Improvements in Life Saving Apparatus for Ships.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left 9th June 1896 Accepted 15th Aug.. 1895
Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left 9th June 1896-Accepted 15th Aug.. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Life Saving Apparatus for Ships.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK PARRATT, of 26 Bedford Place, London
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
S. W.
My invention consists in making deck seats in the form of pontoons and the
method of attaching two or more of these together quickly so as to form a life
saving raft. For my purpose I make seats in the shape of pontoons, or long boxes,
finished at each end into a boat shape. These seats I furnish with watertight
bulkheads, or cells, or boxes, which are kept in position under the decks or tops of
the seats. The backs of the seats are so constructed as to permit of rowlocks being
fitted at given distances, and at each end I have a piece hinged, taking the same
height as the back of the seat, and of sufficient length to cross two or more of the
At the front
pontoons, this piece folding back when the pontoon is used as a seat.
of the seats or pontoons I have a board, which is perforated and hinged, and
made of a suitable width to form a connection when two or more
together, as explained below.
are joined
For every pair of seats that are made in accordance with the above description,
I have one pontoon constructed with a well, running fore and aft, with a deck
level with the water line, and having holes leading outwards to allow of any
water that may be shipped into the well running out again. Under this deck
I have my watertight tanks, and at each end I have watertight lockers for stowing
provisions, signals, &c.
For the purpose of attaching these pontoons or seats together, so as to form
a raft, I have two spars, one at each end, held by suitable clamps made with self
locking gear; also, if necessary on account of length, I have a similar spar across
the centre; so that, when the three pontoons, or seats, are put together, and the
perforated boards or flaps of the outer pontoons are resting on each side of the
centre pontoon, and the two hinged pieces which are attached to each end of
the backs of the two outer pontoons are fixed in position, thus forming a bulwark,
the raft is complete.
The centre pontoon can be fitted with spars for sailing.
If necessary the three pontoons can be kept together ready and stowed on the
upper shade deck, or on special crossbeams, or they could be slung from chains at
each end on to suitable davits, or can be so placed that they would float off should
the ship sink.
Dated this 13th day of September 1895.
Improvements in Life Saving Apparatus for Ships.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK PARRATT, of 26 Bedford Place, London, S.W.
Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention consists in making deck seats in the form of pontoons, and the

page_text: method of attaching two or more of these together quickly, so as to form a life
saving raft.
For my purpose I make seats in the shape of pontoons or long boxes finished at
each end into a boat shape. These seats I furnish with watertight bulkheads, or
cells, or boxes, which are kept in position under the decks or tops of the seats.
The backs of the seats are so constructed as to permit of rowlocks being fitted at
given distances, and at each end I have a piece hinged taking the same height as
the back of the seat and of sufficient length to cross two or more of the pontoons,
this piece folding back when the pontoon is used as a seat.
At the front of the seats or pontoons I have a board, which is perforated and
hinged, and made of a suitable width to form a connection when two or more are
joined together as explained below.
For every pair of seats that are made in accordance with the above description,
I have one pontoon constructed with a well, running fore and aft, with a deck
level with the water line, and having holes leading outwards to allow of any
water that may be shipped into the well running out again. Under this deck I
have my watertight tanks, and at each end I have watertight lockers for stowing
provisions, signals, &c.
For the purpose of attaching these pontoons or seats together so as to form
a raft I have two spars, one at each end, held by suitable clamps made with
self locking gear; also if necessary on account of length I have a similar spar
across the centre, so that when the three pontoons or seats are put together, and
the perforated boards or flaps on the outer pontoons are resting on each side of the
centre pontoon, and the two hinged pieces which are attached to each end of the
backs of the two outer pontoons are fixed in position thus forming a bulwark,
the raft is complete. The centre pontoon can be fitted with spars for sailing.
If necessary the three pontoons can be kept together ready and stowed on the
upper shade deck, or on special crossbeams, or they could be slung from chains at
each end on to suitable davits, or can be so placed that they would float off should
the ship sink.
The accompanying drawings show the manner in which I propose to construct my
improved life saving apparatus.
Fig. 1. shows a plan of the three pontoons when fastened together. Fig. 2. is a
cross section,
Fig. 3. is an enlarged drawing of the spar fastening and
Fig. 4. is an elevation of one of the outside pontoons.
The centre pontoon has a well with water-tight compartments below the floor line
as shown in cross section at B. in Fig. 2. Above the floor there are skupper
holes W. which are just above the water line so as to permit of any water which
may be shipped into this well running out freely. At the end are lockers C. and D.
in Fig. 1. for provisions, water, &c. In this centre pontoon A. masts can be erected
at E. and F. G. H. and 1. are the spars which are attached to the centre
pontoon A. by means of a locking arrangement, or pivoted and when in position
nipped up by means of a nut or ring as shown at P. in Fig. 3.
I show three spars
in the drawing, but two spars, one at each end, will generally be found sufficient.
In the centre of these spars, see Fig. 3. at Q. Q. there are irons bent as shown
on drawing; these irons support the perforated flooring or flaps which are hinged
fore and aft on the inner side of the two outside pontoons J. and K. as shown at
R. R. Fig. 1., R. R. Fig. 2., and R. Fig. 4.
The spars G. H. and I. are of sufficient length to fasten into sockets, clamps, or
housings shown N. Figs. 1, 2, and 4 which are on the two outside pontoons J. and K.
At the end of these spars I have catches as shown on enlarged scale in Fig. 3.
at L. L. these catches being kept in position by means of springs M. M., so that
when the spars pass into the sockets or housings N. and over the catches they are
self locked thus fastening the three pontoons J. A. and K. together, with the
flaps R. R. filling up the intermediate space between the pontoons, these being held
in position by the irons Q.

page_text: The two outer pontoons J. and K. are decked over and are fitted also with water-
tight conspartments or cells.
At the bottom of the pontoons on the outside I have rods, shown O. in Fig. 2.,
running fore and aft, these rods are also shown in plan in Fig. 4, so that should
the raft turn over it enables the people thrown into the water to hold on to
these bars, which also form keels. On the two outside pontoons J. and K.
I have a bulwark S. shown in Fig. 4. which is hinged and is fitted with rowlocks T.
for rowing, these bulwarks when the pontoons are separate and used as seats
forming the back of the seat. At one end of each of the outside pontoons I have
a hinged piece U. which folds over when the pontoons are together and forms the
end bulwarks V. V. shown in plan Fig. 1. being fastened at the corners, thus
helping to strengthen the connection of the three pontoons.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved life saving apparatus for ships, substantially as described and
shown in drawings.
Dated 101 1
T
2000