LMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th July 1883.
ALFRED HAMLYN WILLIAMS, of Clapham Road, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, LMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS,
According to my Invention the life raft is composed of two or more flat portions
which may be either solid or may be constructed as air tight chambers or casings,
and so combined and arranged as to be folded or packed together, to economizo
space, when the raft is not in use. These portions which may be constructed of
wood or other suitable material are connected together when the raft is unfolded
and extended for use by transverse bars, stays or rods which are pivoted to one or
more of the portions and so arranged as to turn and be readily secured to the
other portion or portions in order to retain them in their proper position and
render the entire structure firm. Between any or all of the portions I attach a
sheet or sheets of canvas, provided at bottom with a foot board, and so arranged as
to fall down between the portions and formn bags or compartments in which persons
may stand. When the raft is not in use the canvas bags or compartments with
their foot boards are folded and lie under the transverse bars, rods or stays which
retain them in place. The portions of the raft are so constructed and arranged
that when not required for the purpose of forming a raft they can be readily
folded or packed together to form a seat.
The canvas bags or compartments may be dispensed with and the solid portions
or the air tight casings or chambers may be hinged together in the manner of a
folding or expanding door screen, so that when the raft is to be used the portions
or leaves have only to be opened out and secured together to form an extended
and floatable surface for the reception of a number of persons. When the portions
or leaves are folded together the raft may be used as a scat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams in the Patent Office on the 26th January
1884.
ALFRED HAMLYN WILLIAMS, of Clapham Road, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS
According to my Invention, the life raft is composed of two or more flat
portions, which may be either solid, or may be constructed as air-tight chambers
or casings, and which are so combined and arranged as to be folded or packed
together to form a seat, and to economize space, when the raft is not in use.
These portions, which may be constructed of wood, or other suitable material,
are connected together, when the raft is unfolded and extended for use, by transverse
bars, stays, or rods, which are hinged or pivoted to one or more of the portions,
and so arranged as to turn and be readily secured to the other portion, or portions,
in order to retain them in their proper position, and render the entire structure
firm. Between any or all of the portions I hinge a frame or frames to which I
attach a folding contrivance of canvas, or other suitable material, provided at
bottom with a foot board or foot plate, and so arranged as to fall down between
the portions, and form, as it wero, bags or compartments to steady the structure,
and in which compartments persons may stand. When the raft is not in use, this
folding contrivance, with its foot board or foot plate, is folded up, and lies within
the frame to which it is secured.
The folding contrivances forming compartments may be dispensed with, and the
solid portions, or the air tight casings or chambers, may be hinged-together.in such
a manner that when the raft is to be used these portions have only to be opened
out and secured together to form an extended and floatable surface for the reception
of a number of persons. When the portions are folded together the raft may be
used as a seat.
And in order that my invention may be readily understood I proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1, is a perspective view, partly in section, of a life raft constructed according
to my invention, and according to one arrangement thereof, and shewn in its folded
form to act as a seat. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the raft unfolded.
The raft is composed of three portions a, a, a, alternately jointed together by
binges b. The portions a, a², are formed as air tight chambers or casings, and are
provided with backs Z, Z, and ends %, 21, and the interinediate portion a', is formed
as a frame. To this frame a folding contrivance, consisting of a sheet of canvas, is
secured in any appropriate manner, so as to form, as it were, a bag or compart-
ment c, in which persons may stand when the raft is borne upon the water. To
steady the structure and to provide for a secure standing place, the bottom of this
compartment is furnished, for its full length, with a foot-board or foot-plate c¹.
When the raft is in uso as a sent, this hanging compartment is folded, and lies
within its frame a¹, as seen in fig: 1. When the raft is unfolded for use, the
portions a, a, and the frame a', are maintained in their unfolded and extended
position, by the transverse bars ffx; the bar f, being hinged or pivoted to the
back Z, and the bar fx, to the back Z. These transverse bars, which are retained
by suitable fastening contrivances, not seen in the drawings, are provided with
pins or dowels g, which take into corresponding holes h, in the ends %, 2, of the
portions a, a³, in order to increase the stability of the structure. The said bars
when not in use, lie in openings f, f* formed in the backs Z, Z'.
The top of the air tight chamber a, which forms the seat, is provided with a
ledge or nosing i, which fits over the back Z', of the air tight chamber a², in order
to prevent the entry of water, or rain, when the structure is in its seat form.

page_text: m, is a removeable false back (seen in fig: 1); it is retained in place by pins n,
passing through holes p, and entering corresponding holes therein. The space
formed between this falso back m, and the back Z, is utilized for the stowage of
oars, sails, life buoys, provisions, &c, &c. When the raft is unfolded to be launched,
this false back is discarded.
8, are beckets, to which persons in the water may cling.
Figs: 3 and 4 are similar views to figs. 1 and 2, but in this instance the folding
contrivance is dispensed with, and is replaced by an air tight chamber as, hinged,
at its upper and lower sides, to the air tight chambers a, a. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts to those shewn in figs. 1 and 2.
Although I have described and shewn a raft in which there is but one folding
contrivance or compartment, yet it is obvious that, by increasing the number of air
tight chambers, a corresponding number of folding compartments may be provided,
and that instead of the compartment or the third air tight chamber, a platform or
grating may be substituted.
Having now described the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the
same may be performed, I declare that I claim :-
1. Constructing life rafts in the manner substantially as herein described, and
as shown in the drawings, whereby they may be folded to form seats and to
economize space.
2. In a life raft composed of two or more flat portions or air tight chambers or
casings jointed together, and arranged to form a seat when folded, as specified and
above claimed, the combination of a folding contrivance or compartment, or
contrivances or compartments, arranged to depend between any or all of said
portions or chambers, as and for the purposes set forth, and substantially as herein
described.
3. Constructing life rafts with a removeable false back so as to provide a space
for the stowage of gear, provisions, &c, as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Hamlyn Williams have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twentyfifth day of January in the year 1884.
A H WILLIAMS
(LS)