A Collapsible Boat.
Year: 1896

page_text: A Collapsible Boat.
ALBERT HENRY KEMP SMITH 65, Station Street, Landport, Portsmouth, in
the County of Hampshire, England, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The boat is composed of canvas, wood, metal, rope & cord; and consists of a
waterproofed canvas skin which fits over frame of boat, and is laced thereto. The
frame consists of a keel with stem and stern posts hinged to it so as to fold inboard.
Three, or more streaks form each side of boat; their ends fit into stem & stern
posts. Three, or more ribs are bolted to keel so that they will revolve, these keep
the boat expanded & when boat is collapsed they are turned so as to lay in a line
with the keel.
On the inside of the two upper streaks are metal studs, fixed at intervals to
which skin of boat is laced. The canvas skin has brass eyelets at intervals all
round its upper edge & it is roped round its entire circumference; just beneath
the eyelets.
The bottom boards are hinged to fold in 3 parts (longitudinally) & are so
arranged as to keep the ribs in position. The midship rib & seat are in one
piece.
A. H. K. SMITH.
ALBERT HENRY KEMP SMITH Gentleman No. 65, Station Street, Landport,
Portsmouth, Hampshire, 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 :-
The boat consists of ;-a keel with stem & stern-posts hinged to fold inboard;
three or more ribs are bolted to the keel; these keep the boat expanded & three or
more streaks (on each side) form the sides of the frame.
The frame when put together fits into a waterproofed canvas skin; which skin
is secured to the frame of boat by a lacing that is passed through eyelet-holes in
its upper edges & secured to studs, placed at convenient intervals on the inside
(inboard) of the two upper streaks (gunnels) & is also secured at stem & steru by
screw ring-bolts, that screw into the tops of stem & stern-posts. Two canvas
flaps at both stem & stern (these are a part of the skin) fold over & are laced; as
hereafter described-& shown in the drawings.
The ribs are loosely bolted to the keel so as to admit of their being revolved in
any direction.

page_text: The stem & stern-posts have notches (the number of which depends on the
number of streaks employed) cut in their sides, & four metal plates are-
permanently screwed over them (that is to say, it is not necessary to remove them
every time the boat is collapsed or put together) & into these notches the ends of
the streaks engage.
The bottom boards are made to fold in three (longitudinally) on hinges.
The method of putting the boat together is as follows:-The stem & stern-posts
are brought up into the possition, as shown at Figure 7; the streaks are then bent
(like a bow) & their ends let spring into the notches in stem & stern-posts; the
ribs are turned into the possition shown at Figure 11-& the frame is put into the
canvas skin; the lacing is let fall (placed) over the studs, pulled up taut, its free
ends are passed through the screw-eyes in stem & stern-posts, brought back to the
cleats (there are four) on gunnel streaks & there made fast.
The two lugs are turned over on to the tops of stem & stern-posts & secured by
means of the two screw ring-bolts & the four flaps are laced & male fast:-tied.
Fig. 12, shows the boat when put together.
Fig. 1, Z. Z. Z. Z are four Haps;-Y. Y, two lugs;-f, eyelet-holes ;-
R, roping.
Fig. 2, J is a ring-bolt ;-S, streaks;-g, studs.
Fig. 3, J. J, ring-bolts;-S. S. S, streaks;-A. A, stem & stern-posts;-
Z. Z. Z. Z, flaps ;-R. R, roping.
Fig. 4, E. E. E. E, ends of lacing;-C. C, cleats ;-T, screw-eye;
Z. Z, flaps.
Fig. 5, C, cleat ;-H, hinge ;-S. S. S. S, streaks ;-T, screw-eye A, stem or
stern-post; V, metal plate ;-K, keel.
Fig. 6, N. N. N, notches ;-V, metal plate (removed) ;-H, hinge; A, stem or
stern post.
Fig. 7, A. A, stem- & stern-posts ;-K. K, keel ;-J. J ring-bolts;
T. T, screw-eyes;-H. H, hinges; B. B. B, bolts;-X. X. X, (dotted lines) ribs.
Fig. 8, P. P, metal pins ;-0. O, holes in which pins (P. P.) engage ;-H. H,
hinges; K. K, keel;-A. A, stem- & stern-posts.
Fig. 9, X. X, ribs ;-b. b, metal plates.
Fig. 10, B. B. B. B. B. B, bottom boards ;-H. H. H. H. H. H, hinges.
Fig. 11, S. S. S, streaks;-X. X. X, ribs ;-B. B. B, bolts ;-K. K, keel ;-
V. V, metal plates;-A. A, stem & stern-posts;-T. T, screw-eyes;-C. C, cleats.
Fig. 1, is the waterproofed-canvas-skin; Z. Z. Z. Z, are four flaps with metal
eyelets through which is passed the lacing; (cod-line or the like) these flaps fold
over gunnels, fore & aft, & are secured by the lacing as shown at Figs. 3 & 12.
The two lugs (Y. Y,) at stem & stern of the skin have each a metal eyelet by
which & the two screw ring-bolts (J. J.) they are secured to the stem & stern-
posts; as shown at Figs. 2 & 12. These two lugs are the ends of a strip of canvas
(of 3, 4 or more thicknesses) that is sewn along the bottom of the skin; from
stem to stern; where the keel (propper) would be in a wooden boat.
The eyelets () are for the lacing (that secures the skin to the studs on the
gunnels) to be laced through. The roping (R) is sewn to the skin & is carried
round (extends) its eutire circumfrence from starting point to starting point &
there (its ends) spliced or otherwise secured.
Fig. 2, shows a part of the skin, eyelets (f.), studs (g.), flaps (Z.), lugs (Y.),
roping (R.), streaks (S.), screw ring-bolt (J.), also method of lacing the skin to
frame of boat.
Fig. 3, skin, gunnel & two lower streaks (S. S. S.), the four flaps (Z. Z. Z. Z)
laced, the skin laced to the studs on inboard side of gunnel streaks. & the two
lugs turned over on to the tops of stem & stern-posts & secured by the two ring
bolts-J. J.
Fig. 4, an inside view of a section of the boat; showing stem or stern-post (both
stem & stern-post are alike) with screw-eye (T.), the four ends of lacings (E. E. E. E.)
& the two cleats.-C. C

page_text: Fig. 5, stem or stern-post (A.), a part of keel (K.), a part of the two gunnel
streaks (S. S) with their ends in possition in stem or stern-post, plate (V.) fixed in
its place, two of the lower streaks in possition, screw-eye (T.), hinge (H.) & one of
the four cleats (C.).
Fig. 6, stem or stern-post with hinge (H.), metal plate removed to show the
notches (N. N. N) that the ends of streaks fit into.
Fig. 7, stem & stern-posts (A. A), & keel (K. K.) in possition for putting in the
streaks, the three bolts (B. B. B.) on which the ribs revolve; the dotted lines show
the ribs turned in a line with the keel.
Fig. 8, stem & stern-posts (A. A) turned inboard on keel; the two metal
pins (P. P.) engage in the two holes (O. O.) that are in both stem & stern post.
Fig. 9, shows midrib & thwart (seat)-X-built so as to form one piece; namely,
the thwart is built into this rib & forms a part of the rib-& is not detachable.
The fore & aft ribs (X.)-one only is shown-have no thwarts; they merely
keep the frame expanded; but would in a boat requiring more than one seat be
made broader & be fitted with thwarts. b. b. are metal plates; screwed to the ribs
to give extra strength where the bolts (B. B. B.) that secure the ribs to the keel
pass through them-the plates & ribs.
Fig. 10, the bottom boards; these are hinged at H. H. H. H. H H-to allow of
them being folded in three.
Fig. 11, is a longitudinal half of the boat, showing three of the streaks (S. S. S),
the halves of three of the ribs (X. X. X) bolted to the keel, also the other parts as
before described, shown & set forth in this specification.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A collapsible boat constructed arranged and adapted to be operated substan-
tially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. The combination of parts herein described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawing forming an improved collapsible boat.
Dated this 9th day of April 1897.
ALBERT HENRY KEMP SMITH.