IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFEBOATS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFEBOATS."-A communication
from abroad by Robert Humble, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United
States of America.
Sealed the 28th February 1871, and dated the 16th September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th September 1870.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFEBOATS," a con-
munication, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to lifeboats, and consists in constructing the
same with a strong longitudinal outer shell or case having journal boxes
at each end, in which a boat or other suitable inner structure provided
with hollow journals terminating in air tubes is mounted so as to be

page_text: perfectly water-tight; and also in providing the parts thus constructed
and combined with suitable mechanical devices for turning the shell
about the inner structure and propelling the whole by the occupants or
any suitable power when desired. The case or shell is provided with
hatchways with or without transparent openings, and I secure to its
inner side two ratchet wheels, one being left and the other right handed
for a purpose herein-after explained. Within this shell or case I mount
or arrange the boat or similarly suitable structure having the hollow
journals at each end of the proper size to fit the boxes of the case and
to be made water-tight. The air pipes connected to these journals are
of sufficient length to extend above the boat and terminate if desired in
an enlargement. These air pipes are made large-enough-for-the-passage
of a man, and are provided at their upper ends with a valve arranged to
be operated by a rod. The valves are so constructed and arranged that
they can be closed water-tight when desired. The air tubes are also
provided with "look outs" formed of strong glass or other transparent
material inserted in an opening in the tubes or in frames arranged to
swing as on the port holes of a ship. To the internal structure are
connected pawl levers so arranged as to engage with the ratchet wheels
which are attached to the shell or case for the purpose of turning the
same when necessary to bring the hatchways in their proper position.
When it is desired to prevent any turning of the case or shell about the
inner structure the levers are kept engaged with the ratchet wheels, but
when on the other hand it is desired to have it move freely the levers
may be entirely disengaged. The boat thus constructed has its interior
structure also provided with seats for its occupants, and also with rods
running lengthwise and pivotted at the front ends to arms hinged to
stationary uprights, and at their rear ends to levers which by means of
suitable crank mechanism are connected to a shaft, the latter being
connected to a propeller wheel, so that the occupants by means of handles
on the rods can propel the boat.
The boat is also provided with a steering apparatus consisting of a
wheel and shaft connected by means of bevil gearing with the rudder.
On the outside are arranged rods for attaching life lines.
The boat may be constructed of any size desired, and may be propelled
by hand power, as above described, or by steam or other power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LIFEBOATS," a communication to me from abroad by Robert
Humble, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 William Robert Lake, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, forming a part of this Specification:-
This Invention relates to lifeboats, and consists partly in constructing
the same with a strong longitudinal outer shell or case having journal
boxes at each end, in which a boat or other suitable inner structure
provided with hollow journals terminating in air tubes is mounted so
as to be perfectly water-tight.

page_text: Also in providing the parts thus constructed and combined with
suitable mechanical devices for turning the shell about the inner
structure, and propelling the whole by the occupants or any suitable
power when desired.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved boat complete; Figure 2
is a longitudinal section of the case or shell of the same; Figure 3 is a
longitudinal section of the inner structure through its hollow journals
and air tubes; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the entire structure
or boat through the centre of the hollow journals and air tubes;
Figure 5 is a longitudinal horizontal section of the same; Figure 6
is a transverse section looking towards the stern; Figure 7 is a trans-
verse section looking towards the bow; Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal
section illustrating a modification in the construction of the aforesaid
boat through the centre of the trunnions and air passages; Figure 9
is a horizontal section of Figure S through the centre of trunnions,
and showing the top of the air passages and revolving doors; Figure 10
is a transverse section through the supporting frame and trunnions,
Figure 8.
In constructing my improved lifeboat I make a strong longitudinal
case or shell A, and provide it at each end with stuffing boxes and
bearings B and C and with hatchways h, with or without transparent
openings, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4; and I secure to its inner side
two ratchet wheels n and q, one being left and the other right handed,
as shown in Figures 2, 4, 6, and 7 for a purpose herein-after explained.
Within this shell or case A I mount or arrange a boat or similarly
suitable structure I having hollow journals T at each end of the proper
size to fit the boxes B and C of the case, and made water-tight, as shown
in Figure 4. The hollow journals T have connected to them air pipes F
of sufficient length to extend above the boat, and terminating, if desired,
in an enlargement g, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4. These air pipes
are made large enough for the passage of a man, and are provided at
their upper ends with a valve V arranged to be operated by a rod a, as
shown in Figures 3 and 4. The valves are so constructed and arranged
that they can be closed water-tight when desired. The air tubes F are
also provided with "look-outs" o of strong glass or other transparent
material inserted in an opening in the tubes, as shown in the same

page_text: figures, or in frames arranged to swing as on the port holes of a ship.
To the internal structure I are connected pawl levers p so arranged as
to engage with the ratchet wheels n and q, which are attached to the
shell or case A for the purpose of turning the same when necessary to
bring the hatchways in their proper position, as clearly shown in Figures
6 and 7. When it is desired to prevent any turning of the case or
shell A about the inner structure the levers are kept engaged with the
ratchet wheels, as shown in Figure 6, but when on the other hand it is
desired to have it move freely the levers may be entirely disengaged, as
shown in Figure 7.
The boat thus constructed has its interior structure provided with
seats for its occupants, and also with rods e running lengthwise, and
pivotted at the front ends to arms a hinged to stationary uprights b,
and at their rear ends to levers k, which by means of suitable crank
mechanism are connected to a shaft 7, the latter being connected to a
propeller wheel t, so that the occupants by means of the handles fon
the rods e can propel the boat.
The boat is also provided with a steering apparatus consisting of a
wheel W and shaft connected by means of bevel gearing y with the
rudder, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. On the outside of the boat are
arranged rods, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, for the attachment of
life lines.
The boat may be constructed of any size desired, and may be propelled
by hand, as above described, or by steam or other power.
In the modification of this Invention illustrated in Figures 8, 9, and
10, o, n, and l, m, are supporters with a hole bored in each as near the
centre as practicable, in which supporters work the bearings or hollow
trunnions, whereby the internal structure I is supported. The
openings X of the trunnions u allow the propelling rods to be extended
through the supporters for communicating motion to the propelling
screw. c, c, are braces for strengthening the bow of the boat; the said
braces are firmly attached to the supporters l, m; t, at the forward end
of the boat, represents a stuffing box to be used if necessary to attach
a hand rail b to the inner structure, or for the admission of air, or
for other purposes.
V is a revolving door with openings 1 and 2 in
the passage way; g¹ is a cross bar for supporting and securing the said

page_text: revolving door in its centre by a pin or bolt. 4 and 5 represent a pipe
or tube connected with a hand rail b for ventilating purposes; 3, 4, and 5
indicate the air passage. To the supporter o, n, is attached the gear
wheel W, in which works a pinion p connected to the inner structure I;
the said pinion is intended to be turned by a handle or lever, and thus
turn the wheel W and the inner structure to bring the hatchways h and
inner structure into their desired position; 7 and 8 are pawl levers for
locking the inner structure when desired to the outer or surrounding
shell or structure. The screw, rudder, and propelling apparatus are the
same as in Figures 3 and 4.
My improved lifeboat is designed-for-use-on-the-coast-or-in-connection_
with sea craft or lighthouses, and wherever and whenever a lifeboat is
required for rescuing and saving life and property. Being strong and
water-tight it can be launched in the roughest weather either with
or without its occupants, and when launched furnishes protection to
its occupants, as well as means for propelling it in any desired
direction.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,-
First. An improved lifeboat constructed with the exterior hollow
water-tight shell made in any desirable shape or form, and of any
suitable materials with bearings and stuffing boxes, and with the internal
structure, to which are firmly attached the hollow journals and air
pipes.
Second. The combination of a water-tight shell or case provided with
bearings or stuffing boxes, and with an internal structure or frame
mounted therein on trunnions or journals, substantially as described for
lifeboat purposes as set forth.
Third. The tubular passage in combination with the hollow journals
when constructed and arranged, substantially as described for the
purposes set forth.
Fourth. In combination with a lifeboat consisting of the outer and
inner structures as described, the ratchet wheels and pawl levers or other
suitable mechanism for operating the outer case, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: Fifth. The combination of a lifeboat constructed as herein described
with suitable propelling and steering devices as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)