AN INDEPENDENT SAFETY BOAT OF NOVEL CONSTRUCTION
Year: 1830

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DOBREE, of Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fifth day of August, in the first year of His reign, did, for
Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William
Dobree, His especial licence that I, the said William Dobree, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Dobrec, my
exors, adiñors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also within all His
Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "AN INDEPENDENT
SAFETY BOAT OF NOVEL CONSTRUCTION;" in which said Letters Patent there is
contained a proviso, obliging me, the said William Dobree, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Dobree, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described and ascertained
as follows (that is to say):-
Its novelty of construction, as well as claim to the title independent safety
boat, consists in a separation of that part of the boat containing the passengers
and crew from the bull, with attached self-supplying water ballast chamber.
The connecting link between the two divisions is formed of double concave
beans, or cross pieces resting upon the convex surface of the hull deck. The
upper concavity of the said beams is designed to receive the upper deck.
Thus any sea and waters which may be shipped and received in this division
will, by reason of a gentle inclination from the sides, be entirely discharged
through an opening for such purpose in the center of the upper deck, and
passing on either side over the convex surface of the hull deck through the
numerous spaces between the beams or cross pieces, eventually escape out of
small holes in the sides in midships. The hull division comprises numerous
compartments, made air-tight from the main deck thereof to the horizontal
platform or cover of the ballast chamber. Square wooden air boxes and copper
cylinders aro let into these compartments, all which, as well as the main
features in the upper or passage division, are clucidated and more fully
explained in the sections above delineated, with explanatory references sub-
joined.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Dobree, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-one

page_text: First or Midship Section
shewing the position of Decks, Air Boxes and Glinders
A. The Thwart for Rowers
B. Independent deck for Passengers and Crew
C. Passengers between the upper and Main or Hull Deck to clear
the water off that may be shipped in a heavy Sea.
DD. Scuppers for the water to empty itself.
E. Main or Hull Deck
FF.Enclosed Copper Cylinders of nine inches diameter to run along
the sides in Midships.
G.G.G.G. Compartments for the Admission of air tight boxes runnin
fore and at in Midships
H. Self supplying water ballast Chamber with air tight platform
II. Two holes in Boat's bottom, one on each side of Keel for
supplying ballast Chamber.
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