Improvements in Collapsable Boats.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1895-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1895
Improvements in Collapsable Boats.
I, ALLAN JAMES HOOк, of Sandblow, in the Village and Paush. of Churt,
near Farnham; in the County of Surrey, Artist do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows
-
This invention relates to an improved method of constructing boats which can
be collapsed' to stow in a small space, the boats Being strong, and rigid, when
opened.
I make the
I make the skin of the boat of canvas, or other flexible material.
framework of the boat of wood, metal, or other suitable material The constinction
is as follows
one piece.
The keel, stem, and sternpost are rigidly joined together, and form practically
Two pieces of framework, suitably shaped, are attached, by hinges or
other fastenings, to the keel', one lying on each side of the heel. These picres of
framework, I call trays. The two trays, together with the keel, make the bottom
of the framework of the whole boat
The gunwales are hinged to the stem and sternpost
One or more pairs of longitudinal bs, each pan hinged together, may be fixed
to stem and sternpost, below the gunwales; but the Boat can be constructed
without these ribs The skin of the boat is attached, temporarily or permanently,
to the gunwales, and to the keel, stem, and sternpost, but not to the trays.
When the boat is open, the trays are kept in position by one or more boards,
cach board swivelling on a bolt attached' to the keel. Ench such board has a
thwait attached to it, when the boat is open Other means to hold the trays in
Stints, and folding
position may be used instead of, or in addition to, the above
Haps are used to keep the gunwales, is, and trays in then right relative
positions.
When it is desired to collapse the bont, the fastening pieces are first removed.
Then the ribs are folded together, and, if necessary, removed. The trays are then
folded upwards, remaining connected with the keel by the hinges, on other
attachments. The skin is then slack, and it cau be folded inwards, next to the
trays, the gunwales being, at the same time, folded downwards, outside the skin.
Dated this 20th day of December 1894.
ALLAN J. HOOK.
1, ALLAN JAMгs Hook, of Sandbrow, in the Village and Parish of Churt,
near Farnham in the County of Surrey, Artist do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
desoribed and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an unproved method of constructing boats winch can
be collapsed to stow in a small space, the boats being strong and rigid when

page_text: I make the skin of the boat of canvas or other flexible material I make the
framework of the boat of wood, metal, or other suitable material, and the various
portions of which the framework is composed may be either solid or hollow.
The keel, stem and sternpost are uigilly joined together, and form practically
one piece. Two pieces of framework, suitably shaped, are attached, by hinges or
other fastenings, to the keel, one lying on each side of the keel These pieces of
framework I call trays The two trays, together with the heel, make the bottom
of the framework of the whole boat
The gunwales e hinged to the stem and steinpost
One on
more paus of longitudinal b-, each pan hinged together, may be
attached to stem and sternpost below the gunwales; but the boat can be
constructed without these ribs. The skin of the boat is attached, temporarily or
permanently, to the gunwales, and to the keel, stem, and sterupost, but not to the
tiays
When the boat is open, the trays are kept in position by one or more boards,
which I call clamping boards There is usually a thwart resting upon the top of
ench clamping board Other means to hold the trays in position may be used
instead of, or in addition to the clamping bound Folding flaps, and knees are used,
in connection with each clamping bonid, to keep the gunwales, trays, and (when
ribs are fitted) the ribs in the night relative positions.
The constinction of the boat is further explained by the accompanying
diawings
It must be noted that the skin of the boat is omitted from the diawings for the
sake of cleatness, also that the example shown is a boat made without the
longitudinal is above referred to
In Sheet Fig. 1 shows the framework in plan
Fig 2 the side elevation.
Fig. 3 a section at the line S S (Figs 1 and 2) looking forward
Fig 4 a section at the same line looking aft
In Sheet 2 Fig 5 side elevation of the frame when closed.
Fig 6 end elevation of frame, showing one sule closed, the other partly closed
The filling pieces, and a small part of the cap of the stem are omitted
Fig 7 a part of the frame, drawn on a larger scale, showing a section through
centie of keel, and through clamping board and thwart.
The general appearance of the frame is shown by Figs. 12 and 5. The keel A
hns the stem B and the steinpost C joined to it by mortising, the joints being
strengthened by the pieces D, or by knees.
The trays E are connected with the keel by the hinges f
When the boat is ready for use, the trays are in the horizontal position, as in
Figs. 12. 3 and 4.
When it is collapsed, they take the vertical position shown in Fig. 5, and shown
on one side in Fig 6
Each tray is generally constructed thus―
The straight part a, called by me the side keel, has the floor timbers b, called
briefly floors, secured to it. The opposite ends of the floors are fixed to the
stinger, which is itself joined at both ends to the side keel by the blocks d. The
longitudinis e are fastened at the ends to the stinger, and at intermediate points
to the floors
A part of each floor projects through the side keel, forming a dowel 9, fitting,
when the tray is horizontal, into a hole in the keel
Floor bonids may be fitted to he above the longitudinals, but they are not shown
in the drawing.
Filling pic es F are fixed to the keel, for ward of, and abaft the trays
The gunwales G are hinged to the stem and sternpost, which are widened where
the lunges are fixed, and are fitted with caps II. The caps are shaped to receive
the ends of the gunwales
The skin is fastened at its edges to the gunwales, and to the caps, by a lacing,

page_text: or by other means In addition, it may be fastened to the stem, steinpost, au
keel, but not to the trays, which move freely within it.
The false keel I is fixed outside the skin; generally by bolts passing through
false heel, skin, and keel. Chafing battens may be attached to the skin
When it is desued to collapse the boat, the internal fittings, including the ribs
any, nie first removed, and the trays are folded upwards The skin, being then
slack, is folded inwards against the trays, the gunwales being at the same time
folded downwards, outside the skin
The means by which the boat is kept open, when in use, are shown in Figs. 3. -.
and 7
In each tay, near the stringer, a longitudinal piece is fitted between tw
floors, not quite parallel with the keel This may be called the flap beater. To
it is hinged a flap J, so arranged as to fold down flush with the tray when the
bont is to be closed, and to stand up at night angles to the tiny when the boat is
ready for use. It is shown in an intermediate position, in Fig 6. A ledger i is
hxed to the flap; another to the flap bearer, and another & to the side keel,
opposite to the flap bearer. The ledgers and are somewhat wedge shaped.
The clamping board K has an opening cut in its lower edge, to receive the keel
and the two side heels, which it thus clamps together.
When the flaps of the two tiays stand upright, the clamping board is placed
between them where they are furthest apart, and is pushed downwards, so that the
opening in its lower edge receives the three keel< It is theu shid along the keele,
between the two flaps, engaging the ledgers 1, 3, k by means of gaps cut in it for
the purpose
It is slid forward until it luis passed over the spring catch (Fig. 7)
which uses and prevents return, while suitable stops on the ludgets prevent shifting
forward.
Another way of fitting the clamping board is given separately at the end of this
account
The ledgers which strengthen the ends of the clamping board project beyond its
upper edge.
The flaps are cut at their upper ends with shoulders, the shoulders being level
with the upper edge of clamping board, and the middle part projecting a short
distance above. Through this narrow end of each flap a hole is cut Near each
end of the thwart L is a slot, to receive the projecting ledge of the clamping
board, and another slot to receive the end of the flap When the thwart is in
position, it rests on the shoulders of the two flaps, the narrow part of each flup
passing though the slot, and being secured by a wedge pushed to the hole above
mentioned. The clamping board is at the same time held in position by the
projecting ends of the ledgers being received in the lots made for them in the
thwait
The knees Maie hinged to the thwart, so as to fold flat in packing. Each is
secured to the gunwale when in use by a catch and bolt in such a way as to
support the gunwale against a strain upwards, downwards, or sideways
The diagonal N (Fig 7) is fastened at its lower cud to the stringet, and at its
upper end to the gunwale."
The rowlock is an ordinary crutch. It passes through a socket in the
gunwale, and its lower end fits into a projection Pon the diagonal, o into a hole
in the diagonal itself.
The bs when fitted are made in pans, each pan hinged together at fore end
and after end in such a manner that they fold together, lower side to lower side,
being litted at the time of folding from the position they occupy when fixed.
When hyed they pass, at the ends, on each side of stem and sternpost, resting on
supports, and being held down by a fastening. They are supported at one or
more points in then length by flaps oi projections, lunged or otherwise fixed to the
flaps of the trays or to the thwart.
The alternative method of fixing the clamping board is as follows-
The catch (Fig 7) is omitted A stop is fixed on upper side of keel, and on

page_text: each flap, to prevent the board sliding too far forward
pieces are fixed suitably curved, with a stop on each
Instead of the ledgers ), A,
The board is held in a sloping position while it is pushed down to its place on
the keel, where it rests against the stop. The top is then moved forward, towards
the upright position. The lower edge consequently moves backwards, and the
openings in the sides engage the curved pieces.
When the board is upright, its lower edge rests against the stops on side keels
and flap bearers.
A clamping board, whatever its pattern, may be fastened to a floor for greater.
strength.
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 clann is
(1.) A collapsablo boat, with the framework of the bottom made of a keel and
two pieces, binged one on each side thereof, working in the manner described
(2.) The combination of a bottom made of a keel and two pieces hinged one on
each side thereof working as described, with gunwales hinged to the stem and
sternpost, and with a flexible skin, to form a collapsable boat.
(3.) The improved collapsable boat, inade according to the foregoing descrip-
tious, and as shown in the accompanying drawings
Dated this 31st day of August 1895.
ALLAN J. HOOK.