US1336872A - Life-raft - Google Patents

Description

J. F. Twice.

LIFE RAFT. APPLICATION FILED DEC.6, I918- 1,336,872. 7 Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

H} N o f a o 1s. J

r H a a A I f Ei:i w w T r s i ATTORNEYS JOHN F. TWIGG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LIFE-RAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A131. 13, 1920.

Application filed December e, 1918. Serial No. 265,513.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. TWIGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and-useful Improvements in Life-Rafts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention-relates to a life raft, and particularly to improvements onthe catamaran type oflife raft now usually car ried by sea-going vessels.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a life raft which is economical and substantial in construction and .so designed as to be readily disassembled for inspection, repairs, repainting, etc., and also to permit two or more rafts to be stacked one on top of another in the least space possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a raft consisting of a rigid wooden frame buoyed up or supported by a plurality of cylinders arranged on each side of the frame, which cylinders may be inspected from all sides and individually repaired or replaced without disturbance to the balance of the structure or tanks. Another object of the invention is to provide a raft which permits a standardized construction regardless of the capacity required, that is, the same frame and tanks are used when building an eighteen-person raft as would be em ployed in the construction of a twelve-person raft. The only difference would be a lengthening ofthe frame to permit addition of the required number of tanks. Another object of the invention is to provide a structure which permits reversing of the raft and which also permits foldable coaming sections to be employed on either side, as will. hereinafter be described. Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the raft, partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the raft.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates in general the framework of the raft and B the tanks by which it is buoyed up or supported. The detailed construction of the raft shows that it consists of a pair of longitudinal bulk ead members 2. which are tied together by op and bottom rails and 4; respectively extending crosswise of the bulkhead frames and rigidly secured thereto, each rail being mortised to form a perfect interlock with the longitudinal bulkhead frames.

The frame further consists of top and bottom flooring, such as shown at 5 and 6, and of inner and outer end stiles, as shown at 7 and 8, which are secured in position by means of bolts 9, each of which is provided with turn buckles 10. Extending from end to end of the frame is a pair of fender rails 11, which further increase the strength of the frame, and interposed between said fender rails and thelongitudinal bulkhead frames 2 are the tanks B. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that a plurality are employed on each side. Each tank is disposed between the top and bottom. rails and the fender and longitudinal bulkhead frames. They are locked against endwise movement by the top and bottom rails and are otherwise held against displacement by the fender rails 11. The individual tanks are thus freely supported within the frame and do not form any part thereof, their only function being that of buoying up or supporting the frame.

For the purpose of presenting a flat surface on each side to permit stacking of rafts on board ship in as compact a space as possible, I provide foldable coaming sections, such as shown at 12 and 13. The sections 13 form the end coamings and the sections 12 the side coamings. All coaming sections are secured to the frame by means of hinges 14 and each coaming section may be locked whether raised or lowered by means of hooks 15. The row locks may be secured directly to the coaming sections or may be inserted therein whenever required, ordinary row lock sockets 16 being provided for this purpose. The raft may otherwise be equipped with-straps, such as shown at 18, to permit the oars to be clamped or lashed to the sides of the raft and it may also be provided with rings at each end, shown at 18, to permit the rafts to be easily handled when they are stacked or swung overboard. The space formed between the floor sections 5 and 6 may, in this instance, be employed for the storin of various articles, such as a bread tank 20, water tank 21, ditty box 22,

sea anchor 24:, and, in fact, anything required or useful.

The usual catamaran life rafts heretofore employed consist of two long buoyant cyl-- inders constructed of galvanized iron and divided into compartments by bulkheads, each water-tight from the other and the sea. In practice, it is found that handling, contraction and expansion of the metals, etc. often cause leaks from one compartment to another, in which case it is an expensive, and, in most instances, impractical job to repair, as the cylinders must be taken apart to reach the inside injury. This defect has been entirely overcome in the present instance, as a plurality of cylinders are employed which may be inspected from all sides and individually repaired or removed without disturbing the structure or the remaining tanks. Again, it should be obvious that the cost 'of replacing tanks such as here shown cannot be compared with that of a large catamaran cylinder.

The ordinary catamaran raft depends more or less on the strength and rigidity of the buoyant cylinders for the rigidity of the whole structure. Therefore any excessive strain put on the raft as a whole places a stress on the cylinders which may cause a fault or leak of compartments. An advantage of the present construction is the provision of the rigid frame in which the tanks are freely mounted, thereby relieving the same of twisting or other strains which always occur in the main frame. The tanks in this instance are only subject to buoyant stresses, and, as the frame is almost entirely constructed of wood as against steel and iron of the common raft, the added buoyancy increases the efficiency.

Often aboard ships space for carrying life saving equipment is limited, and it is therefore always desirable to carry one or more rafts on top of the other. The usual design of raft makes this rather impracticable, as the construction does not safely permit piling or nesting of two or more rafts as the height becomes too great. The present structure provides that the coamings or bulwarks of the rafts are hung on hinges on both top and bottom of the raft so that they may be laid down flush with the decks, hence reducing the height aboard ship to a considerable extent and leaving a flat substantial surface that permits stacking of at least two, if not three, rafts.

The average catamaran life raft is designed especially for the capacity of a given number of persons. The same structure or cylinders are not suitable for a greater capacity; hence, twelve-person, fifteen-person, eighteen-person rafts, etc., are each of a special and varying design. My construction provides an expansive or extensible design, that is, comparatively little change is required when it is desired to increase or decrease the capacity of a raft. If twelvep erson rafts are being constructed and it is desired to build an eighteen-person raft, it should be obvious that it will only be necessary to lengthen the frame so that additional cylinders may be added to increase the buoyancy of the raft.

The present drawing shows a twelve-person raft, that is, each pair of cylinders is intended for three persons. Therefore if an eighteen-person raft is being constructed, it will only be necessary to add two pairs, or four more cylinders, and to increase the length of the frame correspondingly. The detailed construction and the height or width of the raft is not changed.

While certain specific arrangements in construction are here shown, I wish it imderstood that such features may be varied; similarly, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A life raft comprising a pair of longitudinal bulkhead frames, top and bottom rails extending crosswise thereof and .secured to the same, a plurality of tanks arranged on the exterior side of each bulkhead frame, and means for securing the tanks against endwise and lateral removal.

2. A life raft comprising a pair of longitudinal bulkhead frames, top and bottom rails extending crosswise thereof and secured to the same, a plurality of tanks arranged on the exterior side of each bulkhead frame, means securing said tanks against lateral movement, said means com-v prising guard rails extending from end to end of the frame.

3". A life raft comprising a pair of longitudinal bulkhead frames, top and bottom rails extending crosswise thereof and secured to the same, a plurality of tanks arranged on each side of the bulkhead frames, means securing said tanks against endwise and lateral movement, said means comprising guard rails extending from end to end of the frame and securing the tanks against lateral movement, cross rails securing the tanks against endwise movement, and a top and bottom platform secured to the cross rails and also securing the tanks against upward or downward movement.

4. A life raft comprising a pair of longitudinal bulkhead frames, top and bottom rails extending crosswise thereof and secured to the same, a plurality of tanks arranged on the exterior side of bulkhead frames, a rail on each side of the raft exterior of the tanks, adapted to protect and secure the tanks against lateral removal, a top and bottom platform secured to the cross rails and also securing the tanks against upward and downward movement, foldable coaming sections secured to the cross rails, and means In testimony whereof I have hereunto set for securing said coaming sections both in my hand in the presence of two subscribing their IiLlSGd and 1n their folded posltlons, Witnesses.

said coaming sections adapted to lie flush JOHN F. TWIGG. 5 with the top and bottom platforms When Witnesses:

folded to permit stacking of one raft upon W. W. HEALEY,

the other. M. E. EWING.

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