IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE BOATS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Newton Colby at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th May 1877. A communication from
abroad by Charles A. Fenner, of Mystic River, State of Connecticut, United
States of America.
JOHN NEWTON COLBY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE BOATS." A
communication from abroad by Charles A. Fenner, of Mystic River, State of
Connecticut, United States of America.
This Invention refers to a new or improved mode and means of constructing
portable folding or collapsible boats, and particularly their framework, so as to make
such small or open boats capable of being folded up into the shape of a hollow case
or crate suitable for holding the flooring, seats, oars, rowlocks, and other mountings;
the "lashings" and outer covering of the boat being formed of oil-skin, canvas, or
other waterproof cloth, either rolled up round the case or packed up inside, all nost
suitable for being carried or conveyed from place to place, and opened out and
fitted up at the side of the water in a few minutes, ready for being placed or carried
into the water for use; and the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in
forming the bottom and two side frames each of a set of cross jointed oscillating
bars or ribs put together so as to act on the principle or system of the lazy tongs,
all three lengthening or expanding equally into the form of a light strong lattice
frame for folding or collapsing into a set of nearly close cross bars, the bars being
preferably made of light laths of strong hard wood (or it might be thin metal),
jointed with copper or brass rivets or other equivalent at their swivelling centres.
The upper and lower ends of the lattice side frames are preferably connected by
a similar set of lighter lazy tongs or oscillating bars, which when drawn out to
their extreme length act as tie rods or stays to the main frame to which they are
jointed, and determine the distance to which these can be drawn out or elongated to
form the length of the boat between the ends or perpendiculars. The upper parts
of these side frames expand more than the lower parts and bottom frame, which are
respectively jointed at their extreme ends to two transverse open railed frames of a
seginental or curved shape to form the ends or bow and stern of the boat, preferably
of the same rounded shape, lying forwards towards the top to the extent to which

page_text: that expands more than the lower part of the frames. These ends have cross boards
hinged at their upper edge, which fold down to form seats at the ends inside the
boat (or a hinged top for closing in the case when the frame is folded up), and
other cross boards are fitted to form middle and intermediate seats on the top of
cross legs, which are opened out and secured on the top of the cross bars of the
bottom frame of the boat when expanded, each serving to stiffen and hold the
other; the seats being further fixed at top to the side frames by hinged bars and
angled tie rods, which also stiffen or stay the upper gunwale of the boat or rowlock
frames shipped on to them by deep griping or forked arms.
The bottom floor of the boat for standing or walking on is formed of two, or it
might be more, sets of longitudinal boards jointed and secured to each other at
their ends in metal staples on the top of the said cross rails, jointed to the oscil-
lating bars forming the bottom expanding frame of the boat.
The outer covering or skin of the boat is formed of oilskin, canvas, india-rubber,
or other strong cloth prepared as a waterproof fabric to near the shape of the outer
frame of the boat, with metal eyelets and strong binding or cord all round the
upper edge, with a loose lacing cord or rope passed through these eyelets, so as to
be easily passed over receiving studs fixed on the inner and upper sides of the side
frames and segmental ends of the boat, all so that when these cords are drawn tight
at the end corners, and tied or otherwise secured, the outer canvas covering is
drawn and stretched tightly all over the bottom and outer sides and ends of the
frame, so as thus to form a light and very strong open boat, not easily capsized, and
suitable for pleasure sailing, fishing, and many other useful or transit purposes.
The paddles or oars are, or may be, made in short lengths, put together with split
or tapered metal sockets, fixed by outer tightening slip rings or screw or bayonet
joint fixings; and these and the pieces of boarding forming the floor and seats, and
the frames carrying the usual oscillating rowlocks for the oars or sculls for propelling
and steering the boat may all be made of a length to go into the inside of the
longest way of the case formed as stated of the frame of the boat when folded or
compressed together, and which it will be seen (from the nature of the construction
on the lazy tongs system) is considerably longer than the width of the boat in its
expanded form, ready for floating, or use on water.
In its folded-up case form it might be secured by a lock on one of the end seats,
forming the lid, fixed at the edges, where they come together when the whole is
closed up as stated, and which could be carried by one man or two lads, and, be
easily transported in the trap of a light gig, dog cart, or other vehicle, over country
for use on water.
The boat as described would be nearly flat and rectangular, with perpendicular
sides, and the ends rounded upwards and outwards from the bottom, as seen in side
elevation.
Without departing from the substance or essence of the Invention, however,
many of the details might be considerably modified, according to the number and
the planes in which the frames were made to expand longitudinally; and these
might be stiffened longitudinally by long sliding or telescopic drawing out bars or
tubes at the bottom or sides; and the ends might be made more approximately to
the shape of the bows of other open boats, and when so made they might be fitted
with a mast or other fixtures or mountings to carry sails for being propelled by the
wind, all to suit the ideas of the builder and purposes for which the boats are
*required.
The essential nature and novelty of the Invention is the system of making or
jointing the frame to expand and contract on the lazy tongs principle, and in lacing
or otherwise tightening and fixing a waterproof covering over the outside of the
said frame when drawn out to and fixed in its long expanded or open boat shape.