Improvements in Life Boats.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life Boats.
DAVID JOHN MORGAN, No. 12, Windsor Road, Barry, in the County of
Glamorgan, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to make a life boat that will stand very severe
abuse without being totally disabled and to obtain same I purpose making a
boat of metal in one or more pieces aluminium copper or steel preferred.
The boat to be made in two or more shells cast stamped or other wise. The
outside shell to have suitable ribs or angles to receive a suitable cushion or fender
and the inside of outer shell to have suitable ribs or angles to support the dis-
tance pieces of wood, between the outer and inner shell. The inner shell to be
made of aluminium or any other suitable metal. The space to be fitted or filled
with cork or any suitable material so that when the boat is launched should it
come into contact with any hard substance such as wreckage or the side of the
vessel or when exposed to very heavy weather it will not be easily damaged to
such an extent as to render the boat useless.
For extra safety I propose to have another or second inner shell to be made
of suitable metal or material to form an air chamber and thereby assist in the
buoyancy. The whole structure to be made in such a manner that the boat can
be taken to pieces by an ordinary seaman or without skilled labour, so that every
part of the boat can be thoroughly examined, cleaned, painted, or covered with
any suitable material or solution so as to keep the metal and other parts from
deterioration and that all the parts can again be put together by a common
seaman or a person of unskilled labour, thereby the boat will be kept in thorough
condition and ready for any emergency.
I further propose that the seats and the ends of the inner shell be formed into
suitable air chambers to further assist in the buoyancy. And in case of total
destruction to the boat the said seats shall be so arranged that they can be easily
detached from the boat and to be used as life buoys.
I further propose to fit other air casings to assist in the buoyancy such as
may be suitable to the size and construction of the boat.
I also propose to fit in suitable places between the inner and intermediate
shell (or inner and outer shell) when only two shells are used, suitable spaces
for stowing away medicine, spirits, provisions &c. And I further propose so as
to thoroughly protect such stores which are intended for the saving of life. That
a plan or drawing of the boat shall be also encased in such a position to be used
only in cases of emergency to show the position of the stores &c.
Dated this 29th day of November 1898.

page_text: :
Improvements in Life Boats.
I, DAVID JOHN MORGAN, of 12, Windsor Road, Barry, in the County of
Glamorgan, Wales, Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My present invention relates to life-boats, and has for its object to so arrange
and construct a life-boat that it may withstand very severe abuse or rough usage
without becoming totally disabled, or when so disabled its separated parts may
be servicable in saving life; to attain which I arrange construct and combine
my said improved life-boat substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan of my improved life-boat
Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on line A A and Fig. 3 is &
longitudinal sectional elevation taken on line B B of said Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line C C Fig. 5 a trans-
verse sectional elevation taken on line D D and Fig. 6 a transverse sectional
elevation taken on line E E of said Fig. 2.
Fig. 7 is a sectional plan taken on line F F of Fig. 2.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken on line G G of Fig. 7 and
Fig. 9 is an isometric elevation of tube receptacle withdrawn.
Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line H H of Fig. 7.
Fig. 11 is a cross sectional elevation of enlarged detail showing how the outer
and inner shells are secured to gunwale.
Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional elevation in detail showing manner in which seat
may be hinged to side and Fig. 13 is an elevation of cotter therefor and Fig. 14
a plan of said detail.
Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional elevation at keel and bottom of boat showing means
of securing outer and inner shells thereat.
Fig. 16 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a modification of my improved
life-boat and Fig. 17 is a cross sectional elevation of same taken on line I I of
said Fig. 16.
Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view.
My improved life-boat is arranged and constructed with two shells an outer
one Z and an inner one Y which shells are composed of suitable metal such for
instance as aluminium, copper, steel; and said shells may be stamped or other-
wise formed to suitable shape as will be well understood.
The space between the said two shells is filled with cork or other similar
material X so that when the boat is launched should it come into contact with
any hard substance such for instance as wreckage or the side of a vessel, or when
exposed to very heavy sea it will resist being damaged to such an extent as to
render the boat useless.
For extra safety it will be obvious that another or second inner shell may be
employed as shown at Figs. 16 and 17, in which case I prefer to fill in the space
between the two outer shells Z and Z with cork and to arrange the space between
the middle shell Z' and inner shell Y as an air chamber y
The outer shell Z may have suitable ribs or angles which support a cushion
or fenders and the inside of outer shell Y or outerside of middle shell Z may
have ribs or angles a¹ to support distance pieces of wood V fitted between outer
and inner shell or outer and intermediate shell.
The seat shown K at Fig. 17 is a fixture within the boat and supported therein

page_text: by angle irons i and to the bottom of boat by means of bolts. As hereinafter
specified each seat K is made as an air tight chamber and spaces 23 at each end
of lower side thereof are arranged for the reception of the rowers or mens legs.
The shells may be secured together at the top as shown at Fig. 11, that is
bolts W are used with wood packing, V, between and the shells are secured at
the keel (vide Fig. 15) by bolts T screwing into nuts t¹ fastened to keel R and
outer shell Z.
The inner part of my improved life-boat I arrange as follows:
I form a vertical air-tank Q at each end of boat, a water well P in the centre
covered by a wood grating p¹. Four horizontal air-tanks O at bottom and two
horizontal fresh-water tanks N.
A suitable hand pump L is arranged with connection for the purpose of
removing water from the well P as required.
Each seat K is arranged as an airtight compartment or vessel and it may be
secured in position by bolt heads s² (vide Figs. 10 to 14) which pass through
hinged brackets swivelled to horizontal pins & secured to inner shell of boat,
the cotters passing through the bolt heads when seat is in position so secur-
ing same. By this improved means of securing the seats within the boat should
the life-boat by any means become totally disabled the airtight seat may be
easily detached and used as a lifebuoy.
I arrange in each vertical air-tank Q at each end of boat a suitable recess q
preferably circular in cross-section and into this recess is fitted a receptacle H¹
having a flanged head and an opening h² at its upper part so that it may be
used for containing provisions and restoratives and it can be removed when
desired without destroying the airtight tank Q.
I also arrange at the top of each airtight tank Q a portable airtight tank G₁
for containing provisions so that should the boat become totally disabled these
provision tanks will float and may be recovered by any persons able to keep
afloat.
I further purpose to place a plan or drawing of the life-boat in said airtight
tank G and which plan shall set forth in full the various deposition of parts
within and on the boat so that the depositions may be easily discovered by
reference thereto in case of emergency.
It will be obvious that the whole structure of my said improved life-boat is
put together in the simplest possible manner so that it may at anytime be taken
to pieces by any ordinary seaman and likewise fitted together without the aid
of a skilled mechanic.
Every part of the boat can be thoroughly examined, cleaned, painted, or
covered with any suitable material or solution so as to keep the metal and other
parts from deterioration.
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:-
1. In the construction of a life-boat the arrangement of an inner and outer
metallic shell (with or without an intermediate shell) and cork or other suitable
packing therebetween substantially as described.
2. In the construction of a life-boat the arrangement in combination with an
inner and outer shell or intermediary, of air tanks or airtight bulkheads or
vertical airtight ends, and horizontal air-tanks at bottom of boat with central
well and fresh water horizontal tanks substantially as described and illustrated.
3. In the construction of a life-boat the arrangement in combination with an
inner intermediate and outer shell of inner air chambers between inner and
intermediate shells and cork or other like filling between outer and intermediate
shells substantially as described.
4. In the construction of a life-boat the arrangement in the vertical airtight

page_text: bulkheads or ends of a recess and receptacle fitting therein substantially as
described.
5. In the construction of a life-boat the arrangement of a seat composed of an
airtight vessel attached to inside of boat by bolts and cotters, hinged brackets,
and swivel pins substantially as described.
6. In the construction of a life-boat the arrangement of seats forming per se
airtight vessels and secured or hinged to inside of boat substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of August 1899
H. F. BOUGHTON,
Patent Agent, 114A, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.