New or Improved Centreboard or Lifting Keel for Boats and other Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Centreboard or Lifting Keel for Boats and other
Vessels.
I, BERTRAM HENRY TRIPPE, of 1 High Street, Southampton, in the County of
Hants, Woolen Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to centreboards, or lifting keels, and comprises various
improvements hereinafter described.
The main object of my said invention is to provide a deep centreboard or lifting
keel, for use in boats and vessels, so fitted that it can be very readily raised,
lowered, adjusted to any required depth, and completely housed in the well or
casing provided for same, and which is also self adjusting to a limited extent.
In making and fitting a centreboard or keel according to my invention it will be
in form considerably deeper than its width and curved to a point or approximately
so at its lower end on the aft side.
The keel is fitted in a watertight casing or well in the following manner.
To the fore side of the upper part of the keel I hinge or pivot a rod or plate of
desired convenient length the other end of which is also hinged or pivotted on a
pin passing through the sides of the well, thus the keel is free to pivot on both ends
of the said rod or plate and with same in manner hereinafter described.
To the upper aft end of the keel I attach two lines, or their equivalent, used for
the purpose of lifting and lowering the keel in the following manner.
Taking it that the keel is down below the bottom of the vessel to its greatest
extent, it will then hang vertically or approximately so, supported where pivotted
to the aft end of the aforesaid hinged rod, which then lies in a horizontal position,
or approximately so.
One of the aforesaid handing lines leads over a pulley mounted on the top of
the casing almost directly in a vertical line to its attachment to the keel, the free
end of this line can, if desired, be led over and under another pulley provided on
the fore end of the casing, or elsewhere as found convenient to secure a straight
horizontal lead. The other line hereinbefore referred to, will be led forward over
a pulley mounted on the fore end of the casing, and if desired over and under
another pulley suitably mounted at a convenient distance beyond the casing, the
free ends of both these handing lines can be attached to a tackle or to a drum
of a winch (in the case of heavy keels).
When it is desired to lift the keel the line leading to the pulley immediately
over the aft end of keel is hauled upon either as a single part or by means of the
purchase described and the keel pivotting on and with the hinged rod rises first
vertically and then pivotting on and with the said rod it (the keel) is bodily moved
in a forward radial direction being brought forward by means of the line leading
forward (the other line being simultaneously slacked away) until it (the keel) is
completely housed in the casing.

page_text: A reversal of the above operation will serve to lower the keel to any desired
depth, in which it may be held by means of the lines or by passing a pin through
the casing and keel. It will be noted that the handing line led to the pulley
directly over the aft end of the keel only serves to lift the keel to a limited extent,
the other line leading forward being then brought into action completes the
housing of the keel. It is obvious in small boats that the operation of lifting and
housing the keel may be effected by means of a rigid or pliant handle attached
to the keel.
An important feature in my invention is that by means of the double pivotted
movement of the keel effected by means of the double hinged rod or arm herein-
before described, a very small opening or slot in the bottom of the vessel, and
also a short well is required to take a deep keel both very desirable results, as
a long slot tends to weaken the construction of the vessel and a long well obviously
encroaches upon the internal capacity of the vessel.
The keel can be removed from the casing upon removal of the pin upon which
the hinged rod or plate pivots.
The keel when hanging at its greatest depth, that is vertically is free to swing
back, and therefore to be raised, to an extent only limited by the opening in
bottom of well without being in any way handled.
Dated this 24th day of November 1896.
BERTRAM HENRY TRIPPE.
Herbert P. Blake,
70 High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Centreboard or Lifting Keel for Boats and other
Vessels.
I, BERTRAM HENRY TRIPPE, of 1 High Street, Southampton, in the County of
Hants, Woollen Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:--
My invention relates to centreboards or lifting keels, and comprises various
improvements hereinafter described.
The main object of my said invention is to provide a deep centreboard or lifting
keel for use in boats and vessels, so fitted that it can be very readily raised,
lowered, adjusted to any required depth, and completely housed in the well or
casing provided for same, and a centreboard which is also self adjusting to a
limited extent.
In making and fitting a centreboard according to my invention it will be in
form considerably deeper than its width and curved to a point, or approximately
so, at its lower end on the aft side.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal elevations, partly in section, shewing a centre-
board or lifting keel fitted according to my invention.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
F indicates the forward end of vessel, A the after end. The centreboard A¹, is
fitted in a watertight casing or well B, in the following manner.
To the fore side of the upper part of the centreboard I hinge a rod or plate C,
of desired convenient length, the other end of the plate also hinges on a pin D,
passing through the sides of the well.
To the upper aft end of the centreboard I attach at E two lines a, and b, or their

page_text: equivalent, which are used for the purpose of lifting and lowering the centreboard
in the following manner.
Taking it that the centreboard is down below the bottom of vessel to its
greatest extent, as shewn in full at Fig. 2, it will then be supported where hinged
to the aft end of the hinged rod C, which then lies,-resting on the boats bottom
or fixed keel H,-in a horizontal position, or approximately so.
One of the aforesaid handing lines, viz, the line b, is led through a hole in the
top of the casing and over a pulley if desired.
The line a, is led forward over a pulley c, and round another pulley d, the free
end of one or both of these lines can be attached to a tackle e, or to a drum of a
winch in the case of heavy centreboards.
When it is desired to lift the centreboard the line b, is first hauled upon, either
as a single part or by means of any suitable purchase, and the keel pivotting on
and with the hinged plate C, rises first vertically, or approximately so, and then,
continuing to pivot on and with the said plate C, it is bodily moved in a forward
radial direction being brought forward by hauling on the line a, the line b, being
simultaneously slacked away as required until the centreboard is completely
housed in the casing B.
A reversal of the above operation will serve to lower the centreboard to any
desired depth, in which it may be held by means of the lines a, and b, or by passing
pin through the sides of the casing and centreboard.
It is obvious that in small boats the operation of lifting and housing, and
lowering the centreboard may be effected by means of a rigid or pliant handle
attached to the centreboard.
An important feature in my invention is that by means of the double pivotted
movement of the centreboard, secured by means of the double hinged plate C as
fitted, a very short opening or slot f, in the bottom or fixed keel H, of the vessel
is required, and also only a short well, both very desirable features, as a long
slot tends to weaken the construction of the vessel, and a long well obviously
encroaches upon the internal capacity of the vessel.
In Fig. 2 the dotted lines shew the centreboard and attachments when the
centreboard is only partly lifted, the centreboard when at its greatest depth being
shewn in full lines.
Fig. 1 shews the centreboard fully housed in the well. The centreboard can be
easily removed from the casing upon withdrawal of the pin D.
The centreboard when hanging at its greatest depth is free to swing aft, and
therefore to be raised to an extent limited only by the length of the slot f, without
being in any way handled.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1st. The new or improved centreboard or lifting keel for boats and other vesesls,
consisting of the parts constructed, arranged, and combined, substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and operating as, and for
the purposes above specified.
2nd. The construction of, and the fitting with a centreboard of a double hinged
plate C, as, and for the purposes specified.
3rd. The combination with a centreboard of the double hinged plate C, as and
for the purposes specified.
Dated this 24th day of August 1897.
BERTRAM H.
Herbert P. Blake,
70 High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.