IMPROVEMENTS IN BOATS." PORTABLE FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE PROVISIONAL SPFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis William Jelf, of the Naval and Military Club,
Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, late Lieutenant 15th Regiment, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOATS."
PORTABLE FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis William Jelf at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August 1882.
LOUIS WILLIAM JELF, of the Naval and Military Club, Piccadilly, in the County
of Middlesex, late Lieutenant 15th Regiment " IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE
FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE BOATS
"
My invention relates to portable boats and is designed to provide improved
means whereby they may be made to fold up or contract into a small volume when
not in use, and to expand to the proper shape and size when required to be
employed upon the water.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a frame consisting chiefly
of strips or pieces of wood which are arranged longitudinally, and hinged, as
hereinafter described, to form the gun-wales or upper part, the stringers, and the
keel; and to the outside of this frame I securely fasten (by means of cement or
otherwise) canvas which has been properly treated to render the saine waterproof.
This canvas forms the sides and bottom of the boat and expands and collapses with
the frame. Both at the bow and the stern I provide a solid block or piece of
wood or metal, which blocks serve as points of attachment for the strips forming the
gunwales, the stringers, and the keel, all of which are hinged or pivotted thereto at
each end in such a manner that the gunwales and the stringers will be capable of
moving outward and inward, and the keel upward and downward according to
whether the boat is to be expanded or contracted. The keel is made in three parts
which are secured together by hinges, that is to say, it is formed of one long piece
or strip occupying a central longitudinal line at the bottom of the boat and two
short end pieces forming continuations thereof, one being at the bow and one at
the stern.
One of these end portions of the keel is hinged to the aforesaid
block of wood at the bow and the other to the corresponding block at the stern,

page_text: and both are hinged to the long or central part of the keel at the respective ends
thereof. It will therefore be seen that the said keel is hinged or jointed at four
points and this construction permits of the said keel occupying such a position
when expanded that it forms one long straight line, and two inclined ends, the
inclination taking a downward direction from the bow and stern respectively; and
when the boat is contracted or collapsed the whole of the said keel occupies one
straight line from stem to stern. At each end of the long central portion of the
keel I provide a stop piece or knee securely fastened to the said portion and with
an arm or projection extending over the extremity of the short end piece, the
object of these stops being to secure the required rigidity at the hinged points
when the boat is expanded. At the centre of the boat I provide a cross piece or
stay which is divided at its centre, the two parts being connected by a hinge. The
outer ends of this stay are hinged to the gunwale or upper part of the boats
frame. At the centre of the stay there is a stop-piece rigidly fastened on one side
of the division and overlapping a portion of the said stay on the other side, but
not fastened thereto. At its free end this stop piece has a slot designed to pass
over a staple in the stay, which staple receives a padlock to prevent the two
portions of the said stay folding when the boat is expanded for use. It is obvious
that a spring bolt or any other suitable contrivance may be employed for effecting
the same object, instead of the arrangement above described.
I also provide short bars extending downward from the gunwale to the stringers
below, these bars being divided and hinged at their centre and these ends being
hinged one to the gunwale and the other to the stringer. These bars assist in
ensuring the required rigidity when the boat is expanded. I also provide a lower
cross stay extending from the stringer on one side to the one on the other side, this
stay being also divided and jointed in the centre and being jointed to the stringers
on each side. It is provided with a pin or other suitable contrivance to maintain
its rigidity when the boat is expanded. The flooring is formed of pieces hinged to
the keel in such a manner that it may be turned upward on both sides of the latter
when the boat is to be contracted and turned down when the same is expanded.
A cross piece is pivotted to the keel and lies parallel with the same, at the top
thereof when the boat is contracted, but is turned upon its pivot to a position at
right angles to the keel so as to lio across the two parts of the flooring when the
boat is expanded. There are pivotted buttons on the flooring which engage with
this cross piece so as to hold it against displacement. An upright or post extends
from the keel to aid in supporting the seat, the said upright being hinged to the
keel so that it may be folded down upon the same when not in use.
I form the row locks in three pieces, two of which are uprights curved inward
towards each other at the top, and the other a cross-piece connecting the other two,
upon which cross piece the oar rests. The two upright.pieces are pivotted to the
inner side of the gunwale and the cross-piece is pivotted to the two uprights in
such a manner that the whole can be turned down so as to lie inside, and parallel
with, the gunwale when the boat is contracted. A suitable catch or stop-piece is
provided to maintain the said parts in a rigid position when the boat is
expanded.
A boat constructed according to my invention may be either expanded or
contracted with great facility and in an exceedingly short space of time, and when
contracted occupies a space about one third less with respect to height, and nearly
one fourth less with regard to width as compared with the space occupied, or
volume, when expanded.
The number of stays and other parts comprising the frame-work will necessarily
vary according to the dimensions of the boat and although I prefer to make the
said frame work chiefly of wood, it, or parts thereof, may be made of any other
suitable material according to circumstances.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Louis William Jelf in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1883.
LOUIS WILLIAM JELF, of the Naval and Military Club, Piccadilly, in the County
of Middlesex late Lieutenant 15th Regiment, "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE
FOLDING OR COLLAPSIBLE BOATS
"
My Invention relates to portable folding or collapsible boats and is designed to
provide improved means whereby they may be collapsed or folded into a small
volume when not in use, and can be expanded to the proper shape and size when
required to be employed upon the water.
In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a boat constructed in accordance
with my said Invention.
Figure 1 is a plan of the said boat, showing the same expanded for use.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line y, y, Figure 1, looking aft or to the left
Figure 4 is a section on the line 2, 2, Figure 1, looking forward or to the right
Figure 5 is a partial section on the line 2, 2, Figure 1, showing one of the hinged
bars & and other parts.
Figure 6 is a plan of the boat collapsed, and
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing.
a, b, c represent strips or pieces of wood forming parts of the frame of the boat,
which strips are hinged as hereinafter described in such a manner that the strips a
form the gunwale or upper part of the boat; +h
and the strip c forms the keel. The strin
it by hinges.
sb constitute the stringers,
ort strips c¹, c² connected to
The stringers and gunwale are connected by hinged bars d, as hereinafter set
forth. To the outside of the frame I securely fasten (by means of cement or other-
wise) canvas e, which has been properly treated to render the same waterproof.
This canvas forms the sides and bottom of the boat, and expands and collapses with
the frame. I also provide strengthening bands e¹ of canvas or other suitable
material. Metal plates f, f', are provided at the bow and the stern which plates
serve as points of attachment for the strips a, b, c¹ and c², all of which are secured
thereto by hinges f2, in such a manner that the gunwale and the stringers can be
moved outward or inward, and the keel can be moved upward or downward,
according to whether the boat is to be expanded or collapsed. The keel or strip c
is connected to the strips c¹, c², by hinges c³, and occupies a central longitudinal
position at the bottom of the boat and the two short strips or end pieces c' c² form
continuations thereof one at the bow and the other at the stern. The part c¹ is
hinged to the plate fat the bow; and the part c³ to the plate f¹ at the stern. It
will, therefore, be seen that the said keel is hinged or jointed at four points and
that, when the boat is expanded, there is a long straight piece at the bottom of the
boat having two inclined ends forming the stem and stern, and, when the boat is
collapsed, the parts c, c¹, c² occupy one straight line, as shown in dotted lines in
Figure 7. The strips forming the gunwale and stringers are bent outward when
the boat is expanded. At each end of the central portion c I sometimes provide a
stop-piece or knee g securely fastened to the said portion and having an arm or
projection g¹, extending over the piece c¹ or c³, so as to ensure the required rigidity
at the hinged points, when the boat is expanded. The employment of the strips
connected to the plates by hinges is an important feature of my invention.

page_text: At, or near, the centre of the boat I provide a folding cross piece or stay / con-
sisting of two parts h1, h2, so made that one will overlap the other when the boat is
expanded and connected by a hinge i. The parts h¹ h² are connected to the
gunwale or upper part of the boat's frame on each side by hinges ¹, i. Near the
centre of the stay h I secure the two parts firmly together, when the boat is
expanded, by a screw bolt k. Or, instead of using this device, I sometimes form a
slot in one part (h' for example) designed to pass over a staple in the other part,
which staple receives a padlock to prevent the two portions of the said stay from
folding when the boat is expanded for use. It is obvious that a spring bolt or any
other suitable contrivance may be employed for effecting the same object, instead of
the devices above described.
The stringers 6 are connected to the gunwale as follows, that is to say, the
bars d extend downward from the gunwale to the stringer. These bars are divided
and connected by a hinge m and their ends are connected, one to the gunwale and
the other to the stringer by hinges m², m². The said bars impart additional rigidity
to the boat when expanded. I also provide a cross-bar or stay n extending from
one side to the other of the gunwale. This stay is also divided and is connected
at the centre by the hinge n and to the gunwale on each side by the hinges n², n³.
To maintain this stay rigid when the boat is expanded I employ a sleeve n which
fits upon the said stay and is capable of sliding to and fro thereon. When the
boat is expanded, the sleeve is moved over the hinge n³, as shown in Figure 1, and
prevents the parts of the stay from folding. The floor is formed of pieces p, of
wood, hinged to the keel c and having other pieces p¹ connected to them by hinges,
in such a manner that they may be folded on both sides of the keel, as shown in
Figure 6, when the boat is to be collapsed, and may be unfolded, as shown in
Figures 1 and 3, when the boat is expanded. A cross-piece q is pivoted to the
keel and lies parallel with the same at the top thereof when the boat is collapsed,
but, after the boat is expanded, the piece q is turned upon its pivot to a position
at right angles to the keel so as lie across the parts of the flooring on each side
thercof, as shewn in Figure 1. r, r represent catches fixed to the flooring, which
engage with this cross-piece so as to hold it against displacement. An upright
piece or post s extends from the keel to aid in supporting the seat t. This post is
hinged to the keel so that it may be folded down upon the same when not
in use.
u represents a folding cross-piece or stay which is pivotted at each end
on the pins u fixed in the stringers 6, and is divided at the centre and connected
by a hinge u; when the boat is expanded the said stay rests against the post 8
which is provided with a catch s to engage with the said stay and prevent its
displacement. Supporting pieces vare fixed to the bars d, for the seat t to rest
upon, as shown in Figures 2 and 5. The said seat also rests upon the post & which
is cut away at the upper end as shewn and fits into a recess in the seat. When
the seat is in position, the post 82, which is also hinged to the keel, is raised and
the pin 83 fits into a hole provided for its reception in the seat t, which is thus
rigidly secured in its proper place. I may use any other suitable locking device
instead of the pin 8³.
I form the rowlocks in three pieces, two of which are uprights curved inward
towards each other at the top, and the third is a cross-piece connecting the other
two, upon which cross-piece the oar rests. The two upright pieces are pivotted to
the inner side of the gunwale and the cross-piece is pivotted to the two uprights
in such a manner that the whole can be turned down so as to lie inside and parallel
with the gunwale, when the boat is collapsed. A suitable catch or stop-piece is
provided to maintain the said parts in a rigid position when the boat is expanded.
These rowlocks are not shown in the drawings.
A boat constructed according to my invention may be either expandled or
collapsed with great facility and in an exceedingly short space of time, and, when
collapsed, it is about one third less in height and nearly one fourth less in width
than when expanded.
The number of folding stays and other parts comprising the frame will necessarily

page_text: vary according to the dimensions of the boat, and, although I prefer to make the
said frame chiefly of wood, the whole, or parts, thereof may be made of any other
suitable material according to circumstances. I may, moreover, in some cases
substitute wooden blocks for the metal plates at the stem and stern.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same I wish it understood that I claim :-
-
First: In a boat, the frame consisting of the longitudinal strips, the hinged
folding transverse stays or cross-pieces, and the plates or blocks at the stem and
stern, (with or without the stop-pieces or knees) all constructed and combined
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second: The hinged folding bars d connecting the gunwale and stringers,
substantially as set forth, to impart additional rigidity to the boat when
expanded.
Third-The combination, with the seat, of the supporting pieces fixed to the
bars d, and the supporting posts hinged to the keel one of the said posts being
provided with a device for locking the said seat, all substantially as, and for the
purpose, set forth.
Fourth-The improved folding or collapsible boat constructed substantially as
above set forth,
In witness whereof I the said Louis William Jelf have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty sixth day of February in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
LOUIS WILLIAM JELF (S.)