to be Converted into a Collapsible Boat.
Year: 1888

page_text: to be Converted into a Collapsible Boat.
I, JOHN MARTIN, of Daylesford, in the Colony of Victoria, Cordial Manufacturer,
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 consists of improvements in and relating to ships mattresses to enable
them to be converted into a collapsible boat; and its object is to provide a mattress
which may be readily converted into a boat capable of carrying passengers and of
being fastened to similar or other boats to form a raft, thus providing vessels with
additional means for saving life at sea.
The boats are provided with row-locks and other appliances for handling them when
launched, whilst at the same time they are very light, buoyant and convenient.
In carrying my invention into practice, I provide two rectangularly shaped
mattresses each formed of a canvas bag or covering filled with cork shavings or other
suitable material, and I connect the outer edge of one of their sides each to a piece
of ash or other suitable wood which form (and are hereinafter referred to as) the
sheerstrakes of the boat.
The ends of these sheerstrakes are hinged to two vertical posts (hereinafter
referred to, one as the stem and the other as the stern post) whilst the lower ends
of these stem and stern posts are connected to another piece of timber forming part
of the keel of the boat.
In order that the sheerstrakes may be kept apart at their centre when my improved
apparatus is required for use as a boat, I provide two pieces of wood or other material
of suitable length according to the beam of the boat required and I hinge these two
pieces together lengthwise whilst their other ends abut against the inside edges of the
sheerstrakes.
To the underside of the said pieces, I also hinge a vertical support which passes
down to and the lower end of which fits into a groove formed between the ends of two

page_text: stays passing from the outer ends of the said two pieces down to the bottom of the
vertical support where they are hinged together and form the groove which receives
the lower end of the vertical support.
Over the frame of the boat thus constructed, I stretch and secure canvas, to the
outside of which underneath each of the mattresses I secure two air-tight bags;
and I sometimes provide an outer covering or protector of similar construction to the
mattresses, the said cover being secured along one side to the outer edge of each
of the said mattresses and along the other to the canvas-covering above referred to.
I arrange the various parts of my apparatus in such a manner that they may either
be folded up to form a mattress or be converted into a convenient boat as hereinafter
more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a plan of a collapsible boat constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse action on line y,y, Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 3, but shewing the boat collapsed or with the
parts in the positions they occupy when in use as a mattress.
AA are the two mattresses properly so called, each formed of a canvas bag filled
with cork-shavings or other similar material, and secured at their top outer edges to
. the sheerstrakes bb.
The sheerstrakes are hinged at one end to the stem-post 61 and at the other to the
stern-post 62 and these again are connected at their lower ends with the keel 6³, which
is made hollow and provided with a water-tank C, which may be filled with fresh
water through the pipe e provided at one end thereof, whence it may be withdrawn as
required through the suction pipe c¹.
6 are two pieces of wood hinged together lengthwise to the vertical support 66
by the hinges 66.
The outer ends of the pieces 64 64 are connected by hinges 6767 to the ends of two
stays 6868 joined together at their other ends by a hinge 63 in such a manner that they
form a groove 610 into which the lower end of the vertical support 66 fits.
It will be readily seen that the sheerstrakes bb stem and stern posts 61 and 6³,
keel 63, hinged pieces 6*6*, vertical support 66 and stays 6° form when extended as
illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the frame or skeleton of a boat which I then cover with
canvas d, and to the outside of this canvas I secure two air-bags E formed of suitable
material and each divided into a number of compartments, as by the web or partition e,
and I provide each compartment with a pipe e¹ for inflating purposes.
F is the outer covering or protector made in a similar manner to the mattresses A
and secured to the canvas d by straps and to the mattresses AA by sewing or
otherwise.
I provide a pair of row-locks G G, one on either side of the boat and hinged or
otherwise secured to the sheerstrakes thereof, and at either end and along the sides
of the boat I provide rings whereby several of my improved collapsible boats may be
secured together to form a raft or the said rings may be employed for steering
purposes.
It is obvious that I may if required provide my convertible mattress with means for
supporting a mast for a sail by passing it through a hole in the seat formed by the
hinged pieces 664 and into a recess in the top of the keel 6³.
It will be readily understood from the foregoing description that my improved
mattress may when folded up as illustrated in Figure 5, be used as an ordinary ships
mattress; or, when extended as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, be employed either as a
raft in conjunction with other boats or as an ordinary rowing or sailing boat possessing
great advantages on account of its being very light and extremely buoyant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. Rectangular ships mattresses such as A constructed of bags filled with cork
shavings or other equivalent material. having their outer edge connected to a piece of

page_text: ash to form the sheerstrakes of the boat and the ends of such sheerstrakes hinged to a
stem and stern post respectively, said posts being connected to the keel of the boat, in
combination with air-bags such as E. and with their other appurtenant parts so as to
form my collapsible boat: substantially as herein described and explained.
Second. In a collapsible boat, the employment of a hollow keel 63 provided with a
water-tank C, as specified.
Dated this Eighth day of June One thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight
JOHN MARTIN.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.