US1166080A - Life-saving raft. - Google Patents

Description

S. M. ROHRER. LIFE SAVING RAFT.

APPLICA TION FILED MAY 22, 1915.

Patent ed Dec. 28,1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO WASPHNGTDN, n. c

S. M. ROHRER.

LIFE SAVING RAFT.

APPLICATION man MAY 22. 1915.

1,166,080. Patented Dec.28,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'muewto'a S-M- R'oHFzEFa COLUMBIA PLANoGnAr-H CO.,WASHINUTON. 1) cv S. M. ROHRER.

LIFE SAVING RAFT.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAY 22, 1915.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANDURAPH CO..\VASHXNGTON, D. c.

UNITED %TATE% PATENT @FFTQE.

SYLVESTER M. ROHRER, OF MAINTTOWOG, WISCONSIN.

LIFE-SAVING RAFT.

Application filed May 22, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLvEs'rnR M. Rormnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manitowoc, in the county of Manitowoc and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Rafts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings.

This invention relates to life saving rafts and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character embodying in its construction a multiplicity of buoyancy producing members, and means for assembling said members in the raft structure and preventing their relative movement.

The invention has for an additional object to provide a raft for the above purpose which is capable of sustaining a large number of persons without being submerged.

The invention has for an additional object to provide improved means for mounting oar locks upon the sides and ends of the raft structure and locking the same in position thereon.

The invention has for a further general object to simplify and improve the construction of life rafts whereby the several parts thereof may be readily assembled, the raft, as a whole, providing a very serviceable and efficient device which will occupy but a minimum of space and may be conveniently lowered from the deck of a vessel to the water.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinatiomand arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a life raft constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 8 is a top plan view; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line l@ of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 8; Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section showing a slightly modified manner of mounting tanks in the raft structure; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through one of the tanks showing another buoyancy producing medium which may be employed.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the raft structure proper includes end frames,

generally indicated by the numeral 5, which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28,1915.

Seria1 No. 29,879.

consist of a plurality of uprights of any desired ornamental configuration, said uprights being connected at their opposite ends by the horizontally disposed V-shaped bars 6. Upon these V-shaped bars, the longitudinally extending cleats 7 are disposed, said cleats having dove-tailed grooves S to receive the V-shaped or clove-tailed bars 6. Each of the cleats 7 is formed with a plurality of spaced seats 9 to receive the ends of the longitudinally extending slats 10 which are securely bolted to the cleats 7 on the bars 6, as indicated at 11. There is also provided a plurality of intermediate transversely extending frame members 12, similar in form and construction to the end frames 5, and these intermediate frames are also provided upon their longitudinal edges with the bars 13, upon which the transversely extending cleats 1-1: are engaged, said latter cleats being also provided with seats or recesses for the reception of the longitudinally extending slats 10 which are bolted in place in the manner above referred to.

The ends of the frames 5 and 12 are connected together by longitudinally extending side frames 15, each of said frames includ ing a central longitudinal bar 16 having spaced vertical bracing members 17 secured thereto, said members corresponding in number to the number of transverse frames and extending above and below the frame bars 16. The longitudinal bars 16 of the side frames are connected to the ends of the transverse frame members by means of the angular bolts 18, the arms of the bolts which project upwardly through the openings in the bars 16 having nuts threaded thereon and also adapted to clampingly engage eve or loop members 19 and hold the same in place. Through these loop members, the chains or cables 20 are engaged, said cables carrying a suitable cork or wood float, indicated at 21. Similar float carrying cables 22 are also arranged in a suitable manner across the end frames 5 of the raft structure. It will be observed that the bracing members 17 on the bars 16 have their central portions above and below said bars engaged with the respective transverse frames 5 and 12.

Upon the inner side of each of the up rights of the end frames 5 and also upon the opposite sides of the intermediate frames 12, clove-tailed guides '23 are suitably secured to receive the similarly shaped ribs or bars 2- which are secured to opposite ends of the metal tanks 2:"). Each of these tanks upon cne side, is also provided with a longitudinally extending clove-tailed cleat 26 and upon its opposite side with a cleat 27 having a dove-tailed recess to receive the clovetailed portion 26 of the cleat on an adjacent tank. The outermost side series of tanks 25 are also provided upon their outer sides with the ribs or bars 26 which are engaged in guides 27 fixed to the inner faces of the side frame bars 16. These bars 26 and 27 are identical with those above described which connect the longitudinally extending series of tanks to each other. In this manner, it will be understood that the several tanks arranged in the frame structure of the raft are slidably connected with each other. The bars or cleats 24 on the ends of the tank, of course, engage in the guides 23 on the transverse frame members and serve to hold the several tanks against rela tive longitudinal movement when assembled. These tanks may be provided with suitable valves, indicated at 28, so that air can be pumped into the same. The top of the raft is also equipped with suitable oar locks which may be arranged at any desired points on the edges of the raft frame, and to this end, I provide plates or castings 29 which are centrally fcrmed in their upper faces with the tapering dove-tailed recesses 30 to receive correspondingly shaped tongues or lugs 32 which are formed upon the metal body portions 31 of the oiler. In these body portions the ear receiving members 33 are rotatably mounted.

The body portion 31 of each of the oar locks 33 is provided with a notch or recess, indicated at 34, to receive a locking pawl 35 which is pivctally mounted upon the plate 29. This locking pawl effectively prevents the accidental disconnection of the car lock body from the plate 29. At suitable points, preferably at op osite ends of the raft structure, I-bolts 36 are secured thereto for the convenient attachment of chains or cables 37 whereby the raft may be lowered from the deck of a vessel to the surface of the water.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings, I have shown a slightly different manner of mounting the buoyancy producing tanks in the raft structure, in which the upper and lower cleats 7 and 14, which connect the slats 10. are provided upon their inner faces with guide flanges 38 to receive shoulders or proiections formed upon the lugs 39 which are fixed t0 the ends of the metal tanks The intermediate guides upon the transverse frames 5 and 12 and the ends of the tanks, similar to those above referred to, are also provided. Howe er, in this construction. instead of providing the sliding onnections on the sides of the tanks, suitable eyes 40 are fixed thereto, through which retaining bolts are adapted to be inserted to prevent a relative longitudinal shifting movement of the several tanks and the raft frame.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, I have disclosed another manner of producing the necessary buoyancy, and instead of using air inthe tanks, I provide a casing of canvas or other flexible material shown at 42, provided with a longitudinal lacing 43 to secure the meeting edges thereof together and also with end flaps or covers 44, one half of which is free or unsecured permanently to the ends of the body of the case but are also designed to be laced or otherwise detachably secured thereto. In this canvas casing, the framework 45 is adapted to be arranged centrally thereof, and the bars of said frame are provided with a plurality of openings. Cork filling blocks 46 entirely fill the canvas casing upon opposite sides of this frame and are adapted to be secured to this frame by means of pins indicated at 47 and also to each other by similar pins. After the casing has been arranged with the cork, the separated portions are laced together and as a whole is inserted into the tank 25. This means for producing the necessary buoyancy, while somewhat more expensive than the use of air, is, on the other hand, more reliable and will accomplish the necessary purpose in a very satisfactory manner.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have produced a very simple and durable life saving raft which is comparatively light in weight and which will have a maximum of buoyancy so that it will support a large number of persons without submergence.

The invention is designed to be carried by large steamships or other ocean-going vessels. The metal tanks are completely housed and protected within the frame structure of the raft and injury thereto, by floating objects striking the same, is effectually overcome. It will, of course, be obvious that the raft may be made in various sizes and that the form of the several parts employed in the framework can be varied as desired. The invention is also susceptible of other modification in the form, proportion and arrangement of its various parts and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a raft, side and end members connected together to produce a rectangular frame structure, spaced series of longitudinally extending slats connecting the end frame members to each other, a plurality of intermediate transverse uprights secured to the side frame members, a pluralityof tanks containing a buoyancy producing medium, means on the ends of the tanks and the end and transverse frame members for supporting said tanks in position between the two series of slats, and means on the sides of the respective tanks to effect a sliding interlocking connection between the several tanks.

2. In a raft, side and end members connected together to produce a rectangular frame structure, a plurality of intermediate spaced frame members secured at their ends to said side members, spaced series of longitudinally extending slats secured to the end and intermediate frame members, a plurality of metal tanks containing a buoyancy producing medium arranged between the two series of slats, said tanks and the end and intermediate frame members being provided with interlocking means to support the tanks in position, the outer series of tanks and the side members of the frame being also provided with interlocking means, and additional means on the several tanks to effect an interlocking connection between the same.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SYLVESTER M. ROHRER.

Witnesses:

IRA F. SMITH, FRANK POLEN.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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