Patent Model Ship (F19083)

[Howard_And_Olivia]

Upon further estate cleaning today, we found this interesting model boat carefully packed inside a steamer trunk. It was wrapped in

newspaper dated much older than both of us with Grandpa's handwriting description that says "Patent Model Lifeboat". We are

not sure what that means, but definitely look interesting. There's "F19083" written on the interior wood (not Grandpa's handwriting), so

we don't think Grandpa built this one. It's about 30 inches long and very light in weight. The side are all wood with tiny little brass nails

and a few tiny brass screws on the bottom base. Any idea what this model boat is for?

 

 

Howard and Olivia

[rudybob]

I think it's lovely

[druxey]

This is an interesting, well-built model of some age. The builder was obviously very familiar with clinker style planking. It is odd that all the internal parts are either missing (those three small screw holes) or were never completed.

[bruce d]

Howard, Olivia, that is a nice model. Concerning the "F19083" inscription, can I ask what part of the world you are in (and your grandfather)? No personal info please, it's just that an alpha-numeric like that could be a UK military service number.

[Howard_And_Olivia]

48 minutes ago, bruce d said:

Howard, Olivia, that is a nice model. Concerning the "F19083" inscription, can I ask what part of the world you are in (and your grandfather)? No personal info please, it's just that an alpha-numeric like that could be a UK military service number.

Hi, Bruce. We are (Grandfather too) in USA, East Coast (New York).

[Jim Lad]

I would think it may be a museum accession number.

 

John

[Oldsalt1950]

It apperas to be a boat design that was submitted to the U.S. Patent office for approval. It would be nice if it were possible to have a clear picture of the rest of the inscription on the stem post by the F19083. Models of invention, devices or their improvement were often submitted when a drawing or the actual object was not possible. The boat is a keeper' Hope this shed some light on what you have. By the way what was your grandfather's profession?

[Roger Pellett]

I don’t believe that this model was ever completed or perhaps ever intended to be completed.  Assuming that this is a model of a lifeboat,  there would be a “rising strake” running around the inside of the frames on each side to support the thwarts, the seats that people sat on.  There is no evidence that one was ever attached.

 

Lifeboats were framed with closely spaced steam bent frames of small cross sectional dimensions; to minimize weight.  This model is framed with fewer widely spaced frames sawn to shape.  It is possible that whoever built the model was trying to demonstrate a construction technique in hopes of securing a patent.

 

If you can figure out its provenance it might have some real value.

 

Roger

[Bob Cleek]

Yes, "patent models" were once required to be submitted with every patent application. The US Patent and Trademark Office had warehouses full of them going back to the beginning of the government. They eventually dropped the physical model requirement and back in the 1970's or so, as I recall, they cleaned house, retaining some of the historically remarkable ones, which went to the Smithsonian, which once exhibited Abraham Lincoln's patent model for his "Improved Method of Bouying Vessels Over Shoals." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln's_patent

 

 

The rest of the old Patent Office models were sold off to the public and snatched up by antique dealers, finding their way via the retail market to bookshelves and mantles as decorator pieces. I once had a patent attorney colleague who decorated his large patent law firm's offices with them. This could very well be an old Patent Office Model. The models had to depict the invention that was sought to be patented, so they were often partial models with the focus on the patentable aspect of the thing. In this instance, there may have been something inside the model hull that was the focus of the invention and somebody who wanted the hull pulled that out with the intention of building something else inside the hull, but never got around to it. 

Edited May 13, 2022 by Bob Cleek

[Howard_And_Olivia]

8 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

Yes, "patent models" were once required to be submitted with every patent application. The US Patent and Trademark Office had warehouses full of them going back to the beginning of the government. They eventually dropped the physical model requirement and back in the 1970's or so, as I recall, they cleaned house, retaining some of the historically remarkable ones, which went to the Smithsonian, which once exhibited Abraham Lincoln's patent model for his "Improved Method of Bouying Vessels Over Shoals." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln's_patent

 

 

The rest of the old Patent Office models were sold off to the public and snatched up by antique dealers, finding their way via the retail market to bookshelves and mantles as decorator pieces. I once had a patent attorney colleague who decorated his large patent law firm's offices with them. This could very well be an old Patent Office Model. The models had to depict the invention that was sought to be patented, so they were often partial models with the focus on the patentable aspect of the thing. In this instance, there may have been something inside the model hull that was the focus of the invention and somebody who wanted the hull pulled that out with the intention of building something else inside the hull, but never got around to it. 

 

Thank you, Bob, for the detailed information. In regards to the "F19083", what do you think it meant?

 

Howard and Olivia

 

 

[Baker]

F19083 is also the service number of :

Name	Pile, Ernest Edward
Official Number:	F19083
Place of Birth:	Exeter, Devon
Date of Birth:	25 April 1887

 

link

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6817254

 

 

 

[Howard_And_Olivia]

13 hours ago, Oldsalt1950 said:

It apperas to be a boat design that was submitted to the U.S. Patent office for approval. It would be nice if it were possible to have a clear picture of the rest of the inscription on the stem post by the F19083. Models of invention, devices or their improvement were often submitted when a drawing or the actual object was not possible. The boat is a keeper' Hope this shed some light on what you have. By the way what was your grandfather's profession?

 

He was with Science Research Associates, then IBM's field engineering dept until retirement. There are no other inscription on the stem post. The shadows adjacent to F19083 inscription are brass nails. I will take another look when we are there later on today.

[Howard_And_Olivia]

19 minutes ago, Baker said:

F19083 is also the service number of :

Name	Pile, Ernest Edward
Official Number:	F19083
Place of Birth:	Exeter, Devon
Date of Birth:	25 April 1887

 

link

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6817254

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Baker, for this awesome and amazing information. Was Pile, Ernest Edward a model ship builder and/or naval architect?

[Keith Black]

 This model should be kept in "as is" condition including dust. Absolutely nothing needs to be done to it IMHO. 

Edited May 13, 2022 by Keith Black

[Howard_And_Olivia]

27 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

 This model should be kept in "as is" condition including dust. Absolutely nothing needs to be done to it IMHO. 

 

Thank you, Keith. Will do.

Any recommended display stand for this patent model boat?

[Keith Black]

 A cradle of some sort, nothing that would detract from the model. Or maybe just left to rest on its keel, washed up on some timeless shore.

[Oldsalt1950]

The F19083 is probably the number for the patent filing. 

[druxey]

The word 'patent' seems to have caused a stumble. It is not a model submitted for a patent, but one built to a patented design!

 

Well done, Bruce and Patrick, in attributing the number to a particular serviceman.

Edited May 13, 2022 by druxey

[Howard_And_Olivia]

14 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

Yes, "patent models" were once required to be submitted with every patent application. The US Patent and Trademark Office had warehouses full of them going back to the beginning of the government. They eventually dropped the physical model requirement and back in the 1970's or so, as I recall, they cleaned house, retaining some of the historically remarkable ones, which went to the Smithsonian, which once exhibited Abraham Lincoln's patent model for his "Improved Method of Bouying Vessels Over Shoals." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln's_patent

 

 

The rest of the old Patent Office models were sold off to the public and snatched up by antique dealers, finding their way via the retail market to bookshelves and mantles as decorator pieces. I once had a patent attorney colleague who decorated his large patent law firm's offices with them. This could very well be an old Patent Office Model. The models had to depict the invention that was sought to be patented, so they were often partial models with the focus on the patentable aspect of the thing. In this instance, there may have been something inside the model hull that was the focus of the invention and somebody who wanted the hull pulled that out with the intention of building something else inside the hull, but never got around to it. 

 

 

Thanks, Bob. I did a quick research and found patent 19,693 (Joseph Francis);URL links below.

Guessing from the 19083 vs 19693 (610 difference), I suppose they are likely from the same year?

 

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_844264

[Bob Cleek]

1 hour ago, Howard_And_Olivia said:

Thanks, Bob. I did a quick research and found patent 19,693 (Joseph Francis);URL links below.

Guessing from the 19083 vs 19693 (610 difference), I suppose they are likely from the same year?

Quite possible, for sure. The US Patent and Trademark Office has an extensive patent research engine on its website, although I've never figured out exactly how to use it efficiently. I ran a general search for the number and got nothing. That doesn't mean it isn't there. There were many, many maritime patents, and lots and lots of "also rans" that never came to anything. Some are quite entertaining, If you take the time to wade through all the hits for "lifeboat," etc., you may be able to find the patent application that matches this model. Good luck!

Edited May 13, 2022 by Bob Cleek

[Roger Pellett]

I tried to look it up on the US Patent Office ‘s website too.  I noticed that US patent numbers are prefixed with the letters US.   Is it possible that the prefix F means that it is a French patent.

 

I like Bob’s idea that the patentable feature has been removed from the hull.  That would account for the non prototypical hull framing.

 

Roger

[catopower]

A double-ender like that looks to me like a lifeboat. I tend to agree with John (Jim Lad) that the number looks like a museum catalog number, and I think this would be the most likely possibility.

 

I agree it's a very nice model.

 

Interior? Over the ages things  like that have habit of disappearing. Perhaps someone thought they would repair it, but it never happened (can't say that's never happened to me...).

[Howard_And_Olivia]

8 hours ago, catopower said:

A double-ender like that looks to me like a lifeboat. I tend to agree with John (Jim Lad) that the number looks like a museum catalog number, and I think this would be the most likely possibility.

 

I agree it's a very nice model.

 

Interior? Over the ages things  like that have habit of disappearing. Perhaps someone thought they would repair it, but it never happened (can't say that's never happened to me...).

 

Thanks, Clare. From the look of the wood, does it appear to be in the mid 1800? or early 1900?

Also, is there a searchable database for the museum catalog number on the internet?

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Howard and Olivia

[catopower]

Hi Howard and Ollivia,

 

Sorry, I wouldn't know how to tell from the age of the wood. I would just be guessing.

 

As far as museum accession numbers, each museum would have it's own set of numbers, and you'd probably have to check with each museum individually about the availability of a searchable database. If it is a former museum model, I have no idea how you would determine which museum it might have come from.

[Roger Pellett]

Another thought:  Lifeboats were specialized craft intended to safely carry large numbers of frightened  people who were not trained seamen.  A major problem and loss of life was caused by the difficulty of releasing the tackles used to lower these heavy boats once they had been lowered into the sea.

 

There were in the early 1900’s a number patents granted for systems to more easily and safely release the boats from these tackles.

 

It is, therefore possible, that it was the release mechanism not the boat itself that was submitted for a patent.  Once the patent was granted or denied the mechanism was removed.  That would explain the framing and lack of interior detail.  Look for holes in the stem and sternposts on the inside of the boat.

 

Roger

[catopower]

I'm curious about the use of the word "patent". Could the word just be used to show that the actual lifeboat was of a patented design, which might suggest that some serious thought was put into its design? I've seen the term used for in reference to a particular type of windlass. It seemed that it was kind of a selling point of the item.

[Howard_And_Olivia]

20 hours ago, catopower said:

I'm curious about the use of the word "patent". Could the word just be used to show that the actual lifeboat was of a patented design, which might suggest that some serious thought was put into its design? I've seen the term used for in reference to a particular type of windlass. It seemed that it was kind of a selling point of the item.

 

That's a great point, Clare. I did a search on US patent for that number, however, it appears it's for Mowing Machine (See image attached)

[Howard_And_Olivia]

22 hours ago, Roger Pellett said:

Another thought:  Lifeboats were specialized craft intended to safely carry large numbers of frightened  people who were not trained seamen.  A major problem and loss of life was caused by the difficulty of releasing the tackles used to lower these heavy boats once they had been lowered into the sea.

 

There were in the early 1900’s a number patents granted for systems to more easily and safely release the boats from these tackles.

 

It is, therefore possible, that it was the release mechanism not the boat itself that was submitted for a patent.  Once the patent was granted or denied the mechanism was removed.  That would explain the framing and lack of interior detail.  Look for holes in the stem and sternposts on the inside of the boat.

 

Roger

 

That's a great point, Roger. I did a search on US patent for that number, however, it appears it's for Mowing Machine (See image attached).

I will take a look when I am there, and see if there are holes in the stem and stern posts.

Edited May 15, 2022 by Howard_And_Olivia
Added Photo