US1227247A - Collapsible boat. - Google Patents

Description

W. H. COX.

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24. I917.

1,227,247. Patented May 22,1917.

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Patented May 22,1917

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1917.

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BRICK, 0F SALEM, OHIO.

' COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Cox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in-the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boats, of which the following is a specification.

1 This invention relates to improvements in collapsible boats, and more particularly to structures of this character in which the parts are arranged to be set together and secured in a proper position when fitted for use, and which presents the various sections thereof in such form that the bottom, sides, etc., can be folded to take a comparatively small shape when brought to the knocked down position.

A'further object of my invention resides in providing means by which the parts are held in the assembled relation, means by which they are braced to withstand the external pressure of the water and the weight of the load, and means by which a water tight connection is established between the various members at the points of jointure.

WVith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side .elevation of a boat constructed after the manner of my invention and with the parts illustrated in the set-up relation. I

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the disclosure in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3' is a perspective view showing the bottom portion as an entirety.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 2. I I

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the bottom portion with one of the sides shown fitted thereto.

Fig. 7 is a view showing the bottom portion partly folded. I I I Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7 but showing the bottom portion folded to occupy a relatively small space.

Flg. 9 is a detail view showing one of the sides and illustrating the manner in g which the various sections thereof are connectedtogether. I i

Fig. 10 is a view of the same structure shownin Fig. 9 but illustrating-the members brought to the folded position.

Fig. -11 is a fragmentary detail showing the manner of forming the lower edges of the sides to provide for the fitting'ofthe bottom portion. 7 I

Fig. 12iS-a fragmentary view showing the manner of forming a Water tight joint between the various members of the side and bottom portion.

Fig. 13 illustrates a detail perspective view to disclose the manner ofmounting the brace portions of the structure.

In its main portion, the structure includes the bottom-and sides, and. it will of course be understood that provision must be made for the establishment of a water tight connection between the parts and for the securement of the sides in such a manner that the completed boat when set up will have sufficient strength to withstand the pressure of the water and also the weight of the load as placed within the boat. The sides 1 and 2, and the bottom 3, are to be made up of a plurality of sections so connected together that when the parts are brought to the knocked down form, thesections can be folded together after the manner-shown in Figs. S'andlO-and then the parts can be stored or placed in a comparatively small space.

As it is here illustrated the side portions each comprise'the bowmember 4, the stern member 5, and the intermediate member, which members are connected together by the use of hinges as shown at 7 and 8. These hinges are so mounted in connection with the members that in the folding of the Same, the members 4 and 6 will be brought together and the member 5 can be folded to rest against the outer side of the member 6, the entire folded thickness being thus presented to have the length only substantially that of the members. If desired, the side portions 1 and 2 might be con- Structed to embrace a greater number of members and thus could be folded to a still smaller space. The bottom portion 3 is made in substantially the same manner as are the sides, and as illustrated, this bottom portion includes a number of members 9 which are connected together by the use of the hinges 10 mounted in such manner that the members can be folded in substantially the manner illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. It is perhaps preferable that the bottom portion be constructed to include a greater number of the members 9 than there are members included in the construction of the side portion, as each of the members 9 represents the entire width of the hull at a point of disposition along the length of the boat, and consequently it is desirable that the bottom portion when folded as shown in Fig. 8 be of a width hardly greater than the width of the side portions 1 and 2 as by forming the parts in this way the bottom portion can be more readily handled and can be stored or packed to better advantage.

The side portions 1 and 2 have the cleats or strips 12 mounted on the inner side and at'the lower edges, and cleats or strips 11 of a similar nature are mounted upon the side portions and slightly spaced from the cleats or strips 12 to leave substantially a grooved form therebetween as is better shown in Fig. 11. In the setting up of the boat, the side portions 1 and 2 will be unfolded and after unfolding the bottom portion 3, the edges. of the same will be fitted to be received in. the way-between the strips 11 and 12, and then when the sides are secured in place, the bottom will be held against displacement and at the same time a tight joint will be provided between the side portions and the bottom portion. A stem-piece 13, is mounted on one of the side portions, and is provided with a notch 14 adjacent its lower end in line with the way formed between the strips 11 and 12 so that as the bottom portion 3 is fitted in place, the forward end will engage in the notch and the same securement of the bottom portion will be accomplished entirely around the edge thereof. Substantially knee-shaped brace members 15 are provided to be fitted in the angle between the side portions 1 and 2 and the bottom portion 3 to give the proper bracing sup.- port to the sides and to make these brace members removable, the hooks or substantially hooked-shaped headed studs 16 are secured in conjunction with the brace members and openings 17 are provided in the side portions and the bottom portions to receive these hooks 16in such relation that, the, brace members will be held against casual displacement or. accidental removal, Truss rods 18, are mounted through the side portions and 2 at the bow and stern end of the boat hull, and also amidship, and the turn buckles 19 are provided to permit these truss rods to be tightened to draw the side portions 1 and 2 tightly against will not be unduly drawn in. A stern transom-piece 21 is provided to form the back of the boat, and the strips 11 and. 12 are continued up to, provide a way for the reception of this stern transom-piece. If desired, a skeg 22 may be fitted on the outside of the bottom portion at the stern, and this skeg can be mounted to be held in place by the use of hooks such as that shown at 16 in Fig. 13.

To give water tight joints at the point or line of connection between the side portions and the bottom portion, a thin strip of cork or other material as indicated at 23 in Fig. 11, can be fitted in the way between the strips or cleats 11 and 12, and as the side portions are drawn in against the bottom portion, a water tight joint will thus be provided. To insure. that a water tight joint will be accomplished where the various members making upthe side and bottom portions are hinged together, a strip of cork or other material as indicated at 24 is connected with the hinged edge of one of the members and is thus so arranged that as thesemembers are swung to the extended position or a position in which they are fitted to form the boat hull this strip of packing material will be compressed between the edges andthus the passage of water through the crack which would be otherwise formed is precluded.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a boat structure in which the parts are all arranged to be mounted and connected together in knocked down form and that means is provided to secure the various portions and members in the assembled relation while provision is made for the establishment of packed joints between the separable portions and at other points where water might otherwise find its way through cracks or crevices left due to construction of the parts, and while I have herein shown and described only one specific form of the structure and have set forth only certain manners in which the parts might be manufactured and set up, it will be apparent that a number of changes and modifications might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts as well as in the manner of mounting the same and in the manner of establishing water tight joints between the parts, without departing from the spirit and wish to be limited to the exact disclosure but only to such points as may be set forth in the claims.

I claim 1. A collapsible boat including separate side and bottom portions, braces to be fitted between said bottom and side portions, and means to draw the side portions in against the braces and hold the same in the proper mounting.

2. A collapsible boat including a foldable bottom portion, foldable side portions, braces to be fitted between said bottom and side portions, and means to draw the side portions in against the braces and hold the same in the proper mounting.

3. A collapsible boat including side portions, strips mounted adjacent the lower edges of the side portions and spaced to form ways therebetween, a bottom portion to be fitted at its edges within the ways, and means to secure the side portions in the fitted position in respect to the bottom portion.

4. A collapsible boat including side portions, strips mounted adjacent the lower edges of the side portions and spaced to form ways therebetween, a bottom portion to be fitted at its edges within the ways, means to secure the side portions in the fitted position in respect to the bottom portion, and means to establish a water tight connection between said bottom and side portions.

5. A collapsible boat including a foldable bottom portion, foldable side portions provided with ways on their inner sides adjacent the lower edges, means to secure the bottom and side portions in an assembled mounting, and means within the ways to establish a water tight connection between the bottom and side portions.

6. A collapsible boat including a foldable bottom portion made up of a plurality of members hinged together, foldable side portions each consisting of a plurality of members hinged together and arranged to be fitted to the bottom portion to be held in place thereon, and means to establish water tight connection between the various members of the bottom and side portions.

7. A collapsible boat including a foldable bottom portion, made up of a plurality of members hinged together, separate foldable side portions each consisting of a plurality of members hinged together to be collapsed to occupy a relatively small space and to be capable of being extended to be fitted to the bottom portion and held in place thereon, means to establish water proof connection between the various members of the bottom and side portions, and means to establish a water tight connection between the side portions and the bottom.

8. A collapsible boat including a bottom portion made up of a plurality of members hinged together to be foldable to occupy a small space, side portions also consisting of a plurality of members hinged together and foldable, strips secured on the members of the side portions to be presented on the inner side thereof in spaced relation when the side portions are brought to the extended position and to thus present ways for the reception of the edge of the bottom,

portion, and means to secure the side portions in conjunction with the bottom portion.

9. A collapsible boat including a bottom portion made up of a plurality of members hinged together to be foldable to occupy a small space, side portions also consisting of a plurality of members hinged together and foldable, strips secured on the members of the side portions to be presented on the inner side thereof in spaced relation when the side portions are brought to the extended position and thus present ways for the reception of the edge of the bottom portion, means to secure the side portions in conjunction with the bottom portion, and braces to hold the side portions in the proper relation with respect to the bottom portion.

10. A collapsible boat including a bottom portion made up of a plurality of members hinged together to be foldable to occupy a small space, side portions also consisting of a plurality of members hinged together and foldable, stripssecured on the members of the side portions to be presented on the inner side thereof in spaced relation when the side portions are brought to the extended WILLIAM H. cox.

Witnesses:

J os. B. OVERTON, GEO. M. OVERTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.

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