IMPROVEMENTS IN LIPE BOATS AND VESSELS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, of the
United Patent Offices, 16, Castle Street, Holborn, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIPE BOATS AND VESSELS OP
Sealed the 2nd August 1853, and dated the 2nd February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Edouard
Loradoux Bellford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 2nd February 1853.
I, AUGUSTE EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of the United Patent
Offices, 16,,Castle Street, Holborn,. London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIPE BOATS AND
VESSELS OF A SIMILAR NATURE" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a floating or. buoyant boat, vessel, or
stage, having an opening extending entirely, through it from top to
bottom; and. having for a floor either a. permanently. fixed stage
placed midway between the top and bottom, or an interior float
placed within the opening above mentioned, and having for thwarts
either rigidly fixed cross-pieces-or frames, which are moveable and
self-adjusting, within the opening. The boat thus. formed has, the

page_text: lower half, or that portion which is below an imaginary horizontal
plane passing centrally through it, a practically exact counterpart
of the upper half, or part situated above such plane; and hence,
whether the boat be launched with one or the other of the two sides
in which the opening terminates upwards, it is in a proper position
for service; and should it be overturned by sea or other cause, as
soon as it comes fairly over it is then again fit for service.
The most practical and easily constructed form of my Invention
is that having the fixed floor and thwarts; and I have therefore
represented it in the accompanying Drawings, in which
Fig. 1, is a side view; Fig. 2, is a plan; Fig. 3, is a midship section;
Fig. 4, is a transverse section. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in each of the several Figs.
A, is what may be termed the hull of the boat; B, is the opening
through the hull which forms the interior of the boat; C, is the
floor, secured in any suitable manner to the inside of the opening.
D, D, are the two sets of thwarts, which are also secured to the
sides of the openings, one set above, and the other set below the
floor.
The hull must be of such-form-that it will not rest upon the
water with the opening in any other but an upright or nearly up-
right position, and with one of the sides G, G, upwards. It may be
made of any material which is of sufficient buoyancy to float on the
water with such a load as it will be required to carry; but I prefer
to make it of metal or other material capable of having water tight
compartments which may surround entirely or be at the sides or
'ends of the opening B. There is a keel E, on each side of the open-
ing B, both at top and bottom. The 'hull A, is surrounded by
guard rails, rods, or fenders a, a, which will be convenient for
persons overboard to lay hold of, and which will serve to protect
'the boat from injury when it comes into contact with a vessel or
other body. There are spaces b, b, on either side of the floor, to
allow the escape of water from above the floor. If an interior float.
'or platform is employed as a floor, 'it 'must fit the opening B,
so as to work freely up and down, in order to adjust itself to the

page_text: changes of position of the upper and lower sides of the boat; but,
the extent of its vertical movements must be limited by suitable;
stops to prevent its being detached from the boat. The thwarts
must, also then be moveable and self-adjusting, in order to allow.
them to move as the float changes its position; and this may be
effected by connecting the corresponding or opposite thwarts of each,
set so as to form a frame; and rests may be attached to the hull,
upon which the lower ones may rest to support the upper ones.
A buoyant boat A, constructed with an opening B, and having
either a fixed or moveable floor and thwarts, whereby it is made
ready for service, whichever of the two sides G, G, in which the
opening terminates be upwards.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters,
Patent, filed by the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bell-
ford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,'
AUGUSTE EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of the United Patent'
Offices, 16, Castle Street, Holborn, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty, Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the.
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,'
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Augúste Edouard Lora-
doux Bellford, Her special licence that I, the said Auguste Edouard
Loradoux Bellford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or:
such others as I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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, communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIFE BOATS AND VESSELS OF A SIMILAR NATURE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Auguste
Edouard Loradoux Bellford, by an instrument in writing under my.
hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux'
Bellford, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is
to say):
This Invention consists in a floating or buoyant boat, vessel, or
stage, having an opening extending entirely through it from top to
bottom, and having for a floor either a permanently fixed stage
placed midway between the top and bottom, or an interior float
placed within the opening above mentioned, and having for thwarts
either rigidly fixed cross pieces or frames, which are moveable and
self-adjusting, within the opening. The boat thus formed has the
lower half, or that portion which is below an imaginary horizontal
plane passing centrally through it, a practically exact counterpart
of the upper half, or part situated above such plane; and hence,
whether the boat be launched with one or the other of the two sides
in which the opening terminates upwards, it is in a proper position
for service; and should it be overturned by a sea or other cause, as
soon as it comes fairly over it is then again fit for service.
The most practical and easily constructed form of my Invention
is that having the fixed floor and thwarts; and I have therefore
represented it in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1,

page_text: is a side view; Fig. 2, a plan; Fig. 3, a midship. section; Fig. 4, a
transverse section. Similar letters of reference indicate correspond-
ing parts in each of the several Figures. A, is what may be termed
the hull of the boat; B, is the opening through the hull, which
forms the interior of the boat; C, is the floor, secured in any suit-
able manner to the inside of the opening; D, D, are the two sets of
thwarts, which are also secured to the sides of the opening, one
set above and the other set below the floor...
.
The hull must be of such form that it will not rest..upon..the
water with the opening in any other but an upright or nearly
upright position, and with one of the sides G, G, upwards. It may
be made of any material which is of sufficient buoyancy to float
on the water with such a load as it will be required to carry;
but I prefer to make it of metal or other material capable of having
water tight compartments, which may surround entirely or be at
the sides or ends of the opening B. There is a keel E, on each side
of the opening B, both at top and bottom. The hull A, is sur-
rounded by guard rails, rods, or fenders a, a, which will be con-
venient for persons overboard to lay hold of, and which will serve
to protect the boat from injury when it comes into contact with a
vessel or other body. There are spaces b, b, on either side of the
floor, to allow the escape of water from above the floor. If an
interior float or platform is employed as a floor, it must fit the
opening B, so as to work freely up and down, in order to adjust
itself to the changes of position of the upper and lower sides of the
boat but the extent of its vertical movement must be limited by
suitable stops, to prevent its being detached from the boat. The
thwarts must also then be moveable and self-adjusting, in order to
allow them to move as the float changes its position; and this may
be effected by connecting the corresponding or opposite thwarts of
each set so as to form a frame; and rests may be attached to the
hull, upon which the lower ones may rest to support the upper ones.
I claim a buoyant boat A, constructed with an opening B, and
having either a fixed or moveable floor and thwarts, whereby it is

page_text: made ready for service, whichever of the two sides G, G, in which
the opening terminates be upwards.
"In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.
A. E. L. BELLFORD. (L.S.)