Im- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS' BOATS TO BE USED FOR PRESERVING LIFE AT SEA
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Octavius Dixie Deacon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th April 1873.
I, OCTAVIUS DIXIE DEACON, of Leadenhall Street, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS' BOATS TO BE USED FOR PRESERVING
LIFE AT SEA," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of
ships' boats, whereby the same are rendered peculiarly applicable to pre-
serving life at sea in cases of stress of weather and shipwreck. The boat
is constructed in the ordinary manner, but has attached thereto certain
portions which are capable of being raised so as to close the upper
portion of the boat, or in fact to constitute a double boat, the lower
portion of which floats in the water and the upper portion being raised
as before mentioned or of being lowered so as to pass over, and be
retained in a position coincident with the hull of the floating portion of
the boat. The upper or closing portion of the boat is formed in two
longitudinal sections which respectively work on hinges, or on pivots, or
screw pivots at each end of the lower portion of the boat. The sections

page_text: of the upper portion of the boat are respectively raised and lowered by
means of racks and pinions, the former being placed in the several longi-
tudinal sections and the pinions being arranged in the interior of the
lower portion of the boat and actuated by suitable winch handles. The
boat is provided with screw rowlocks which serve the double purpose of
rowlocks when the upper sections are lowered, and of screw bolts for
holding the same together when closed. When the longitudinal sections
are lowered the boat presents the appearance of an ordinary boat, and
when raised the boat appears as if an inverted boat were placed on the
top thereof. The standards which support the boat when on board ship,
have screw holes formed therein corresponding with the before mentioned
screw pivots at the respective ends of the boat. The pivots work in
metal tubes or in suitable bearings fixed in the ends of the boat, and
which are provided with suitable screw threads in the interior thereof,
and by actuating winch handles affixed to the pivots they are either
screwed into the standards or withdrawn therefrom as may be desired,
the boat being in the latter case released, and free to descend to the
surface of the water.
In the case of a ship foundering it will be manifest that the crew or
passengers can take refuge in the boat, close the upper sections thereof,
thus protecting themselves from the violence of the waves, and release
the boat from the standards at the time the sinking of the ship brings it
to the surface of the water.
The boat instead of being supported by standards as before mentioned
may be suspended from davits by means of ropes and pulley blocks in
the ordinary way. In such cases the cheeks of the blocks are extended
below the sheaves and apertures provided therein with screw threads
corresponding to the screw pivots at the respective ends of the boat, the
latter being actuated for releasing the boat as before described.