A Raft-Deck Life-Saver 



In a disaster at sea a detachable 

 upper deck slips over the side of 

 the ship and becomes a giant raft 



A GIGANTIC raft capable of holding 

 all the passengers and crew at one 

 time, is the newest life-saving inven- 

 tion of Nathan Rubenstein of New York. 

 It consists of a number of wooden sections 

 joined together and mounted on airtight 

 pontoons set down on the uppermost rear 

 deck of the vessel. When not in use as 

 a raft it forms an integral part of the 

 ship and is used as a promenade deck. 



When a vessel has received its death 

 wound and lists dangerously over to either 



In less time than it would take to 

 man and lavmch a single lifeboat, 

 the raft is floated with all on board 



raft is equipped with small 

 cabins for food and with a com- 

 plete wireless telegraph outfit. 



The evident advantages of a 

 raft of this type are comprised 

 in the fact that it saves life 

 wholesale and is launched and manned with 

 all on board in less time than would be 

 required for one of the twenty or thirty 

 conventional life-boats that are usually 

 carried. The fact that it takes up no 

 space that might be used for other purposes 

 is also an advantage, and its wireless out- 

 fit is perhaps 

 its trump 

 card. 



Against 



Guard rai! 



„ ^J°P^ Roirers 



Rack bar 



Raft section 



Floals 



Raft -tilting 



I yy^.^^.^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ 



Diagram showing the launching ways cm which 

 the floatable deck is mounted on the vessel 



side, the raft is 

 merely released 

 from its moor- 

 ings so that it 

 can slide over 

 the lower rail 

 into the water. 

 When it has 

 been launched 

 successfully, 

 the passengers 

 slide down to 

 it in canvas 

 bags or on 

 ropes and sus- 

 pended seats 

 like breeches 

 buoys. The 



The deck-raft as it appears ordinarily on an ocean liner. 

 It is used as a promenade for the ship's passengers 



these advan- 

 tages it is wise 

 to consider the 

 fact that such 

 a raft places 

 the passengers 

 and crew in the 

 position of the 

 eggs which the 

 old woman car- 

 ried all in one 

 basket. It is a 

 case of all be- 

 ing saved or 

 none. Again, 

 due to its great 

 size, it is liable 

 to be damaged 

 or to capsize 

 in launching, 

 or to be torn 

 from its moor- 



850 



