US1066661A - Life-raft. - Google Patents

Description

J. O. SCHL EIGHER.

LIFE RAFT.

AYPLIOATION FILED MAY 25, 1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

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UNITED STATES .rkTENT FXCE.

LIFE-RAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913.

Application filed May 25, 191?. Serial No. 699,777.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. JOHN C. Semester-Inn, a citizen of the United States. residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of \Vcstchestcr and State. of New York, have invented certain new amtuseful Improvements in Life- Rafts; 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 appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention relates to the class of boats. and more especially to life rafts; and the object of the same is to produce a raft of this character having air-tight compartments in its sections so that if one or more of said compartments should be punctured or broken open by rough handling either on shipboard or in the water, the devicewould not sink.

A further object is to construct the device in such manner that a number of rafts of this kindcan be nest-ed into small co1npass on shipboard, and a yet further object is to provide the raft with receptacles for food and drink.

Other objects: will appear in the following specification and claims, and the detailed construction of the whole invention is shown in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan'view of this raft complete; Fig. 2 is r a longitudinal sectional View on the line '2--2 of Fig. 1, showing one of the food receptacles in dotted lines in raised position: Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig 4 is an end elevation showing the use of this raft.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a central section, and 2 and 3 are side sec tions, each of which is preferably rectangularin. contour as seen in Fig. 3 and may be made of wood. metal, or other material whichis water-tight, the forward and rearward ends of each section being pointed as at 4, the cent 'al section longer than the other two and disposed between them. and all sections being spaced. Thus is built up a catamaran type of raft between whose sections the water and waves may pass as the raft is drawn forward propelled by its occupant The sections are held in spaced position by transverse rods 5 preferably secured through the various sections near their tops as best seen in Fig. 3, and having upturned ends 6 outside the outermost section; and said ends carry a hand rail 7 which passes bodies.

along outside each outermost section, the two hand rails con verging as at S at the ends of this raft. and being joined as at 9, and said end portion being sustained by brackets 10 rising from the ends 4 of the various sec tions. Along the inner side of the outermost sections 2 and 3, and also along both sides of the central section 1, are swung ropes 11 mounted in any suitable supports such as eyes 12 on the sides of the section Thus each section is provided with a hand rail at both sides, that on the central section 1 being composed of two ropes, and that on each side section being composed of one rope and one "ail 7 which is preferably of stout metal tubing.

For handling this improved raft a sling is employed which by preference consists of two ropes 20 and 21, each having both ends attached to the ends 0 of one of the rods 5 at points 22, and its center carrying hooks 23; and with the two hooks is engaged a ring 24 which may be connected with a block-and-taekle mechanism on shipboard or elsewhere so that the entire raft can be lowered into the water or raised out of the same. At other-times. either hook 23 may be disconnected from the. ring 24;, and either or both of the ropes 90 and 21 turned over beyond the corresponding end of the raft, sothat the latter may be towed or so that two of these rafts may be connected with each other. When not in use the sling drops down on to the body of the raft, and two or more of the latter maybe nested as seen in Fig. 3 where the sections of the uppermost raft are shown in dotted lines as passing inside the metallic hand rails 7 of the lowermost raft, and for this purpose the ends 6 of the rods 5 are deflected outward to a. slight degree as shown. In" the drawings l have shown four such rods extending across the raft and connecting at. several sections. but it will be obvious that a greater or lesser number thereof may be employed.

The detailed construction of each section is unimportant save thatl would have it provided with transverse partitions 30 so as to produce a number of air-tight compare ments 31, and by preference I would provide the entire section with one horizontal partt tion 32 rather nearer the bottom than the t p f the eompartn'lcnt, and producingjbe neath it a series of smaller divisions iii-iof the air-tight compartments 31. This detail of construction is purposely employed because I consider it more likely that injuries to the shell of the raft will occur from below than from above, and if the puncture or break should occur within said shell of any section it would be better to have it destroy the usefulness of a smaller division 33 of one of the compartments, than a larger division 31 above the horizontal partition 32, because then the buoyant properties of the larger division would be retained. Moreover this detail of construction provides bracing elements crossing each other within the shell of each section, because the transverse partitions 30 where they intersect the horizontal partitions 32 must be connected therewith in an air-tight manner not necessary to amplify in the present specification.

Between the sections and on cross rods or shafts 40 I preferably hinge receptacles 41 and 42 for food and fresh water, each by preference being in the form of a canister whose closure is a screw top 43 which must of course be water-tight. The point of hinging is at the lower rear corner of each receptacle when the latter stands upright as shown in dot-ted lines in Fig. 2, and at this time its body rests against one of the cross rods 5 and needs no further support; whereas an additional cross rod or support 44 is provided within the channel between the two contiguous sections to sustain this receptacle in horizontal position as seen in full lines in Fig. 2 so that the rafts may be nested as illustrated in Fig. 3.

In use a number of these rafts are nested together as illustrated in Fig. 3, stored in a pile on deck or elsewhere, and preferably lashed so that they will not be washed overboard in times of storm. When now occasion arises for the use of these rafts, the lashings are severed, the hooks 23 engaged with the rings 24 so as to make each sling complete. block-and-tackle mechanism is engaged with the ring 24 and the uppermost raft lifted off the pile or stack, swung out over the water. and lowered. The passengers meanwhile mav or may not don life preservers (although the same are not necessary with the raft), but I would prefer that they should put on water-proof garments 50 covering their feet and limbs and rising above the waist line as indicated in Fig. 4, for a purpose to appear, and these. of course will serve the function of protecting from the elements such parts of the passengers as are covered by the garments. The passengers then take their seats astride the sections as indicated in Fig. 4, with their feet and lower limbs extending downward into the channels between the raft-sections and into the water. and their hands grasping the hand rails as shown. When the raft is filled to its capacity the sections will doubtless sink below the water level, but the buoyant properties of the garments 50 worn by the passengers will prevent them and the raft from sinking completely. From time to time the passenger or sailor nearest the receptacles removes their closures 43 and gives out rations. while others propel the raft by means of paddles or by paddling in the water with their feetor hands; or if the raft is adjacent some boat or power craft, one of the ropes 20 may be unhooked at 23 from the ring 24 and carried over the bow of the raft so that the latter can be towed.

I have purposely omitted details as'to proportions and materials of parts, and amplifications of the general idea may be made without departing from its principle.

hat is claimed as new is 1. The herein described life raft of catamaran type, each section of the same being a shell-like structure pointed at its extremities, cross rods extending through the various sections and having water-tight connection with their walls and turned upward at their outer ends at the sides of the raft, and hand rails connecting the upturned extremities of said rods and themselves extending around the ends of the raft and joined.

2. The herein described life raft of catamaran type, each sect-ion of the same being a shell-like structure pointed at its extremities, and having transverse and horizontal internal partitions producing air-tight compartments therein, cross rods extending through the various sections and having water-tight connection with their walls and turned upward at their outer ends at the sides of the raft, hand rails connecting the upturned extremities of said rods and themselves extending around the ends of the raft and joined, and other hand rails along the inner sides of the side sections.

3. The herein described life raft of catamaran type, each section of the same being a shell-like structure'pointed at its extremities. cross rods extending through the various sections and having water-tight connection with their walls and turned upward at their outer ends at the sides of the raft, hand rails connecting the upturned extremities of said rods and themselves extending around the ends of the raft and joined eyes secured in the side walls of all intermediate sections and the inner side walls of the outermost sections, and other hand rails consisting of ropes rove through said eyes and secured at their extremities to the sections.

4. In a life raft of the catamaran type, the combination with a plurality of sections, and means for holding them in special relation; of rods across the channels between said sections, a receptacle hinged at one lower corner on one of said rods in posit1on to rest against one of sa1d connecting means when said receptacle is-upright and to lie upon the other cross rod When the re- 1 ceptacle is lowered into the channel, and a water-tight closure for the receptacle.

The herein described life raft of catations. maran type, cross rods extending through i In testimony whereof I have hereunto set the various sections and turned upward at 1 my hand in presence of two subscribing wit outermost sections, and other hand rails consisting of ropes rove through sald eyes and secured at their extremities to the sectheir outer ends at the sides of the raft, i nesses.

hand rails connectin the unturned extremi- M ties of said rods an d themselves extending JOHN SCIILEICHER' around the ends of the raft and joined, eyes \Vitnesses:

secured in the side walls of all intermediate l w J B l. USSIUS.

sections and the inner side Walls of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

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