A NEW AND IMPROVED DEEP SEA, RIVER, AND LAKE SAFETY BATHING SALOON TO BE USED AT ALL HOURS OF TIDE, IN ANY DEPTH OF WATER, AND WITH SAFETY TO HUMAN LIFE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Rae, of 4, Dalyell Road, Stockwell, in the
County of Surrey, a retired Master Mariner, for the Invention of "A
NEW AND IMPROVED DEEP SEA, RIVER, AND LAKE SAFETY BATHING SALOON
TO BE USED AT ALL HOURS OF TIDE, IN ANY DEPTH OF WATER, AND WITH
SAFETY TO HUMAN LIFE."
Sealed the 24th October 1878, and dated the 17th May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Rae at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th May 1873.
I, ALFRED RAE, of 4, Dalyell Road, Stockwell, in the County of Surrey,
a retired Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED DEEP SEA, RIVER, AND LAKE SAFETY
BATHING SALOON TO BE USED AT ALL HOURS OF TIDE, IN ANY DEPTH OF WATER,
AND WITH SAFETY TO HUMAN LIFE," to be as follows:-
1. That the bathing saloon is to be formed by the junction of twin
barges or tubular hulls, decked tight, of adequate beam for the cabins
and the attendants gangways, of very light draught of water and

page_text: separated at such length and to such distance as would form a sufficient
space between them for adaptation and insertion therein of the central
float.
2. That to ensure the efficient working of the "float" it is to be fitted to
and worked by depressing and elevating gear hanging on its own centre,
and its ends fitted with "uprights travelling telescopically in pillars
supplied with antifriction rollers the length of the "uprights" to allow
a depression of the "float" to from six to twelve feet or more if
required, and when not depressed the float would be on a level or line
with the water line of the two "hulls," and will be so constructed as to
insure free access and flow of water at the grated sides, ends, and bottom
thereof.
3. That access to the "saloon" at all hours of the tide will be
obtaining by tapering the hulls from their ends or bows or their fore fect
to such lengths as will give, say 12 or 20 feet of overhanging permanent
platform or bridge, which with swing gangway planks or rollers at their
shore ends would give 20 to 35 feet distance from the beach to the point
of floatage of the "saloon," which will be constructed to draw from 2 to
3 feet of water, less or more, and would be hauled out from and on to the
shore by attachments to such graduated moorings as would be laid down,
and to some distance beyond extreme low water mark necessary, always
keeping the saloon end on to sea, and the shore ends of the hulls and
gangway planks to rest on small but stout wheels.
4. That any swash of tide or swell of sea into or on to the central float
which might, with strong tide running or sea on, inconvenience the
bathers, will be prevented by a deep shield of false bow to be placed and
fitted in between the seaward ends or bows of the twin hulls which
"shield" can be so inclined aft, or shore endwards, as to create a steady
flow or current of water underneath the float.
5. That the cabins (numbers to be regulated by the size of the saloon)
will be slightly raised from the decks of the hulls and their floors
grated; the frame which will form the connection overhead and to the
kelsons of the twin hulls will when decked, railed in, fitted with seats
and awnings form a spacious sanitary lounge and promenade.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Rae in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
RAE, of 4, Dalyell Road, Stockwell, in the County of Surrey, a retired
Master Mariner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give.
and grant unto me, the said Alfred Rae, Her special licence that I,
the said Alfred Rae, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Alfred Rae, 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 "A NEW AND IMPROVED DEEP SEA, RIVER,
AND LAKE SAFETY BATHING SALOON TO BE USED AT ALL HOURS OF TIDE, IN ANY
DEPTH OF WATER, AND WITH SAFETY TO HUMAN LIFE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Rae, my executors or administra-
tors, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands.
and seals, 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

page_text: The vessel is composed of twin-like barges, pontoons, or tubular hulls
decked tight, and in or upon which are cabins or dressing rooms and
other appurtenances, and also gangways or passages.
The hulls are built to draw very little water and are separated to such
lengths and to such distances as would form a sufficient space between
them for the adaptation and insertion therein of a "central float"
water casing in which the bathing can be carried on.
or
The efficient working of the "central float" is governed by elevating
and depressing gear, such as cogged or racked shafts, and with uprights
or guides to allow of a depression of the "float" to say from six to
twelve feet or more when required,] the said guides travelling teles-
copically, and supplied with antifriction rollers. When the float is not
depressed it takes a position on a level or in line with the water line or
bearings of twin hulls or pontoons, and I secure a free flow of water
thereto and therefrom by gratings or latticework at its sides, ends, and
bottom.
Access by bathers to the "saloon" at all hours of the tide is obtained
by tapering or reducing the hulls or pontoons from the ends of their
bows to their "fore feet," to such lengths as, say from twelve to twenty
feet, thus forming an overhanging permanent bridge or platform, which
is fitted with swing gangway planks or bridges of proper lengths to, say
some twenty-four to forty feet, more or less, distance from the beach to
the point of groundage or floatage of the "saloon" so as to draw from
two to three feet of water, more or less, to enable the saloon to be
hauled out from and on to the beach by attachments to graduated
moorings, which can be laid down and fixed at some distance beyond
low water mark. By this means I can always keep the saloon end on
to the sea, and its shore ends resting on low stout wheels or rollers
close in shore, any swell of sea or swash of tide into or on to the
"central float," which might with strong tide running or sea on,
inconvenience the bathers, is prevented by a deep shield or false bow,
which I fit in between the ends or bows of the twin hulls or pontoons.
The shield can be inclined aft or shore endwards (or as may be
required), so as to create a flow or current of water beneath the float.
The bathing cabins or dressing rooms are slightly above the level of
the decks of the hulls or pontoons, and their floors are grated.

page_text: be decked over or railed in and fitted with seats and awnings so as to
form a sanitary lounge and promenade.
The features of novelty constituting the Invention are,-
"
Firstly. The depression and elevation of a "central float between
twin hulls, to admit of bathing at all hours of tide, in any depth of water,
also in deep sea, river, and lake waters in safety to human life.
Secondly. The applicability of the Invention to shoal waters as to deep,
inasmuch as by excavating a sufficient space for the reception of the
"central float" and the depression thereof, small runs of water, ponds,
or ornamental waters now useless, can be utilized for public bathing
purposes and indecency avoided.
Thirdly. The accomodation offered to ladies, invalids, and children
who can walk on board and to the shore in safety and bathe in privacy
and comfort.
Fourthly. The comparatively small cost of construction, the applicability
of the saloon to accomodate a large number of bathers at the same time,
and its adaptability to other purposes besides that of bathing, as by
boarding the interior over for dancing, concerts, etc., can be carried on
with facility.
The saloon is especially adaptable for training ships, governmental
and other swimming schools, it can be easily fitted with warm, shower,
and other baths, refreshment rooms, &c., and be moved alongside piers,
embankments, &c., as useful for safety bathing as when used from the
shore.
The bottom of the "central float" may be made a filtering bed,"
insuring filtered water if required, and the sides and ends may be
hollow or walled as desired.
By raising the " central float" to the level of the decks or load lines of
the twin hulls or pontoons, and by means of cross bars and hatches
temporarily decking it over the whole between deck, and space and
surface of the "float," can be easily converted into a music hall, concert
room, theatre, ball room, &c., "on the sea," thus rendering the saloon
profitable; these saloons can be fitted with propellers and worked by
steam or other power to move them from place to place.

page_text: If this saloon system is intended for India or the tropics the saloons
can by slight modifications in building be surf-proof, non-capsizable, and
invulnerable to sharks, alligators, &c., as well as to prevent the entrance
of foreign substances.
Small baths on this system are convertable at will into safety, fishing,
shooting, or pleasure boats, propelled velocipede fashion, or by oars, or
by sails.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim,―
Firstly. The construction and employment of twin-like bulls or
vessels fitted with gangways, passages, cabins, and other appurtenances,
as set forth, when such hulls have between them a raising and lowering
float or bathing vehicle, acting in the manner and for the purposes
described.
Secondly. I claim a raising and lowering central bathing vehicle or
float in or between the hulls of vessels, as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Rae, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Seventeenth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
ALFRED RAE. (L.S.)