IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS, BOAT PROTECTORS, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Cornish, of London Street, Fenchurch Street,
in the City of London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS,
BOAT PROTECTORS, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Cornish at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1880.
THOMAS CORNISH, of London Street, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS, BOAT PROTECTORS, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
My Invention relates to improvements in life raft, boat protectors, and
appurtenances for saving life in case of shipwreck or other disaster at sea, or for
landing bodies of men or troops at places where it would bo dangerous to land
with boats.
The Invention consists chiefly of improvements in the method of making rafts
on board ship or of constructing them in the water for affording better facilities for
saving life in time of shipwreck or other disaster at sea, or in lakes, rivers, and the
like.
In carrying out my Invention I construct the water and provision casks for
general use on ships with air and water tight covers, the lids of each being secured
by screws or spring catches to an india rubber, gutta percha, or leather joint or
packing ring, so that in closing the lids of the casks they will be perfectly air
tight. I also make the seaman's or passengers' trunks in a similar manner by
applying to the cover of the trunks around the inside of the rims and the top
edges of the lids and ends, india rubber, gutta percha, or compressed cork, or other
suitable material, so that when closed the box or chest will be water tight, the
cocks being also made and fitted so as to be watertight. The water and provision
casks are provided with a net work of wire or other ropes so placed around the
casks with eyelets or loops on each side for fastening down to the deck that they
will answer the purpose for quickly inserting light spars and the like for forming
the frame work of a raft in a few minutes; for example, I may take, say, four casks
and eight light spars, by placing the ends of the spars into the eyelets or loops on
each side of the cask, and then by lashing cross spars across at each end of the
casks the frame work is complete.

page_text: The space between the spars is fitted with matresses of the description known as
Cornishe's, which are constructed of floatable material, each one being capable of
floating one or two persons. These matresses are specially designed for the purpose,
and are provided with strong web bands placed crosswise and lengthwise and firmly
sewn at the edges and loose ends for tyeing them together in any required
numbers. According to my Invention rafts can be constructed of any shape or
size as circumstances will permit, and may be made in various ways and for other
uses in addition to that of saving life from ship wreck; for example, in ships of
war or transport ships I make a hammock and mattress of improved form; thus the
hammock is made of canvas with sides and ends doubled, in which is inserted light
boards, or bamboos will answer the same purpose, the hammocks are slung from
the deck at each corner, and two or three can be slung up together, thereby
economizing space on board ship, and giving a better hammock and more
comfortable bed for men to sleep in. These hammocks will be much easier to get
into or out of than the ordinary ones and occupy less space than the latter. The
man of war mattress consists of a case made in four divisions, each being stuffed
with a layer of cork shavings and floating fibre well stitched down, and it folds up
in four laps, web bands being attached length wise and crosswise for tyeing them
up or folding them in the hammock, or for tyeing them together for forming
rafts for landing troops in places where it would be dangerous or impossible to
land with ordinary boats. In making rafts for this purpose I may place between
the spaces forming the frame work boxes with water tight covers fastened with
eyelets, loops, and lashings similar to the water and provision casks for merchant
ships. In these boxes or casks can be placed ammunition and the like. When
required to land troops in front of an enemy, at the fore part of the raft there can
be piled up a row of mattresses two or three thick to shelter the troops from the
enemics' shot, two or three of the these mattresses being stacked up together will
he bullet proof, and in case of a cannon shot or shell striking or falling on the
raft the same will not injure its floating capacity, but will merely burst through
it; or the rafts can be made by fastening these mattresses on the outsides of
boats, then, if necessary, lashing several of these boats side by side, piling up
other beds or life buoys or belts (known as Cornishe's) on the bows of the
boats as A shelter wall; or a raft of boats can be made with the use of
my boat protectors, next hereinafter described, or by their aid boats can be
lowered with safety, taken alongside other vessels, or through surfs with
perfect safety. These boat protectors, or aids for rafts, are made of cork cuttings
placed in canvas, cut and made in cones to fit under the thwarts of a boat on each
side, so as to be readily transferrable from the inside to the outside; they may then
be secured by the aid of lashings and eyelets ready fixed to pass through rings
or catches placed on the outside of the boat and drawn over the gunwale to be
made fast inside in time of danger; by removing these boat protectors from the
inside to the outside of the boat, the latter is rendered free from danger of being
stove in, upsetting, or sinking, whilst its carrying capacity is considerably increased.
Not only will my form of rafts be of great advantage in landing troops in safety
on a dangerous or hostile coast, but as soon as the raft is on shore the beds, life
belts, life buoys, and the like, can be quickly unpacked, and in a few minutes, if
necessary, a barricade can be built with the same articles on land, or they can be
laid aside to dry and then used for sleeping purpo-es on shore or again on the ship,
the various articles being made so strong and in such a convenient manner for
handling that they will not become injured by auch use as that for which they are
designed. According to another mode of forming a raft by the aid of my improved
life preserving mattresses, life belts, life buoys, and the like, in time of action 1
fasten these articles together in bales, and attach them to spars or place them in
notting so that they can be thrown over the sides of an ironclad, or packed round
the turrets, and thus have the effect of deadening the force of shots and preventing
splinters from flying about, and in case of the vessel foundering, by cutting the

page_text: nettings all the floating material in the rafts will be over in the water capable of
floating all hands.
Rafts for pleasure boats, excursion steamers, and the like, can be made by stuffing
long cones of canvas with cork and fastening two or more together securely with
bands and laying them over the paddle boxes or along the bulwarks on the outside
or inside, or along the bridges of the boats, or the seats about the deck may all be
so arranged, either in single or double rows of deal forms stuffed or seated with
cork, with bands, ropes, or lashings attached, that in time of accident all these
articles can be made available for immediate use, and in all probability be the
means of saving most of the lives. On board ships in the navy the seamen's beds
can be packed in the hammocks, or in neat canvas bags, and theso fastened together
in quantities when stowed in the nettings, so that in case of a vessel foundering or
meeting with any other disaster the beds will be all ready in small rafts to throw
overboard in a minute's notice.
My Invention possesses the special advantages of utilizing various articles in use
on the ships fitted up with iny appliances, vist, the mattresses, life buoys, life
belts, couches, seats, and other articles of ship furniture, with boxes, boats, and boat
protectors, all or any of these articles being of a floatable character and ready for
immediate use when wanted, whilst the various articles of which the raft is mado
are not an incumbrance on a ship, but are all of a useful character and not liable to
injury from ordinary wear and tear.
A further advantage consists, that in making rafts with the aid of water and
provision casks, boxes, and seamen's chests, in accordance with the number of
persons on board, if they are supplied with life preserving mattresses, life belts, life
buoys, boat protectors, and the like, before referred to, not only can all hands bo
floated with safety, but water and provisions can be taken to last for several days,
also changes of clothes, papers, and articles of value can be saved, which, under
other circumstances, would be lost.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Cornish in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
April 1881.
THOMAS CORNISH, of London Street, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE RAFTS, BOAT PROTECTORS, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH.'
"
My said Invention relates to improvements in life raft, boat protectors, and
appurtenances for saving life in case of shipwreck or other disaster at sea, or for
landing bodies of men or troops at places where it would be dangerous to land
with boats.
The Invention consists chiefly of improvements in the method of making rafts
on board ship or of constructing them in the water, for affording better facilities
for saving life in time of shipwreck or other disaster at sea, or in lakes, rivers, and
the like.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a plan of a lift raft con-
structed according to my said Invention.
Figures 2 and 3 represent respectively a transverse section and plan of a boat,
having applied thereto boat protectors in accordance with my said Invention.
The remaining Figures illustrate details, and will be hereinafter moro particularly
referred to.
In carrying out my said Invention I construct the water and provision casks for
general use on ships with air and water tight covers (see detail section and plan,
Figures 4 and 5), the lids a of each cask b being secured by screws c or spring
catches to an india-rubber, gutta percha, or leather joint or packing ring d, so that
in closing the lids of the casks they will be perfectly air tight. I also make the
seamen's or passengers' trunks in a similar manner by applying to the cover of
the trunks around the inside of the rims and the top edges of the sides and ends
india rubber, gutta percha, compressed cork, or other suitable material, so that
when closed the box or chest will be water tight. The locks are also made and
bolted so as to be water tight. The water and provision casks are provided with
a net work of wire or other ropes c, Figure 1, so placed around the casks with eye-
lets or loops on each side side for fastening down to the deck, that they will answer
the purpose for quickly inserting light spars fand the like for forming the frame-
work of a raft in a few minutes. For example, I may take, say, four or six casks b
and eight light spars f, and place the ends of the spars into the eyelets or loops on
each side of the cask, and then lash the spars crosswise in the manner shown in
the Drawing, Figure 1, and the framework is complete. The space between the
spars is filled with mattresses g of the description known as Cornishe's, which are
constructed of canvas, ticking, or other material (for example) stuffed with cork or
other suitable floatable material, each one being capable of floating one or two
persons. These mattresses are specially designed for the purpose, and are provided
with strong web bands, placed crosswise and lengthwise and firmly sewn at the
edges and loose ends for tying them together at i in any required numbers.
According to my Invention rafts can be constructed of any shape or size as cir-
cumstances will permit, and may be made in various ways and for other uses in
addition to that of saving life from shipwreck. For example, in ships of war or
transport ships, I make a hammock and mattress of improved form for the
purpose hereinafter mentioned. Figures 6 and 7 represent respectively a side

page_text: elevation and plan of a hammock constructed for the purpose of carrying out my
said Invention. This hammock i is-made of canvas with sides and ends doubled
so as to form casings, in which are inserted light boards, or bamboos will
answer the same purpose; the hammocks are slung from the deck at each corner,
and two or three can be slung up together, the boards k. being threaded on to
guides (as shewn in sectional elevation in Figure 8), thereby economizing space
on board ship and giving a better hammock and more comfortable bed for men to
sleep in these hammocks will be much easier to get into or out of than the ordinary
ones, and occupy less space than the latter. The man of war mattress (see
elevation and plan, Figures 9 and 10) to be used with the said hamınocks consists
of a case g¹ made in four divisions 1, 2, 3, 4, each being stuffed with a layer of
cork shavings and floating fibre well stitched down; the mattress is so arranged
as to fold up in four laps, as shewn in Figures 11. and 12, web bands m being
attached lengthwise and crosswise for tycing them up or folding them in the
hammock, or for tyeing them together for forming rafts for landing troops
in places where it would bo dangerous or impossible to land with ordinary
boats. In making rafts for this purpose I may place between the spars forming the
framework boxes with water tight covers fastened with eyelets, loops, and lashings,
similar to the water and provision casks for merchant ships herein before described.
In these boxes or casks can be placed ammunition and the like. When required to
land troops in front of an enemy, at the fore part of the raft there can be filled up a
row of mattresses two or three thick to shelter the troops from the enemies shot;
two or three of theso mattresses being stacked up together will be bullet proof, and
in case of a cannon shot or shell striking or falling on the raft, the same will not
injure its floating capacity but will merely burst through it.
Or the rafts can be
made by fastening these mattresses on the outsides of boats, then, if necessary,
lashing several of these boats side by side, piling up other beds or life buoys or
belts (known as Cornish's) on the bows of the boats as a shelter wall. Figures 13
and 14 represent respectively an elevation and plan of a life buoy constructed for
the purpose of carrying out my said Invention, and for general uso on ships in
lieu of the circular life buoy. The buoy consists of two tubes n of canvas (for
example) stuffed with cork or other floatable material, and connected together by
a band o. Figure 15 is an elevation of a life belt constructed for the purpose of
carrying out my said Invention. The belt is made in two halves p, p', one half
being intended to be applied to the breast, and the other half to the back of the
person. Web bands q are provided for tyeing the belt on to the person, the said
bands also serving to tie the two halves p, p, so as to form a pillow, as shewn in
Figures 16 and 17; Figure 18 represents a life preserving seat. A raft of boats
can also be made with the use of my boat protectors next hereinafter described, or
by their aid boats can be lowered with safety, taken alongside other vessels, or
through surfs with perfect safety. These boat protectors or aids for rafts (Figures 2
and 3) are made of cork cuttings placed in canvas, cut and made in cones ? to fit
under the thwarts of a boat s on each side, so as to be readily transferable from the
inside, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, to the outside, as shown by full lines
in Figures 2 and 3; they may there be secured by the aid of lashings t, and cyelets
ready fixed to pass through rings or catches placed on the outside of the boat and
drawn over the gunwall to be made fast inside. In timo of danger by removing
theso boat protectors from the inside to the outside of the boat, the latter is
rendered free from danger of being stove in, upsetting, or sinking, whilst its
carrying capacity is considerably increased. Not only will my form of rafts be of
great advantage in landing troops in safety on a dangerous or hostile coast, but.
as soon as the raft is on shore the beds, life belts, lifo buoys, and the like can be
quickly unpacked, and in a few minutes, if necessary, a barricade can be built with
the same articles on land, or they can be laid aside to dry and then used for sleeping
on shore, or again on the ship, the various articles being made so strong and in
such a convenient manner for handling, that they will not become injured by such
use as that for which they are designed. According to another mode of forming
'

page_text: & raft by the aid of my improved life preserving mattresses, life belts, life buoys,
and the like in time of action, I fasten these articles together in bales and attach
them to spars or place them in netting, so that they can be thrown over the sides
of an ironclad or packed round the turrets, and thus bave the effect of deadening
the force of sohts and preventing splinters from flying about, and in case of the
Vessel foundering by cutting the nettings all the floating material in the rafts will
be over in the water capable of floating all hands.
Rafts for pleasure boats, excursion steamers, and the like, can be made by
stufling long cones of canvas with cork, and fastening two or more together securely
with bands and laying them over the paddle boxes, or along the bulwarks on the
outside or inside, or along the bridges of the boats; or the seats about the deck may
all be so arranged, either in single or double rows of deal forms stuffed or seated
with cork, with bands, ropes, or lashings attached, that in time of accident all these
articles can be made available for immediate use, and in all probability be the
means of saving most of the lives. On board ships in the navy the seamen's beds
can be packed in the hammocks or in meat canvas bags, and these fastened
together in quantities when stowed in the nettings, so that in case of a vessel
foundering or meeting with any other disaster, the beds will be all ready in small
rafts to throw overboard in a minute's notice.
My Invention possesses the special advantages of utilizing various articles in use
on the ships fitted up with my appliances, videlicct, the mattresses, life buoys, life
belts, couches, seats, and other articles of ship furniture with boxes, boats, and boat
protectors, all or any of these articles being of a floatable character and ready for
immediate use when wanted, whilst the various articles of which the raft is mado
are not an incumbrance on a ship, but are all of a useful character and not liable
to injury from ordinary wear and tear.
A further advantage consists, that in making rafts with the aid of water and
provision casks, boxes, and seamen's chests, in accordance with the number of
persons on board, if they are supplied with life preserving mattresses, life belts, lifo
buoys, boat protectors, and the like before referred to, not only can all hands be
floated with safety, but water and provisions can be taken to last for several days,
also changes of clothes, papers, and articles of value can be saved, which under
other circumstances would be lost.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before
in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The construction of life rafts, substantially in the manner hereinbefore
described.
Secondly. The employment of boat protectors, constructed and arranged sub
stantially in the manner herein before described.
Thirdly. The construction of hammocks, substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Cornish, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.