US695634A - Life-boat. - Google Patents

Description

No. 695,634. Patented M ar. 1a, 1902.

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LIFE BOAT.

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LIFE BOAT. (Applica tiou filed Sept 5, 1899. Renewed Feb. 15, 1902.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DICKENSON, I'VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LIFE- BOAT.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,634, dated March 18, 1902.

Application filed September 5, 1899. Renewed February 15, 1902. Serial No. 94,184. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DICKENSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Saving Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to life-saving appliances, and more particularly to that class for saving lives at sea, and the object is to provide a simple, convenient, and practical device for this purpose. 1

To this end the invention consists in a nonsinkable, self righting and bailing life-boat.

My invention further consists in a launchin g-cradle, in combination with said life-boat, whereby said life-boat may be safely launched at sea without the aid of davits or any other tackle whatever.

My invention further consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement'of the several elements of the device, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the same reference characters indicate the same part of the invention. V

Figure l is a perspective of my improved life-boat as it appears afloat and held head to by the marine drag-anchor. gitudinal section ofthe life-boat. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the boat taken about amidships. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section of one of the ventilators. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view showing the valve 22 in elevation.

9 denotes the life-boat, and 10 its keel,which slides along rollers in a cradle, while the side rails thereof support the boat in an upright position while in the cradle.

11 denotes the hull of the boat, which is preferably formed of metallic sheets stamped up and formed or shaped like the well-known standard whale-boat, but having more sheer, fuller lines, and less beam. The hull is almost fiat-bottomed to make a landing in shallow water.

12 denotes the sunken deck running from Fig. 2 is a l0n-' deck there is a hatch or manhole 13 for safely stowing the cargo under the deck, so that the cargo will be below the center of gravity and the centerboard.

16 16 denote thefresh-water tanks, provided with hand-pumps 17 17. These tanks form a continuation of the centerboard-well and constitute a longitudinal bulkhead beneath the sunken deck. The construction renders the boat self-bailin g. the water will run out by gravity through the centerboard-well, and should it be thrown on its beam-ends the center of gravity being beneath the sunken deck it will immediately right itself on even keel.

l8 denotes the bilge-pump to remove any water that may accidentally enter below deck.

19 19 denote large raised hoods at each end or the boat. They are water-tight and provided with manhole-doors 20 20, which may be opened or closed from the inside or outside. Each hood is also provided with deadlights 20' and a ven tilat'or-pipe 21 to circulate fresh air inside the boat, and the tubes are eachprovided with a self-acting valve 22,from which a chain 23 extends and terminates in a ball-weight '24, which when the valve is open rests in a pocket or shelf 25, and should construction prevents the possibility of any Water entering the hoods through the airtubes.

From the manner of construction the great sheer and the large air-hoods, the sunken deck,with almost the entire weight well down to her keel, she will instantly right herself should she accidentally capsize. The open space between the hoods contain thwarts or seats 26 26 from which the crew can manage the boat with oars. 27 and 28 denote longitudinal tubesrrunning diagonally through the hoods to the lower part of the stem andjsternposts and almost down to the line of the keel.

29 denotes a Windlass placed amidships on top of the thwarts, from which a wire cable 30 Should it ship-a sea,

the boat capsize this valve will close. This prevent the possibility of its shifting should let denotes the centerboard-well, and 15 extends in opposite directions through the tubes 27 and 28 and through a dead-eye 31, fixed to a line 32 and extending through the stem and stern posts and having its free end secured to suitable cleats 83'. I also provide a small cable 34 and a sea anchor or drag 35, so that when adrift the boat will always swing head to the sea and remain so until picked up or rescued.

The manner of launching myimproved lifeboatat sea is very simple and can be accomplished with absolute safety and in the heaviest sea in a few minutes times, as follows: It is assumed that the boat is provisioned and herpassengersstowedaboard. Beforelaunching it is onlynecessary to swing a cradle provided for the purpose around on its pivotbolt to the lee side, and with the cradle at an incline and its outer end extending over the gunwale of the vessel and the lashing which holds the boat to the cradle cut and at once the boat will shoot clear of'the vessel, striking the water a safe distance from the lee side without any undue shock, the sea acting as acushion to receive the boat. The sea-anchor is now cast overboard, which brings the boathead to, in which position she drifts till picked up.

In case the vessel is stranded and the lifeboat is to be used to make repeated trips between the wreck and the shore the manner of handling it under such circumstances is equally simple. One end of the cable 30 is made fast to the vessel and when the boat is launched, as hereinbefore described, its reel will contain all the cable necessary for the boat to reach the shore. When the shore is reached, the end of the cable may be made fast orsuitably anchored on shore. The windlass is now worked to return the boat to the wreck,which when reached the cable is hauled up to the stem-post by means of the hand-line 32, so that the strain on the cable is transferred from the keel to the upper end of the stem-post to insure safety and prevent capsizing when the boat has been inverted and the ball 2; has left the bracket 25 and closed the valve 22. The pressure of the body of water entering the ventilator-pipe 21 holds the valve closed against any action of the ball 24 and the chain 23.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my life-saving apparatus in the best form now known to me; but various changes in the details may be made within the skill of a good mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. The combination with a life-boat provided with a sunken deck and hoods extending above said sunken deck-one hood at each end of said boat; each of said hoods provided with an air-tube extending above and opening outside of said hood: open shelves 25 secured to the body of the vessel below the deck thereof in near proximity to the lower ends of said hoods; and the self-acting pivot-valve 22; the chain 23 provided with the ball 24, whereby the self-acting valves will be operative when said boat is on its bilge or when entirely inverted; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A life-boat comprising a hull; a sunken deck; a centerboard-well forming a self-bailing compartment in communication with said sunken deck; longitudinal bulkheads forming continuations of said centerboard-well, and forming also, part of the longitudinal bulkheads beneath said sunken deck; and fresh-water tanks located at the opposite ends ofsaid centerboard-well; substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

3. A life-boat comprising a hull, a sunken deck and the raised hoods, in combination with the diagonal pipes, 27, the cable, 30, and the cable, 32, provided with the dead-eye, 31, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A life-boat comprising the hull, the deck and the raised hoods, in combination with the diagonal pipes, 2'7 and 28, extending through the hood, deck and hull, and the Windlass, 29, and its cables, 30 30, extending in opposite directions through said pipes, 27 28, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES DICKENSON.

Witnesses II. J. ENNIS, GARRETT M. DAVIs.

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