it is
necessary to launch the boat, the boat will be filled while suspended from its
davits. In case it is inconvenient or impossible to launch the boat in the usual
way by letting out the rope D, the boat may be launched by cutting the rope D
from within the boat. When this is done the boat will drop, the rope being pulled
out through the guideways at each end.
From the shape and method of construction of the boat, it will be very strong
and a drop, even of considerable distance, will not injure the boat. From its
construction it will also be impossible to overturn the boat or put it in such a
position that it will not immediately right itself.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A boat, comprising a hollow enclosed figure, having a rope guiding passage
through each end thereof, and a slide adapted to close said passage when the rope
is removed therefrom, substantially as described.
2. A boat, comprising a hollow enclosed figure having pointed ends, and a
rope guiding passage through each end, and a slide having a spring acting thereon
and adapted to close said passage when the rope is removed therefrom, substantially
as described.
3. A boat, comprising a hollow enclosed figure having pointed ends, hatch-
ways upon the upper side of the boat, a mast socket in the boat, a rudder pivoted
at one end of the boat, steering ropes connected to the rudder, and a rope guide-
way at each end of the boat communicating with the interior and adapted to
receive a suspending rope, and means for automatically closing said rope guide-
ways upon the removal of the rope, substantially as described.

page_text: 4. A boat, comprising a hollow enclosed figure, provided with hatch-ways,
lighting port holes, ventilator pipes extending to the outside, and rope guide-
ways at each end extending from within the boat to the outside, and adapted
to receive a common suspending rope which passes lengthwise within the boat,
and means for automatically closing said rope guideways upon the removal of
the rope, substantially as described.
5. A boat, coniprising a hollow enclosed figure, provided with hatch-ways,
lighting port holes, ventilator pipes extending to the outside, and rope guide.
ways at each end extending from within the boat to the outside, and adapted
to receive a common suspending rope which passes lengthwise within the boat,
and a spring-held slide in said guideways adapted to close the guideways when
the rope is removed, substantially as described.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.