Improvements in Folding Boats.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
Improvements in Folding Boats.
We, WILLIAM HUTCHINGS, Shipwright, and WILLIAM FARISH BEATTIE,
Draper, both of Manchester Road, Cubitt Town, Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in folding boats.
According to the invention, the boat, instead of folding laterally from the sides
towards the keel as in ordinary folding boats, is so constructed as that its keel,
gunwale and intermediate longitudinal side frames fold vertically towards the
thwarts and their supporting longitudinal side frame, and as that the thwarts
always remain in position acting as main stays to the principal longitudinal frame
of the boat sides and as abutments for the struts and stretchers by which the
gunwale, keel, subsidiary longitudinal side frames and the stem and stern aprons
are supported when the boat is distended.
According to an advantageous manner of carrying out the invention, we secure
the thwarts to the principal longitudinal side frames so as to make a rigid structure
adapted to act as a basis from which the upper and lower parts are distended and.
supported. In the upper part of the keel are made grooves adapted to receive the
foot ends of struts which are hinged to the underside of the thwarts, so that when
the flooring of the boat is depressed (say by standing thereon) and the thwarts are
lifted, the struts thereunder slide in the keel grooves until they assume the
perpendicular and keep the keel distended. Intermediate of the principal longi-
tudinal side frame and the keel is arranged a subsidiary longitudinal side frame
which, when the boat is distended, is adapted to be distended and located by
adjustable stretchers hinged to the underside of the thwarts and adapted to engage
with such frame.
The gunwale is, in like manner, adapted to be supported by adjustable stretchers
hinged to the upper side of the thwarts. The floor of the boat rests on and is
supported by the lower longitudinal side frame and the keel, and is made in
longitudinal half parts hinged to the keel. The meeting ends of the longitudinal
side frames are or may be capped by metal nose-pieces serving to connect them.
In boats of a larger size than say of about 8 or 9 feet long, we also apply a
removable apron at both stem and stern ends of the boat, the same being adapted
to fit the inner sides of the meeting ends of the gunwale and longitudinal side
frames, and being stepped into a recess in the keel, and kept in position when
the boat is distended by adjustable stretchers hinged to the adjacent thwarts.
The keel, gunwale and longitudinal side frames are preferably made double or
with inner and outer parts, the intermediate lengths or sections of suitable canvas
being copper-nailed onto the outer sides of the inner parts of said keel, gunwale
& side frame, the outer parts of which are then copper-nailed onto the canvas,
whereby all sewing of the canvas along the sides of the boat is avoided. The
meeting ends of the canvas lengths or sections at the stem and stern may be sewn.
together and protected by a canvas capping sewn thereover.
The underside of the boat, when distended, is supported, when on land, by the
keel and lower side frame, so that the canvas bottom will be supported clear of the

page_text: The principal:longitudinal side frame may be fitted with seats running along the
inner sides of the boat.
The boat may be fitted with cork-concrete or other suitable buoyancy on its
inner or outer sides.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1895.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Folding Boats.
We WILLIAM HUTCHINGS, Shipwright, and WILLIAM FARISH BEATTIE,
Draper, both of Manchester Road, Cubitt Town, Middlesex, 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 relates to improvements in folding boats.
The improved boat has the fore and aft shape of a ship's life boat, and is
constructed with a keel, and with a gunwale and intermediate longitudinal side
frame respectively permanently spread open athwartship, adapted to fold in
horizontal planes vertically towards a main longitudinal side frame permanently
distended athwartships by thwarts, and to be distended in a vertical plane from
said main frame by stretchers hinged or otherwise equivalently connected to the
thwarts and gunwale and adapted to fall automatically into operative position
when the part of the boat below the thwarts is depressed and the part thereof
above the thwarts is lifted, as hereinafter more particularly described.
The improved boat is illustrated on the accompanying drawings; in which,―
Fig. 1, represents a plan view, showing the boat distended.
Fig. 2, represents a longitudinal section through a, b, Fig. 1.
Figs. 3, and 4, represent transverse sections respectively through c, d, and e, f,
Fig. 1, and,
Fig. 5, represents a like section to Fig. 3, showing the boat folded or collapsed.
In carrying out the invention, we arrange, intermediate of the keel a, and
gunwale b, a rigid main frame c, adapted to act as a basis from which the lower
and upper parts and the stem and stern of the boat can be distended and supported,
constructing such frame by rigidly connecting opposite parts of a longitudinal
frame c, running entirely around the boat by thwarts d, serving as transverse
stays to the frame, and by connecting the ends of the frame and the adjacent
thwarts by struts e.
Intermediate of the frame c, and of the keel, we arrange a longitudinal frame f,
running entirely around the boat and serving to support the edges of the flooring g
which is made in longitudinal half-parts hinged to the keel as at h. The frame f,
and the keel are distended and located by stretchers i, which are hinged to the
underside of the thwarts, and adapted, when the flooring of the boat is depressed
(say by standing thereon) and the thwarts are lifted, to slide over the Hooring
(pressing the same against the keel and frame f,) until they assume a perpendicular
position, wherein they serve to keep the parts distended.
The gunwale b, is, in like manner, adapted to be supported by stretchers j, which
may be hinged to the upper side of the thwarts and adapted to engage with the
underside of the gunwale, but, preferably, are hinged to the gunwale and adapted,
when the latter is lifted, to slide along the thwarts until they assume a perpendicular
or an approximately perpendicular position, when they serve to support the
gunwale.
As the stretchers i, j, assume their distending positions, they may be auto-
matically locked and located in position by entering grooves in the parts against

page_text: which they bear, and engaging with any suitable automatically operating or
manipulated means of detaining them until required to be released.
The meeting ends of the gunwale and frames c, f, are or may be capped by metal
nose-pieces & serving to hold them together.
In boats of a larger size than, say, about 8 or 9 feet, long, we also apply a
scarfed apron 1, at both the stem and stern ends of the boat, the same being
adapted to fit the meeting ends of the gunwale and frames e, f, and the upper and
lower parts thereof being respectively hinged to the gunwale nose-piece k, and to
the keel as at 1, 12, so as to be adapted to fit together as represented in Fig. 2, and
to be kept in position, when the boat is distended, by stretchers m, hinged to the
adjacent thwarts and lying between the struts e.
66 × 77
The keel, gunwale and frames c, f. are preferably made double or with inner
and outer parts, the latter being respectively indicated on the drawings by an
added to the relative reference letters indicating the inner parts, the intermediate
lengths or sections of Willesden or other suitable rot-proof canvas, n, o, p, being
copper-nailed to the outer sides of the inner parts of said keel, gunwale and frames,
the outer parts of which are then copper-nailed to the canvas; whereby all
sewing of the canvas along the sides of the boat is avoided. The meeting ends
of the canvas lengths or sections at the stem and stern ends may be respectively
roped and sewn together, and protected by a canvas capping sewn thereover.
The underside of the boat, when distended, is supported, when on land, by the
keel ax, and the frame f*, so that the canvas bottom n, will be supported clear of
the ground.
The main frame c, may be fitted with seats running along the inner sides of the
boat between the thwarts.
The boat may be fitted with cork-concrete or other suitable buoyant material on
its inner or outer sides, and with a mast, sails, lockers, rudder, centre board and
other usual accessories to a ships life boat.
The boat is slung at each end by a hook g, which is supported by a strut r,
connecting opposite parts of the gunwale, and stayed to the adjacent thwarts by
wires s, the hook being connected by a flexible wire t, passing through the thwart
to an eye u, bolted through the keel.
;
When the boat is desired to be collapsed, this can be readily effected, upon the
stretchers i, j, m, being shifted out of operative position, and the scarfed ends
of the aprons 1, being pulled inboard, by winding on a windlass v, from which
wires or ropes w, lead along the gunwale and struts r, down to the eyes u, which
causes the upper and lower parts of the boat simultaneously to close towards the
main frame c, and holds them so closed, the windlass being held by a pawl and
ratchet.
When it is desired to open out the boat, all that is required to be done is to
release the windlass, and to depress the flooring while raising the thwarts and
gunwale, and to set out the end aprons and push the stretchers i, j, m, into
position for distending and keeping the parts distended and bolding the scarfed
aprons in position.
The improved boat will thus always remain distended athwartships, and when
collapsed will have its upper and lower parts (considered relatively to its main or
basis frame) collapsed towards said main frame, and will thus occupy but little space
in a vertical plane, so that several thereof may be conveniently stowed directly
under the ships' davits in the space of an ordinary wood boat and in position for
hoisting outboard one after another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A folding boat having the fore and aft shape of a ship's life-boat, con-
structed with a keel, and with a gunwale and intermediate longitudinal side
frame respectively permanently spread open athwartship, adapted to fold in longi-

page_text: tudinal planes vertically towards a main longitudinal side frame permanently
distended athwartship, and to be distended in a vertical plane from said main
frame by stretchers hinged to the thwarts and gunwale and adapted to fall
automatically into operative position when the part of the boat below the thwarts
is depressed and the part thereof above the thwarts is lifted, as hereinbefore
described.
2. In folding boats of the nature aforesaid, distending the upper and lower
parts of the boat in a vertical plane relatively to a main frame permanently
distended athwartship by stretchers hinged to the thwarts and gunwale and adapted
to fall automatically into operative position when the lower part of the boat is
depressed and the upper part is lifted, as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 17th day of October 1895.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.