AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS FOR SAVING PERSONS IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Tucker, of 7, Guinea Street, Bristol, Ship
Builder, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SHIPS FOR SAVING PERSONS IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK."
Sealed the 29th May 1855, and dated the 19th December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Tucker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th December 1854.
I, JOSEPHI TUCKER, of 7, Guinea Street, Bristol, Ship Builder, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SHIPS FOR SAVING PERSONS IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK " to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing ships in such manner that the
quarter-deck may be readily detached and used as a raft for saving life in case
of shipwreck; and for this purpose the ship is arranged in such a manner that
the only entrance to the cabins under the quarter-deck is from the said deck,
and the floor of these cabins (which is separate from the deck on which it
rests), is caulked or made water-tight, so that when launched together with
the quarter-deck into the water, the whole resembles a flat-bottom boat, square
at the ends, and of small draught of water, and which may be provided with
masts and sails if requisite.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Tucker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPHI
TUCKER, of 7, Guinea Street, Bristol, Ship Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Tucker, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Tucker,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Tucker, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS FOR SAVING PERSONS IN CASE OF SHIPWRECK," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Tucker, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Joseph Tucker, 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 (that is to say):-
:-
My Invention has for its object an improvement in the construction of ships
for saving persons in case of shipwreck, and consists of forming the poops
separate and independant of the ships, and yet attachable thereto, so that ordi-
narily the poops will be as if forming part of the ships, whilst at other times
when separated from the ships they are suitable for rafts.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows so much of a side view of a ship having a separate and
moveable poop, as will enable me to describe the nature of my Invention;
Figure 2 shows a transverse view of the poop when separated from the ship.

page_text: a, a', is the poop, which separates at h, h, from the ship, when it becomes
necessary that the poop should be used as a raft. The ship is built with a
main deck fore and aft in the ordinary manner, and the moveable poop is
placed and fixed on the same. The poop is built suitable for a cabin, and may
have arrangements for stowage in the event of being required for a raft. The
poop has a light mizen-mast stepped. The moveable poop may be fixed to the
ship in any convenient manner, but I prefer to have cylinders or tubes 6 fixed
through it to receive screw bolts, which, being passed through the beams or
through a strong projecting streak (at the sides of the ship, or through both,)
pass also through the cylinders or tubes 6 fixed in and through the poop.
In
order to provide ready means for steering the poop when in use as a raft, I
prefer to have the gangway doors c hung to the angles of the moveable poop
in such manner as to be used as gangway doors when the poop is fixed to the
ship, and yet that they may be capable of being used as rudders when the poop
becomes a raft, and I provide and fix tillers d to such doors. In order to
prevent the poop moving sideways when it is fixed on the ship, cleats or blocks
e, e, are fixed to the main deck of the ship and shores f, each capable of moving
on an axis at its upper end, are applied, and they, by stepping against the fixed
blocks or cleats e, prevent movement of the poop sideways. 9, 9, are screws
for raising the lower ends of the shores when it is desired to release the poop.
The screw bolts which pass through the cylinders or tubes b, have at their
upper ends screw nuts b', as is shown. When it is desired to release the poop
from the ship in order that it may become a raft, the screw nuts are to be
removed, and the screw bolts will drop out and release the
poop.
The sepa
rated poop will then become a raft, and will be left floating when the ship
goes down.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the details herein described, so long as the peculiar character of my Inven-
tion be retained; but what I claim is, the building of ships with separate and
moveable poops suitable for becoming rafts, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Tucker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.