IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE- BOATS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Fyshe Roberts, of Gloucester Terrace,
in the County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Artillery and
Major in the Army, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE-
BOATS.
"
Sealed the 4th August 1871, and dated the 9th February 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Fyshe Roberts
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th February 1871.
I, CHARLES FYSHE ROBERTS, of Gloucester Terrace, in the County
of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Artillery and Major in the Army,
"IMPROVEMENTS
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IN LIFEBOATS," to be as follows:-
-
These improvements have reference to lifeboats whether to be used in
case of wreck or other similar circumstance, and have for their object
the making lifeboats of such a description and in such a manner that
they may from their peculiar construction be readily taken to pieces and
occupy little room when not in use.
'

page_text: The improvements consist in constructing lifeboats of the ordinary
shape with an inner or main and outer or false keel with moveable and
adjustable ribs so constructed that when the boat is not in use they may
be disconnected from the inner or main keel, and when in use be
fastened or connected to it.
Further, in constructing all the other parts of the said boats in
such a way that they may occupy little space when the boat is not in
use.
The improvements are intended to be carried into effect by constructing
lifeboats with two keels, an inner or main and an outer or false one,
both of which keels may be jointed and made in two or more pieces, as
desired, the stem and stern working on a hinge and being capable of
doubling forward and also partially backwards to allow of the adjust-
ment of the waterproof covering herein-after mentioned to the inner or
main keel when the boat is in use. Suitable moveable ribs are attached
preferably by means of a hook on the rib and an eye or socket in the
keel, so that when not in use they may be easily removed and unhooked,
but when required to be used they may hook into the eye or socket and
be kept in their place by means of an upper tie or gunwhale which is
protected and covered over by a capping. The said ribs may and are
intended to be strengthened by longitudinal ties, which also serve as
supports for the footboards and thwarts. The main or inner keel is
attached to the outer or false keel by means of bolts, and between these
two keels stretched and drawn tight over the moveable ribs is a water-
proof sheathing or covering. All the parts including the longitudinal ties,
both the keels, the gunwhale, and the capping can be made in one or
more pieces as desired, so that when not in use they may be easily
disconnected and stowed away. The different parts are intended to be of
wood, with brass, copper, or other metal mountings.
The accompanying Drawings will serve as an illustration of my
Invention, in which Figure 1 is a length section and elevation of the
boat, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, being the outer keel in two lengths, a, d,
and d, g, folding respectively at b and c and e and f; t, u, v, w, x, y, z,
inner or main keel divided into three lengths, viz., t, v, v, x, and x, 2,
respectively folding at u, w, and y; G, F, E, D, C, B, A, X, A¹, B³, C¹,
D', E¹, F¹, G¹, are the timbers or ribs of the boat, which can be hooked
into inner or main keel by means of hinge or hook into socket in main
keel, there ribs can be removed at pleasure; k, the gunwhale which.

page_text: receives the heads of the ribs, and is removeable and capable of being
folded up; 1, covering or capping piece projecting outwards far enough
to form a rubbing piece to protect cover or skin at k gunwhale capable
of being removed and folded up; m, eyebolts in the ribs to which the
waterproof cover or skin is laced after being brought over the gunwhale
kand under the capping piece l; n, a longitudinal tie to assist in keeping
the skin or waterproof cover s stretched and sunk flush with the outer
edge of the ribs or timbers; o, external bilge rubbing piece fastened from
outside to ribs C, B, A, X, A¹, B¹, C¹, to preserve skin or waterproof
cover 8, the fastening bolts or screws passing thro' skin 8; p, eye bolts
which pass through the inner keel and eyelet holes in the waterproof
cover or skin 8, and fasten up the outer keel in its proper position;
v, bolts which pass through the inner keel skin & and assist in fastening
up the outer or false keel; 8, waterproof cover or skin passing outside
inner or main keel t, u, v, w, x, y, z, and ribs G, E, F, D, &c. and A', B',
C, D, &c., also of longitudinal tie n, and between gunwhale k and
capping piece 1, as well as between external bilge rubbing piece o and
ribs C, B, A, X, A', B¹, C¹, and is laced to the eye bolts m in ribs; it is
furnished with eyelet holes with washers for the various bolts and screws
to pass through; a, b, c, d, shew bow or stern portion of outer or false
keel folding for packing; x, y, z, shew bow or stern portion of inner or
main keel folded for packing.
Figure 2 shews the greatest width or beam and position of ribs, hinge,
&c. X, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, are the lines shewing position, and X, X,
and E, E, dotted red lines shew the form and depth of the ribs; also
at V the manner a rib is attached to the inner or main keel M; M, posi-
tion and size of inner or main keel; N, position and size of outer or false
keel fined off and to offer less resistance to water; O, longitudinal tie to
keep the cover or skin properly stretched, sunk flush with the outer
edge of ribs or timbers; R, two external bilge rubbing pieces fastened to
ribs to prevent the waterproof cover 8 or skin from being rubbed.
S, waterproof cover or skin (shaded violet) being passed outside of all ribs,
inner or main keel, and longitudinal tie, and laced over gunwhale K to
eye bolts P; P, small eye bolts in ribs to lace tight the waterproof cover or
skin S; S, S, to L, covering or capping piece projecting outwards far
enough to form a rubbing piece to protect the cover or skin S at gun-
whale K; K, gunwhale.

page_text: Figure 3 represents the rib A with hook or fastening B in position in
socket C, attached to main or inner keel D, also bolt E fastening main
ór inner keel D to outer or false keel F, together with the waterproof
cover or skin G, G, G, G, between (but not screwed tight), and the
external bilge rubbing piece H fastened to rib A by a small bolt or
screw K passing thro' waterproof cover of skin G, G, G, G.
Figure 4 shews rib A with hook or fastening B (out of place) and
main keel c with socket D, on which hook or fastening B works also;
E, space for corresponding rib to fit into.
Figure 5 shews plan of bow or stern portion of inner or main keel
folded back; A being curved portion of bow or stern; B, keel; R, part
left to dovetail into mortice in B to prevent any lateral play of bow
piece A.
Dine & shows the nosition of longitudinal tie A (in place) sunk flush
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Fyshe Roberts in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FYSCHE ROBERTS, of Gloucester Terrace, in the County of Middlesex,
Captain in the Royal Artillery and Major in the Army, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Fysche Roberts, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Fysche Roberts, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Fysche Roberts,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFEBOATS," upon the condition (amongst others) that

page_text: I, the said Charles Fysche Roberts, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Fysche Roberts, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The improvements have reference to lifeboats whether to be used in
case of wreck or other similar circumstance, and have for their object
the making lifeboats of such a description and in such a manner that
they may from their peculiar description be readily taken to pieces and
occupy little room when not in use.
The improvements consist in constructing lifeboats of the ordinary
shape with an inner or main and outer or false keel with moveable and
adjustable ribs so constructed that when the boat is not in use they may
be disconnected from the inner or main keel, and when in use be
fastened or connected to it.
Further in constructing all the other parts of the said boat in such a
way that they may occupy little space when the boat is not in use.
The improvements are intended to be carried into effect by con-
structing lifeboats with two keels, an inner or main and an outer or
false one, both of which keels are intended to be jointed and made in two
or more pieces as desired, the stem and stern working on a hinge and
being (when not in use) capable of doubling forward and also partially
backwards to allow of the adjustment of the waterproof covering herein-
after mentioned to the inner or main keel when the boat is in use.
Suitable moveable ribs are intended to be attached preferably by means
of a hook on the rib and an eye or socket in the keel, so that when not
in use they can be easily removed and unhooked, but when required to
be used they may hook into the eye or socket and be kept in their place
by means of an upper tie or gunwhale which is protected and covered
over by a capping. The said ribs may and are intended to be strengthened
by longitudinal ties, which also serve as supports for the footboards and
thwarts. The main or inner keel is attached to the outer or false keel by

page_text: means of bolts, and between these two keels stretched and drawn tight
over the moveable ribs is a waterproof sheathing or covering. All the
parts including the longitudinal ties, both the keels, the gunwhale, and the
capping are intended to be made in one or more pieces as desired, so
that when not in use they can be easily disconnected and stowed away.
The different parts are intended to be of wood with brass, copper, or
other metal mountings.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings and following description will
scrve to illustrate fully the manner in which the Invention is to be and
may be carried into effect, and are intended to shew a boat eighteen feet
in length and five feet beam which is capable of being taken to pieces
and packed away in a small compass by reason of the various parts,
keels (main and false), longitudinal ties, gunwhales, and capping piece
being capable of folding into short lengths, as well as by reason of the
ribs being removeable from the inner or main keel. The whole is intended
to be covered with a waterproof material as a cover, the said cover or
skin being removeable at pleasure, yet caused to fit by being laced over
outside of the ribs, inner or main keel, gunwhale, and longitudinal ties,
and inside the outer or false keel and external bilge rubbing and capping
piece. The ribs are attached to the main keel by hinges or hooks
fitting on to rivets or into sockets in the main keel.
The ribs are
steadied by the upper part fitting into the gunwhale. The cover or skin
is kept stretched by means of the ribs and longitudinal ties. It is intended
that the boat should be otherwise fitted as seagoing boats usually are,
the thwarts being intended to be removeable.
The method of taking the boat to pieces for packing is as follows:-
The waterproof cover or skin is unlaced from eyebolts, the capping
piece removed, and the skin is turned back over the gunwhale, which is
next removed, the external bilge rubbing piece or fender and the longi-
tudinal ties are next removed, and the ribs are lifted out of their sockets,
the bolts are removed and thus separate the main and false keels and
liberate the waterproof cover, the whole is then folded into lengths and
stowed away with the thwarts, which are also removeable.
I will now describe the Drawings.
Fig. 1 shews on the scale of half inch to the foot a sectional side
view of the boat, in which a, a, is the outer keel jointed at a¹, each joint
folding into three pieces at a² and a³; this outer keel is also shewn in
dotted lines folded up inwards at two places, that is to say, the bow and

page_text: stern pieces and also one of the middle pieces; b, b, is the inner or main
keel made in three lengths & folding at 61, 62, 63, one portion is also
shewn in dotted lines folded up inwards; c, c, c, are ribs; d, gunwhale;
e, covering or capping piece projecting outwards far enough to form
a rubbing piece to protect cover or skin; f,ƒ, are eyebolts in the ribs to
which the waterproof skin is laced; g, g, are the longitudinal ties to
assist in keeping the skin stretched tight; h, h, is the external bilge
rubbing piece fastened to ribs to preserve and protect the skin; i, i, eye
bolts passing through inner keel and eyelet holes in the skin and fastening
up the outer keel in its proper position; k, k, bolts passing through the
inner keel and skin and assisting in fastening up the outer keel;
1, waterproof cover or skin.
Fig. 2 shews on the scale of one inch to the foot an end view, one part
shewing skin laced on and ready, and the other indicating the position of
the ribs; the same letters are employed all through the Drawings. e, e,
are ribs, dotted red lines shew the form and depth of two individual ribs,
and shewing at m the mode of connection between ribs and kecl; 6 shews
position and size of inner keel, and a position and size of outer keel;
g is the longitudinal tie; h, external bilge rubbing piece; 1, waterproof
cover or skin; f, bolts; e, covering piece; d, gunwhale.
Fig. 3 shews on the scale of two inches to the foot the rib with hook
or fastening at m in position in the socket attached to main or inner
keel, also bolt n fastening inner and outer keel together.
Fig. 4 shews on the same scale rib with hook out of position and
with socket o in which hook works.
Fig. 5 shews on the scale of one inch to the foot plan of bow or stern
portion of inner keel folded back at b¹ with projection to fit into mortice
in one of the middle portions of inner keel to prevent lateral play.
Fig. 6 shews the position of longitudinal tie in place sunk flush with
the outer edge of the rib.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Fysche Roberts, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
CHARLES FYSCHE ROBERTS (T.Q)
CHARLES FYSCHE ROBERTS (LS)