US1043914A - Life-boat. - Google Patents

Description

J. E. ERICKSON.

LIFE BOAT.

APPLIGATION FILED .TUNE 26, 1912.

Patented Nov. 12,1912.

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LIFE-BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

Application filed June 26, 1912. Serial No. 705,976.

` To all whom t mmf concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. ERICKSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in lifeboats, and has for its object the production of a boat of this character which will be so constructed as to be adapted to travel upon a rough sea, Without fear of sinking because of the otherwise dangerous waves. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consist-s in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a life boat embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the hatch and hatchway provided at the upper end of the tower included in the construction, and Fig. 4- is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the hatch showing the locking device coperating therewith.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawing comprises a hull or structure 1 which is closed on all sides, there being port holes 2 provided at the sides of said structure which are provided with transparent closures for admitting light to the interior of said structure. Upon the bottom 3 provided in the hold of the structure 1 is arranged a plurality of transversely extending benches 4L adapted to accommodate the occupants of the boat.

Rising centrally from the deck of the hull l is a cylindrical tower 5 which communicates at its lower end with the interior of said hull. The tower 5 is held in upright position by suitable stays 6 arranged as shown. At the upper end of the tower 5 is provided a hatchway 7 which may be closed by a hatch 8. Said hatchway leads to a platform 9 which is surrounded by a suitable railing 10, said platform, when the boat is in use, being adapted to accommodate a wireless transmitting and receiving instrument, or other device for signaling or calling for aid. The periphery of hatch 8 is provided with a strip 11 of suitable packing which is adapted to coperate with the angular' jam strip l2 surrounding the hatchway to insure a tight oint when the hatch is in closed position, and thereby prevent the entrance of water to the interior of the boat. However, in practice, the hatch will perhaps need to be occasionally opened in order to afford ventilation for the hold below. A pivoted locking member 13 is provided at the free edge of hatch 8 which is adapted to engage under the strip 12 for locking said hatch in closed position. Access to the up per end of the tower is gained by a stepladder 14 which is provided upon the interior of said tower, a platform 15 being provided at the lower end of said ladder which is accessible from the upper end of a stair section 16 which leads from the base of tower 5 to the floor 3, as shown.

Provided at the base of the tower 5 is a door 17 which affords an entrance to the boat during occupancy thereof, said door opening onto the deck of hull 1 so that in practice the refugees will first mount said deck and then pass through the door down the stair section 16 to the hull of the boat. After the occupancy of the boat, the door 17 will be closed and fastened so as to exclude water, the periphery of door 17 being preferably provided -with a packing strip in the same manner as the hatch, above described.

At the stern of the boat is provided a pro peller 18 which is connected for driving by an electric motor 19 in the bottom of hull 1 under the floor 3. Said motor is connected with a battery of cells 20 which will furnish enough current to propel the boat a short distance from the sinking boat from which the same has been launched, and so that, when the vessel sinks, the life boat will not be drawn downwardly with the same because of the suction created. A rudder 21 is also provided which may be operated by a t-iller 22 from within the boat.

A life boat of the construction set forth is durable and economical in construction and will be adapted to eHectually serve the purpose for which the same is intended.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eifect, this is capable of variation and modification wit-hout departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and niodications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A life boat comprising a structure closed on all sides, a tower arising from said structure, a hatchway in the upper end of said tower; a hatch for closing said hatchway, a platform at said end of said tower onto which said hatchway opens; a stepladder arranged in said tower leading to said hatchway; a door at the base of said tower opening onto the deck of said structure; and a stair leading from said door downwardly into the hold of said structure, substantially as described.

2. A life boat comprising a structure closed on all sides; a tower arising centrally from the deck of said structure, the base of H said tower communicating with the interior of said structure; a hatchway in t-he upper end of said tower; a hatch for closing said hatchway; a stepladder arranged in said tower leading from the interior of said structure to said hatchway; a platform at the base of said ladder; a door at the base of said tower opening onto the deck of said structure; andastair leading from said door and Said platform downwardly into the hold of -said structure, substantially as described. In vtestimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. ERICKSON. Witnesses v JOSHUA R. H. Porre, JANET E. FARRELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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