Improved Reflector for Boats.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improved Reflector for Boats.
I, AMYATT EDMUND RAY, of 15 Regent Street, London, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved reflector for boats, and the object of my
invention is to provide a rowing boat with a reflector so that a person rowing a
boat and having his back turned in the direction in which his boat is travelling,
need not periodically turn round in order to see what course his boat is taking.
In carrying my invention into practice I employ a reflector-such as a looking-
glass of suitable dimensions and preferably mounted in a box having a hinged and
detachable lid. Each side of the box is provided with a suitable and screwed
aperture, so that a bar or rest may-by means of a thumbscrew or the like-be
fastened to each side of said box said rests serving to sustain the reflector, when
placed on a seat in the boat, at any desired angle of inclination.
My improved reflector is placed on a seat or other convenient place facing the
person rowing, said reflector being placed in such a manner and at such an angle as
to reflect the water-course in the direction in which the boat is travelling, so that
the person rowing may clearly see without being compelled to turn round to see
where his boat is travelling.
I prefer when using my improved reflector to remove the lid and the complete
box may be provided with a suitable spring catch or lock.
Dated this 13th day of April 1895.
HORN, SON & Co.,
Applicant's Agents.
I, AMYATT EDMUND RAY of 15 Regent Street, London, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to an improved reflector for boats, and the object of-my.
invention is to facilitate the steering of rowing boats, and my invention consists in
providing a rowing boat with a reflector specially adapted for the purpose so that
it becomes rarely necessary for the person rowing a boat and having his back
turned in the direction in which his boat is travelling, to turn round to see, what
course his boat is taking and whether there is any obstruction ahead.
In order that my invention may be readily understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings wherein like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout
the several figures and in which :-
Figure 1, represents a perspective view of one form of my improved reflector.for
boats, the lid being disconnected as will be hereinafter described.
Figure 2, represents a front elevation of Figure 1.

page_text: Figures 3 and 4 represent details hereinafter referred to, and
Figure 5, represents an alternative construction of my improved reflector herein-
after referred to.
In carrying my invention into practice, I employ a mirror or looking-glass A of
suitable dimensions and preferably mounted in a frame B having a hinged and
detachable lid C. Each side of the frame B is formed or provided with a suitable
and screwed aperture around each of which apertures is fixed a leather or other
washer so that one end of the frame supporting bar or rest E may, by means of a
thumb-screw or the like F, be securely fastened to each side of said frame, the
other end of said bar entering a suitably constructed socket K fixed to the seat
facing the person rowing, or said ends may be entered into apertures in the seat
facing the person rowing and adapted to receive said ends, the arrangement of the
parts being such that the water-course in the direction in which the boat is
travelling will be clearly reflected and the person rowing will be enabled, without
turning round, to see the course. The sockets K and the ends of the bars E
entering said sockets are preferably both tapered so that said bars E will be held
firmly when entered into the sockets.
The bars E are preferably removed when the reflector is not in use, being then
inserted in loops or the like G with which the frame B is provided, said frame B
being preferably also provided with a handle H and a suitable lock or spring
catch.
The lid C is, normally, hingedly connected to the frame B by means of hinges J,
said hinges being formed as shown so that the said lid may be readily slipped off
when the reflector is about to be used.
Instead of removing the lid C as described, I may provide its inner side with a
mirror as shown in Figure 5 so that, when opened, both the inside of lid C as well
as the mirror A will act as reflectors, thereby reducing the width of my improved
reflector, when folded, to one half the width necessary if the frame only be provided
with a mirror A. For the purpose of ensuring that both the mirror in the lid and
the mirror in the frame shall be held in the same plane when the reflector is being
used, I prefer to provide bolts or the like L which, when slid into the relative
staples M, will firmly hold the parts in their proper positions.
In order that there may be less resistance against the air and wind when the boat
is in motion, another form of my improved reflector may consist of a series of
comparatively narrow and vertically disposed strips of looking-glass or the like,
said Darrow strips being fixed in their frame at suitable distances apart to allow the
passage of the air through my improved reflector.
Instead of my improved reflector being made as above described, I may hingedly
attach a mirror to each side of a central mirror so that the side mirrors may be set
and fixed by any suitable means, at any desired angle to the central mirror, thereby
increasing the field of vision of my improved reflector.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact forms of
construction of my improved reflector as herein described, as, for example, instead
of being adapted to be fixed on a seat in the boat I may fix my improved reflector
to the gunwales of the boat or to the bottom of the boat, the arrangement in either
event being such that the reflector is rigidly held at a suitable angle and at any
desired necessary distance in front of and facing the person rowing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Reflectors adapted to be used in rowing boats constructed substantially in the
manner and for the purposes set forth.
2. An improved reflector adapted to be used in a rowing boat and consisting of a
mirror A carried by a frame B having a hinged and detachable lid C, the frame A
being formed with screwed apertures having leather or other washers D and adapted
to receive thumb-screws or the like F by means of which thumb-screws tapered

page_text: supporting bars E may be fixed at any desired angle to the frame, the opposite ends
of said bars E being adapted to enter tapered sockets K, all for the purposes and
substantially as described and illustrated.
3. In a reflector adapted to be used in a rowing boat, a central and two side
mirrors for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
4. An improved reflector adapted to be used in a rowing boat and having a
frame provided with a mirror or equivalent and a lid also provided with a mirror,
said lid and frame being held in their proper positions by bolts L adapted to be
entered into staples M, all for the purposes and substantially as described and
illustrated.
5. An improved reflector adapted to be used in a rowing boat and comprising a
mirror carried in a suitable franie adapted to be fixed to the gunwales or to the
bottom of said boat, said frame being capable of being set at any necessary angle,
all for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
6. An improved reflector adapted to be used in a rowing boat, and having a series
of vertically disposed mirrors or equivalents, for the purposes and substantially as
set forth.
Tand this L
__
100-
AMYATT EDMUND RAY,
By his Agents, Horn, Son & Co.,
Somerset Chambers, 151 Strand, London.