US151400A

US151400A - Improvement in life-boats

Info

Publication number: US151400A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1874-05-26
Anticipated expiration: 1891-05-26

Description

P. A. KEELER, 0. UPDIKE 81.1. LUNGYEAR.

Life-Boats.

f NO 151400' Patented May 26,1874..

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Mn/a7 UNTTED SfTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

PETER A. KEELEE, onnnv UPDIKE, AND JACOB LCNCYEAE, oE GnAss LAKE, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIFE-BCATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. llf), dated May 26, 187A; applicationled January 10, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PETER A. KEELER, ORRIN UPDIKE, and JACOB LCNCYEAR, all of Grass Lake, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification:

rlhis invention has for its object to provide ships, yawls, and ordinary row-boats with a pair of exible and expansible bustles, attached to the outer sides thereof, below the gunwales, which bustles, when inilated, will .serve to increase the buoyancy of the boat; also, where boats are iitted with such bustles, to provide metallic outriggers and fenders to protect the said bustles.

Figure l is a perspective view of a boat itted with our improved bustles and fenders Fig. 2 is a midship cross-sectionot the same, showing one of the bustles inflated. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the in Hating-valve.

In the drawing, A represents the hull of a wooden whale-boat, to whose sides, just below the gunwale, are secured the bustles B, preferably made of vulcanized sheet rubber. rlhese bustles are made by folding upon itself a long strip 0f rubber cloth, and cementing the edges together, as shown in Fig. 2. The bustles are secured by nailing them to the sides, the nails passing through the cemented folds. At 011e end of each bustle, or, if preferred, in the middle, is inserted a metallic tube, a., having an inwardly-opening valve, b, by means of which the bustle may be ini-lated by a person blowing in air through the tube, the valve preventing its escape. Boats of the larger class may be providedwith a hand-bellows for intlatin g the bristles. The bustles, when inflated, add greatly to the buoyancy of the boat without decreasing her speed when under way, as they do not immerse themselves, except when a heavily-loaded boat is laboring in a seaway.

To protect the bustles from accidents in launching, or when the boat is hoisted and stowed, we secure to the plankshear and sides ot' the boat a number of metallic fenders, c, which inclose the bustles, all the fenders being connected by a metallic Outrigger, d, whose ends are secured to the bow and stern of the boat.

At a slight expense, any wooden yawl may thus be converted into a buoyant life-boat. Except when the boat is in use, the bristles should not be inflated.

NVhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 1n combination with the iiexible tube or loats B, the fender or protecting framework, consisting of the bands c, which surround the tloats and the longitudinal continuous brace or Outrigger d, connecting the inclosing bands together, forming a strong and rigid support for the floats and shield or fender for the boat, substantially as described.

PETER A. KEELER. ORRIN UPDIKE. JACOB LONGYEAR. W'itnesses GEORGE Donn, B. K. ADAMS.