An Improved Construction of Boat.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Nov., 1891-Accepied, 16th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Construction of Boat.
I, JOHN MECKIFF of 86 Falconer Street North Fitzroy in the Colony of
Victoria, Contractor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
The main feature of my invention is the building of a boat with longitudinal flat
fore and aft ribs of either wood or metal and without any thwarts, beams or
transverse supports of any kind. These ribs I have about nine inches wide and
one-sixteenth of an inch thick if of steel for a boat say 20 feet long, and there are
about six on each side of the keel arranged radially to the boat's section and
running fore and aft from stem to stern in the form of vanes or ribs.
'
Upon the outer edge of the ribs I secure an angle iron or other flange to which
the outer shell or hull is rivetted or secured, so that the boat in outward appearance
is similar to an ordinary one. To the inner edges of the ribs or vanes I secure an
inner shell by means of angle irons or otherwise, and thus the whole boat is formed
with a hollow shell or hull which is made up into compartments. The keel I make
rather wider than usual with a corresponding recess in its inner shell, and within
the keel are divided compartments for water ballast. The side compartments are
used for various purposes some as air compartments while others are furnished with
flap doors and hold the boat fittings such as the mast, oars and scats, or they may
be utilized for holding provisions. I can construct and arrange my improved boat
so that two or more may be placed one within the other on deck and the air
compartments are so arranged as to cause the boat to always right itself in the
water no matter which way it falls into it. To convert ordinary boats into those of
my invention I secure ribs within and line such ribs over so as to form the air and
other compartments. It is obvious that by my construction the boat consequent
upon its being furnished with air chambers is a life boat and will not sink.
Dated this 24th day of February 1891
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Construction of Boat.
I JOHN MECKIFF of 86 Falconer Street, North Fitzroy in the Colony of
Victoria, Contractor do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
m and by the following statement :-
The main feature in my invention is the building of a boat with longitudinal flat
fore and aft metal ribs or vanes and without any thwarts beams or transverse
supports of any kind; the purpose of such construction being to enable boats to be
arranged one within the other on deck and consequently a ship or vessel may be
equipped with boat accommodation for all passengers and crew without taking any
more or in fact as much deck area than is done at present. My boats carried one
within the other on a transport vessel will be especially useful for landing troops as
they provide a large boat accommodation to take the troops quickly to or from
shore while also being constructed of light material they are easily handled and
further they are life boats. The longitudinal ribs or vanes I have about nine
inches wide and one sixteenth of an inch thick if of steel for a boat say twenty feet
long and with about six ribs on each side of the keel arranged radial to the boat's

page_text: section and running fore and aft from stem to stern. Upon the outer edge of the
ribs secure an angle iron or other flange to which the outer shell or hull is
rivetted or secured so that the boat in outward appearance is similar to an ordinary
one. To the inner edges of the ribs or vanes I secure by means of angle irons or
otherwise an inner shell and thus the whole boat is formed with a hollow shell or
hull made up into compartments. The keel I make rather wider than usual with
a corresponding recess in its inner shell and within the keel are divided compart-
ments for a water ballast. The side compartiments are used for various purposes
some as air compartments and others are furnished with flap doors to hold the boat
fittings such as the mast, oars and seats and also for holding provisions. The air
compartments are so arranged as to cause the boat to always right itself in the
water no matter which way it falls into it. To convert ordinary wood boats into
those of my invention I secure longitudinal ribs within them and line such ribs over
so as to form the air and other compartments. It is obvious that my construction
of boat is a life boat consequent upon its being furnished with air chambers so that
it will not sink.
In the attached drawings
Fig. 1 shews part external side view and part view with outer shell removed to
exhibit the longitudinal vanes or ribs.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section shewing three separate boats arranged one within
the other as upon the deck of a ship or vessel.
Figs. 3 and 4 are sections shewing the means I employ for securing the outer
and inner shells to the longitudinal ribs.
A A are the longitudinal ribs forming the framework to support outer shell B
and inner shell C. D is the keel compartment in which it is preferred to carry a
water ballast. For a large boat prefer to secure the shell and ribs together as
shewn in Fig. 4 the rib or vane A having light angle irons A¹ secured or rivetted
to it and to such angle irons the shells B and C are secured. For smaller boats
where the space between the shells is not sufficient to allow of both shells being
rivetted upon the ribs or vanes I prefer to employ the construction shewn in Fig. 3
wherein the rib A is shown with its outer edge turned down to form a flange A
that is rivetted to outer shell B whilst at inner edge of rib A I secure or bolt pieces
or battens of wood E and secure inner shell C to them by cover battens E' secured
by screws as shewn, a lining or insertion indicated by thick black lines being placed
between the joints to ensure that the compartment be air and water tight.
shewn in Fig. 2 several boats, the drawing shewing three marked X, Y and Z, are
constructed so that they fit one within the other and when so arranged on the deck
of a ship or vessel they occupy very little deck area. F are the seats arranged to
pass into a compartment or locker as shewn. G are the masts, spars, oars, etc.,
whilst C shews in dotted lines how doors or lockers may be arranged for any
compartments that it is desired to have access to for carrying provisions and the
requisites of a ship boat. When so desired the compartments between ribs A. can
be divided off into several lengths.
As
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 boat constructed with ribs or vanes running fore and aft and without any
thwarts, beams or transverse supports of any kind, as herein described.
2. A. boat constructed with ribs or vanes running fore and aft and having an
outer and inner shell secured thereto and so arranged that such boats may be
placed one within the other on the deck of a ship or vessel, as herein described.
Datad this 20th day of Navaushan 1001
J. C. MEW BURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.