US1842572A - Lifeboat system - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 26, 1932. B STRAUSS 1,842,572

LIFEBOAT SYSTEM Filed Jan. 8. 191.50 6 Sheets-Sheet l i @um Jam. 269 w32. J. B. STR/mss LIFEBOAT SYSTEM Filed Jan. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jamey) Jan. 26, 1932.

J. B. sTRAuss LIFEBOAT SYSTEM Filed Jan. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 fango/2,6. J'az/JJ @4.1M Tn,

Jan. 26 1932. J. B. sTRAuss` LIFEBOT SYSTEM Filed Jan. 8. 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 flle/3%# @5e/077 fi lf'll WML Y@ @j M1126, 1932. J. B. s'rRAuss LIFEBOAT SYSTEM Filed Jan. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 VIIIIL Jima. 26 1932. J, B. sTRAUss LIFEBOAT SYSTEM Filed Jan. 8. 19150 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 /furlllzul l 1| l I lc Patented Jan. 2.6, i932 TENT OFFICE JOSEPH B. STRAUSE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS LIFEBOAT SYSTEM Application filed January 8, 1930.

This invention relates to lite boat systems and has for its object to provide a new and improved system ol this description. The

ordinary lite boat arrangement at present is t to have 'the lite boat on the deck of the ves sel and to then lower the boat into the water at the side of the vessel when it becomes necessary to use the life boat. In stormy water this is a ditlicult process and oztten re l suits in the loss of lille.

My present invention has as one of its objects to provide a lite boat system which will avoid these diliiculties and by .means of which passengers on a large vessel can be easily and quickly loaded onto the boats and the boats released `without delay and without danger to the passengers.

The invention has as a further object to provide life boat-s which shall be kept in re cesses in the side ot' the vessel when not in use and which can easily and quicklybe illed with passengers.

The invention has further objects 'which are more particularly pointed out in the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawings. Fig. l is a side elevation of a ship showing the life boat in position in a recess therein.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the vessel shown .in Fig. l with parts broken away to show the life boat. Y

F ig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the lite boat released.

Fig. 4 is a side View of the vessel with parts broken away showing the means of access to the lite boat :trom the exterior of the vessel.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side View of the vessel with parts broken away showing the life boat in position in the recess and the surroilnding construction.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line G-G of Fig. l. Fig. 7 an enlargedsectional view with parts broken away on line 7 7 of Fig. l.

Serial No. 419,238.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View ytaken on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the lite boat fastening mechanism' released.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken online fill) l()-l0 of Fig'. 5.

Fig. l1 is an enlarged sectional view through the controlling mechanism for the door at the side ofthe Vessel which closes the recess containing lthe lite boat.

Fig. l2 is a View similar to Fig. l1 with parts omitted and showing the mechanism in a diiierent position.

Fig. 13 is a sectional View taken on line 153-13 of Fig. 11. i

`Lilie numerals refer to like parts through out 'the several iigures.

Jteerring now to the drawings, -I have shown a vessel which may be of any suitable description such as a large passenger vessel. .fin

This vessel is provided at its side with one or more recesses 2. Each recess contains a life boat 3. Since the recesses and life boats are all similar, I have only shown one for purposes of illustration. 'll

These life boats may be of any suitable size but when used with large vessels are preferably large boats operated by their own power. It only one life boat is used, it may be large enough to seat all the people on the f4" vessel.

lf desired, one or inoreof these life boats may be placed on each side of the Vessel and in that event they may be smaller, it desired. When a number of these lite boats are used, `they should be of such size as to seat all the passengers and the crew, the purposejof the system being to provide in one, two or more life beats an arrangement for all the passengers and crew so that the entire ship load 89 can be easily and quickly and safely removed from the vessel. The liie boats `when not in use, ride upon `the water within the recesses in the side ofthe vessel and are detachably connected so that they may be instantly released.

These boats are preferably non-sinkable with closed tops, wireless instruments and the like so that when released they are independent of the vessel and under full control. One or more officers of the vessel may be delegated for a permanent station on each life boat. T here is a door for the recess. in which each each life boat is received which conforms t'o the exterior of the vessel so that the appear ance of the vessel is not altered. Meansmay be provided for loading the life boats from within the vessel or by means of ladders -or the like from the exterior Aof the vessel. The recess in the vessel is of such height that when the life boat is therein, it will ride upon the Water so that when released all that must be done is to move it laterally out of the recess.

Referring now to Figs. 8, 9 and 10, wherein I have shown one forni` of construction embodying the invention, the recess 2 is provided with a door 4, which is normally closed and which conforms to the contour of the eX- terior of the vessel. The inner wall 5 of the recess .2 is, of course, water tight. Y Some means is provided for holding this door closed and for quickly opening it and moving it Vout of the kway of the life boat so that the `life boat maybe quickly launched.

In the drawings I have illustrated one mechanism for this purpose. In this construction the door is pivotally connected with a carriage 6 by means of the pivot 7 This carriage ismounted between the guides 8 and 9 and is provided with rollers 10 which run along these guides. (See Figs. 7 and 8.) The carriage 6 carrying the door with it is run .back and forth along the guides by some suitable mechanism. As herein shown the carriage hasconnected with it a rack 11 wbichis engaged by a vpinion 12 on a shaft 13. A sleeve 14 surrounds the shaft 13 and is provided with a worm 15 engaged by a worm gear 16 .on a shaft 17. Associated with a shaft 13 is a clutch member 18 feathered to the shaft and which engages a clutch member 19 on the sleeve 14.

The clutch member 18 is controlled by the forked member 20. YA cam 21 is connected with the shaft 17 and is provided with a cam face 22 which at the proper time engages the member 2O so as to move the clutch member 18 to disconnect it from the clutch member 19. A spring 23 ret-racts the member 20 when the cam face 22 is not engaging it so as to move the clutch member 18 into engagement with the clutch member 19. The cam 21 isyalso provided with a cam slot 24 in which works a projection 25 on the arm 26. This arm has connected with it a member 27 which is attached to a crank 28 on a shaft 29. (See Figs. 10, 12, and 13.) This shaft is provided with a holdingpiece 3() having a groove 31 in which is received the end 32 of the door 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. When the shaft 17 is rotated, the cam 21 causes the arm 26 to be moved downwardly so as to rotate the shaft 21 to release the bottom of the door 4. The door is then moved laterally out of the way of the life boat by rotating the shaft 13, the gear 12 moving the rack 11 and carriage 6 along the guides 9 and 10 to the position sho-wn in Fig. 5 and in dotted lines in Figs. 6 and 7. The 'shaft may be rotated by fa suitable motor. Means is also provided for rotating this shaft on the outside of the vessel. This is accomplished by means 4of the hand wheel 33 on the shaft 34 which has a spindle wheel l35 'over which passes a belt 36 which also passes over a spindle wheel 37 on the shaft 13. (See Fig. 10).

Some means is provided for holding the life boat 3 in position while in the recess 2. As herein shown this is accomplished by the holding devices 38 at each end of the life boat. These holding devices have arms which hook over projections 39. The arms are pivoted at 40 and have racks 41 which enga-ge pinions 42 on the shaft 43 which extends across from one end of the life boat to the other, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The shaft 43 is rotated in any suitable manner as by means of a hand wheel 44 connected with a shaft 45v having thereon a worm 46 which engages a worm wheel 47 on the shaft. This shaft may be also rotated from within the life boat by the hand wheel 46a.

By rotating the shaft 43, it will be seen that the holding device 37 may be lifted to disengage the projections 39 and release vthe life boat. The door 4 may be opened from within the life boat by means of a hand wheel 48 which actuates-a shaft 49 with which is connected a belt 50, the belt being connected with the shaft 13 soV that when the hand Wheel 48 is turned, the shaft 13 will be rotated and the holding device 30 released and the door 4 moved out of the way.l Access from the interior of the vessel to the life boat is secured through the hatchway 51. (Fig. 7 Some means is provided for resiliently holding the life boat in its recess so it will not be knocked about to become injured and this mea-ns must be easily releasabl y In the construction shown, this result is secured by providing a series of spring pressed rollers 52. The life boat may be engaged by the spring pressed rollers 56 which are connected by ,springs 57 with the top of the recess 2. Access to the life boat may be had from the exterior of the vessel by means of the ladders 58 and 59 which are pivotally suspended near the deck and which can be lowered, as illustrated in Fig. 5 so that the passengers can pass down into .the life boat.v I have shown the life boat as being providedwvith a propeller 60 and arudder 61. The propeller is driven by any suitable power agency located within the life boat. The recess in the ship has afportion above and a portion below the water lineand in Figures 8, 9, and I have shown the water line by the line 62.

The use and operation of my invention is as toliows.

Under normal conditions, the lite boats are within the recesses Q and the doors 4 are closed, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 8, and 10. llVhen it is desir'ed to use `the lite boats, the passengers may be delivered thereto from the interior of the vessel through the hatchways 51. When the boat is ready to be released, the hand wheel 411 or 46c may be rotated so as to move the holding devices 38 to release them trom the projections 39. The door 4 may then be opened by turning` the hand wheel 33 which actuates the shaft 49 and belt 50 which is connected with sleeve 14 so as to drive it. This first releases the bottom ot the` door by rotatingthe cam 21 so as to cause the p1'ojec. tion 25 and the member 26 to be moved upwardly so that the part 27 causes the shaft 29 to rotate to move the holding` piece 30 to disconnect the bottom oi the door, as shown in Fig'. 9. When the door is properly disconnected, the high part 22 ot the cam 21 becomes disengaged 'from the member 20 and the spring- 23 moves said member so as to engage clutch members 18 and 19 (Fig. 11). The further movement oi the hand wheel then rotates shaft 13 and pinion 12 and bv means ot rack 11 moves the carriage 6 laterally aloneits guides 9 and 10 thus carrying the door 4t to the lett, as shown in Fig. 5 and in dotted lines in Figs. G and 7.

This moves the door to one side of the recess so that the lite boat 3 which is riding upon the water, is free to move out away from the vessel. It it becomes desirable to have the passengers enter the lite boat by means of the ladders 58 and 59, the door 4 is iii-st moved to one side and this may be accomplished by turning;r the hand wheel 33 on the exterior of the vessel. This, by means ot shaft 34 and belt 3G rotates the sleeve 14 on the shatt 13 so as to rotate cam 21 in the same manner as is done by turning' the hand wheel 48. The ladders 58 and 59 are then lowered, as shown in Fig. 5 and the passengers admitted to the life boat through the openings 55. The boat then is released by turningthe hand wheel 46a `vhich moves the holding devices 38 and disconnects them from the projections 39. The boat is then driven by its own power away trom the vessel to a point of safety. It will be seen that by means of this system, large life boats may be used which will hold a large number of people and which can be driven by its own power safely, through rough seas. It will further be seen that these lite boats can be easily and quickly and safely launched or operated from the main vessel and this can be done regardless ot stormy conditions or high Waves or the like.

I claim l. In a life boat system, a ship, a power boat associated therewith, said ship being lprovided with a recess in its side at the water line, said boat located in said recess and nor` mally in the water within said recess, the outer face of the litt boat when in said recess being within the boundaries .ot said ship.

2. In a lite boat system, a ship, a power boat associated therewith, said ship having` a recess in its side at the water line, said boat riding' the water within said recess, a holdingI device for holding the boat within said recess, the outer face of the lite boat when in said. recess being within the boundaries ot said ship when not in service, releasing mechanism connected with said holding device for releasingi the lite boat while it is floating in the water, said releasingl mechanism controlled from the ship whereby the boat may be quickly detached for operation independently of the ship.

3. In a lite boat system, a ship, a power boat associated therewith, said ship having` a recess in its side at the water line, said boat riding the water Within the said recess, the outer face ot the lite boat when in said recess being` within the boundaries of said ship, a holding device for holding the boatwithin said recess when not in service, releasing mechanism connected with said holding `de vice tor releasing the lite boat while it is lioatinp; in the water, said releasing,` device controlled from the ship and from the boat `whereby the boat may be quickly detached for operation independently of the ship.

4l. `In a life boat system, a ship, a power boat associated therewith, said ship provided with a recess in its side at the water line, said boat riding, thewater within said recess and a cover over said recess to enclose said boat when not in service.

In a liteboat system., a ship, a power boat associated therewith, said ship having a recess in its side at the water line, said boat riding` the water within said recess and a cover over said recess to enclose said boat when not in service, and means for automatically releasing said cover with the release ot the boat.

6. In a life boat system, a ship, a power boat associated therewith, said ship having.;l a `recess in its side a portion of which extends above and a portion below the water line, said boat riding the water within said recess so as to be free to float out away from the ship when released, a ladder pivoted to the ship near the deck and adapted to be moved to permit access to said boat trom the deck.

7. In a lite boat system, a ship, a power boat associated therewith, said ship having,` a recess in its side at the water line, said boat riding` the water within said recess, a cover over said recess to enclose said boat, said cover, when in its closed position, being in the plane ot the side ot the ship.

8..fA lite boat Lsystem comprising' a ship provided with a recess which `has a portion extending below the water line and a portion extending above the water line, a life boat in said recess, a door for said recess which has an outer surface which corresponds with the outer surface of the ship.

9. A life boat system comprising a ship provided with a recess which'has a portion extending below the water line and a portion extending above the water line, a life boat in said recess, a door for said recess, holding means for holding said door in position and a releasing device for releasing said door.

10. A life boat system comprising aship provided with a recess which has a portion eX- tending below the water line and a portion extending above the water line, a life boat in said recess, a door for said recess, holding means for holding said door in position, a releasing device for releasing said door and a. carriage upon which said door is supported when released so that it may be moved to one side to free the boat.

11. A life boat system comprising la ship provided with a recess which las a portion extending below the water line anda portion extending above the water-line, a life boat in said recess, a door for said recess, holding devices ateach end of the boat for holding it in position and means for releasing said holding devices. .Y Y

12. A life boat. system comprising a ship provided with a' recess which has a portion extending below the water line and a portion extending above the water line, a life boat in said recess, a door for said recess, holding devices at each-end of the/boatfor holding it in position, means for yreleasing said holding devices, and cushioning means interposed between the boat `and the wall of the recess.

13. A life boat system comprising a ship, provided with a recess at itsside part of which is below the waterY line, a lifeboat in said recess, a door for the recess forprotecting the life boat, a fastening device for holding said door and means operable from either within or without the ship for operating said fastening device.

14. A life boat system comprising a ship provided with a recess at its side part of which is below the water line, alife boat in said recess, a door for the recess for protecting the life boat, a fastening device for holding said door, means operable from either Within er without the shipfor operating said fastening device, a movable carriage upon which said door is supported and means for moving said carriage laterally to open or close the door. Y

15. A life boat system comprising a ship provided'with a recess at its side part of which is below the water line, a life boat in said recess, a door for the recess for protecting the life boat, a `fastening device for holding said door, means koperable from either JOSEPH B. STRAUSS.

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