IMPROVEMENTS IN DECK-SEATS
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JAMES LINKLETER, of 60 Hotspur Street, Tynemouth, in the County of
Northumberland, Detaching-gear Manufacturer, and WILLIAM POPE MEARS, of
6 Prudhoe Terrace, Tynemouth, in the County of Northumberland, Doctor in
Medicine do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN DECK-SEATS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to improvements in deck-seats, whereby these may be
utilised as life-boats or life-rafts in cases of emergency.
For this purpose we employ two parallel tubes square or quadrangular on section,
similar in construction to those fully described in the Complete Specification
accompanying our application for Letters Patent for "Improvements in Twin-
boats, bearing date January 2nd 1884 and similarly connected together by upper
and lower thwarts.
All the thwarts are hinged at their extremities to the corresponding parts of the
framework of the tubes (Figs. V. & VI. r. r. r. r.); the upper thwarts are each
divided in the centre, the two parts of each hinged together (Figs. V. & VI. (S).) and
the whole series of upper thwarts connected on each side of these central hinges by
a fore and aft plank (t. t¹). These planks cover over and protect the water and
provision boxes, which are carried on a corresponding fore and aft plank (t¹¹) resting
on the lower thwarts.
When the seat is opened out to form a raft it is kept open by catch-hooks fixed
to the lower thwarts below and clasping the two fore and aft planks above
alternately, thus tying the two sets of thwarts firmly together. These hooks are
represented in position in Figs. V. & VI. (u), and in further detail in Fig. V. (A).
The shank is formed of a steel rod firmly secured to a lower thwart and the lower
fore and aft plank.
The seat is prevented from being opened out too far by elbows (w. w.) fixed to
the ends of each lower thwart on the under side and fitting into the angles between
these thwarts and the sides of the tubes.
In forming the seat the catch-hooks are first set free; the tubes are then rolled
over onto the upper surfaces of the lower thwarts (in the opposite direction to the
arrows on the interrupted lines in Fig. V.), so that the upper and inner surface of
each tube comes to rest on these and the lower and outer surface of each forms the
the elbows (w. w.) come down with the lower thwarts and keep the structure
seat;

page_text: clear of the deck; the upper thwarts double at the central hinges (8) and move
upwards with the fore and aft planks (t. t¹) on each side. These planks thus form
back-rests.
Life-lines fitted on the outer gunwales of the tubes show-when the seat is
formed, above these gunwales (Figs. V. & VI. x. x.). . These lines when pulled upon
roll out the tubes in the directions shown by the interrupted lines and arrows in
Fig. V. and bring them into the position which they must occupy in forming a
raft. Whilst the seat is thus being opened out the upper thwarts and fore and aft
planks come down, push on one side the catch hooks and are automatically fixed in
position by the recoil of these hooks as they clear then. The oars, spars etc. (3. 2.)
are stowed in slings under the lower thwarts and may be brought up through the
netting or floor when wanted.
In the folded form the seat-raft may be placed under davits, having slings.
attached to it from the falls, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. V. & VI. These
slings pass down between the tubes and are fixed to the extremities of lower
thwarts. So soon as a strain (as from the weight of the structure when swung
out) comes onto these slings the tubes are rolled over and fall into their proper
position to form a raft.
Folded the seat or raft is just half as broad as when opened out and occupies
considerably less space than a boat of the same carrying capacity.
The formation of the boat or raft from the seat-form is instantaneous and
automatic and on launching everything is ready to hand.
14th a 1004

page_text: We JAMES LINKLETER of 60 Hotspur Street Tynemouth in the County of
Northumberland Detaching-gear Manufacturer and WILLIAM POPE MEARS formerly
of 6 Prudhoe Terrace but now of 47 Front Street Tynemouth in the County of
Northumberland Doctor in Medicine do hereby declare the nature of our
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN DECK-SEATS and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
"
For the purpose of construction of our improved deck-seats we use two tubes
each square or quadrangular on section similar in form and make to those described
in our Complete Specification (No. 269, 1884) for "Improvements in Twin-boats
for which Letters Patent have been granted to us bearing date 2nd January 1884
and similarly connected by upper and lower thwarts.
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of deck-seats
by which they may be adapted for the purpose of forming navigable and seaworthy
rafts or boats in case of shipwreck or other disaster at sea.
These improvements consist in chiefly the mode of connection of the two tubes
one with the other.
Thus as is shown in Fig. V. of the Drawings filed with our Provisional Specifica-
tion all the thwarts are hinged at their extremities (r. r. r. r.) to the corresponding
parts of the framework of the tubes and to the bulk-heads by strong double hinges.
The upper thwarts are each divided in the centre and the two parts of each are
hinged together (Fig▪ V. & VI. 8.).—The whole of the upper thwarts are connected
one with another on each side of their centre hinges by a fore and aft plank
(Fig V. & VI. t. t.) firmly bolted to them. These planks form back-rests when
the seat is formed (Fig. V.) and a fore and aft seat amidships when the raft form is
assumed (Fig. VL) They also serve to cover over and protect the water and
provision boxes (v.) which rest on a corresponding fore and aft plank (t".) bolted to
the lower thwarts. When the raft is opened out it is kept open by self-acting steel
catch-hooks carried on rods firmly fixed to the lower thwarts below and alternately
clasping the two fore and aft planks above. These hooks are shown in Fig▪ V.
and VI. (u.) and on a larger scale in Fig. VII. They pass up through slots in the
planks and catch a metal tongue projecting into the slot. These hooks serve also
to tie the two sets of thwarts together. The steel rod forming the shank of each
is provided with a collar or shoulder just below the hook which gives support to
the fore and aft plank or upper thwart through which the hook passes. The raft is
prevented from being opened out too far by knees fixed to the extremities of the
lower thwarts on the under side fitting into the angles between the thwarts and
the adjacent under surface of the tubes (w. w.).
When used as a deck-seat (as in Fig. V.) the tubes are rolled over onto the upper
surface of the lower thwarts so that the upper and inner surface of each tube resta
on these, whilst the lower and outer forms the seat. The keel forms the front edge
of the seat. The knees come down and keep the seat clear of the deck. The
upper thwarts when freed from the catch-hooks bend at their central hinges and
moving upwards with the fore and aft planks on each side form the back-rests.
Life-lines fitted at the gunwales of the raft show in the folded position above these
gunwales (x. x.). These lines when pulled upon roll out the tubes in the directions
shown by the dotted lines in Fig. V. and bring them into their proper relative
position. As the upper thwarts come down they push on one side the catch-hooks

page_text: and are automatically fixed in position by the recoil of these hooks as they clear
them. The oars, spars etc. are stowed in slings under the lower thwarts and may
be brought up through the netting when wanted.
The raft when closed together as for a seat, if not wanted for the purpose of a
seat, may be placed under davits, the slings being attached to the extremities of
two of the lower thwarts as in Fig* V. & VI. Then as the raft is slung off the
deck the tubes are opened out by the slings automatically and fall into their proper
position. Folded the raft is just half as broad as when opened out and would
occupy considerably less space than a boat of the same carrying capacity.
The whole formation of the boat from the seat is practically instantaneous and
automatic and everything is ready to hand as the boat is launched.
In the water the raft possesses all the qualities claimed for the twin-boat
described in the Complete Specification numbered 269 in the present year for which
the Letters Patent aforesaid have been granted having great buoyancy and very
great stability, supporting as many people quite out of the water as can get upon
it, being practically unstaveable, reversible and fitted for sailing or rowing in the
inverted position handy under oars and very navigable under sail, sailing close to
-the wind at great speed and making no leeway, and forming a first rate surf-boat
whether for going out or running in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:—
(1) The adaptation of a twin-boat or raft formed of two parallel square or
quadrangular tubes floating on the angle for the purpose of making deck-seats.
(2) The mode of connection of two parallel square or quadrangular tubes by
hinged thwarts so as to form deck-seats with back-rests capable of being opened
out to form a life-raft substantially as described and set forth in the foregoing
Specification.
Signed this Seventeenth day of Sentember eighteen hundred and eighty-four.