Improvements in Life Buoys, Rafts, Bicycle Boats, or the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 19th Dec, 1896
PRO ISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life Buoys, Rafts, Bicycle Boats, or the like.
1, WILLIAM HENRY LARKINS, of 25 Chaucer Road, Herne Hill County of
Surrey, Warehouseman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to life-buoys, rafts, bicycle boats or the like adapted to
support one or more persons in the water, and may be carried out in the following
manner;-
The buoy would be provided with an opening more or less centrally placed
through which the body of the person would pass, the buoy itself being constructed
of an exceedingly light frame-work of bamboo or the like covered with waterproof
canvas or equivalent material, and adapted to be filled with air at or above the
atmospheric pressure. Plates of wood or the like are placed at suitable distances
and air tubes or air spaces provided as required. The apparatus is preferably
tapered towards the front to operate as a bow to facilitate its passage through the
water.
It is intended that the person using this buoy or raft should be able to propel it
through the water, either by means of a sail or paddles or the apparatus may be
fitted with a propelling device such as a screw propeller operated by either the
hands or feet of the user, suitable connecting gear such as wheels, chains and the
like being employed as required. The legs of the user project below the body of
the raft and are cased in any waterproof material. Any required framing etc. for
the mechanism is employed.
A rudder for steering purposes is also used.
It will be understood that the boat may be constructed to carry two or more
persons and variations from the above description may be made without departing
from the spirit of the invention.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
еше
I, WILLIAM HENRY LARKINS of 25 Chaucer Road, Herne Hill, in the County
of Surrey, Warehouseman, 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:-
This invention relates to life buoys, rafts, bicycle boats, or the like adapted to
support one or more persons in the water.
I construct a light frame-work of bamboo wood or other suitable materials and
cover this with waterproof canvas or the like. The framework itself may be

page_text: adapted to be mated or 1 may provide separate cubes or air spaces for this purposes
A central opening terminates on the underside in waterproof leggings or the like,
within which the occupant places his legs sitting across a portion of the framing
forming the backbone.
The buoy or raft may be propelled by sails, paddles or the like, or it may be
fitted with a device, such as a screw propeller, adapted to be operated either by
the hands or feet of the user.
A rudder and suitable steering apparatus are also provided.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on the centre line of the raft, showing
one form of propelling mechanism.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation showing another form of propelling mechanism.
Figure 3 is a plan showing one side of the raft, complete, the other side having
the covering removed so as to expose the framing.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
I construct a frame work, preferably pear-shaped, in plan as shown in Figure 3,
of bamboo rods A bent and passed through wooden partitions A¹. Wooden
hoops A2 are counter-sunk in the edges of the partitions A¹ so as to form a central
opening B, preferably oval in shape, in which the occupant of the boat may sit
upon a stout wooden backbone A³. One or more inflatable tubes C run round the
vessel, passing through openings in the partitions A', and giving buoyancy to the
whole structure. I cover the whole framing with some suitable strong waterproof
material, preferably employing raw hide for this purpose.
Attached to the backbone and projecting downwards from the body of the raft
I arrange a light tubular or other framing D, which supports the propelling
mechanism.
This mechanism in the form shown in Figure 1, comprises a propeller E,
mounted upon one end of a short shaft E¹, at the other end of which is a bevel
wheel E; a second, larger bevel wheel F mounted upon a transversely arranged
shaft F gears with the wheel E. The shaft F¹ has two crank arms Fupon
it, the ends of which are connected by links G with two treadle levers H, the
latter being fulcrumed at D¹ on the framing D and having pedals H¹ at their
free ends.
In the construction shown in Figures 2 and 3 the propelling mechanism is
arranged somewhat differently, being adapted to be operated by chain wheels
cranks and pedals after the manner of a cycle. The shaft F in addition to
the bevel wheel F carries a chain wheel F³, the framing D is suitably modified and
arranged more forward and beneath the occupant of the raft, and a bearing D is
formed in it carrying a shaft J with chain wheel K and cranks L which are
provided with pedals H¹; a chain M connects the chain wheels K and F³.
In a further modification I may employ bevel gearing and a connecting shaft in
place of the chain and chain wheels just described.
A rudder N is provided, the pintles of which engage with eye bolts upon one of
the tubes D of the framing D forming the stern post.
A yoke O is mounted on the rudder N and rudder lines O' provided. It must
be understood that I may employ other means for steering the raft.
To the lower part of the opening B are securely attached leggings of some
waterproof material into which the occupant of the raft passes his legs to enable
him to propel himself. Only a portion of the material R forming these leggings,
and the method of attachment is shown in the accompanying drawings, the lower
parts being broken away for the sake of clearness.
A mast S, provided with a sail suitable to the requirements of the raft, may
be stepped, preferably in the bows; the sail I prefer to employ being that of the
type known as a "batswing" sail.
In the above specification and following claims the structure forming the subject
of this invention is, for convenience, referred to as a "raft," but it may equally well
be described as being a boat.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A "raft" constructed and adapted to be propelled substantially as described.
2. In a "raft" the combination with a framework of bamboo and other wood, of
inflatable tubes in this framework and a covering of raw hide or like material
substantially as described.
3. In a "raft" the combination with a covered framework having a central
opening and leggings arranged below this opening, of a propeller adapted to be
actuated by the feet substantially as described.
4. In a "raft" the combination with a framework of bamboo and other wood,
of inflatable tubes such as C, framing such as D D³, propeller E and mechanism
for operating it, and rudder N, substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete "raft"
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 1 or Figures 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of November 1896
WILLIAM HENRY LARKINS.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.