US2367902A - Life raft - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 23, 1945. E. D. TAYLOR 2,367,902

LIFE RAFT Filed May 7, 1943 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Y 36 30 10 INVENTOR.

ATTORN EY.

E. D. TAYLOR Jan. 23, 1945.

L-IFE RAFT 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 7 ATTOR N EY.

Patented Jan. 23, 1945 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to life rafts or barges adapted to be carried on marine vessels and discharged or released therefrom when the vessel has been damaged or is in a sinking condition.

An" object of the invention is to provide a life raft or barge which is reversible in the sense that the top and bottom of the barge are substantially counterparts of eachother. The use of inclined launching platforms and release gears therefor for releasing life rafts and the like is now somewhat conventional. By means of these inclined launching platforms the life raft which is normally carried thereby is released by the release gear and allowed to fall from the vessel into the water, itbeingcontemplated that survivors will jump from the vessel into the water, swim to the life raft; and board it. By having the life raft or barge reversible, that is with top and bottom counterparts of each other, it is immaterial whether the barge lands in the water right side up or upside down, the uppermost side affording all of the facilities that'the barge provides.

A further object of the invention is to provide a life raft on the top and bottom of which there are cockpits and around which cockpits are arranged decks that afiord seating surfaces for survivors boarding the barge. The bottom surface of the uppermost cockpit being disposed above the normal water line and to provide means for draining the uppermost cockpit thus avoiding any necessity of bailing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a life rat't or barge having c'ockpits provided at the top and bottomthereof so thatwhichever is uppermost is available and to provide a reservoir for water and stores between the co'ckpits accessible from either cockpit so that the reservoir may be opened from whichever cockpit is uppermost.

A further objector the invention is to provide a reversible life raft or barge wherein certain accessories, suchas oars; masts, booms, sails, a canopy, and strakes therefor are releasably mounted" on the sides of the barge between the top and bottom thereof so as to be available for use regardless of Whichcockpit is disposed uppermost when the barge is discharged from the launching platform into the water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of life raft or barge with solid decks and sides and" with cockpits on the topand bottom thereof constructed of a multiplicity of segments of light porous wood, such as balsa wood, and protected by a water proof outer skin wherein-- each segment of balsa wood is coated with waterproof glue in the course of the assembly so: that should any segment become damaged or punctured such segment while it may become water-logged will not affect remaining unpunctured segments" which retain the original buoyancy;

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawingsfor an illustrative embodiment of the invention; wherein;

Figure 1' is a view in side elevationv of a life raft-0r barge embodying'the present invention illustrating itin floating position and as, having.

its canopy erected: thereon, thecanopy being, illustrated in dotted lines Fig. 2 is a toll plan viewof the barge; the-canopy being shown as? having been removed;

Fig. 3 is a- View in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated; illustrating the manner in which the strakes: of. the canopy are erected;

Fig. 4- is-a view in frontelevation of the barge illustrating two masts and sails as having been erected thereon; and

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the barge inthe condition illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improvedlife raft or barge is made up of a plurality of individual segment or pieces of light, porous, highly buoyant wood indicated at I'll. Balsa wood. is preferable for this purpose although other similar highly buoyant wood maybe employed.

In making up the body of the barge each of the segments has waterproof glue applied thereto and is assembled together with other segments following which the lue is allowed to set and dry. Usually the glue is. applied to opposed faces of adjoining segments and: when it dries it forms. a. water-resistant coating around. each segment; The sides and" decks are-preferably covered with a layerof Waterproof plywood forming an additional exterior protection.

As is indicated on Fig. 3, it is preferable to arrange the segments: in such a. manner that some segments will have their grain extending longitudinall'y or horizontally and other segments will have their grain ru'nning transversely or vertically. I

The body of the barge is so formed ast'o' be reversible. That is, it has a flat top'and' bottom within which there is formed upper and lower cockpits H and I2. In the preferred form of construction the exterior surface of the barge as well as the interior of each of the cockpits is faced with waterproof plywood indicated at l3,

As will be observed from a comparison of Figs. 1 and 2, the top and bottom of the barge are preferably rectangular in shape and the cockpits are likewise preferably rectangular in shape, whereas the sides are preferably in the form of a parallelogram. With this arrangement it will be appreciated that the body of the barge is symmetrical in most respects about a horizontal central plane. Consequently, when the barge embodying the present invention is released from a launching platform on a vessel and is allowed to drop into the water, it is immaterial which side of the barge is uppermost when the barge lands on the water. For example, if cockpit H is uppermost, this cockpit may be used by survivors. On the other hand, if during the launching the barge should be turned so that cockpit I2 is uppermost, then this cockpit may be used by survivors.

Vertical tie bolts I l having ring or eye heads extend through the barge from top to bottom thereof and assist in holding the body of the barge together. Similarly, transverse tie bolts I5 may extend transversely through the barge through the floor or partition l6 that separates the cockpits. Corners of the body of the barge may be provided by somewhat heavier wood, such as for example oak, and facing pieces I! and I8 which extend fore and aft at the edges of the barge may be formed of wood, such as Douglas fir. The facing pieces I! and I8 that extend fore and aft project slightly beyond transverse bow and stern facing pieces [8 and i9 so that the edges of the facing pieces may serve as runners in supporting the barge on the rails of the launching platform and the facing pieces l8 and l 9 will not hinder release of the barge therefrom.

A rub rail 2?! also extends longitudinally of the barge on each side thereof at the approximate water line. Such rub rail may be formed of any durable wood, such as for example oak. In the partition 16 that separates the two compartments Hand l2, there is provided a reservoir 21 preferably divided into a plurality of compartments. One compartment may be filled with fresh water. Another compartment may be filled with food, and the third compartment with other necessities, such as for example, rockets. Each compartment is equipped with a closure, the closures being indicated at 22 at the top as well as at the bottom of the compartment so that regardless of the position assumed by the barge when launched, access to the compartments is available from that cockpit which happens to be uppermost.

A drain pipe 23 leads from each compartment through the body of the barge to the end thereof, such drain pipe may be controlled by a sea cock or plug 26. This enables draining of the uppermost compartment should it become filled or partially filled with water. Inasmuch as the bottom of the uppermost compartment is above the water line, bailing of the uppermost compartment is unnecessary. Normally, these sea cocks are left open and an additional advantage is gained thereby. If the barge happens to land when launched with the lower cockpit l2 lowermost, it will be appreciated that a certain volume of air is entrapped therein. This air being compressible to a certain extent tends to cushion the fall of the barge onto the water, the air escaping through the lowermost drain pipe 23. Thus, while there is an initial cushioning effect, the air is allowed to escape allowing the barge to sink in the water to the desired depth reducing danger of overturning. If desired scupper openings may be formed through the face pieces I! and It! to also allow or provide for the escape of air.

A life line 24 which may be equipped with fioats 25 may be secured at spaced intervals along the rub rail to facilitate survivors climbing onto the raft. On the sides of the raft immediately above the rub rail there are releasably secured oars 26, masts and booms, and the strakes 21 of a canopy. The sails and the canopy may also be folded and stored at this locality. Straps or ties 28 may maintain these accessories at this location. Oarlocks 29 may be permanently attached adjacent the facings I! and (8 such as by chains or cords and sockets are formed in these facings to receive the oarlocks. Sockets 3!] are also formed in the facings to receive the lower ends of the strakes 2'! which are in the form of bendable hickory rods adapted to be connected together over the center of the raft such as by a sleeve 3|. The canopy 32 which may be formed of canvas is cut so as to suitably fit over the strakes to completely cover the top of the barge in the event of bad weather. At the forward end of whichever surface or deck happens to be uppermost there is hingedly secured a splash board 33 which may be swung upwardly and braced as by a brace 34. Cords or ropes 35 may connect the forward portion or hood of the canopy to the splash board. Sockets 36 are arranged adjacent the forward corners of the barge in which may be strapped masts 31 on which may be mounted the booms 38. The sails 39 are preferably attached to the masts and booms, such as by lacing, and backstays 40 may connect the masts with the eye or rings of the rear tie bolts l4.

Inasmuch as the barge is symmetrical with respect to a central horizontal plane, it will be appreciated that when discharge into the water from the launching platform it is immaterial which side of the barge is uppermost. Survivors may swim to the barge, grasp the life line 24, and pull themselves into the upper cockpit surrounding which there is the top surface or deck which affords an adequate seating area. The equipment fastened onto the sides of the barge as by the ties or straps 28, can be removed and released and taken into the barge and deposited in the uppermost cockpit regardless of which cockpit is uppermost on launching.

Water and food are available through the closures 22 which happen to be uppermost and in the event of bad Weather the strakes 21 and the canopy may be erected. In the event of good weather and a favorable breeze, the canopy may be taken down and the masts and sails erected.

While no attempt is made to, design the barge to be readily maneuverable while under sail, it will move quite readily in running before the wind. If the barge is constructed in approximately the proportions illustrated with the area of the top deck approximately 10 6" x '7' and the height of the barge from deck to deck 36", I find that the barge is capable of seating twentytwo persons with approximately 14" freeboard, thus affording dry seats and a dry upper cockpit. As indicated upon the drawings the reservoir 2! preferably extends above and below the partition 16 some considerable distance, thus providing adequate interior space and also providing of the barge seats for passengers or survivors in addition to the deck space. Preferably the water compartment has a large closure or deck plate 22a and a smaller closure 22?) arranged adjacent the upper corner thereof when the barge is mounted in an inclined position on the conventional release gear. The small closure on the upper side can be removed periodically to permit of water inspection from time to time and the corresponding small closure on the underside of the barge can be removed when occasion requires to drain the water compartment and permit its being refilled, it being understood that the closure on the under side corresponding to the closure 22b would be located at or near the bottom of the water compartment when the barge is supported in an inclined position on the release gear.

It will be noted that the raft or barge herein disclosed has identical top and bottom construction with parallelogram sides with solid, deck and side, cockpits arranged on the top and bottom.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A life raft composed of upright and horizontal sections of scaled balsa wood, cockpits formed in the raft on the top and bottom thereof and tie rods extending through the sections of balsa wood transversely of the raft. in front of and behind said cockpits.

2. A life raft composed of upright and longitudinally extending horizontal sections ofbalsa wood, a plywood covering on the exterior surface of the raft, cockpits formed in the top and bottom surfaces of the raft, and tie rods extending across the raft before and behind each of the cockpits.

3. Alife raft composed of upright and longitudinally extending horizontal sections of balsa wood, a plywood covering on the exterior surface of the raft, cockpits formed in the top and bottom surfaces of the raft, and tie rods extending across the raft before and behind each of the cockpits, vertical tie rods extending from top to bottom of the raft at the sides of the cockpits.

E. D. TAYLOR.

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