An Improved Lifeboat.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Lifeboat.
We, LANCELOT YOUNGHUSBAND of 4. Wentworth Terrace, Borough Road East
Middlesbro' in the County of Yorks, Engineer; and SAMUEL SMITH YOUNGHUSBAND of
Granville Terrace, Woodlands Road, Darlington, in the County of Durham, Engineer; do
hereby declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by. the following
statement :-
Our Invention relates to a ship's lifeboat of improved design and construction such
as to admit of being loaded with passengers and crew and of being launched either
by the aid of davits in the ordinary way or by being merely rolled into the water and
consequently of being got afloat, more expeditiously and with greater safety than boats
of ordinary construction, without danger of taking in water or of throwing out. the
occupants by capsizing. The power of flotation of the boat is such that should it even
be carried down along with a foundering vessel it will at once rise to the surface
and as it will contain a sufficient supply of air for respiration during the time of
immersion, the occupants will have a good chance of preservation from drowning.
Furthermore the occupants of the boat are protected from heavy seas and severe
weather at all times and also from the attacks of sharks.
The Invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings
forming part of this Specification wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section
on line 5-6 of Figure 2. Figure 2 is a cross-section half on line 1-2 'and half on
line 3-4. Figure 3 is a sectional plan on line 7-8. The same letters of reference
indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
The boat although designed as a ship's lifeboat, is also adapted for use as a shore life-
boat, and is constructed of a cylindrical shell Aof plate iron with conical ends B separated
from the cylindrical body of the shell by bulkheads C so as to form air-tight com-
partments to which access may be had by air-tight manhole doors C¹. The cylindrical
body portion of the boat A is encircled externally by cork belts D which add to the
buoyancy of the structure and serve also as fenders to protect the boat from injury
by striking against the sides of the vessel when launching or otherwise.
Hand ropes
K are attached to these belts to form ladders or means by which persons may climb
from the water up the sides of the boat. Access is had to the interior of the body
portion of the boat by a manhole E in the upper part, provided internally with a water-
tight door F fitted to slide in suitable guides e within the body portion, and portholes G
are provided in each side of the body portion fitted with water-tight hinged windows H
like ship's port hole windows, and also with deadlights or plate covers I similarly
hinged and secured and intended to be used if required in case of breakage of the
window, the portholes being also available to act as rowlocks for oars for rowing when
the water is smooth enough to admit of the ports being opened. Provision is made
for sailing by means of a sail post or mast holder J J₁ stepped on a hinge ; on the
floor of the boat and constructed of telescopically sliding sections so as to admit of
being contracted and laid on the floor of the boat, as shewn in full lines, when
launching and of being raised to an erect position, as shewn in broken lines, by
swinging upwards through the manhole E in the top of the boat and of being then

page_text: extended by raising the telescopically sliding section J¹ and securing it in the raised
position to form a socket or holder for a mast.
The boat is provided with an angle iron keel K rivetted along the body A and the
conical ends B of the boat or formed by flanging the plates of which the body and
ends are constructed. A rudder Li plays in a gap in this keel and is attached to the
lower projecting end of a spindle M passing up into the body of the boat and turning
in bearings m attached to the rear bulkhead and provided with a tiller N.
Longitudinal and end seats O are provided in the body portion of the boat for
passengers and suitable cross seats or thwarts would be provided for the rowers.
At the upper part of the body portion of the boat there is also provided an aperture
from which rises a glass or glazed dome P for conning purposes, the aperture to the
dome being provided with a water-tight door p to be closed in case of injury to the
dome. A headlight Q is also provided attached to a vertically sliding staff R₁ sliding
in guide brackets r and adapted to be projected upwards through a porthole S in the
body of the boat for signalling purposes, the porthole being at other times closed by
a water-tight door 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A ship's lifeboat constructed substantially of a cylindrical body portion, conical
end portions separated therefrom by bulkheads so as to form air-tight compartments,
the body portion being provided with an aperture in the top closed by a sliding door
and with portholes in the sides provided with hinged windows and shutters and
adapted to serve as rowlocks substantially as specified.
2. A ship's lifeboat constructed substantially of a cylindrical body portion, conical
end portions separated therefrom by bulkheads so as to form air-tight compartments,
the cylindrical body portion being provided with means of access, portholes adapted
to serve as rowlocks, a telescopically sliding and hinged mast holder, cork belts to act
as fenders and increase the buoyancy and with means of sailing, steering, conning,
and signalling all substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings.
Lotod r19 ZarN OBV OF UCLODAL 1077
Loted r190206D OBV (H1 UCLODel ONE
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53. Chancery Lane, London.