Improved Life-boat, specially adapted for Use on Sea-going Ships.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Life-boat, specially adapted for Use on Sea-going Ships.
We, WILLEM PETRUS MULIÉ, of No. 35, Nooigracht, Leyden, Holland, Gen-
tleman, and BENJAMIN HYMANS VAN DENBERG, of 117, Boulevard de Leopold,
Brussels, Belgium, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:.
The present invention relates to an improved life-boat for sea-going vessels
and the like, which boat is absolutely secured against upsetting, but which when
in the folded condition does not take up more room than an ordinary ship's boat.
Ships' boats of the usual kind in which the passengers in case of shipwreck
endeavour to save their lives, lose much of their value, because in the case of
storms and rough sea the danger of upsetting is very great, and this also often
occurs when in the panic the passengers press to one side of the boat, conse-
quently these boats deserve the name of life-boats only partially, because their
safety is not by any means assured.
The object of the present invention consists of a boat especially for sea-going
ships which in reality deserves the name of a life-boat, because it not only
possesses all the advantages which the present boats possess, but in addition to
this it possesses an arrangement whereby the upsetting or sinking is practically
made impossible, even under the most unfavourable circumstances.
This arrangement which forms the subject of the present application for a
patent is carried in the inside of the boat whilst the same is out of use, and
thereby the dimensions of a boat of this kind are rendered no greater than
those of an ordinary ship's boat. In case of emergency the device is capable of
being made serviceable in a very simple way. It essentially consists of cylin-
drical hollow vessels of sheet iron made water tight, and divided into compart-
ments by water tight divisions. These cylinders possess a great buoyancy, and
are fixed to long supports which effect the connection with the boat. These
floating outriggers, connected by a long leverage, form a support which resists
the capsizing of the boat.
The boat may be constructed in the usual manner with a double bottom,
Over these are
and may be provided with air chambers in the usual manner.
arranged at each side lockers which serve as water-tight cupboards for holding
apparatus and food. Vessels are provided filled with oil which can flow through
tubes, and serve in case of need to render the water smooth near the boat.
Tubes are provided in the bottom of the boat through which any water entering
it can flow off. Back pressure valves prevent any water going through from the
outside. On each side of the boat there are several strong bars which project,
and which are secured to the boat above by means of hinges. The outrigger
cylinders are attached to the said bars and turn on the aforesaid hinges as pivots.
The outrigger cylinders divided as aforesaid into several compartments are
made pointed before and behind. Strengthening bars are provided for the out-
ingan harg

page_text: The device is so arranged that the outrigger cylinders can be turned inside
the boat, and folded down in the free space left for the purpose.
When the boat is required as a life boat the outrigger cylinders are turned
outwards and secured in position. The boat can then be launched.
The hollow water-tight cylinders have a great buoyancy, and acting on the
long leverage of the arms they resist any capsizing of the boat. Moreover, the
danger of sinking is almost entirely removed by the increased buoyancy.
Owing to the division of the cylinders into water-tight compartments the
damage of one or more compartment will not destroy the buoyancy of the whole.
The connection between the outriggers and the boat can be operated from
within the boat.
An adjustable rudder post is provided suitably placed so that the boat can be
steered, thereby, or rudders may be attached to the side devices or otherwise.
Dated this 5th dox of Narambar
1898
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Life-boat, specially adapted for Use on Sea-going Ships.
We, WILLEM PETRUS MULIÉ, of No. 35, Nooigracht, Leyden, Holland, Gen-
tleman, and BENJAMIN HYMANS VAN DENBERG, of 117, Boulevard de Leopold,
Brussels, Belgium, Merchant, 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 present invention relates to an improved life-boat for sea-going vessels
and the like, which boat is absolutely secured against upsetting, but which when
in the folded condition does not take up more room than an ordinary ship's boat.
Ships' boats of the usual kind in which the passengers in case of shipwreck
endeavour to save their lives, lose much of their value, because in the case of
storms and rough sea the danger of upsetting is very great, and this also often
occurs when in the panic the passengers press to one side of the boat, conse-
quently these boats deserve the name of life-boats only partially, because their
safety is not by any means assured.
The object of the present invention consists of a boat especially for sea-going
ships which in reality deserves the name of a life-boat, because it not only
possesses all the advantages which the present boats possess, but in addition to
this it possesses an arrangement whereby the upsetting or sinking is practically
made impossible, even under the most unfavourable circumstances.
This arrangement which forms the subject of the present application for a
patent is carried in the inside of the boat whilst the same is out of use, and
thereby the dimensions of a boat of this kind are rendered no greater than
those of an ordinary ship's boat. In case of emergency the device is capable of
being made serviceable in a very simple way. It essentially consists of cylin-
drical hollow vessels of sheet iron made water tight, and divided into compart-
ments by water tight divisions. These cylinders possess a great buoyancy, and
are fixed to long supports which effect the connection with the boat. These
floating outriggers, connected by a long leverage, form a support which resists
the capsizing of the boat.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in connection with
a boat which itself is devised to comply with the requirements which may be
made in the case of a life-boat. In these drawings,

page_text: Figure za transverse section.
Figure 3 a plan view, and
Figures 4 to 6 various details on a larger scale.
Figure 7 shews on an enlarged scale the locking mechanism securing the
supports of the float to the side of the boat.
The boat R is provided in the well known manner with a double bottom,
and the intermediate space is filled with water-tight cylinders M. Over this
double bottom at each side are placed the lockers K, which act at the same time
as seats and as water-tight compartments for containing tools and food. The
cisterns H are filled with oil which can be discharged through the tubes I,
and serve in case of need to render the water smooth in the neighbourhood of
the boat. In the bottom of the boat are placed the tubes O, Figures 2, 3 and 6,
through which any water coming on board can flow out, and which are pro-
vided with back pressure valves to prevent any water flowing in from the out-
side. Three strong bars 1) are secured at each side of the boat, which terminate
at the gun-wale in hinges. Upon these hinges the supports B revolve, which
supports B connect the hollow cylinders A with the boat by aid of the con-
necting bars S which serve to hold the cylinders A in their place and to
strengthen the aforesaid bars B. The cylindrical hollow bodies A are divided
by means of water tight partitions into compartments, and they terminate in
front and behind in pointed ends. The supports B are connected by means of
the tie rods F. N indicates a handle for the purpose of bringing the cylinders
in-board. In the Figures 2 and 3, the position of the cylinders A when the
boat is out of use is indicated by dotted lines. In this position the boat hangs
in the davits and thus occupies no more room than in ordinary ships' boat. It
will be obvious that the supports B in this position of the cylinders A are able
to occupy spaces left between the lockers K. When it is desired to make use
of the boat as a life-boat, the cylinders A are turned overboard into the position
shewn in full lines in Fig. 3, and the supports B locked at E.
The boat can then be lowered into the water. The hollow water tight
cylinders A possess a very great buoyancy, which being placed on the
long leverage of the supports B gives a stability which renders the capsiz-
ing of the boat almost impossible. Owing to its very great buoyancy the danger
of the boat sinking is also almost excluded. The division of the cylinders into
watertight compartments causes in the case of an injury that the same is limited
to the compartment actually damaged, and prevents the water passing into the
remainder of the cylinder. The tapering form in front and behind aids the
progress of the boat in the water through the diminished resistance. The
bars F and C serve also as hand-rails, the bars F for the support of persons
who may have fallen into the water and the bars C which form the axles on
which the cylinder supports revolve, serve also as rails for the boat. The lower
connection between the supports B and the side of the boat can be disengaged or
secured from inside the boat. The apparatus for this purpose (shewn in detail
in Figure 7) consists preferably of a bolt E which is placed horizontally with
its bent outer end downwards, and passes through a horizontal slot at the lower
end of the supports; said bolt is revolved a quarter turn which releases the
support. The bolt E is secured inside the boat by means of the cotter-pin e,
the bolt can however be secured by means of a wedge or the like in order to
connect the support at E firmly with the rails D or the sides of the boat. Or
the bolting device may act automatically by means of a spring catch or the like,
locking the end of the bolt when inserted in the aperture of the bar D. At
the front of the boat there is a device arranged for the rower for which purpose
the row-locks 7 are attached. Q, Figure 5, is a row-lock which can be placed
at any convenient point, so that the boat may be steered also from the interior
thereof and the oars can reach over the cylinders A in case of need.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In combination with a life boat hollow buoyant cylinders pivotally connected
to the sides of the boat, and capable of being locked in position as outriggers,
or raised and brought inboard to rest on the floor of the boat by mechanism
operating from within the said boat, substantially as described.
2. In combination with a life boat with outrigger floats a locking device for
the lower inward ends of the float supports substantially as set forth.
3. The improved life boat with adjustable outrigger floats constructed and
operating substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated the Third day of August 1899.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham.