An Improved Portable Boat.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Boat.
I, HENRY RICHMOND SAYCE, of 36 Caledonia Place, Clifton, in the City and
County of Bristol, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention consists in a portable boat the parts composing which are readily
put together or taken apart.
The sides consist of a pair of suitably shaped planks or boards connected at
intervals by ties preferably of copper.
In putting the boat together, the sides are forced and kept apart, to the extent
permitted by the ties, by inserting transverse stretchers or cross stays which may
also serve as supports for the seats.
The bottom consists of a pair of planks or wooden strips which are applied
from either end and which, when in position, lie on the upper faces of the ties
aforesaid. The ends of the side pieces are then drawn towards each other by a
leather strap and buckle at each end. This mode of fastening the ends and binding
the whole structure, namely by one strap at each end, constitutes a particular
feature of novelty.
An external envelope of oil canvas is next applied, the sides of which project to
a suitable extent inwards from the gunwale. Air tubing is attached so as to make
the boat practically unsinkable.
The oil canvas is protected at the bottom by a pair of planks or wooden strips
fitted outside the canvas.
The boat is capable of being built up and taken apart with ease and rapidity,
and, when taken apart, the members and materials of which it is composed are
capable of being packed together in a readily portable form.
Datel this 14th day of May 1899
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Boat.
I, HENRY RICHMOND SAYCE, of 36 Caledonia Place, Clifton, in the City and
County of Bristol, Gentleman, 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 consists in a portable boat of such construction that the boat is
capable of being readily packed for carriage on land, or for stowing away. The
boat is as readily made fit for service on water.
The sides of the boat consist of a pair of suitably shaped planks coupled together
towards each end and connected at intervals by bands, straps or ties, preferably of
copper. The floor of the boat, which is also the seat, consists of a plank, or a
pair of planks, made separate from the sides. Transverse pieces or stretchers of
wood are provided to force the sides to their proper position when the bat is put
together for use on water. Air tubes are suspended at each side and the whole
structure is envelopped in a water-tight covering of oil canvas which is protected
at bottom by a plank extending parallel with the boat's keel.

page_text: In the accompanying sheet of drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a side view of my improved portable boat as put together for
service ou water, except that the air tubes and oil canvas covering are wanting.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the boat as inverted or turned upside down.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the boat and Fig. 4 a transverse section on the line x, r,
Fig. 2.
The sides of the boat consist of a pair of planks a permanently coupled together
towards each end by couplings which may consist of staples connected by a ring
of copper wire, or by any other suitable link. The coupling may be otherwise
arranged. The planks a are also connected at intervals by the copper bands
secured to the sides by screws or rivets c¹, as shown. The sides, which when the
boat is packed up or dismantled lie flat one on the other, are forced to and main-
tained in the position shown by the transverse stretchers & which are first introduced
towards the middle of the boat and are then pushed towards the respective ends
until they bear against the battens d' fixed to the sides a, the bottom plank e having
been previously laid upon the copper bands c. When the stretchers d are pushed
back to the battens d' the copper bands c are tight and the whole structure is rigid.
A tube inflated with air is then hung along each side as seen in the transverse
section shown at Fig. 5 in which the air tubes are indicated by the letter f. These
tubes, which are fitted with air supply branch tubes and nozzles for inflation after
the manner of an air cushion, are suspended by eyes to hooks such as g fixed at
intervals along the sides a. The boat thus put together and fitted with air tubes
is finally envelopped in a water-tight covering of oil canvas or the like which is
protected from injury at bottom by a plank i extending along parallel with the
keel throughout the length thereof and held at the ends in pockets provided in
the covering. This covering projects inwards over the otherwise open boat and
is laced or otherwise closed except where an aperture is left for the body of the
occupant of the boat.
It will be readily understood that a boat so constructed and fitted is capable of
being built up or dismantled with case and rapidity, and when dismantled the
members and materials of which it is composed may be packed together so as to be
readily and conveniently portable.
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. An improved portable boat frame composed of side planks such as a coupled
towards the ends and connected by bands or tics (preferably of copper) such as e
secured at intervals to the sides; transverse stretchers such as d for extending and
keeping extended the sides; a floor consisting of a plank such as e (or more than
one) arranged to be held in place between the bands or ties and the lower ends of
the stretchers, substantially as herein before described with reference to the accom-
panying sheet of drawings.
2. The combination with a boat-frame, constructed and fitted as hereinbefore set
forth, of air tubes suspended at each side of the frame and extending along parallel
with the upper edges of the sides; and a water-tight covering such as h with
protecting rib or plank i, all arranged substantially as hereinabove described and
shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 11th day of February 1893
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Chartered Patent Agent.