IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOATS."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry William Withers, of New Cross, in the
County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF BOATS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry William Withers
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
8th August 1867.'
on the
I, HENRY WILLIAM WITHERS, of New Cross, in the County of Kent, do
hereby declare the nature of the-said Invention for." IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BOATS," to be as follows:-
The chief object of my Invention is to increase the buoyancy and lateral
stability of boats, and it is particularly applicable to life boats, although it
applies to other boats.
My Invention consists in forming externally in each side of the boat a
longitudinal recess preferably of curved form, and in fitting in each such
recess a hollow cylindrical or partially cylindrical or other conveniently shaped
structure of iron or other suitable material, or a corresponding solid structure
of cork or other buoyant material. These structures when the boat is stowed
away fit into the recesses, and then form part of the ordinary contour of the
boat, but when the boat is required for use they are turned upon their centres
I

page_text: or otherwise so as to extend out from the sides of the boat, and leave below
them in the lower part of each recess a longitudinal channel or waterway,
whereby the buoyancy and lateral stability of the boat are greatly increased.
The structures are preferably narrowed towards their ends, so as not to
interfere with the way of the boat. Although I prefer the structures to be
connected so that they may be stowed into the recesses, yet they may, if
desired, be permanently fixed in the position they occupy when in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry William Withers in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM, THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WILLIAM WITHERS,. of New Cross, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry William Withers, Her special licence that I,-the-said
Henry William Withers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Henry William Withers, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOATS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry William' Withers, 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 Henry William Withers, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what imanner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is.
to say
The chief, object of my Invention is to increase the buoyancy and lateral:
stability of boats without too much. diminishing, their internal capacity,
and it is particularly applicable to life boats, although it applies to other
boats.
My Invention consists in forming externally in each side of the boat a
longitudinal recess, preferably of curved form, and in fitting in each such
recess a hollow cylindrical or partially cylindrical or other conveniently shaped
structure of iron or other suitable material, or a corresponding solid structure
of cork or other sufficiently buoyant material. These structures when the
boat is stowed away fit into the recesses, and then form part of the ordinary
contour of the boat, but when the boat is required for use and lowered into
the water, and more carrying power is required, they a are turned upon their
centres or otherwise, so as to extend out from the sides of the boat, and thus
give additional bearing or surface whereby the buoyancy and lateral stability.
of the boat are greatly increased. The structures are preferably narrowed
towards their ends so as not to interfere with the way of the boat.
My, Invention will be, fully understood by the accompanying Drawings
which I now proceed to describe.
Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2 a midship section of a boat con-
structed according to my Invention, the structures herein-before referred to
being in the position in which they form part of the ordinary contour of the
boat.
4
A, A, are the longitudinal recesses formed externally in the sides of the
boat, the transverse section of these recesses forms at all parts a segment or
portion of a circle a, a. B, B, are the hollow structures of iron or other
material fitted in the recesses A, A; in the position shown in Figures 1. and 2
the inner faces, a, a, of these structures, correspond with the curve of the
recesses A, A, while their outer faces b, b, correspond with and form part.of
the ordinary contour of the boat, as shown. The hollow structures B, B, are
centred on, pivots at C, C. When the boat is r
boat is required for use and great
buoyancy and lateral stability are necessary, the hollow structures B, B, are
turned upon these centres or pivots so as to extend out from the sides of the
boat either as shown in the midship section Figure 3, or as shown in the
midship section Figure 4; in the former case the portion of the structures
which was outside, is brought uppermost, while in the latter case it is brought
lowermost
A
1. J.
...
.

page_text: Figure 5 is a top view and Figure 6 is a horizontal section through the
line x, x, of Figure 2, showing the narrowing or tapering of the structures
B, B, towards their ends so as not to interfere with the way of the boat.
Sometimes I employ chocks I forming continuations of the bow ends of the
structures, and running them off as it were to a point; these chocks may be
made to ship and unship as required. To move the hollow structures B, B;
on their centres I fit ropes, cords, or chains E, E, thereto, carry these ropes,
cords, or chains to the inside of the boat, and lead them round a bar D, shown
in dotted lines in Figure 5'; this bar D is connected by gearing to. a vertical
bar F, which may be turned by a handle. In the Drawings three ropes E
are shown on each side of the boat, two of which are passed partly round and
connected to one side of the structure B, and the other is passed partly round
in the reverse direction and connected to the other side of the structure.
do not limit myself to this mode of moving the structures B, B, on their
centres, as any other convenient arrangement may be adopted. Sometimes
instead of or in addition to the pivots or centres C, C, I support the
structures B, B, by means of curved bars G; G, as shown in Figure 4,
attached to the structures B, B, and moving in guidé eyes H, H, fitted in the
recesses A, A, of the boat. The eyes H, H, with the turned in ends of the
bars G, G, also act as stops to prevent the structures being moved round too
far. If preferred the bars G, G, may be fitted in the recesses A, A, and the
In some cases I divide and
eyes H, H, secured to the structures B, B.
strengthen the structures B, B, by partitions, so that if they be forced in or
-damaged at one part they will still retain a considerable portion of their
buoyancy.
Any convenient arrangement or appliance may be adopted to prevent the
water entering the spaces, above or below the structures B, B, when moved out
on their centres.
Although I have herein-before spoken chiefly of the structurés B, B, as
being hollow, they may be made solid provided they be of cork or other
sufficiently buoyant material.
14
My Invention will be found of great advantage in fishing boats, as by
moving out the structure B, at the side at which the nets are being drawn
in greater, buoyancy is obtained at that side, and additional safety. thereby
secured.
2
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim constructing boats
with external longitudinal recesses in the sides thereof, and fitting in these
I'

page_text: recesses hollow structures of iron or other suitable material, or solid structures
of cork or other sufficiently buoyant material, all substantially as and for the
purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry William Withers, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
HENRY W. WITHERS. (L.s.)