Improvements in Life-rafts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life-rafts.
I, GEORGE BROWN HUSSEY, of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island,
United States of America, 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 :-
My invention relates to life-rafts and it consists essentially of a series of laterally
separated buoyant rigid bars or frames extending longitudinally of the raft and
having the spaces between the series of bars filled with cork, bolsa wood or other
suitable buoyant material, and further having the raft provided with suitable life-
lines and a sail-carrying mast adapted to be stepped into either end of the said
frame, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.
The raft forming the subject of my present invention is more particularly adapted
to form one of the life-saving means or devices constituting a vessel's outfit; the
same to be used only in case of an emergency, as for example upon the foundering
or loss of the vessel.
I am aware that portable, rolling or folding life-rafts have been made heretofore,
but such former devices have not embodied many of the characteristic features of
my improved life-raft. The latter is composed of two main sections jointed together;
the arrangement of the frames being such that the raft is rendered very stiff and
strong and not liable to be overturned in a rough sea.
It possesses great carrying capacity and it also can be sailed and guided. By
means of my improved life-raft, the survivors thereon may be carried shoreward
directly through the breakers without unduly endangering the lives of the shore
patrol of the life-saving service. Or in other words, in certain forms of non-
controllable life-rafts it would be necessary for the life-saving crew to launch a
boat through the surf in order to reach and save the persons on the raft.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of a life-raft embodying my improvements, a portion of
one of the frames being broken away.
Figure 2 is an end view of the same, the several ropes and life-lines being
omitted.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view enlarged taken on line x-x of Fig. 1.
Figure 4 is an end view of the raft when folded, and
Figure 5 is a side elevation in reduced scale showing the raft under sail.
The following is a more detailed description of the invention: A indicates my
improved life-raft as a whole. As drawn, the frame portion is composed of three
hollow bars a, extending longitudinally of the raft. The center bar is divided
lengthwise, the two parts being united on the underside by hinges e, the upper side
is provided with a series of hooks d, or other suitable means for securing the parts
together when in use, see Figs. 1, 2, etc. I preferably make the frame of wood, and
provide it with a series of chambers a², separated say by partitions a³; these
chambers may. be air-tight or they may contain each an air-tight removable sheet-
metal box to increase the buoyancy of the raft, as indicated at a, Fig. 3.
The spaces intermediate of the several bars a, are filled in with a series of
sections b, of cork, bolsa wood, or other very light and buoyant material the same
being suitably doweled or otherwise bonded together. The sections are secured to
the adjacent bars a, by transverse connecting ropes c, see Fig. 3, and the dotted
lines shown in the sectional portion of Fig. 1. This arrangement renders portions
of the raft somewhat yielding or flexible. I prefer to have the cork sections extend
above the surface of the frame a, as clearly shown.
Near each end of the raft the frame is provided with upwardly extending

page_text: removable iron supports or rods f, arranged to carry wooden seats h; these also
serve to render the raft more safe and comfortable.
Contiguous to these seats the center bar is cut away to form openings m¹ to
receive a short mast m, carrying a sail s, see Figs. 1 and 5.
Along the sides of the frame are secured looped life-lines, while combined
connecting and life-lines n, extend across the top of the raft at intervals. In order
to render the raft still more efficient I provide it with a series of smaller life-lines 1,
to the free ends of which are secured pieces of cork 2, the latter serving to keep the
lines 1, afloat and visible.
When the raft is on ship-board it may be folded together as shown in Fig. 4, the
seats h, and rods f, being first removed. When thus arranged it occupies a com-
paratively small space.
Now, whenever the raft is to be used it is simply unfolded or opened and locked
together by the hooks d, followed by attaching the seats h, and their supporting
rods f. The raft is now ready to be launched. If desired, it can be temporarily
attached to the vessel by a rope leading from the latter to cleats o, located at the
ends of the raft.
The sail-carrying mast can be readily stepped into the hole m' when desired.
The removable sheet-metal boxes a¹ may be utilized for the purpose of carrying
stores or provisions. I prefer to make these boxes in comparatively short sections
rather than in one long section, thereby lessening the risk of leakage.
The raft may be rendered more efficient by covering its exterior surface with
luminous paint, that is, paint in which phosphorous forms an essential part of the
composition. When thus coated the raft is much more liable to be discerned when
floating upon the water at night, thereby to a greater extent ensuring the safety of
the persons on board.
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. The combination with the longitudinally arranged buoyant hollow frame
divided lengthwise and jointed together and further arranged to receive a sail-
carrying mast, of connected sections of buoyant material as cork secured to said
frame, an elevated detachable seat extending across each end of the frame and one
or more series of suitably disposed life-lines substantially as described.
2. In a life-raft provided with a hollow frame or body and having connected
sections of buoyant material as cork secured thereto, a series of looped life-lines
attached to the frame and a series of similarly attached smaller life-lines having an
end of each provided with a piece of cork, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
3. The life-raft A hereinbefore described consisting of the longitudinally divided
and hinged hollow buoyant frame a, closely connected sections b, of cork secured to
said frame, a suitably mounted sail arranged to be fixed at either end of the raft,
detachable seats h, extending across the frame, and one or more series of suitably
disposed life-lines.
4. In a life-raft provided with means for sailing the same, a hollow frame portion
having a series of removable air-tight boxes arranged therein, connected sections of
buoyant material as cork secured to said frame, and further provided with
conveniently arranged life-lines, substantially as set forth.
Dated this thaL 1
SM
1809
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.