AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF WATER VELOCIPEDE WHICH MAY BE USED AS A LIFE-BUOY LIFE-BOAT
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Drevar, of the Terminus Hotel, London Bridge, in
the Borough of Southwark, Ship Master, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
CONSTRUCTION OF WATER VELOCIPEDE WHICH MAY BE USED AS A LIFE-BUOY
LIFE-BOAT."
Sealed the 4th May 1877, and dated the 16th January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Drevar at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th January 1877.
GEORGE DREVAR, of the Terminus Hotel, London Bridge, in the Borough of
Southwark, Ship Master. "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF WATER VELOCIPEDE
WHICH MAY BE USED AS A LIFE-BUOY LIFE-BOAT."
The principal object of this Invention is to construct on board ship and in a cheap,
light, and inexpensive manner, and with great speed and facility, a life-buoy life-boat,
which may be used to save life in cases of accident, such as a man falling overboard,
or to communicate with the shore in cases of shipwreck when an ordinary boat
would not live in the sea.
The vessel may also be used for ascending shallow rivers or streams in exploring
expeditions, and may be termed a water velocipede.
In carrying out my Invention I have endeavoured to utilize for my purpose such
articles and materials only as are almost invariably to be found on board a ship,
but I do not limit myself to the use of such materials as the vessel when constructed
on shore or intended for pleasure may be made of other materials carefully prepared
for the purpose. Supposing, however, that the life-buoy life-boat is to be inade on
ship-board in an emergency, such as an apprehended shipwreck; then I form the
body or hull of the vessel of an ordinary 3 dozen wine case, such as those
used for exporting French wines or Cognac brandy in bottle.
To each of the
sides of this case from which of course the lid must be removed a board or thin
plank about 3/, of an inch thick, about 6 feet long and 6 in. deep must be secured by
nails or otherwise. The bottom edges of these boards should be flush with the bottom
of the box, and their projecting ends must be forcibly bent inwards towards each
other, and joined together so as to form a pointed stem and stern. Or the pointed
stem and stern may be formed with other pieces placed within the long side pieces.
[Duins S21

page_text: The enclosed triangular spaces at each end of the vessel may, if desired, be
boarded in so as to give additional strength to the structure, but the whole of the
external part of the vessel must be covered with strong painted canvas or some
other waterproof fabric so as to render it water-tight. Transoms or cross pieces
must be secured across the ends of the case and must be of sufficient length to
project about 12 inches beyond the sides, so as to form outriggers to which are to
be secured two longitudinal boards which will serve to support the outer bearings
for the shafts of a pair of paddle wheels, the inner bearings of which are fixed on
the sides of the central case or box which is provided with a cross seat for the rider.
The paddle wheels may be composed of a ten gallon oil drum or other cylindrical
vessel of about the same dimensions divided into two parts, and closed water-tight
at both ends so as to be perfectly buoyant. On the peripheries of these drums or
cylinders are fixed (in any convenient manner) a suitable number of floats or
paddles, and the wheels thus made are fixed on shafts which are mounted in the
bearings before mentioned. On the inner ends of each of the paddle shafts is
mounted a grooved pulley and a crank which is connected by a link or rod to a handle
or lever, whereby the crank is worked so as to rotate the side paddle wheels.
At the stem (and also at the stern of the vessel if required) are mounted a pair of
small paddle wheels which are driven by means of bands passing round the grooved
pullies on the crank shafts, and also round small pullies on the shafts of the small
paddle wheels. It is scarcely necessary to say that the side wheels may, if desired,
be enclosed in paddle boxes made of any suitable material.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the hull or body of the
vessel consists of the retangular wine case which is open at top, so that the rider
can sit therein, but has water-tight pointed ends which give great buoyancy to the
structure. Additional buoyancy and stability is given to the vessel by the
outriggers and the water-tight drums of the side paddle wheels.
It will also be understood that as each side wheel is mounted on an independant
shaft and is actuated by a separate lever, each wheel can be worked independant of
the other and in an opposite direction, so that the vessel can be mancevered with
great facility. It can also be propelled with either end foremost.
Although I have in the foregoing description explained how the vessel can be
constructed out of materials usually found on board ships, it will be evident that a
more sightly vessel can be made on shore from materials properly prepared for the
purpose, and that the cranks may be actuated by treadles instead of hand levers if
preferred. Such a vessel could be used as a water velocipede for pleasure on lakes,
rivers, or shallow streams, as it is calculated that it would not draw above four
inches of water. It may also be used at sea even in very rough weather as it
cannot be upset, and being flat-bottomed can land on a shallow sandy shore or
beach without danger, as any wave capable of damaging an ordinary boat will only
throw my water velocipede high and dry on the shore.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Drevar in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th July
1877.
GEORGE DREVAR, of the Terminus Hotel, London Bridge, in the Borough of 4
Southwark, Ship Master. "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF WATER VELOCIPEDE
WHICH MAY BE USED AS A LIFE-BUOY LIFE-BOAT."
The principal object of this Invention is to construct on board ship, and in a
cheap, light, and inexpensive manner, and with great speed and facility a combined
life-buoy and life-boat, which may be used to save life in cases of accident, such as a 5
man falling overboard, or to communicate with the shore in cases of shipwreck
when an ordinary boat would not live in the sea.

page_text: The vessel may also be used for ascending shallow rivers or streams in exploring
expeditions, and may be termed a water velocipede.
In carrying out my Invention I have endeavoured to utilize for my purpose such
articles and inaterials only as are almost invariably to be found on board a ship
but I do not limit myself to the use of such materials as the vessel when constructed
on shore or intended for pleasure may be made of other materials carefully prepared
for the purpose.
To make the Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the same by
reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2
a side elevation of the combined life-buoy and life-boat as made on ship-board in an
emergency, such as an apprehended shipwreck. I form the body or hull a of the
vessel of an ordinary three dozen wine case, such as those used for exporting
French wines or Cognac brandy in bottle, or other suitable case from which of
course the lid must be removed. I take two boards or thin planks b, b, about three
quarters of an inch thick, about six feet long and six inches deep, and firmly secure
them together at the ends by ropes or otherwise; they are then drawn asunder in
the middle like a shoemaker's last, and passed over the sides of the box or case a, to
which they are secured by nails or otherwise. The bottom edges of these boards b
should be flush with the bottom of the box a, and their projecting ends will form a
pointed stem and stern, as shewn. The enclosed triangular spaces 61, 6', at each end
of the vessel may, if desired, be boarded in so as to give additional strength to the
structure, but the whole of the external part of the vessel must be covered with
strong canvas or some other waterproof fabric, and may be painted so as to render it
more durable. Transoms or cross pieces d are secured across the ends of the case a,
and must be of sufficient length to project about eighteen inches or two feet beyond
the sides; to these transoms are fixed the longitudinal bars e, e, from which are
suspended by the pieces c two longitudinal boards f, f, forming outriggers; the
longitudinal bars e, e, serve to support the outer bearings for the shafts g of a pair
of paddle wheels, the inner bearings of which are fixed on the sides of the central
case or box a, which is provided with a moveable cross seat h.
The paddle wheels may be composed of a ten gallon oil drum or other cylindrical
vessel of about the same dimensions divided into two parts, and closed water-tight
at both ends so as to form two perfectly buoyant drums i, i. On each end of these
drums or cylinders i, i, is fixed a wooden boss j, to which bosses are fixed in any
convenient manner a number of spokes k, k, connected together at the periphery of
the drum by the ring 1; the outer ends of these spokes serve to carry the paddles
or floats m, m, on the periphery of the drum, and the wheels thus made are fixed
on shafts g, which are mounted in the bearings before mentioned. On the inner
ends of each of the paddle shafts is mounted a grooved pulley n and a crank o, on
the shaft is connected by a link or rod p to a handle or lever q hinged at r to the
front transom d, whereby the crank is worked so as to rotate the side paddle
wheels.
At the stem (and also at the stern of the vessel if required) is a pair of small
paddle wheels x, x, mounted in the frame 8 hinged to the front of the case a, such
paddle wheels being driven by means of the bands t passing round the grooved
pullies n, n, on the crank shaft g, and also round smaller pullies u, u, on the shafts v
of the small paddle wheels x, x. It is scarcely necessary to say that in practice the
side wheels are enclosed in paddle boxes made of any suitable material.
The small paddle wheels are made in a similar manner to the side wheels herein-
before described, except that instead of the drums i, i, I employ a wooden nave w.
As the frames carrying the small wheels x, x, is hinged to the box a, it may if
required be raised into a vertical position, and be provided with an umbrella so as
to serve as a weather protector or for carrying a sail to assist the side paddles; in
these cases the bands would have to be slipped off the pullies.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the hull or body a of
the vessel consists of the rectangular wine case which is open at the top, so that a
person can sit therein, but has water-tight pointed ends which give great buoyancy

page_text: to the structure. Additional buoyancy and stability are given to the vessel by the
outriggers and the water-tight drums of the side paddle wheels.
It will also be understood that as each side wheel is mounted on an independent
shaft and is actuated by a separate lever, each wheel can be worked independantly
of the other and in an opposite direction, so that the vessel can be manoeuvred
with great facility. It can also be propelled with either end foremost.
Although I have in the foregoing description explained how the vessel can be
constructed out of materials usually found on board ships it will be evident that a
more sightly vessel can be made on shore from materials properly prepared for the
purpose, and that the cranks may be actuated by treadles instead of hand levers if
preferred (or by both treadles and hand levers). Such a vessel would be used as a
water velocipede for pleasure on lakes, rivers, or shallow streams, as it is calculated
that it would not draw above four inches of water. It may also be used at sea
even in very rough weather as it cannot be upset, and being flat-bottomed can land
on a shallow sandy shore or beach without danger, as any wave capable of damaging
an ordinary boat will only throw my water chariot or velocipede high and dry
on the shore.
In these cases the ends of the boat may be constructed so as to allow of being
filled with compressed air to increase the buoyancy of the boat.
Instead of the paddle wheels constructed as herein-before described, I may employ
open paddles, in which case instead of the broad flat outriggers shewn, I make use
of light tubes of zinc or other suitable material.
It will be understood that for pleasure boats a small barrel organ or other similar
musical instrument may be placed under the seat, and be suitably connected to one
of the paddle shafts, so that the instrument will be played when the "chariot" is in
motion.
Having thus described my said Invention and the best means with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details shewn and described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, but what I do
claim is,―
Firstly. The construction and employment of water velocipede which may be
used as a life-buoy life-boat, substantially as herein-before described and represented
in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The improved side wheels constructed as herein-before described and
shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. The frame (carrying the end wheels) hinged to the box or case, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Drevar, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street,
Finsbury,
London.
GEORGE DREVAN (L.S.)