Improvements in the Construction of the Upper Parts of Ships so that they may Serve as Means for Saving Life in Cases of Wreck or Accident.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 25th July, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Upper Parts of Ships so
that they may Serve as Means for Saving Life in Cases of Wreck
or Accident.
I, MAXIME HUBERT SIMONET, of Quintin (Côtes-du-Nord), in the Republic of
France, Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows: -
In accidents at sea, the sole means at present in use for saving life in case
of wreck or accident are the boats carried by the ship.
These are often ineffectual, from the difficulty of launching them, from their
liability to injury in cases of collision, from bad management, want of time,
and other causes, so that all the boats available can seldom or never be used.
Moreover, even when launched, they are often of but doubtful utility, as
from their shape they are unable to stand bad weather, and are frequently lost
in the eddies and wash of the sinking ship.
The only really reliable means of saftey are rafts, which are easy of access,
present a maximum of available surface, and can consequently carry a maximum
number of shipwrecked persons.
This is well known, but it has been impossible to replace the ordinary ships'
boats (which have to be used in many other circumstances) by rafts.
The object of my present invention is to provide ships with rafts which will
not be in the way, and are automatically launched as soon as the ship begins to
sink.
For this purpose I make all the upper parts of the ship in such manner that
they serve as rafts in case of accident. I make all the saloon roofs, deck cabins,
gangways, deck buildings, parts of the deck or the deck itself, and the like,
moveable and provided with suitable floats or buoys, (preferably in the form of
iron tubes).
In order to render these parts available in emergencies, I fix them in their
places ordinarily by fastenings of any suitable kinds, which become automatically
released by any upward or outward movement caused by the internal pressure
of the air, or by the floating power of the water, at the moment when the ship
sinks.
It will be easily understood that, whatever position the ship takes in sinking,
whether inclined on its side, or down by the head or stern, the upper works,
which then become safety rafts, will always float horizontally when they come
in contact with the water; and whatever the eddies or wash formed when the
ship is swallowed up, the rafts thus formed will float, being, from their shape,
insubmersible.
If most of the persons on board have had time to take their places upon these
upper works which form the rafts, many lives will be saved. Even if the catas-
trophe is very sudden, there will at least be left floating upon the sea a large

page_text: number of rafts, presenting easy access and means of safety to the shipwrecked
persons.
All the rafts, formed as described, should be provided with light and strong
hand rails, or lines, to enable those upon them to resist the movement, oscilla-
tions and shocks, of the waves.
EDWARDS AND Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Construction of the Upper Parts of Ships so
that they may Serve as Means for Saving Life in Cases of Wreck
or Accident,
.
I, MAXIME HUBERT SIMONET, of Quintin (Côtes-du-Nord), in the Republic of
France, Marine 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, and accompanying drawings,
that is to say:-
In accidents at sea, the sole means at present in use for saving life in case
of wreck or accident are the boats carried by the ship.
These are often found quite ineffectual, from the difficulty of launching them,
from their liability to injury in cases of collision, from bad management, want
of time, and other causes, so that all the boats available can seldom or never be
used.
Moreover, even when launched, they are often of but doubtful utility, as from
their shape they are unable to stand bad weather, and are frequently lost in the
eddies and wash of the sinking ship.
The only really reliable means of safety are rafts, which are easy of access,
present a maximum of available surface, and can consequently carry a maximuni
number of shipwrecked persons.
This is well-known to sea-going persons, but it has been impossible to replace
the ordinary ships' boats (which have to be used in many other circumstances)
by rafts.
The object of my present invention is to provide ships with rafts which will
not be in the way, and (in case of shipwreck) are automatically launched as soon
as the ship begins to sink.
For this purpose I provide all the upper parts of the ship with moveable parts
which serve as rafts in case of accident. Thus, I provide all the saloon roofs,
deck cabins, gangways, deck buildings, parts of the deck or the deck itself, and
the like, with moveable parts serving as rafts and provided with suitable floats
or buoys, (preferably in the form of iron tubes). These parts serving as rafts,
are provided on their lower side with such air chambers or floats of sheet metal,
which fit freely in recesses or seats in the bridge or other parts of the vessel. To
facilitate their fitting in place, and their automatic detachment by the interior
pressure of air or water, I make the floats slightly taper as illustrated in
Figures 3, 6, 7, and 10 in the drawings; and they rest on the beans, or adjoin-
ing angleirons (on the bridge), or on the upright partitions and walls of the
cabins and other parts of the vessel.
In all cases the rafts are in no way attached to the vessel, but remain in place

page_text: simply by their own weight. The floats, therefore, rise from their places by
the pressure from within which is always produced by the pressure of the air
or water at the moment when the ship is submerged.
It will be easily understood that, whatever position the ship takes in sinking,
whether inclined on its side, or down by the head or stern, the upper works or
fittings which then become safety rafts, will always float horizontally when they
come in contact with the water, and whatever the eddies or wash formed when
the ship is swallowed up, the rafts thus formed will float, being, from their shape,
insubmersible, so that the rafts are certain to be automatically launched, in case
of catastrophe.
I have thought it best to consider other different cases in which the rafts may
have to be launched; such as partial sinking without the entire disappearance
of the ship, fire, and other like causes.
Most of these conditions have not hitherto been attained, as is now the case
by the arrangements which I will describe.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the deck of a steamer
("La Gascogne") without safety rafts.
Figure 2 is a similar plan, with the safety rafts.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, are detailed views of the improved rafts
and appliances connected with them.
Each raft consists of a frame of teak (0.06 by 0.15) fixed upon air-tight
tanks b of sheet metal 2 m/m thick, galvanized or painted with red lead. In-
ternal transverse and longitudinal partitions e divide the tanks into smaller
chambers so as to lessen the effect of the entrance of water in case of a breakage
in the skin.
These floats take the form of trapezoidal chests resting upon, or forming part
of the deck at the determined parts of the latter, and they are calculated to
support, in the case of such a vessel as that shown, 32 shipwrecked persons,
allowing to each 40 square decimetres to allow for room for movement and to
ensure the flotability and stability at a height of 15 to 17 centimetres above the
level of the water when fully loaded.
(It is advisable not to make the height above the water too great, as the re-
covery of persons falling into the water, and the facility for their easily taking
their places on the raft, are facilitated).
Each raft rests with its ends upon the beams. The points of support, there-
fore, are wide enough apart to give absolute stability in all cases, and they do
not require intermediate beams.
Each raft, which measures, on the average, 445 by 285, gives a surface
of 12.70.
Reserving to each shipwrecked person 40 square decimétres, it is evident that
32 such persons can be accommodated upon each raft placed upon the pro-
menade deck of the vessel shown.
By including rafts r, to take the place of the moveable gangways, the entire
number, which represent 376 sq. mêtres, will receive 940 passengers, the condi-
tions of stability and flotability being excellent.
The float shown in Figures 3 and 4 has a weight, approximately, of 3,800
kilogs., made up as follows:-
A single float gives, therefore, an extra weight of 950 k., and the 30 floats will
give an approximate extra weight of 28500 k. But from this figure should be
deducted the weight of the accessories which, on this system, are omitted as
unnecessary the appliances requisite for the ship itself being retained, and all
others being rendered unnecessary by the operation of the rafts.

page_text: The improved rafts being once in the water, it is necessary that their ship-
wrecked passengers should be able to seat themselves whilst waiting rescue.
For this purpose, a number of moveable boards or strips a are arranged, which
can be easily raised by means of hinged rings a sunk into the boards.
Below these boards are fitted curved or straight hinged supports c¹, working
as shown in Figure 5, so as when raised to provide amply stable and convenient
benches.
The space between the upper plate of the float and the lower surface of the
boards will be partly occupied by the iron work of the benches, and the remaining
available space may be filled with cork.
The sides of the rafts are provided with iron standards d, d.
Those d, which are at the sides, in the direction of the length of the ship,
are permanent; the others, ', are moveable, and are ordinarily put away in the
space which separates two adjoining rafts.
The central compartment of the floats of the rafts is provided with covers
or stoppers tightly closing a large opening above and below.
(I use the word "below," for, in the case of the ship becoming fixed and the
rafts having to be thrown into tlie sea, it may happen that one of the rafts may
fall upside down into the water, and may float so).
In this central compartment of the floats may be placed a store of provisions,
such as in small space will provide the maximum of nourishment,-vessels of
water, and the like.
In order to be able to cast into the sea all the rafts, in case of need, and to
provide at the same time for the case where, the ship not being submerged, the
floating of the rafts will not take place by the very fact of the shipwreck, I make
use of the following arrangement:-
At four points of each raft, in the plane of the deck beams, (Figures 4, 6, 7,
and 8) is arranged a screwed nut f having a deep thread of quick pitch. A fork
carrying an iron roller is also arranged under this nut.
In the nuts are fitted (when the rafts have to be thrown into the sea) screws
having corresponding threads, which can be easily turned by levers.
These screws are so arranged that they are set in action from any convenient
point, and exactly at the right time, and when turned their lower ends resting
against the deck, the raft is raised for the 50 m/m necessary to clear the floats,
and support the rollers upon the beams of the vessel.
At this moment it is only necessary to make the rollers mount an inclined
plane formed by two wooden blocks (Figure 7) to enable the rafts to pass the
sides of the structures, and to be cast into the sea, which is easily done as they
are not heavy, being scarcely more than 1½ tons.
Instead of this method, that illustrated in Figure 9 may be used, in which the
deck beams are made lower. The only objection to this lies in the necessity for
lowering the deck beams, which, however, could readily be done, as there would
still remain a height between decks of 2m 10. The advantages would be that
the floats could be made parallel-piped in shape, and of less height and more
easily made than those first described, and being placed directly upon the
beams, they would be able-by undoing the hinged fastenings at V, which would
in no way interfere with the automatic action of the rafts in case of submersion-
to slide into the sea by the application of a force dependent upon the inclination
of the ship.
A third method, intermediate between the two above described, might also
be used. It consists in entirely disengaging the beams B from the plates
attached to them, so as to leave free access to the rafts which it is desired to cast
overboard. This arrangement is illustrated in Figure 10. The result is obtained
without affecting the solidity of the ship or increasing the weight.
If most of the persons on board have had time to take their places upon these
upper works which form the rafts, many lives will be saved. Even if the catas-
trophe is very sudden, there will at least be left floating upon the sea a large

page_text: number of rafts, presenting easy access and means of safety to the shipwrecked
persons.
All the rafts, formed as described, should be provided with light and strong
hand rails, or lines, to enable those upon them to resist the movement, oscillation
and shocks, of the waves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1
1. The method of fitting in the upper works of a ship unsinkable rafts which
become detached automatically from the ship by the upward pressure caused by
the water entering it, this being effected by making the said upper works move-
able and providing them with suitable floats, substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. The special construction of the upper works, so that the rafts, can be cast
overboard into the sea when required, substantially as described and illustrated.
Da
1000
EDWARDS AND CO.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.