Year: 1886

page_text: I, ANNIE MATILDA WOOD, of Fir's Cottage, East Sheen, in the County of
Surrey, Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object an improved form of construction of life or
other boats giving greater buoyancy and stability, less liability to capsize, owing
to the grip or hold on the water, and increased steering and sailing power by
reason of the special form of construction-reducing the friction and resistance to
the water.
.
For this purpose I form at the bottom of the boat longitudinal grooves, preferably
A shaped in cross section and one, two or more in number, but preferably two
namely one right and one left of the keel, or otherwise, the said grooves extend
at the outside of the bottom, preferably the entire length of the boat, and
terminate at both ends in narrow channels curved upward, so as to allow the
escape of air. Owing to this construction the water surface which resists the
capsizing or rolling of the boat is greatly increased and the boat therefore rendered
more steady.
In other respects, the boat may be made as usual, or its surface may be formed
by blocks of indiarubber or other suitable material enclosed in cells or trellis work,
as described in my application for patent No. 14542 A.D. 1885.
The cells may, for instance be filled with alternate layers of plates of rubber
and cork,
•
The cells or trellis work may be made of whale-bone or other material, and may
either be rigid or expansible.
The boat may either be fitted with oars, or be propelled by compressed air,
electricity, steam, or any other suitable motive power. The oars may be specially
constructed so as to serve as floats or life-buoys in case of need, for which purpose
a hole may be provided for the passage of the arm, and whale bone may be
employed in the construction in the following manner.
The core is made of steel or other rigid material, and the latter is covered. with
thin cork on its entire surface, after which long strips of whale bone are applied
over the cork, and fastened by rings of steel or other rigid material.

page_text: The arm hole is lined with cork and rubber, or with rubber alone. Instead of
whale bone, rubber may also be used for covering the entire surface of the oar.
A small hook or ring may be attached to the outer end of each oar, in order to
seize with it persons or other objects, when required.
Instead of having two or more grooves at the bottom, there may be a single A
or otherwise shaped groove of sufficient size to form a hollow ship's bottom and
extending upward so that its sides form a longitudinal ridge in the interior of the
boat. If such a boat is upset, the hollow bottom will be turned upward and serve
as a receptacle for persons and goods like an ordinary boat, which purpose may be
still more completely attained by providing the hollow bottom with seats.
Such a boat may or may not be provided with a keel extending from one end to
the other.
In the reversed position of the boat, the inside ridge will serve as a saddle or
Beat.
The sides (or any convenient part of the surface) of the boat may be provided
with one or more rims or bolsters of rubber, which forms a buffer or buffers
adapted to break the force of any blow or thrust.
The rudders for my life boat and others may be constructed and arranged as
follows:
To the rudder post are secured radially two or more blades, or fans, placed at
any convenient angle to one another, which angle may be constant or variable,
and the shaft or post, to which the blades are attached, may have at the top a
worm wheel, gearing into an endless screw, operated from the deck or otherwise,
so that great power is obtained over this rudder, which will hold the boat steady.
in the roughest sea.
I claim for my improved rudder, that it is more powerful, than those hitherto
known. This can be used in any boat, and at either or both ends. For a reversible
boat, the fans or blades can be used in the centre of the stern so as to act for either
. side in a alot or otherwise.

page_text: Improvements in and Connected with Life Boats and other. Boats.
I; ANNIE MATILDA WOOD; of Fir's Cottage, East Sheen, in the County of
Surrey and 13 Delahay Street, Westminster in the County-of: Middlesex, Gentle-
woman; 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':—.
My invention has for. its object an improved. form of construction of life. or
other boats giving greater buoyancy, and, stability, less, liability to, capsize, owing
to the grip or hold on the water, and. increased steering and sailing power by
reason of the special form of construction reducing the friction and resistance. to
the water.
•
For this purpose I form at the bottom of the boat longitudinal grooves, preferably
more or less shaped in cross section and one, two or more in number, but preferably
two, namely one right, and one left of the keel, or otherwise; the said grooves extend
at the outside of the bottom, preferably the entire length of the boat and terminate
at both ends in narrow channels curved upward, so as to allow the escape of air.
Owing to this construction the water surface which resists the capsizing or rolling
of the boat is greatly increased and the boat therefore rendered more steady.
In the accompanying drawing is shown a preferred form of my boat. Fig. 1 is
a longitudinal elevation, Fig. 2 is a midship section,,Fig. 3. a deck plan, Fig. 4a
front-end view and Fig. 5 shows my improved oar.
The boat shown in the drawing is one provided with two grooves F, one on each
side of the keel G. These grooves need not be strictly. A shaped, but may, be
more or less curved, they may also be made more or less deep or shallow, as
required.
Such a boat may or may not be provided with a keel'or. keels G extending from
one end to the other.
In the reversed position of the boat, the inside ridge will serve as a saddle or
seat.
The sides (or any convenient part of the surface) of the boat may be provided
with one or more rubbing pieces.or bolsters N of rubber, which forms a buffer or
buffers adapted to break the force of any blow or thrust.
In the drawings, these rubbing pieces are represented as hollow.
In other respects, the boat may be made as usual, or its surface may be formed
by, or covered with blocks B of indiarubber or other suitable material enclosed in
cells or trellis work, as described in the specification of my patent No. 14542
A.D. 1885, or affixed in any other suitable manner.
The cells may, for instance be filled with alternate layers, of plates. of rubber
and cork.
The cells or trellis work, when such is used, may be made of, whale bone or other
material, and may either be rigid or expansible.
The boat may either be fitted with cars or be propelled. by, compressed air
or steam, which may be stored in the central A. shaped ridge A on in a, separato

page_text: receptacle therein, or in a part or parts thereof partitioned off especially to serve
as receptacles therefor. In this latter case the motor C for driving the propeller D
may also be arranged within the ridge A, operating a propeller or other means of
propulsion. Electricity or other motive power may also be used. The various
apparatus being preferably arranged in or under the ridge A. Besides serving as
a receptacle for the motor the ridge A or part thereof may be constructed so as to
be perfectly air tight. It is preferable that the various levers etc, which may
be necessary for controlling the motor be so arranged that they may be
operated outside the ridge A in such a manner as to enable this portion of the
ridge to be rendered airtight without interfering with the due working of the
motor. This latter may be examined for cleaning, repairs, etc by the use of a flap or
man-hole which can be easily fastened down airtight. The whole of the space
under the ridge A may thus be rendered air-tight.
When, however, oars are used, they may be specially constructed as in Fig. 5, so
as to serve as floats or life-buoys in case of need, for which purpose a hole H may
be provided for the passage of the arm, and whale bone may be employed in the
construction in the following manner:
The core is made of, steel or other rigid material and the latter is covered with
thin cork on its entire surface, after which long strips of whale bone K are applied
.over the cork, and fastened by rings L of steel or other rigid material.
The arm hole H is lined with cork and rubber, or with rubber alone. Instead of,
or in combination with whale bone, rubber may also be used for covering the
entire surface of the oar. A small hook or ring M may be attached to the outer
end of each oar, in order to seize with it persons, or other objects, when required.
The boat is also arranged to empty itself of water through valves E in the floor
in the usual manner.
Instead of having two or more grooves F at the bottom of the boat, as shown in
the drawing, there may be a single A or otherwise shaped groove of sufficient
size to form a hollow ship's bottom and extending upward so that its sides form a
longitudinal ridge in the interior of the boat. If such a boat is upset, the hollow
bottom will be turned upward and serve as a receptacle for persons like an
ordinary boat, which purpose may be still more completely attained by providing
the hollow bottom with seats.
The rudders for my life boat and others may be of ordinary construction or may
be constructed and arranged as follows:
To the rudder post are secured one blade as usual, or two or more blades or fans
placed radially at any convenient angle to one another which angle may be constant
or variable, and the shaft or post, to which they are attached, may have at the top
a worm-wheel, gearing into an endless screw, operated from the deck or otherwise,
so that great power is obtained over this rudder, which will hold the boat steady
in the roughest sea.
I claim for my improved rudder that it is much more powerful, than those
hitherto known. This can be used in any boat, and at either or both ends. For
a reversible boat, the fans or blades can be used in the centre of the stern so as to
act for either side in a slot or otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim ist
1) A boat having one, two or more grooves F running parallel to the keel
or keels and terminating at each end of the boat in narrow channels, curved
upwards, substantially as described and illustrated.
2) A grooved boat as described in claim 1) having a central ridge A substantially
as and for the purpose described.
3) A grooved boat as described in claim 1) having side bolsters N sub-

page_text: 4) An oar having a hole H at or near the base of the blade substantially as and
for the purpose described.
5) An oar formed of a core covered with cork or rubber.
6) An oar formed of a core covered with cork or rubber held in place by whale
bone K and bands L substantially.as described.
7) A rudder having one or more blades and operated by a worm and worm wheel
substantially as described.