US2384981A - Boat - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 18, 1945. D A, WALLACE BOAT Filed Jan. 20, 1944 i/g/u-fl,

ATTORNEYS.r

INVENTOR KIZ/ ZZ/46e NRV AAM Sept. 18, 1945. D. A. WALLACE 2,384,981

BOAT

Filed Jan. 20, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Sept' 18, 1945- D. A. WALLACE 2,384,981

BOAT

Filed Jan. 20, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 18, 1945 BOAT Davia A. Wallace, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application January 2'0, 1944, Serial No. 518,947

36 Claims.

Ving the boats over dry land. Since a most convenient way of transport is by rail, it is highly desirable, if not imperative, to make them of a size to fit railway freight or flat cars. Accordine,r to the present invention, boats are made in sections in width comparable to that of a ilat car and are assembled at the body of water in which they are to iioat.

Another aspect of the present application is concerned with the shaping and arrangement of a power boat, such as a tug for moving large barges. The tug or power boat should be easily maneuvered and steered and should be capable of being run ih both directions. The present invention provides a mode of accomplishing these purposes.

The two aspects of the invention' are closely related in that the power boat or tug arranged for easy steering and maneuvering as contemplated herein may be most conveniently manufactured in sections.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved boat made in sections. This makes possible an easy transport of the boat by rail or by any other system limiting dimensions of objects transported.

Another object is the provision of improvements in the joining of boat sections and the securing means therefor. When a boat is made in parts, it is desirable that the parts be easily assembled and disassembled, and the joints and securing means are important items for achieving this end. Furthermore, it is necessary and desirable that the portions of the sections at which the sections are joined be well protected.

A further object is to provide a tug or power boat capable of easy steering and maneuvering. This involves a special shaping of the boat and arrangement of the parts. It is carried out ad- Ivantageously with a boat having two propellers.

` It has been discovered that a power boat arranged as contemplated in the invention of the present application for easy control is of such a shape that it is most convenient to make the boat in sections.

Other objects will appear from the disclosure.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the boat of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the boat;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the boat, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective exploded view of the boat;

Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 8 are sectional views taken on the lines 5 5, 6 6, 'l-l, and 8-8`of Fig. 2;

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views taken on the lines 9-9 and' Ill-I 0 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a view showing sections of the boat of the present invention mounted on railway flat cars; and

Fig. 12 is an end view showing a modified form of boat.

The reference character 20 designates the novel boat of the present invention. The boat 20 has a hull formed of a right-hand pontoon section 2|, a left-hand pontoon section 22, a right-hand tractor section 23, and a left-hand tractor section 24. They are best seen individually in the exploded view of Fig. 4. As seen in Fig. 7, each pontoon section is formed of an inner side sheet 25, an outer side sheet 26, a top sheet 21, and a bottom sheet 28 curved upwardly at its front portion to meet the top sheet 2l. 'Ihe sheets are joined to one another by a top-inner angle member 29, a top outer angle member 30, a bottom inner angle member 3l, and a bottom outer angle member 32. The angle members are joined to the 'sheets by welding or riveting, as may be desirable. The forward portions of the lower angle members 3l and 32 are curved in conformance with the bottom sheet 28. Each pontoon section has a rear sheet 33 joined to the other sheets of the section by angle members of which only a top rear angle member 34 and outer side angle member 35 are shown. The angle member 34 is secured to a reinforcing sheet 36 attached to the rear sheet 33 for a purpose to be described presently. The pontoon sections 2i and 22 are Water-tight and serve to buoy up the tractor sections 23 and 24, which would sink orl tip over otherwise. Each pontoon section has secured thereto attaching angle pieces 31 and 38 at the top 2l, 39 at the rear 33, and 40 at the curved forward portion of the bottom 28. The pontoon sections 2| and 22 are juxtaposed, as shown in Fig. 7, with a bottom spacer board 4| (Figs. 7,

8 and 9), rear spacer board 42 (Fig. 9) and a plurality of short top spacer boards 43 (Fig. 9) between the pontoon sections. Bolts 44 between the angle pieces hold the sections together. The space between the sections is filled by an easily fusible sealing mass 45, such as a tar compound or an asphalt compound, which will seall the space between the pontoon sections and protect them. The pontoon sections are assembled by a novel process kthat involves securing the sections in slightly spaced relation by means of the bolts 44 and the spacer boards 4|, 42 and 43 and introducing the sealing mass 45 in molten condition into the space between the pontoon sections through spaces between the top spacer boards 43. The bottom spacer board 4| and the end spacer board 42 prevent the sealing mass 45 from owing out from between the pontoon sections until it can harden. The pontoon sections 2| and 22 are also held together by channel members 46 extending across the fronts of the sections adjacent the top thereof. The channel members 46 are secured to the pontoon sections by bolts 41 attached to the sections. A prow member 48 is provided as shown in Figs. l and 2. As shown in Figs. 2 and 8 it is hollow and is formed of sheet metal. It covers the attaching angle pieces 40 and their joining bolts 44 at the curved front portions of the pontoon sections-and is secured by angle pieces 49 and bolts 50 to the curved front portions. To the tops 21 of the pontoon sections are secured curved members lwhich abut one another in assembled position of the pontoon sections so as to form a splash guard. Within each pontoon section is a gas tank 52 supported on channel members 53 extending between the side sheets 25 and 26.

Each of the tractor sections 23 and 24 is formed at a forward portion, as shown in Fig. 6, of a top sheet 54, an inner side sheet 55, an outer side sheet 56, and a bottom sheet 51. The sheets are joined by angle members 58 secured to the sheets by riveting or welding. The top sheet 54 has an opening 59, which provides access to the interior of the tractor section, and which is closed by a cover 60. The top sheet 54 extends the full length of the tractor section, as shown in Fig. 4. The side sheets 55l and 56 extend the full length of the tractor section only at their upper portions so that they are shallow at their rear parts as indicated at 6| and 82 anddeep at their front parts as indicated at 53 and 64. Curved and streamlined sheets 64a are joined by welding to the rear edges of the front parts 63 and 64. The rear part of each tractor section is shallower than the front part, as is evident from a comparison of Figs. 5 and 6, and at this part a bottom sheet 65 is provided, which is curved at its front edge to conform to the curvature of the sheet 64a and is joined thereto by welding. Angle members 66 secure the rear parts 6| and 62 of the side sheets 55 and 56 to the bottom sheet 65. The rear end of each tractor section is closed by an end sheet 61 secured to the sheets 54, 55, 56 and 65 by angle members not shown. The front end of each tractor section is closed by an end sheet 68 secured to the side sheets 55 by an angle member 69 and to the top sheet 54 by an angle member 10 secured to a reinforcing plate 1| attached to the end sheet 68 by welding or riveting. Similar angle members, not shown, join the end sheet 68 to the sheets 55 and 51. The tractor sections 23 and 24 are made water-tight.

The tractor sections are secured to the pontally as a hawser guide.

toon sections 2| and 22 by bolts 12 and nuts 13, as shown in Figs. 1 and 10. The bolts pass through holes 14 in the pontoon sections and holes 15 in the tractor sections arranged in pairs near the corners of the sections as shown for the holes 14 in Fig. 4. The tractor section 23 is secured in slightly spaced relation to the pontoon section 2|, and the tractor section 24, to the pontoon section 22, by spacer boards similar to those between the pontoon sections. Fig. 9 shows a side spacer board 16 between tractor section 24 and pontoon section 22, and Fig. 10 shows one of a series of short spacer boards 11 between the same sections at the top. An easily fusible sealing mass is applied in the space between each tractor section and the corresponding pontoon section in the same manner and for the same purpose as it is applied between the pontoon sections. The bolts 12 are suitably sealed at the openings 14 and 15 against leaka.

The outer sides of the tractor sections are generally aligned with those of the pontoon sections, and, since the tractor sections are slightly narrower than the pontoon sections, there is formed between the tractor sections a slot 18 extending from the rear of the boat |0 and terminating at the pontoon sections. 'I'he securement of the pontoon sections to one another and the securement of the tractor sections to the pontoon sections tends to maintain the tractor sections in spaced relation, and this tendency is insured by positive means acting directly between the tractor sections. Horizontal angle pieces 19 are secured to inner side faces 55 of the tractor sections nearthe top thereof, and straight pieces of a length equal to the width of the space 18 are secured to the angle pieces 19 by bolts 8|. Planking 82 is laid across the straight pieces 80. Vertical angle members 83 are secured to the inner sheets 55 at the rear edges, and a vertical plate 84 of a width of the slot 18 extends across them and is secured thereto by bolts 85. A U-shaped channel 88 is secured by its ends to the outer sheets 56 of the tractor sections and at mid regions to short channels 81 secured to the inner sheets 55. The main portion of the U-shaped channel 86 is spaced rearwardly of the rear end sheets 61 of the tractor sections and is rearward of rudders 88 and propellers 89, serving as a guard for them. A U-shaped structure 90 formed of pipe sections 9| and 92, elbows 93, and flanges 94, is secured by its ends to the top sheets 54 of the tractor sections and extends upwardly therefrom. This structure is adapted to serve inciden- All these means just described insure the maintenance of the slot 18 between tractor sections.

Each tractor section carries an engine 95, supported on channels 96, supported in turn on a channel 91 secured to the front sheet 68 and on a channel 98 secured to the curved back sheet 64a. A drive shaft 99 extends from the engine through the curved back sheet 84a and carries the propeller 89. The shaft 99 is supported in a bearing |00 mounted on the sheet 64a and in a bearing bracket |0| depending from the bottom sheet 65. At each inner side sheet 55 in the slot i 18 is a cooling conduit |02 in serpentine form connected by lines |03 and |04 with each engine 95.r The engine for the tractor section 24 receives gas from the gas tank 52 in the pontoon section 22 by a gas line |05 passing from'the pontoon section 22 to the tractor section 24 lengthwise through a bolt 12 joining these sections, as shown in Fig. 10. Another gas line |05 passes similarly from pontoon section 2| to tractor section 23,

Rearwardly and upwardly inclined angle members |05 are secured to the inner side face 55 of the tractor sections, and a board |01 of a width of the space 18 is secured to the under sides of the angle members I 08, as shown in Fig. 9.

In operation of the boat I both propellers are driven in the same or in opposite directions to propel the boat forwardly or rearwardly through the water. A column of water is produced in the slot 18 that may reach a level indicated by the dash-dot line |08, well above the level of the water in which the boat oats as indicated by the dash-dot line |09. The body `or column of Water so produced swirls and moves sufficiently so as to act as a sort of guide to the boat, for it resists transverse bodily displacement. The inclined board |01 provides an upwardly and rearwardly inclined end of the slot 18 that enables the Water to pass more easily into the slot and to reach its higher level. 'I'he aforesaid body of water in the slot serves as a guide whether the boat is propelled forwardly or rearwardly and supplements the action ofthe rudders 88. It is of particular advantage when the boat is moving rearwardly for the boat would normally be very difficult to steer. It is important that portions of the tractor sections 23 and 24 extend, over the propellers 89 in order that the water set in motion by the propellers may be forced up into the slot 18.

As seen in Fig. 9, the under surface portion of the pontoon sections in line'with the slot 18 is definitely below the line |09 indicating the normal water level. This aids in the production of an elevated body of water in the slot. As is seen from Figs. 4 and '1, the aforesaid under surface portion is denitely below the normal water level, because the under surface extends in generally unbroken fashion crosswise of the boat or any one transverse section is at the same level.

The shallow portions 62 of the outer sheets 55 carry depending side boards IIO, which are of advantage, when the water is rough, or` the boat is being turned, in preventing air from being carried into the propellers from the sides of the boat. 'I'his would interfere with the formation of a body of Water of satisfactory height in the slot 18. Inner boards IIOa depend from the inner sheets 55 and prevent air from being carried to the propellers from between the tractor sections 2l.

Fig. 12 is a rear end view of the boat, showing a modified form of a rear portion I II of the boat extending over the propellers 89. It may be desirable to have these propellers large for the provision of sufficient propelling force, and large propellers might have to be place quite low under a ilat rear portion. Consequently, the rear portions I II present curved bottoms I2, which are alongside the propellers at the edges. This arrangement positively insures that the propellers operate in the water without and provide a good column of water in the slot 18. 1

'I'he boat I0 is provided with an operators station |I3 positioned over the planking 82 covering the slot 18. 'I'he station ||3 includes a wheel I I4 jointly controlling both rudders 88 by a cable I I5 passing over pulleys ||6 and II1. The stationis also to carry controls, not shownl for the engines 95.

A railing I8 extends around the tractor section 23 and 24.

As has been previously stated, the propellers 89 produce the body of water of increased height in the slot 18, whether they are run in the same direction or in opposite directions. It is of advantage that the propellers may be run in the same direction, for then the 'propeller and engine of one tractor section are interchangeable with those of the other tractor section, and the problem of replacement of parts is simplified.

The boat I0 may be used as a tug to pull or push a barge or other boat. Fig. 2 shows hitch structure II8 by which the boat I0 is connected to abarge |20.v

The boat I0 is made in sections so that it may be easily transported by rail. Each section is of a width that will enable it to be carried on a railway ilat car. Fig. 11 shows a tractor section secured to a fiat car I2| and connected tractor and pontoon sections secured to an adjacent flat car |22. Thus it will be seen that the sections may be transported by rail either singly or in pairs of I pontoons and tractor sections. When the sections are to be so transported after they have been aS- sembled into a completed boat, they are separated easily by melting out of the sealing masses between them and removal of the attaching parts. Lifting members |23 secured to the sections facilitate lifting the sections to and from flat cars.

Iclaim:

l. A power boat comprising a hull having a part of considerable width and a pair of vsections formed separately from one another and from the part and being of a small width less than half of the Width of the part, and means securing the sections to the part in spaced opp to resist bodily lateral displacement.

v2. A power boat comprising a hull having a. part of considerable width and a pair of sections formed separately from one another and from the part and being of a small width less than half of the width of the part, and means securing the sections to the part in spaced opposed relation to one another so as to cause a slot to be formed between the sections extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end formed by the part, and power units mounted in the sections for moving the boat through the water.

3. A power boat comprising a, hull having a part of considerable width and a pair of sections formed separately from one another and from the part and being shallow at one end and deep at the other end and of a small width less than half of the width of the part, and means securing the sections to the part in spaced opposed relation to one another so as to cause the deep ends of the sections to be adjacent the part and the shallow ends to be spaced from the part and to cause a slot to be formed between the sections extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end formed by the part, power units positioned in the deep ends of the sections, and moving parts driven by the power units and positioned beneath the shallow ends of the sections for producing in the slot a body of water swirling and moving sufficiently to resist bodily lateral displacement.

4. A power boat comprising a pair of pontoon sections secured to one another, a pair of tractor sections each having a width less than half of the combined width of the pontoon sections, means securing to the pontoon sections the tractor sections in spaced opposed relation to one another so as to cause a slot to be formed between the tractor sections extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end formed by `the pontoon sections, power means carried in the tractor sections, and moving parts driven by the power means and positioned beneath the tractor sections so as to engage the water in which the boat floats for producing in the slot a body of water swirling and moving sufliciently to resist transverse-bodily displacement. v

5. A power boat comprising a pair of pontoon sections secured to one another, a pair of tractor sections each having a Width less than half of the combined width of the pontoon sections and a large depth adjacent one end equal to the depth of the pontoon sections and a small depth adjacent the other end appreciably less than the large depth of ther one end, means securing to the pontoon sections the tractor sections in spaced opposed 'relation to one another with the ends of large depth adjacent the pontoon sections so as to cause the ends of the tractor sections of small depth to be at one end of the hull and a slot to be formed between the tractor sections extending from the said one end of the hull and terminating in an end formed by the pontoon sections, power units mounted in the ends of the tractor sections of large depth, and moving parts driven by the power units and positioned beneath the ends of the tractor sections of small depth so as to engage the water in which the boat floats for producing in the slot a body of water swirling and moving sufficiently to resist transverse bodily displacement.

6. A power boat comprising a pair of pontoon sections secured to one another, a pair of tractor sections each having a width less than half of the combined width of the pontoon sections and a large depth adjacent one end equal to the depth of the pontoon sections and a small depth adjacent the other end appreciably less than the large depth of the one end, means securing to the pontoon sections the tractor sections in spaced opsections, power units mounted in the ends `of the tractor sections of large depth, containers of fuel for the power units mounted in the pontoon sections, fuel lines extending from the containers 'through the bolts to the power units, and moving parts driven by the power units and positioned beneath the ends of the tractor sections of small depth so as to engage the water in which the boat floats for producing in the slot a body of Water resisting bodily lateral displacement of the boat.

8. A power boat comprising a pontoon section, a fuel container positioned in the pontoon section, a tractor section. Power means mounted in the tractor section for moving the boat through the water, means securing the sections together and including a bolt, and a fuel line extending from the fuel container through the bolt to the power means.

9. A hull for a power boat comprising two pontoon sections, means securing the pontoon sections together in a side-by-side relation of immediate adjacency, two tractor sections, and means securing to the ends of the pontoon sections the tractor sections in spaced side-by-side relation to one another for causing a slot to be formed only between the tractor sections.

10. A hull for a power boat comprising a pair of pontoon sections each having a flat vertical rear, a fiat horizontal top, and a curved portion merging the rfront and the bottom, means securing the pontoon sections to one another in sideby-side relation, said means including angle members attached to the exteriors of the pontoon sections at the tops, rears, and curved portions and elements interconnecting the angle members, tractor sections for propelling the boat having fiat vertical fronts, and means securing the tractor sections to the pontoon sections with the fronts of the former in engagement with the rears of the latter, said means including bolts posed relation to one another with the ends of f large depth adjacent the pontoon sections so as to cause the ends of the tractor sections of small depth to be at one end of the hull and a slot to be formed between the tractor sections extending from the said one end of the null and terminating in an end formed by the pontoon sections, power units mounted in the ends of the tractor sections of large depth, containers of fuel for the power units mounted in the pontoon sections, and moving parts driven by the power units and positioned beneath the ends of the tractor sections of small depth so as to engage the water in which the boat floats for producing in the slot a body of water resisting bodily lateral displacement.

7. A power boat comprising a pair of pontoon sections secured to one another, a pair of tractor sections each having a width less than half of the combined width of the pontoon sections and passing through the said fronts and rears.

11. A hull as specified in claim 10, the means securing the pontoon sections further including channelv members extending across the front thereof adjacent the top.

12. A hull as specified in claim 10 and further comprising a hollow narrow prow secured to the curved portions of the pontoon sections and covering the angle members attached to the curved portions.

13. A hull for a power boat comprising a pair of pontoon ,sectionsy each having a flat vertical rear, a nat horizontal top, and a curved portion merging the front and the bottom, means securing the pontoon sections to one another in sideby-side relation, said means including angle members attached to the exteriors of the pontoon sections at the tops, rears, and curved portions and elements interconnecting the angle members, tractor sections for propelling the boat having flat vertical fronts, means securing the tractor sections to the pontoon sections with the fronts of the former in engagement with the rears of the latter and with the tractor sections in spaced side-by-side relation so as to form a slot extendling from the rear of the boat and having the tractor sections as its sides and the pontoon sections as its end, said securing means including bolts passing through the fronts of the tractor sections and the rears of the pontoon sections, and means holding the tractor sections in spaced relation and including horizontally extending angle members attached to the tractor sections along the slot just below the tops of the tractor sections, horizontal pieces extending across the slot and contacting the angle members, and fasteners connecting the pieces to the angle members.

14. A hull for a power boat comprising a pair of pontoon sections each having a flat vertical rear, a flat horizontal top,y and a curved portion merging the front and the bottom, means securing the pontoon sections to one another in side-by-side relation, said means including angle members attached to the exteriors of the pontoon sections at the tops, rears, and curved portions and elements interconnecting the angle members, tractor sections for propelling the boat having at vertical fronts, means securing the tractor sections tothe pontoon sections with the fronts of the former in engagement with the rears of the latter and with the tractor sections in spaced side-by-side relation so as to iorm a slot extending from the rear of the boat and having the tractor sections as its sides and the pontoon sections as its end, said securing means including bolts passing through the fronts of the tractor sections and the rears of the pontoonsec'- tions, propellers and rudders connected to the tractor sections for propelling and steering the boat, means including a. cable for controlling the rudders jointly, and means for holding the tractor sections in spaced relation, said holding means including horizontally extending angle members attached to the tractor sections along the slot just below the tops of the tractor sections, horizontal pieces extending across the slot and contacting the angle members, fasteners connecting the pieces to the angle members, vertically extending angle members attached to the tractor sections adjacent the rears and tops thereof, a vertical plate extending across the slot, fasteners connecting the plate to the angle members, a U-shaped hawser guide attached by its ends to the tops of the tractor sectlonsand extending upwardly therefrom and across the slot, and a U-shaped bumper connected by its ends to the rear outer regions of the tractor sections and extending horizontally rearwardly therefrom to protect the propeller and rudders.

15. A power boat comprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end at a region intermediate the ends thereof, the end of the slot sloping toward the said one end of the hull in an upward direction so as to be less spaced from the said one end of the hull at the top of the hull than at--the bottom thereof, and power-driven means including moving parts engaging water in which the boat floats to move the boat through the water and being positioned at opposite sides of the slot so as to cooperate with the sloping end of the slot to produce in the slot a body of water resisting bodily lateral displacement of the boat.

16. A power boat comprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end at a region intermediate the ends thereof, power-driven means in-v cluding moving parts positioned beneath portions of the hull at opposite sides of the slot so as to engage the water in which the boat floats for moving the boat through the water and to cause a body of water in the slot to serve as a rudder to the boat, and means providing the end of the slot with a surface sloping toward the said one end of the hull in an upward direction for cooperating with the moving parts to cause the body of water in the Vslot to resist bodily lateral displacement oi' the boat.

17. A hull comprising a pair of sections, means securing the sections to one another with adjacent portions in spaced relation, and fusible sealing material filling the space between the sections for protecting the adjacent portions and supplementing the securing means in holding the sections together. y

18. A hull comprising a pair of pontoon sections, a pair of tractor sections, means securing the pontoon sections to one another with adiacent portions in spaced relation, means securing one tractor section to one pontoon section with adjacent parts in spaced relation, Ameans securing the other tractor section to the other pontoon section with adjacent parts in spaced relation, fusible sealing material filling the spaces between Aadjacent portions of the pontoon sections and adjacent portions of the tractor sections and the pontoon sections for protecting the adjacent portions and supplementing the securing means in holding the parts together. i

19. A hull comprising a pair of sections juxtaposed with adjacent portions in spaced relations. spacing strips between the adjacent portions at the front, bottom, and rear of the sections, me-

'chanical parts securing the sections together at the mechanical parts, and a fusible sealing material positioned between the adjacent spaced portions of the sections for protecting the adjacent spaced portions and supplementing the securing action of the mechanical parts.

20. The hull specified in claim 19 and further including a spacing part located between the adjacent spaced portions of the sections at the top thereof. v

21, A hull comprising a pair of pontoon sec- 40 tions juxtaposed with adjacent portions in spaced relation, a pair of tractor sections, one tractor section being next to one pontoon section with adjacent portions in spaced relation, the other tractor section being next to the other pontoon section with adjacent portions in spaced relation, strips between the adjacent spaced portions of the pontoon sections, along the front, rear, and bottom, between adjacent spaced portions of the one tractor section and the one pontoon section along the sides and bottom, and between the adjacent spaced portions of the other tractor section and the other pontoon section, mechanical parts securing the sections together, and fusible sealing material positioned between the adjacent spaced portions of the sections for protecting these portions and supplementing the securing action of the mechanical parts.

22. The hull specified in claim 21 and further including spacing parts between the various adjacent spaced portions of the sections at the tops thereof.

23. A power fboat comprising a hull formed of a pair of pontoon sections secured to one another in side-by-side relation and a pair of tractor sections secured end to end to the pontoon sections in spaced relation so as to form a vertical slot between them, power units carried by the tractor sections for moving the boat through the water, and a control station for the power units bridging the vertical slot.

24. A power boat comprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end at a region between the ends, power plant means positioned in the hull, cooling means for the power-plant means positioned in the slot so as to be adapted to have heat-exchange contact with the water in which the boat floats, and moving members driven by the power plant means and positioned beneath the hull and on opposite sides of the slot so as to engage the water in which the boat floats for moving the boat through the water and causing the water in the slot to resist bodily lateral movement of the boat. A

25. A power boat comprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in |an end at a region between the ends, power units positioned in the hull at opposite sides of the slt, cooling conduits for the power units positioned at the sides of the slot so as to be adapted to have heat-exchange contact with the water in which the boat oats, and moving members driven by the power units and positioned beneath the hull and on opposite sides of the slot soas to engage the water in which the boat oats for moving the boat through the water and causing the watery in the slot to resist -bodily lateral movement of the b'oat.

26. A power boat comprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end at a region between the ends, each of the portions of the hull opposite the vertical slot having a shallow region at and vadjacent; the said one end of the hull and a deep region at and adjacent the end of the slot, the end of the deep region joining the shallow region having a curved vertical surface streamlining the deep region, power units positioned in the deep regions, drive shafts projecting from the power units through the streamlined ends of the deep regions to below the shallow regions, and propellers on the drive shafts below the shallow regions driven by the power units through the drive shafts so as to propel the boat through the water.

27. A power boat comprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull yand terminating in an end at a region between the ends, yeach of the portions of the hull opposite the vertical slot having a shallow region at and adjacent the said one end of the hull and a deep region at and adjacent the end of the slot, the end of the deep region joining the shallow region having -a curved vertical surface streamlining the deep region, power units positioned in the deep regions, drive shafts projecting from the power units through the streamlined ends of the deep regions to below the shallow regions, propellers on the drive shafts below the shallow regions driven by the power units through the drive shafts so as to propel the boat through the water, and plates projecting downwardly from the outer sides of the shallow regions of the hull portionsat opposite sides of the slot for preventing air from reaching the propeller from the said outer sides.

28. A power` boat comprisingA a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end at a region between the ends, each of the portions of the hull opposite the vertical slot having a shallowI region at and adjacent the said one end of the hull and a deep region at and adjacent the end of the slot. power units positioned in the deep regions, propellers driven by the power units and positioned below the shallow regions so as to propel the'boat through the water in which the boat floats and to cause water in the vertical slot' to resist bodily lateral movementof the boat, and plates projecting downwardly from the outer sides of the shallow regions of the hull portions at opposite sides of the slot for preventing air from reaching the propellers from the said outer sides.

29. A power -boat comprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end at a region between the ends, propellers positioned below the hull at opposite sides of the vertical slot for moving the boat throughr the water in which it iloats and causing the water in the slot to resist bodily lat- -eral movement of the boat, and plates projecting downwardly from the outer sides of the hull portions at opposite sides of the slot for preventing air from reaching the propeller from the said outer sides.

30. A hull for a power lboat adapted for transport over railways, said hull comprising a pair of pontoon sections, means detachably attaching the pontoon sections in side-by-side relation, a pair of tractor sections of less width than that of the pontoon sections, Iand means detachably attaching the tractor sections to the pontoon sections in end-to-end relation so as to provide a vertical slot between the tractor sections, the sections being of a width comparable to that of a railway car and being thereby enabled to be transported over railways completely detached from one another or with a pontoon section attached to a tractor section.

31. A power boat comprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end at a region intermediate the ends of the hull, the slot dividing the rear end of the boat into two portions, powerdriven means including moving parts positioned beneath the said two portions of the hull at opposite sides of the slot so as to engage the water in which the boat floats for moving the boat through the water and for causing a body of water in the slot to resist bodily lateral movement of the boat, the bottoms of the said two portions of the hull being concave so as to cause these two portions to depend at the sides of the moving parts of the power-driven means for insuring that the body of water in the slot resist bodily lateral movement of the boat.

32. A power boat ycomprising a hull having a vertical slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating in an end at a region between the ends, each of the portions of the hull opposite the vertical slot having a shallow region at and adjacent the said one end of the hull and a deep region at and adjacent the endof the slot, power units positioned in the deep regions, propellers driven by the power units and positioned below the shallow regions so as to propel the boat through the water in which the boat floats and to cause water in the vertical slot to resist bodily lateral movement of the boat, and plates projecting downwardly from the outer and inner sides of the shallow regions of the hull portions at oppositesides of the slot.

33. A power boat comprising a hull having a slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating at a region intermediate the ends thereof, and power-driven means including moving parts engaging the water between the end of thev slot and the said one end of the hull for producing in the slot a body of water swirling and moving suiiiciently to resist lateral bodily displacement and having a level higher than that of the water in which the boat floats, the portion of the hull between the end of the slot and the other end of the hull having an under surface extending in generally unbroken fashion crosswise of the boat so as to provide in line with the slot and between the end thereof and the said other end of the hull an under surface section below the water level for assisting the power-driven means in raising the level of the body of water in the slot.

34. A power boat comprising a hull having a slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating at a region intermediate. the ends thereof and power-driven means including moving parts positioned below the portion of the boat at opposite sides of the slot for engaging water in which the boat oats to move the boat through the water and to produce in the slot a. body of water swirling and moving suiciently to resist lateral bodily displacement and having a level higher than that of the water in which the boat oatsy the hull having a rst section in line with the slot and between the end of the slot and the other end of the hull at approximately the same level as other under surface sections between the end of the slot and the said other end of the hull for causing the said rst under surface section to be below the level of the water in which the boat floats for assisting the power-driven means in raising the level of the body of water in the slot.

35. A power boat comprising a hull having a slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating at a region intermediate its ends and having less depth at portions at opposite sides a level higher than that of the water in which the boat floats, the portion of the under surface of the hull in line with the slot and between the end of the slot and the other end' of the hull being so related in level to adjacent portions of the under surface as to be considerably below the level of the water in which the boat floats for assisting the power-driven means in raising the level of the body of water in the slot.

36. A power boat comprising a hull having a slot extending from one end of the hull and terminating at a region intermediate the ends there- .of and having shallow portions at opposite sides of the slot for a part of the way from the said one end of the hull to the end of the slot and deep portions at opposite sides of the slot for the rest of the way to the end of the slot, power units in the deep portions, and moving parts driven by the power units and positioned beneath the shallow portions for engaging water in which the boat oats to move the boat through the water and to produce in the slot a body of water swirling and moving at a. suihcient rate to resist lateral bodily displacement and having a level higher than that of the water in which the boat floats, the under surface of the hull between the end of the slot and the other end of the hull being of a uniform level crosswise of the hull for causing the portion of the under surface in line with the slot and between the end of the slot and the said other end of the boat to be considerably below the level of the water in which the boat floats for assisting the moving parts in raising the level of the body of water in the slot. y DAVDJ A. WALLACE.

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