Improvements IN BOATS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Verran, of Penzance, in the County
Cornwall, for the Invention of “ Improvements IN BOATS.”
Sealed the 4th November 1873, and dated the 14th May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Verran at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th May 1873.
I, JAMES VERRAN, of Penzance, in the County of Cornwall, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOATS," to be as follows:-
Firstly, my Invention consists of making or constructing and improved
unsinkable folding boat of a light strong framework, composed of stays of
wood or metal or other flexible and suitable material; such stays being
either of a solid, tubular, or spiral form. The skeleton of the boat is
attached in pairs or either side of the stem and stern, each of such
attachments being made by a hinge of horse hide, india-rubber, or other
flexible material, and working thro' one slot hole for each pair of ribs
in the stem & stern. The keel of the boat is also hinged at the stem
and stern to admit of the ribs being extended in the centre of the boat
when required for use.

page_text: Rising from the keel of the boat about three feet, or thereabouts,
from the bow, a small wood pillar, also hinged, is fixed, which meeting
a central stay carried from the bow of the boat forms when covered a
hurricane deck.
Fitted into and attached to the boat in the bow and stern are air-
tight compartments made of waterproof canvas, india-rubber cloth, or
other suitable material, rendering thereby the boat unsinkable, and also
giving a steadiness of motion when in use.
Over the whole of the framework and on the exterior thereof flexible
waterproof canvas, india-rubber, or other suitable material is fixed in ]
such a manner as to be quite tight when the boat is extended for use,
leaving such exterior surface of boat one plain and even surface.
Secondly. The framework, seats, stern sheets, canvas, and all other
parts of the boat are so arranged and hinged as to fold up in such a
manner that the opposite sides meet together in a line with and corre- 1
sponding to the keel of the boat, rendering such boat easy of trans-
portation, and occupying small space in stowage.
This boat may be propelled by oars, paddles, sails, or any of the means
at the present time in use for such purpose..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said James Verran in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th November 1873.
1.
انة
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
VERRAN, of Penzance, in the County of Cornwall, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 2
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Verran, Her special license that I, the
said James Verran, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such a
others as I, the said James Verran, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, excrcise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle a

page_text: of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED BOAT," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Verran, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Verran, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of improvements in building and constructing
boats so as to render them more portable than boats constructed on the
ordinary principles. These improvements being applicable either to
sailing or rowing boats,
I construct my improved boat with a strong light framework com-
posed of stays of wood, metal, or other suitable and flexible material,
such stays being either of a solid, tubular, or spiral form; these stays
are attached to the stem and stern in pairs, and when so attached they
form the skeleton of the boat, each of such attachments being made of
horse hide, india-rubber, or other flexible material, and working through
one slot hole for each pair of stays in the stem and stern. The stem
and stern are also hinged to the keel of the boat to allow of the stays
being extended for use when required.
Rising from the keel of the boat about three feet or thereabouts
from the bow is a small pillar or stanchion also hinged, which pillar
meeting a central stay carried from the bow forms when covered a
hurricane deck, a similar arrangement being employed to form a
hurricane deck for the stern end of the boat.
Fitting into and attached to the boat at the stem and stern are air-
tight compartments made of waterproof canvas, india-rubber cloth, or
other suitable material, for the purpose of rendering the boat buoyant
and self-righting, also to act as a safeguard in case the boat should be
upset.
Over the whole of the framework on the exterior of the skeleton of
the boat flexible waterproof canvas, india-rubber, or other suitable

page_text: material is fixed in such a manner as to be quite tight when the boat
is extended for use, making such exterior surface of the boat a plane
and even surface.
The framework, seats, stern sheets, canvas, and all other parts of the
boat are so arranged and hinged on the keel as to fold up in such a Ĕ
form that the opposite sides meet together in a line with and corre-
sponding to the keel of the boat, so as to render it more easy of
transportation, and enable it to be packed into a small compass for
stowage.
This improved boat may be constructed of any convenient size, and 1
may be propelled by oars, paddles, sails, or by any other means at the
present time in use for such purpose.
And in order that my Invention may be better understood and more
easily carried into practical effect I will now proceed to describe the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved boat extended ready for use.
Figure 2 is a side view with the canvas cover removed to shew the
stays and the method of hinging them to the stem and stern.
Figure 3 is a cross section amidships extended.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the boat as seen when extended, a
with canvas cover and hurricane deck attached.
a, a, are the stays hinged at the ends k, k, and forming the sides or
skeleton of the boat; b, b, is a framework hinged to the keel, forming
the bottom boards, which when extended, stiffens the frame generally;
c, c, the midship moulds, which are extended when the boat is required a
for use, and prevent the boat collapsing; d is the seat hinged to
the moulds, which may be folded in line with the mould, and when
required for use is folded down parallel to the keel; it is kept in position
by a small prop hinged to the under side and dropping on to the keel to
act as a support for the seat, a strap is also provided as a back to the
seat; e, e, hurricane decks, supported by centre uprights f,f; g, g, air
bags to give buoyancy to the boat, these bags when collapsed may also
be folded into the boat; h, h, are joints to allow the stem and stern to
adjust themselves while the stays are being extended or closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be carried into
1

page_text: effect, I would have it understood that what I desire to claim by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The arrangement of stays covered with canvas or other suitable
material to form a boat, with or without hurricane deck, as herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The method of jointing or hinging the stays, keel, bottom
frame, midship mould, seat, and other parts of the said boat, so as to
enable the boat to be folded when not in use, as herein-before described
and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Verran, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelvth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.