A NEW AND USEFUL OR IMPROVED LIFE-PRESERVING BERTH FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS
Year: 1857

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Elbridge Foster at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th October.
1857.
I, ELBRIDGE FOSTER, of the State of Connecticut, of the United States of
America, do hereby declare that I am in possession of "A NEW AND USEFUL
OR IMPROVED LIFE-PRESERVING BERTH FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS," and I do hereby
declare that the following is a correct description thereof, reference being had
to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked
thereon.
The nature of my Invention consists in a movable and adjustable berth pro-
vided with one or more hinged or attached flaps or keels and folding inflatable
air chambers, whereby the same may be used as a life-preserver on steam or
other navigable vessels.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my Invention, I will
proceed to describe its construction and operation.
In the Drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of the berth, showing its valve openings;
Figure 2 is a plan of the bottom, with its chambers inflated; Figure 3 is a
plan of the bottom, exhibiting the chambers as folded down against it;
Figure 4 is an end view in section, with the chambers inflated; Figure 5 an

page_text: end view (in section), with the chambers closed or folded; Figure 6, a view of
the supporting partitions and their fillets.
In making or performing my Invention I construct a frame or box (A) of
light wood, and about the usual size of a common berth, such as is generally
used in steam boats.
On each side of the under part I attach by hinges or other proper means a
proper shaped board (B), in order to form a kind of keel, which may be
hinged, so as either to fall from or fall down to the bottom of the berth, as
shown in Figures 4 and 5 ; the former Figure exhibiting it as in the proper
position for the berth when not used as a life-preserver.
I next take a suitable kind of waterproof cloth or material, and fasten it at
its edges to the board B and the berth, or arrange it in the manner shown
in the end view, Figure 4, the same forming when expanded an angular-
shaped bag or cavity E, along the whole length of the keel, or nearly so;
when the keels B are brought out at right angles with the bottom, the
angular-shaped cavities E will be formed, and the air be admitted into them
through the valve openings c of the bottom (see Figure 1).
When the cavities or chambers are properly inflated with air, the rotary
stop or valve D applied to each opening c may be turned over the holes or
valve openings c, in order to prevent any admission of water to the keel cavity
or cavities E through the said valve openings.
Each bag, cavity, or chamber having been filled with air, the sides B, B,
cannot be pressed inwards by the pressure of the water, neither can the bags
collapse while the valve openings c are closed, and the air does not escape;
but as an extra precaution, a cross bar, spring, or other device may be properly
attached, so as to prevent the sides from falling inwards when the chambers
are inflated.
In order that the berth may be used as a bed, the valves may
be opened for the escape of the air; this will permit the sides to be folded
down flat on the bottom, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, and to be secured in
place by a turn button, or any other proper device, and being now flush with
the lower edge of the front, they will offer no impediment or obstruction to any
berth which may be below them.
The berth is made to slide into the usual recess between the upright par-
titions H, H, and on fillets fastened to the sides of such partitions, and when
in place may be retained there by bolts G, or some other suitable devices,
which will enable it to be conveniently and easily taken out when circum-
stances may require.
The advantage of these berths is, that a steam-boat or other vessel can be
fitted up with them in the place of the present permanently fixed berths, and

page_text: without any material alteration of the general construction of such boat or
vessel, and with a small advance of cost, and retaining all the present outward
appearance.
Each person, when using the berth, will feel confident that he is sleeping
upon that which in case of accident be the means of his safety. Each one of
these berths, when its air chambers are inflated, will bear up one or more
persons in the water, and serve as a boat. Thus a few of these life-preserving
berths may be sufficient for a whole ship's crew and passengers, who, by
means of them would have a chance of being saved in case of the wreck of the
vessel, by attaching a rope to them when in the water; they may be made to
form a flotilla superior to any raft that could be constructed, and better than
the ordinary boats, of which there is often a scarcity when a vessel is in
danger. The form of the berth is such that it will not easily upset, but should
such accident happen, the berth would still retain its buoyant properties.
Loops and handles to hold on by when a person is in the water can be attached
to the berth, and with such berths many lives and much valuable property may
be often saved.
What I claim as my Invention is, the improved berth made with one or
more adjustable keels or boards and folding air chambers, so as to operate
substantially in manner as herein described, and for the purpose set forth.