Year: 1898

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1, LEWIS WILLIAM STEVENS, of Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California,
U.S.A., Sailor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a boat which will be capable of resist-
ing heavy seas, which will be spacious, and capable of being conveniently pro-
pelled.
By this invention the boat is strongly built, of greater depth than usual, and
fitted with suitable port-holes capable of being securely closed when necessary.
The boat is decked for the greater part, and the remaining portion consists of a
door or doors capable of being raised and closed so as to be water-tight. A por-
tion of the boat which extends upward from the hull at the stern is removable, but
when in place, closes the space between the hull and the hinged door in such a
way as to be perfectly water-tight.
A stair-way leads from the deck, beneath the doors, to the interior of the boat,
which is suitably fitted out..
A windlass is arranged in the interior of the boat and has lines projecting
through the stem and stern of the boat for connection to any article such as a
ship at sea and to the shore respectively.
Hand-rails on the deck are arranged in such manner as to permit a person to
safely stand thereon, to direct those within the boat.
Dated this 15th day of June 1898.
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.
I, LEWIS WILLIAM STEVENS, of Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California,
U.S.A., Sailor, 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:-
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My invention relates to an improved construction of boat which is adapted to
pass to and fro through the surf from the shore to a lighter, raft,
or vessel or other device stationed some distance from the shore for
the purpose of carrying passengers, freight, or other articles. It can
be used in this connection as a pleasure boat or a life saving
boat in landing passengers from a stranded vessel direct to the shore; and my
invention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described and claimed.
TD 077

page_text: Referring to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts in the
several views:-
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Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a boat, showing the land line attached
to a winch on the shore, and the sea-line secured to a vessel in distress. Fig. 2
is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is in
part a top and in part a bottom. view of my improved boat, but showing portions
of the roof and other portions removed in order to show the entire construction.
Fig. 4 is a detail view of the cover fastening device. Fig. 5 is a transverse
section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken
on the line VV of Figs. 2, and 3.
Referring to the drawings 1 represents the bottom, 2 the sides, and 3 the roof.
The main portion of the bottom is of flat construction while the stern end of the
bottom is provided with a clean run or inclined portion 4, which facilitates its
being run up on the beach in order to readily take in or discharge passengers or
freight. I use any suitable gangway from the boat to the shore.
Passengers or freight pass through the opening 5 in the stern of the boat, in
which is located a stairway 6, guarded by hand-rail 7. The opening 5, after
the boat is loaded, may be closed by door 8, hinged at 9 to the roof; said door;
when in its open position, lying back on the root as shewn in Figs. 2 and 3.
The movable section 10 of the roof is the triangular portion at the top (shewn
in Fig. 1) which, when placed in position, is held there by the bolts 11 (Figs. 2
and 4) entering the eyes 12. When it is desired to load the boat this section is
raised up, withdrawing the bolts from the staples and it is set to one side untii
the boat is loaded.
When the section 10 is removed, and the door 8 folded back upon the deck, as
shewn in Figs. 2 and 3, free access is had to the stairway 6, leading to the interior
of the boat.
50 represents an inclosed water-tight observation cupola extending up from the
roof of the boat.
13 represents a hinged safety marine port or outlook placed in the roof and
opened within the cupola near the stern end of the boat for the use of the captain
in the management of the boat and to be closed in case of accident to the cupola.
14 represents ports situated in the roof at the bow of the boat for the use of
the crew.
'
15 represents a series of light ports arranged around the sides of the body. of
the boat for the purpose of lighting and ventilating the interior. The roof is
preferably formed of a series of sections 16, having lappei joints 17 the roof
being preferably inclined from its centre, downward and outward.
18 represents a combined stern-post and flag-post.
19 represents a fender-strip extending along the boat at the upper edge of the
boats sides for protecting the roof.
20 (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3) represents the sea-line, which passes into the bow of
the boat through an orifice 21, said sea line being supported at the point of its
passage through the bow by means of grooved pulleys 22. The outer end of the
sea-line is connected with a vessel 43 or other devices located some distance from
the shore and the inner end is passed around the drum 23 of the winch or wind-
lass 24, having a crank 25, by means of which the crew may operate the winch
for the purpose of drawing the boat up through the surf to the raft or other
device stationed off from the shore.
26 represents a gang-way running through the central portion of the boat
longitudinally, and 27 hand-rails supported by uprights 28, said hand-rails serv-
ing to steady the passengers as they pass through the gang-way or while the boat
is passing the surf.
281 represents seats extending along the boat near its outer wall and 29 repre-
sents seats extending parallel with the seats 28', but located near the central
portion of the boat, with a passage way between said seats, as shewn at 30.
31 represents a hand rail supported on posts 32 and secured to the floor 33 in

page_text: the passage way 30. The hand rail 31 serves to steady the passengers while the
boat is passing through surf or as they walk along the passage way 30, coming or
going from their seats.
34 represents a thwart running transversely of the boat for bracing the same
and 35 represents braces for supporting the central portion of the roof.
36 represents openings in the bow of the boat through which land lines may be
passed to be used by the crew for steading the boat or for other desired purposes.
37 represents a ring in the stern of the boat, to which the land line 44 is
attached, said line being paid out from the shore as the sea line is drawn in by
the action of the winch; the stern of the boat being thus steadied as it is travel-
ling seaward, the sea-line and land line always being kept in a taut condition.
The boat is drawn shoreward by means of the land-line and by paying out the sea
line gradually as the boat approaches the shore, and the bow is held from swerv-
ing to either side in the same manner that the stern is held when travelling
seaward. Any suitable power may be used for drawing the boat shoreward.
38 represents the ballast placed longitudinally along the centre of the boat said
ballast being placed between the bottom and the flooring of the boat, there being
a number of spaces 39 for the reception of bilge water.
40 represents a signal bell by which the signals may be given from the captain
to the crew.
45 represents a winch stationed on the shore, to which the land line 44 is con-
nected for the purpose of drawing the boat shoreward.
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:
In a surf boat, the combination with the hull, surmounted by a rigid roof a
part of its length, a section hinged to and forming a part of said roof and adapted
to fold back upon the same, a removable member extending upward from the hull
at the stern, and tightly closing the space between the hull and said hinged
ember, of sea and land lines connected to the boat, and means connected to the
re ective lines to draw the boat to and from the shore, substantially as described.
tal thin 15th day of Manch 1000
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicant.