Improved Apparatus for Locking the Struts of Collapsable Boats, i.e., Connecting the Parts of those Boats which are Made in Two or More Sections, Applicable also for Gates, Doors, Flaps, or other Articles or Things.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Locking the Struts of Collapsable Boats,
i.e., Connecting the Parts of those Boats which are Made in Two
or More Sections, Applicable also for Gates, Doors, Flaps, or
other Articles or Things.
I EDWARD LYON BERTHON of the Vicarage, Romsey, Hants, Master of Arts, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus for locking the struts of
collapsable boats known as Berthon's, said apparatus being also applicable as a catch
for gates, doors, flaps, and other articles or things.
For the purpose of my invention I, from a plate of metal, form in conjunction with
a catch nose piece a weight or balance lever, with a protuberance facing the catch
but at a lower level. A hole is also formed for a pivot pin to fit the article to a face
plate.
The upper part of the shaped plate has a lug or stop to determine the drop of the
catch.
The appliance above described can be affixed to any article and a simple projecting
strip or bolt on the adjoining piece in closing pushes against the nose of the catch
piece, lifting it and passes behind the catch to be locked, but should, through rust,
dirt, or other cause, the nose of the catch piece be fixed clear of the strip or bolt, the
strip or bolt when the strut, gate or door is closed will push against the protuberance
and send it inwards, this simultaneously forcing the nose catch over the strip or holt
for locking one to the other.
Any kind of pusher can be arranged to act upon the catch for releasing purposes.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1880
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said E. L. Berthon, M.A.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Locking the Struts of Collapsable Boats,
i.e., Connecting the Parts of those Boats which are Made in Two
or More Sections, Applicable also for Gates, Doors, Flaps, or
other Articles or Things.
I, EDWARD LYON BERTHON, of the Vicarage, Romsey, Hants, Master of Arts, 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:-
"
This invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus for locking the struts of
collapsable boats known as "Berthon's," said apparatus being also applicable as a
catch for gates, doors, flaps, and other articles or things.
For the purpose of my invention, I, from a plate of metal, form in conjunction
with a catch nose piece, a weight or balance lever with a protuberance facing the
catch but at a lower level. A hole is also formed for a pivot pin to fit the article to a
face plate.
The upper part of the shaped plate has a lug or stop to determine the drop of the
catch.
The appliance above described can be affixed to any article, and a simple projecting
strip, or bolt on the adjoining piece in closing pushes against the nose of the catch
piece, lifting it and passes behind the catch to be locked but should through rust,
dirt, or other cause, the nose of the catch piece be fixed clear of the strip, or bolt, the

page_text: strip, or bolt when the strut, gate, or door closed will push against the protuberance
and send it inwards, this simultaneously forcing the nose catch over the strip, or bolt
for locking one to the other.
Any kind of pusher can be arranged to act upon the catch for releasing purposes.
My invention will be clearly understood by the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a strut for holding up the gunwale or top rail of
a collapsable boat, such as that known as Berthon's, several of such struts being fitted
along the two sides of a boat to stretch the canvas.
The appliance, according to my present invention, is let into the lower leg of the
strut with the catch projecting, so that the latch which forms part of the upper
jointed lever engages itself when pressed into contact and is thereby maintained in
that position.
Figures, 2, 3 and 4 are views of the strut in the position it occupies in a collapsable
boat.
Figure 2 shows the strut unfastened but ready for the lever to be depressed and
with the canvas somewhat loose.
Figure 3 shows said lever depressed and the canvas stretched. In both these
Figures, the lower end of the strut is stepped into a shoe fitted to the keelson, while
Figure 4 shows a strut stepped into the lower side rib but said stepped piece may be
arranged on the bottom, or other board of the boat. The upper or lifting end of the
lever is rounded and engages in a recess under the gunwale but an appliance may be
fitted to the gunwale for its engagement.
The latch by which the fastening is made in connection with my catch may be of
any kind that will pass under the nose of the catch.
The particular shape of the catch will be understood by reference to Figures 5, 6
and 7 where at Figures 5 and 6, I show the catch respectively in a downward and
upward position, or fastened and unfastened for a vertical action latch, and at Figure 7
I show a horizontal action catch, such as for a cellar flap.
Figure 8 shows tho adaptation of my catch to a door, it is however applicable to
gates and similar constructions, whether on hinges or made to slide for closing.
It will be understood that when a rigid bar or plate, such as I show at A, Figure 8,
strikes the rounded portion B, Figure 5, of the nose C, said nose will ride up the
plate A into the position shown at Figure 6, and the plate A will enter the notch D
and in doing so will strike against the protuberance E and force said protuberance
away and the nose C downwards and over the plate A, which is thereby secured.
The catch is pivotted from the pin F behind a face plate G, and its movement is
limited by the stop H abutting against the back of face plate G.
The increased size of the protuberance H, Figure 7, will counterbalance any
tendency of the catch C to unfasten itself when arranged for horizontal action, such as
by or from a cellar flap.
The apparatus thus far described can only be unfastened from one side of its support
but by a push button, or other contrivance to force the weighted end E forward by
striking it at the point I, the catch can be unfastened from the opposite side of its
support.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The appliance shown at Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the annexed drawings and constituting
a catch suitable for the gunwale struts of collapsable boats, for connecting parts of
boats, for gates, doors, flaps, and other articles, or things to which it can be adapted,
as described.
The 23rd day of May 1890.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Edward Lyon Berthon, M.A.