IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE RESCUE OF MARINERS, AND FOR ENABLING PERSONS TO MAINTAIN AND PROPEL THEMSELVES IN THE SEA AND OTHER WATERS, SUCH APPARATUS BEING 1985 PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Colwell, of Southtown, in the County of
Suffolk, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE RESCUE OF MARINERS, AND FOR ENABLING PERSONS TO MAINTAIN AND
PROPEL THEMSELVES IN THE SEA AND OTHER WATERS, SUCH APPARATUS BEING
1985
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Colwell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th May 1875.
I, CHARLES COLWELL, of Southtown, in the County of Suffolk,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE RESCUE OF MARINERS, AND FOR ENABLING
PERSONS TO MAINTAIN AND PROPEL THEMSELVES IN THE SEA AND OTHER WATERS,
SUCH APPARATUS BEING PARTLY APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES CONNECTED WITH
NAVIGATION," to be as follows:-
On a life buoy I attach iron rings (top and bottom), and I fix to the
top ring by bolts passing through the buoy raised ironwork; to the top

page_text: of which I attach a strong waterproof bag with wood bottom, and lined
with caoutchouc cloth. An oiled frock covers the aperture, so that a
person using the apparatus, though having his arms free, is protected
against admission of water, and can be hauled from vessel to vessel or to
the shore. Moveable fore and aft water-tight receptacles, strengthened
with iron ribs, may be added.
For propelling or navigating purposes I add to or combine with the
water-tight ends a central boat-shaped portion or appliance formed of
cork covered with canvas strengthened with iron (top and bottom). I
attach thereto, as above described, raised ironwork to support the water-
proof material, which holds one or more persons.
I add a fish-tail rudder or propeller of whalebone covered with caout-
chouc for propelling and steering purposes, without oars or paddles, so
that vessels in distress may be approached when ordinary boats are
unavailable.
Sails may be added; also arched ironwork covered with canvas to
protect from spray. An oiled covering may be used to protect the
person employing the apparatus from the admission of water.
The propeller or rudder may be adapted to other vessels or navigating
or life-saving apparatus.
My apparatus, though mainly intended for saving life, may be used.
for purposes of recreation.
Although I have herein mentioned certain materials which I consider
most suitable for parts of the apparatus other suitable materials may be
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Colwell in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
COLWELL, of Southtown, in the County of Suffolk, Gentleman, send 3
greeting.

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Colwell, Her special license
that I, the said Charles Colwell, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Colwell, 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 APPARATUs
FOR THE RESCUE OF MARINERS, AND FOR ENABLING PERSONS TO MAINTAIN AND
PROPEL THEMSELVES IN THE SEA AND OTHER WATERS, SUCH APPARATUS BEING
PARTLY APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES CONNECTED WITH NAVIGATION," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Colwell,
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 Charles Colwell, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
On a life buoy I attach iron rings (top and bottom) bolted through,
and I fix to the top ring raised ironwork or lighter material, to the top
of which I attach a strong waterproof bag or trowser-shaped leggings,
with wood or keel bottom. An oiled frock covers the aperture, so that
a person using the apparatus, though having his arms free, is protected
against the admission of water, and can be hauled from vessel to vessel,
or to the shore. Removeable fore and aft water-tight receptacles,
strengthened with iron ribs, may be added.
.
For propelling or navigating purposes I add to or combine with the
water-tight ends a central boat-shaped portion or appliance formed of
cork covered with canvas strengthened with iron or built of wood. I

page_text: Colwelt 8 Intprovements in apparatus for the aestive of 10, 90.
attach thereto, as above described, raised ironwork or lighter material
to support the waterproof bag, which holds one or more persons.
I add a fish-tail rudder or propeller of whalebone covered with caout-
chouc for propelling and steering purposes, without oars or paddles, so
that vessels in distress may be approached when ordinary boats are
unavailable.
Sails may be added; also arched ironwork covered with canvas to
protect from spray. An oiled covering may be used to protect the
person employing the apparatus from the admission of water.
The propeller or rudder may be adapted to other vessels or navigating
or life-saving apparatus.
My apparatus, though mainly intended for saving life, may be used
for purposes of recreation.
Although I have herein mentioned certain materials which I consider
most suitable for parts of the apparatus, other suitable materials may be
used.
I now proceed with reference to the accompanying Drawings to
describe apparatus constructed according to the Invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a hauling apparatus destined for saving
life at sea or on other waters; and Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
A is a life buoy, to which I attach iron rings a, b, top and bottom, by
means of bolts passing through the buoy, and I fix to the top ring a
raised ironwork or lighter material B. To the top of this raised work I
attach a strong waterproof bag C, either tapered towards the bottom, or
formed into trowser-shaped leggings, with a wood or keel bottom Q, and
I line this bag with caoutchouc cloth, or otherwise render it impervious
to water. For the further exclusion of water its occupant can be
provided with an oiled frock to extend over the raised metal or other
work at top. Iron links or other equivalent contrivances are attached
to the rings a, b, or to the buoy A, so that ropes may be secured thereto
when it is desired that a person should be hauled from vessel to vessel or-
to the shore. I prefer to use two narrow bags below the buoy, divided
by the keel, to reduce the buoyancy below the water line. The raised
ironwork B extends very nearly to the arm-pits of the user when in a
kneeling position, and this is sufficiently capacious to admit of even a
more crouching position. Removeable fore and aft water-tight com-
'

page_text: partments or receptacles D, D', shewn in dotted lines, may be added,
and they may be strengthened with iron ribs or built together as an
ordinary boat.
For propelling or navigating purposes I alter the shape of the buoy,
but continue the use of cork externally, and I combine air-tight com-
partments or receptacles D, D', fore and aft, so as to form the whole into
boat shape, as seen in dotted lines in the plan, Figure 2.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation; Figure 4, a plan; and Figure 5, a
cross section of my apparatus for navigating purposes when used for
more than one person.
E is the boat proper, which contains the scat, the oiled bags, the
cushions stuffed with cork shavings or inflated, the masts, the lockers
for stowage, and also the air-tight tanks and water tanks.
F is a second or outer case, which is a projecting addition in the
build of the boat proper E from about midway between the keel and
gunwale, thus extending the buoyancy by the known law of displace-
ment without increase of internal capacity or tendency to sink if full;
it is composed of similar material to boat E, and may be stuffed with
cork shavings, if preferred, or used for stowage. Near the bottom of
this compartment is a plug for the admission of water to regulate or
deepen the water line or load line, also to drain off that or bilge water
when out of use, but air-tight higher up.
G is a third or outermost casc or ridge of solid cork secured to the
second or outer case F, so as to render the boat more buoyant with
increased safety, as well as to protect the main structure from injury by
collisions. This case or ridge may be formed in several parts, so as to
fit boats of any size, and attached to the gunwale by means of iron clips,
and secured to boat side, as well as to stem and stern, by longitudinal
elastic plates or bands of steel or wood, with bolts or other fastenings,
so as to be quickly removed or refixed at will, and if preferred they may
be turned inwards to save space when out of use.
Bulkheads or water tanks M, N, are provided, and are placed fore and
aft next the bottom of the boat, and I admit the water by means of plug
holes into such tanks, if desired, to increase the draught, and over these
tanks I place air-tight compartments M', Ne, for the purpose of extra
buoyancy above the water line or load line for the support of those.

page_text: immersed who might succeed in clinging to the looped ropes & attached
and secured to For G.
M*, N*, are tanks filled with fresh water or other liquid for the use
of the occupants of the apparatus. Taps or cocks m are provided for
drawing off the liquid contained in these tanks. The tanks M and N
are beneath the water line from dead keel to about midway upward.
The tank M is a fixture, but M* is removeable. c are apertures in boat
bottom communicating with waterproof material C attached longitu-
dinally outside the bottom of the boat, so as not to impede its progress,
and through which apertures the feet may be passed, if necessary, so as
to enable the occupants to relieve their position or to sit lower down in
the boat in case of emergencies, and if safety alone is to be considered
and the question of speed disregarded separate bags may be provided for
each aperture about knee deep, and thus enable more persons to occupy
the one seat, as herein-after more fully described. The bags when not in
use may be turned inwards, and the apertures securely covered by doors
or otherwise.
Above the air tanks fore and aft and on each side is a sloping covering
of light wood, and fixed waterproof cloth or other light material may be
added so as to extend lengthwise over the open part of the boat E for
protection against the admission of water or spray. Such covering may
be either elevated or depressed at will, and if composed of wood each
layer may be folded for convenience by means of canvas covering, or
applied in removeable parts, the only uncovered aperture being protected
by a waterproof frock worn by the occupant or occupants, the same as
in the hauling apparatus, Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of my improved rudder for propelling and
steering purposes; Figure 7, a plan; and Figure 8, a front elevation of
the same, which I make of fish-tail shape. J is an upright pillar or
post of wood, holding the tail portion Je of the rudder, and provided
with hooks or pintles j, so as to be hung on to eyes or gudgeons j*' on the
stern post of the boat; K are ribs or stretchers of whalebone or other
flexible substance covered with india-rubber; 2 is the tiller or horizontal
bar provided with pulleys or blocks at each end to pass the rudder
lines through. These lines, after passing through the pulleys or blocks
on the tiller, are secured to the gunwale of F at or near the handles p of
the propellers. The tiller or horizontal bar j is connected with the
rudder by means of a swivel joint for convenience of stowage. The fish-

page_text: tail rudder may be used also as a propeller either alone or in conjunction
with the propellers.
For purposes of propelling I place at each side of the boat under the
quarter terminating in a line with the stern and below water line pro-
pellers one on each side and others forward, seen in detached views in
plan, Figure 9; section, Figure 10%; and side view, Figure 11. The
propellers are composed of a light iron frame V, with a longitudinal
bar U passing down the middle thereof, to which I attach a jointed
portion or flap W, composed of whalebone ribs or stretchers x, over
which I place a covering of india-rubber. A bar of wood or iron u,
parallel to the longitudinal bar U, lies above the centre of the jointed
portion or flap, and is secured thereto by rivets or other means, thus
forming a hinge, and allowing the flaps to perform their function.
There may be two, four, or more of these jointed portions or flaps, which
are hung by eyes y* on to a hooked bar y secured to the sides of the
boat, and are capable of a backward and forward movement when
brought into action by means of handles p working the crank P¹ and
connecting rods or arms e attached to the said crank at p². The crank P¹
is pivoted at p¹ to the keel Q. P are boxes through which the propellers
arc worked from the inside of the boat proper E by means of the handles
aforesaid, which extend upwards and inwards and operate the crank P¹.
When the crank handle p is pulled it opens the propellers feather edged,
and when pushed closes them ready for propulsion. z is a lever pivoted
at in box P beyond the travel of the lever p to work its propeller for
propulsion in a backward direction. The frame and jointed portions or
flaps are the same as the other four, but reversed upon the frame; 22 is
the point of connection; this will give a pulling action for going astern
the same as going ahead. Both handles work in slots side by side, and
one may be turned inwards and the other outwards, so that the user can
grasp either at will.
The dotted lines in Figure 3 show the crank in its
pushed" position, and the full lines in its "pulled," position. y² is an
eye or projection for the purpose of connecting the rods e with the
propellers for working them.
The portions or flaps on the propellers open towards the centre, as
shewn in dotted lines, Figure 10, when forced outwards by means of the
handles, and close when forced back by the pressure of the water, such
action causing the extreme ends of the whalebone to take a bearing
upon the lateral portions of the frame; thus a powerful impetus is

page_text: obtained. For propulsion either backwards or forwards the user will
face the bow of the boat. The reverse action may be obtained by an
additional pair hung longitudinally on or near the stern. The stroke
opens the propeller a little more than 6 inches from the boat at the
point of connection. The extent of distance of travel of the handle or
5
lever at centre connection is but slight.
By means of connecting rods or other equivalent contrivances all the
propellers may be worked at the same time, or two pairs may be worked
by a single person.
Qis a removeable slotted keel containing within itself a moveable 1
iron keel q. Such keel Q may be attached by bolts to the keel proper.
When in use the iron keel q falls several inches, so as to insure addi-
tional safety.
The water may be admitted into the tanks or not, as determined
before launching, so as to serve as ballast to deepen the external water 1
line, as with one occupant only in boats constructed for more the
apparatus would not have sufficient draft without ballast of some kind.
R is a longitudinal framed seat of wood or metal placed in the middle
of the boat E, and so arranged as to admit water through the bottom or
not, as previously determined, but tight at top and sides, and upon 2
which are placed cushions inflated or stuffed with cork shavings. These
cushions extend the entire internal length, and may be used as buoys to
aid persons in the water. The persons using the boat sit in a row with
their faces towards the bow, and their feet may rest in the waterproof
bags or apertures, so that their entire weight is central, and below the 2
external surface of the water.
S are lockers for storing provisions and other matters, and are provided
with doors v, or access may be had from the top if securely covered.
In my apparatus I dispense with oars and sculls, so that by means of
my submerged and well protected propellers and rudder the progress of 3
such apparatus through narrow spaces is secured, and vessels in distress
may be approached when ordinary boats are unavailable. For additional
speed sails may be added. T is the mainmast, but a jib and mizen may
also be employed. When the mizen is employed I place it on or near

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the improved hauling apparatus for saving life at sea and on other
waters, as described and shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed
Drawings.
Second. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the
improved boat or apparatus for navigating purposes, described with
reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5.
Third. The improved construction of rudder for steering and propelling
purposes combined and described as shewn in the Drawings.
Fourth. The improved propellers herein-before described for propelling
vessels through water by an occupant facing the bow, and worked and
operated in the manner as described and shewn.
Fifth. The employment of external ridges of cork to boats, so arranged
as to fold inwards for the saving of space when stowed and out of
use, such ridges. being capable of speedy removal and replacement, as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Colwell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
THOMAS BAMFORD,
54, Southtown.
C. COLWELL. (L.S.)