IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE BOATS OR VESSELS AND BUOYS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jolin Macintosh, of Pall Mall East, in the
County of Middlesex, C. E., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
Dani Dan
Duous "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Macintosh
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th June 1853.
I, JOHN MACINTOSH, of Pall Mall East, in the County of Middlesex,
C. E., do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE BOATS OR VESSELS AND BUOYS" to
be as follows-
This Invention consists of constructing boats, hollow vessels, and
buoys of water-proof fabric, and in giving form thereto when required
for use by means of ribs of wood or metal; thus, in forming a boat
several of such ribs are used, which are of a length to run from stem
to stern, and being there attached together they will, in their ordinary
state, be parallel, and, with the waterproof fabric, lic and pack close

page_text: but when the two ends of each rib are drawn towards each other by a
screw or other means each rib will bend into the form of a bow, and
by so doing will give the desired shape to the boat; and such is the
case in respect to a buoy or like form of vessel intended to float in the
water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Macintosh in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 15th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN MACINTOSH, of Pall Mall East, in the County of Middlesex, C.E.,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Macintosh, Iler special
licence that I, the said John Macintosh, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Macintosh, my execu-
tors, 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, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE BOATS OR VESSELS AND BUOYS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Macintosh, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Joln Macintosh, 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):

page_text: This Invention consists of constructing boats, hollow vessels, and
buoys of water-proof fabric, and in giving form thereto when required
for use by means of ribs of wood or metal; thus, in forming a boat
several of such ribs are used, which are of a length to run from stem
to stern, and being there attached together they will, in their ordinary
state, be parallel, and, with the waterproof fabric, lie and pack close;
but when the two ends of each rib are drawn towards each other by
a screw or other means each rib will bend into the form of a bow, and
by so doing will give the desired shape to the boat; and such is the
case in respect to a buoy or like form of vessel intended to float in the
water.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will pro-
ceed to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shows a plan of a boat or vessel made or constructed
according to my Invention; Figure 2, shews a side view of the same;
Figure 3, shows a plan of the boat or vessel when in the expanded
state for use; and Figure 4, shews a longitudinal section. In each of
these Figures the same letters indicate similar parts; a, b, are two ribs
forming the gunwales of the boat or vessel; and c, is another rib, to
which the false keel d, is fixed. These ribs, when the buat or vessel is
not required for use, lie together parallel to each other, and occupy little
space. The ribs are connected by means of a strong waterproof fabric
e, e, which, when the boat or vessel is not required for use, folds into
and occupies only a small space, as shown in Figures 1, and 2; and
it is desirable that the waterproof fabric should be creased or folded so
as to have a tendency to shut up at all times in the same form or folds.
The boat or vessel is expanded by means of the seats or "thwarts
fg. h. The middle seat or "thwart "y. has screws to expand it longi-
tudinally, as shown, after it has been introduced into its place between
the two ribs a, b; but this is not absolutely necessary, as the opening
out of the boat or vessel by a man or men on both sides (according
to the size and strength of the boat or vessel) will offer sufficient power
to expand the boat or vessel. The rib c, is expanded or curved by
"

page_text: means of the screw i, acting under the seat g, and in the screw socket j,
as shown.
I would state, that although I have shewn a boat or vessel
to consist of only three ribs, more may be used, and also more seats
may be introduced, all which will depend on the size and strength of
the boat or vessel desired to be constructed according to my Invention.
In constructing buoys according to my Invention the same are made
with ribs in like manner, combined with waterproof fabric, but the
same is enclosed on all sides in the manner of a flexible globe. The
upper and lower ends of the ribs are connected with a disc at top and
bottom, and a screw is passed through the centre of the upper disc, and
is connected with the lower disc, so that by turning the screw the lower
and the upper disc are drawn towards each other, by which the ribs are
bent, and the apparatus expanded into a globular or other form,
according to the arrangement of the parts.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is, the mode herein described of combining parts into boats or
other vessels and buoys.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Macintosh, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
threc.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
JOIN MACINTOSH. (L.S.).