IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE-BOATS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Taylor Baharie, Nautical Instrument Maker, and
William Adamson, the younger, Ship Store Dealer, both of Sunderland, in the
County of Durham, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE-BOATS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Taylor Baharie and
William Adamson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
9th November 1881.
JOHN TAYLOR BAHARIE, Nautical Instrument Maker, and WILLIAM ADAMSON,
the younger, Ship Store Dealer, both of Sunderland, in the County of Durham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BOATS."
Our Invention relating to improvements in life boats has for its object con-
structing a boat which shall be practically proof against injury in heavy seas, or
which in the event of its receiving any damage shall still be efficient for saving
life; and further, which in the case of its shipping water shall be capable of
discharging itself.
In carrying out our Invention in order to effect these objects we proceed in the
following manner :—
The bout is clinker built of larch in the ordinary manner; cork is then fitted in
between each timber, the thickness of the ribs from stem to stern and from keel to
gunwale; the boat is then lined with a suitable thickness of sheet india rubber
from stem to stern fastened to the keel up to gunwale and to every rib, and in
this manner a false keel of india rubber is also produced.
Air boxes are fitted at each end and round the sides, each being lined with thin
india rubber to ensure their being airtight should they pine.
A tank is fitted amidships divided into three compartments with a small hole at
the bottom of each partition, thus allowing the water to flow from one compart-
ment to the other, thereby keeping the water always on a level, at the same time
preventing it from rushing from one side to the other should the boat be labouring
in a beam sea, and also assisting it to regain an upright position. This tank is
arranged to be always kept full of fresh water in case of a crew having to take
to their boats in mid-ocean. It is nearly flush with the deck, allowing sufficient
Price G11

page_text: space for a hatch to cover it. The deck beams on each side are arranged so as to
keep it perfectly secure. It is made of sheet iron with screws for fitting, and to
allow the air to escape when filling.
The deck is now secured to the deck beams to be made thoroughly water tight
and lined with thin india rubber on the underside in case of the deck pining, thus
rendering between decks an efficient air tight and watertight compartment. In
an ordinary sized boat about four discharge pipes are provided which pass through
the bottom of the boat with self acting valves screwing on to the deck and bottom
of the boat with flanges and nuts to secure the same. These valves are for
preventing a rush of water into the boat from the sea; also any water is discharged
through them that may be shipped. The holes which are of sufficient size to
enable the boat to discharge itself very quickly may be closed at will if found
necessary.
The thwarts are now fitted, and instead of the ordinary ones they are fitted on
the air box principle and divided into compartments for the reception of preserved
meats, biscuits, and the like in tins. These compartments when closed are perfectly
air tight.
The sides are now fitted with air boxes so that the boat shall contain a large
amount of air. The india rubber being well protected is subjected to no atmo-
spheric changes, and can never lose its elasticity.
The inside gunwale is next fixed on top of the india rubber flush with the
outside gunwale, thus giving additional strength to the outside gunwale; in-wires
are also fitted two on each side for the deck and thwarts to be fastened to as well
as the deck beams, the in-wires being secured through all, and a covering plank on
the top protects the india rubber and also keeps it from view.
The boat is fitted complete with rudder, oars, mast, and sail, and the like, in the
event of her having to be used in mid-ocean and to go a long distance.
On the outside india rubber is fitted to act as fenders passing right round the
boat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Taylor Baharie and William Adamson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th May 1882.
JOHN TAYLOR BAHARIE, Nautical Instrument Maker, and WILLIAM ADAMSON,
the younger, Ship Store Dealer, both of Sunderland, in the County of Durham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BOATS."
Our Invention, relating to improvements in life boats, has for its object to so
construct a boat that it shall be practically proof against injury in heavy seas,
on which in the event of its receiving any damage shall still be efficient for saving
life; and further; which in the case of its shipping water shall be capable of
discharging itself.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 2 is a deck plan of a life boat
constructed according to our Invention; Figure 3 is a transverse section taken
amidships; Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 1, 2, Figure 1; and
Figure 5 is a front view of one of the provision thwarts. Fig. 5a is an enlarged
section of a portion of the body of the boat drawn to a larger scale, and also
shewing a section of a bending rib. The other Figures represent details, as herein-
after described.
The main or outside body of the boat A is clinker built of larch in the ordinary
manner, and cork of the thickness of the ribs is then fitted in between each timber
or ribs from stem to stern, and from gunwale over keel to gunwale, as shewn at a;
the boat is then lined with a suitable thickness of sheet india rubber from stem to
stern, and from gunwale over keel to gunwale covering entire inside of boat, as
shewn at a, it being fastened to the keel up to the gunwale, and to every rib by
cement, copper nails, felt strips, and roves or washers. The india rubber being
well protected is subject to no atmospheric changes, and can never lose its
clasticity.
Air boxes B of wood or other suitable material are fitted at each end and round
the sides, each being lined with thin india rubber to ensure their being air tight
should they pine.
In the space at C, Figures 1 and 2, a tank is fitted amidships for containing
fresh water. The said tank is shewn in section in Figure 6; it is marked C², and
is divided into three compartments c, c, c, by partitions chaving a small hole or
holes c² at the bottom (and also it may be at top, as at c) of each partition, thus
allowing the water to flow from one compartment to the other, thereby keeping
the water always at the same level in all the compartments, and at the same time
preventing the whole body of water from rushing from one side to the other of the
tank should the boat be labouring in a beam sea, and also assisting the boat to
regain an upright position. This tank C2 is to be always kept full of fresh water
in case of a crew having to take to their boats in mid ocean. It is nearly flush
with the deck, allowing sufficient space for a hatch to cover it. The deck beams
The said
on cach side are arranged so as to keep the said tank perfectly secure.
tank may be made of sheet iron, and has an opening covered by screw cap c³ for
filling purposes, and openings also covered by screw caps c¹ to allow the air to
escape when filling.

page_text: The deck D is now secured to the deck beams as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, and
junctions to be made thoroughly watertight. The said deck is caulked and also
lined with thin india rubber on the underside in case of the deck pining or
opening between its parts or at its joints, thus giving between decks, that is, the
space between the deck and the bottom of the boat, an efficient air tight and
watertight compartment.
Discharge pipes or relieving tubes E are provided which pass from holes in the
bottom of the boat to holes in the deck, and are secured by being fastened or
screwed on to the deck and bottom of the boat with flanges and nuts to secure the
same. Figure 7 is a vertical section, Figure 8 a top view, and Figure 9 a bottom
view of one of the pipes or tubes. There are preferably four such pipes or tubes,
but the number will vary with the size of the boat or with other conditions.
A self acting valve e opening downwards is provided in each pipe or tube E for
preventing a rush of water into the boat from the sea, and also to allow any water
that may be shipped to be discharged through the said pipes or tubes E.. The
holds which are of sufficient size to enable the boat to discharge itself very
quickly may be closed at will if found necessary by means of a hasp or thumb
screw.
The thwarts are now fitted, and instead of the ordinary ones they are fitted on
the air box principle and divided into compartments for the reception of nautical
instruments and preserved meats, biscuits in tins, and the like. These compartments
when closed are perfectly air tight. Figure 5 is a view of one of the thwarts in
which the compartments for food or the like are marked f. The lid fi is shewn
open, but when closed it will cover these compartments f
The inside covering g is next fitted on top of the india rubber flush with the
gunwale g, thus giving additional strength to the said gunwale. Inwires or
longitudinal timbers are also fitted on each side for the deck and thwarts to be
fastened to as well as the deck beams, the inwires being secured through all and a
covering plank on the top protects the india rubber and also keeps it from view,
as seen clearly in Figure 54.
The boat should be completely furnished with rudder, oars, mast, and sail, and
all necessary fittings to provide against her having to be used in mid ocean and
having to go a long distance to land.
On the outside next to the skin of the boat india rubber h is preferably fitted to
act as fenders passing right round the boat with a covering of cork and wood, as
shewn also clearly in Figure 5ª.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and
original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the life
boat, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
2. In life boats lining the skin or body of wood with a lining of cork fixed
between the frame and skin or body and cemented or otherwise fastened thereto,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
3. In combination with a skin or body lined with cork, as claimed in the last
preceding claiming clause, the covering of the cork lining and frame or timbers
with sheet india rubber, the wood, cork, and india rubber being fastened together,
substantially as and for the purpose described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
4. In combination with a life boat constructed as herein before described. and
claimed, the construction and arrangement of the thwarts and water provision and

page_text: instrument boxes or casings, substantially as and for the purpose described with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
5. In life boats providing a water tank fitted amidships and divided into compart-
ments, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Taylor Baharie and William Adamson,
have to this our Specification set our hands and seals, the Fifth day of
May, One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
JOHN TAYLOR BAHARIE.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM ADAMSON, JUN. (L.S.)