IMPROVE- MENTS IN LIFE Rafts
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Witherden Hurst, of Peckham, in the
County of Surrey, Master Mariner, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LIFE Rafts.”
Sealed the 23rd September 1873, and dated the 4th April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Witherden Hurst
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th April 1878.
I, JOHN WITHERDEN HURST, of Peckham, in the County of Surrey,
Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS," to be as follows :—
My Invention has for its object the construction of life rafts in such
a manner as to adapt them for being fitted to the bulwark or the side
of the poop of a ship, or to form a part of the bulwark, and when
suddenly detached therefrom to be capable of falling safely on to the
surface of the water, thereby dispensing with the need of tackle or
lowering apparatus.

page_text: The raft consists of two flat bottomed boats or vessels covered entirely
with flush decks, and united so as to form a single structure by means
of cross pieces laid near to each other so as to form an open floor or
grating between the decks of the two boats, such cross pieces being fixed
to the decks or coverings of the boats.
The decks of the two boats are made so as to fit the side of the
bulwark or poop to which the raft is to be applied, so as to lie one
above the other with the bottoms of the boats outwards. And the
raft is suspended by the side of the lower boat resting on chocks
fixed to the side of the ship, and by means of a sling line secured :
at its two ends to the side of the ship, and after passing round the
outside of the raft being confined in the middle on board the ship.
The raft is also secured by means of lines passed through eyes at
the ends of each boat, and fixed to staples inserted in the side of the
ship. This mode of suspending the raft admits of its being suddenly
disengaged from the side of the ship, by cutting the end lines and
letting go the middle or sling line, when the raft will immediately turn
on the chocks and fall in a horizontal position.
Guide pieces are or may be fixed to the side of the ship below the
chocks to facilitate the passage of the raft down the ship's side.
The raft is fitted with two hinged rails which when turned up form
a gunwale on each side of the floating raft, in which gunwale are row-
locks for rowing the raft.
Eye bolts are or may be fixed in the decks of the two boats in
convenient positions for life lines adapted for securing passengers while
on the raft.
It is preferred to construct the said boats with water-tight bulk-
heads.
The raft constructed as above described may be carried in any other
convenient part of the ship. It may also be propelled by a sail, and is 3
intended to be steered by an oar.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Witherden Hurst in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WITHERDEN HURST, of Peckham, in the County of Surrey, Master
Mariner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Witherden Hurst, Her special license
that I, the said John Witherden Hurst, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Witherden Hurst, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Witherden
Hurst, 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 John Witherden Hurst, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 Drawings hereunto
annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :—
My Invention of "Improvements in Life Rafts," has for its object
the construction of life rafts in such a manner as to adapt them for
convenient stowage on board of ship, and for floating safely on the
surface of the water when suddenly thrown overboard, thereby dispensing
with the need of tackle or lowering apparatus.

page_text: The life raft may be so constructed as to be fitted to the bulwark
or the side of the poop of a ship, or to form a part of the bulwark,
or to be carried on the quarter decks or spar decks, or to form seats
amidships, or in any other convenient part of the ship.
The raft consists of two flattened oval pontoons or vessels united
by an upper and lower deck fixed between them, the whole being
tied together by suitable bracings and connections, as herein-after
described.
When the raft is constructed in order to fit the side of the bulwark
or poop of a ship, so as to lie with one pontoon or vessel above the
other, it is or may be suspended by the side of the lower pontoon
or vessel resting on chocks fixed to the side of the ship, and by means
of a sling line secured at its two ends to the side of the ship, and after
passing round the outside of the raft, being confined in the middle on
board the ship. The raft is also secured by means of lines passed
through eyes at the ends of each boat, and fixed to staples inserted
in the side of the ship. This mode of suspending the raft admits
of its being suddenly disengaged from the side of the ship by cutting
the end lines and letting go the middle or sling line, when the raft
will immediately turn on the chocks and fall in a horizontal position.
Guide pieces are or may be fixed to the side of the ship below the
chocks to facilitate the passage of the raft down the ship's side.
When the raft is constructed to be carried on deck it may be placed
between the chocks at present fitted for the ordinary life boats to rest on
when
inboard.
swung
The raft may also be constructed so that one pontoon may be caused
to lie over the other when stowed by fitting a hinge joint between the
pontoons.
Eye bolts are or may be fixed in convenient positions for life lines
adapted for securing passengers while on the raft.
It is preferred to construct the pontoons with water-tight bulkheads.
The raft constructed as above stated may be propelled by paddles, or
by a sail, or otherwise.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed
to describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which is represented
a raft constructed in the manner above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Fig. 1 is a transverse section, and Fig. 2 a plan or horizontal view
of a raft adapted for stowing on the deck of a ship; Fig. 3 is a similar
section to Fig. 1 of a raft adapted to place one pontoon over the other
when required. In these several Figures the same letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts.
A, A, are two flattened oval pontoons with rounded or convex ends
constructed by preference of galvanized wrought iron. Each pontoon
has three water-tight compartments, and is fitted with brass framed
man-holes. The pontoons are strengthened inside with five wrought-iron
hoops, and bound on the outside with five strong iron bands B, B, with
lugs through which fastening bolts C, C, are passed.
The two pontoons are connected together by an angle iron longi-
tudinal frame D, and by five transverse strap plates E, E, secured
by the same bolts C, C, as fasten the frame D and strap plates E, E.
The pontoons are also further secured by four diagonal tie rods F, F,
shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 2, extending from the bolt C of the
inside lug of the centre band B to the opposite corner of the inside
lug of the outer band, crossing each other in the centre on the
intermediate strap plate. On the top of each strap plate E are fitted
chocks of wood G (see Fig. 1) on which the upper deck H³ rests.
The lower deck H³ is laid under the strap plates E, E, and both decks
are bolted together by means of bolts which pass through both decks H'
and H, also through the chocks G and the strap plates E, thereby
securing all together. The end bands are also diagonally braced.
together with iron tie rods I, I, passing through four lugs rivetted
on the inside corners of the outer bands on each end of the pontoons,
and set up with screw nuts. On the outer top corners of each pontoon
are fixed strong strap hinges L, to which is fastened the bulwarks M,
shewn only in Fig. 1; also in this Figure is shewn a fender N which
may be of cork, and may be made to pass all round the structure.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim
as of my Invention is, the construction of life rafts, consisting of two

page_text: flattened oval pontoons united by a deck or decks in the manner
described, whereby the raft is rendered capable of floating in the water
on either side upwards when suddenly thrown overboard.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Witherden Hurst, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, 5
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
JOHN W. HURST. (L.S.)