Improvements in Doors applicable as Life Saving Rafts.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Doors applicable as Life Saving Rafts.
ZACHARIAH LANDER, 24, Lewes Road, Newhaven, Sussex, Ship Joiner, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: —
My invention relates to a new method of constructing all doors to cabins, store
rooms and the like on board ship, to answer not only the purpose of a door but
in case of accident, with as little trouble as possible, to be converted into a life
saving raft.
It is well known that the majority of life saving appliances are not only ex-
pensive but take up a considerable amount of deck space, and require to be well
secured and in case of accident are very difficult to get out or launch, which make
them comparatively useless.
The object of my invention is to try and meet this difficulty. I attain this by
constructing a bead and flush door on both sides viz. on a two inch door half inch
panels and one inch of cork in centre between the panels. I also make provision
for catching hold or hanging on by fitting a moulding hollowed out on the inside
or stretching a life line round on the flat side of door through small brass eyes. I
arrange for moulding on outside of door, so that it would blend well with any
kind of work and not be unsightly, and the life line on inside of door.
I make the door of any size and any kind of wood and in the usual way so that
it could be used anywhere.
I provide for lifting off door by means of brass hinges with spindle to work
on door post and socket on door stile, making it so that any person can lift door
off with ease, which will not take more than two or three seconds and is at once
ready for use.
By means hereinbefore described I claim my invention to be simple and in-
expensive to produce, is instantaneous in its action, whilst at the same time it is
perfectly reliable as a door or a life saving raft.
Dated this 13th day of December 1897.
Improvements in Doors applicable as Life Saving Rafts.
I, ZACHARIAH LANDER, 24, Lewes Road, Newhaven, Sussex, Ship Joiner, do
hereby declarè 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:
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of doors for cabins,

page_text: store rooms, etc. on board ship to answer not only the purpose of a door but in
case of accident with as little trouble as possible to be converted into a life saving
raft.
It is well known that the majority of life saving appliances are not only ex-
pensive but take up a considerable amount of deck space and require to be well
secured, and in case of accident are very difficult to get out or launch, which
makes them comparatively useless.
inch
The object of my invention is to try and meet this difficulty. I attain this by
constructing a bead and flush door on both sides, viz., on a two inch door
panels and one inch of cork in centre between the panels. I also make provision
for catching hold or hanging on by fitting a moulding hollowed out on the inside
or stretching a life line round on the flat side of door through small brass eyes. I
arrange for moulding on outside of door so that it would blend well with any
kind of work and not be unsightly, and the life line on inside of door.
I make the door of any size and of any kind of wood and in the usual way so
that it could be used anywhere.
I provide for lifting off door by means of brass hinges with spindle to work
on door post and socket on door still making it so that any person can lift door
off with ease, which will not take more than two or three seconds, and is at once
ready for use.
Referring to the annexed drawings for purposes of illustration.
Figure 1, is a front elevation of a door constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2, is a vertical section through line ay in Fig. 1.
Figure 3, detached view of hinge.
The door a is provided with the cork or such like packing 6 for the purpose
of rendering the door buoyant, c is a cord or the like which is secured to the door a in
any convenient manner and in such a way that when the door is being used as a
life saving apparatus the cord or the like may be held or gripped by the person or
persons in the water in which the door is floating.
Referring to Figure 3, the part d having the socket e is secured to the door
post or support f in Figure 1, and the part g is secured to the door a and has the
spindle or pin h, which engages in the socket e. By this arrangement it will be
seen that the door may be readily removed from its hinges, and when required
can be thrown into the water and used as a life saving raft or buoy.
It will be readily understood that there are various details of construction which
can be made without departing from my invention.
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 claim is:-
1. In doors for use as life saving rafts or buoys; the employment of a layer of
buoyant material such as cork carried at a suitable part of the door, said door
being provided with hinges so arranged as to enable the door to be readily removed
from its support when required; a cord or the like attached to said door, and so
arranged as to enable an individual to readily grip same when required.
2. In doors for use as life saving rafts or buoys: the combined construction and
arrangement of the various parts substantially as described and illustrated herein.
Dated this 11th day of May 1898.