US2515162A - Boat hull - Google Patents

Description

July 11, 1950 Filed May 21, 1945 M. A. HALL 2,515,162

BOAT HULL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @14 God M- A. ALL

July 1950 5 Sheets- 2 Filed Ma 1945 l Willy/l y 1, 1950 M. A. HALL 2,515,162

BOAT HULL Filed May 21, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 11, 1950 BOAT HULL Marcus A. Hall, Bethany, Conn., assignor to Steelcraft Boats, Incorporated, a corporation of Connecticut Application May 21, 1945, Serial No."59'4,831'

12 Claims.

1 This invention relates to boat hulls, and more particularly to boat hulls constructed of metal, such as steel. The invention also relates more particularly to the hull structure of a boat of the speedboattype, but the invention is not limited to that particular application.

One Of the objects is to provide an improved metal hull structure.

Another object is to provide 'astrong light-- weight hull which is cheap to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a strong hull comprising, principally, plates of relatively light gauge metal, the plates *being of a minimum number.

Another object is to provide an improved hull structure in which the hull is formed of plates welded together by continuous welds, the joint formation being such as to give the hull great strength.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a boat hull embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8' are respectively sections on lines 33, 4-4, 5-5', 6-6; 1- and 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the lower part of the hull on a larger scale, taken adjacent the section line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is similarsection taken adjacent the section line 55;

Fig. 11 is a. similar section taken adjacent the section line 66;

Fig. 12 is a similar section taken adjacent the section line 1'l; I

Fig. 13 is an enlarged section ofthe chine portion of the hull taken adjacent the section line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 14 is a similar 'section taken adjacent the section line 5-5;

Fig. 15 is a similar section taken along the section line l5l5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 16 is a similar section taken adjacent the section line 1-'! boat having .a'length of say twenty-six feet, this dimension, however, 'being-.given' =only by way of example. The hull is constructed .for the greater part of steel plate members bent to the required shape and welded together. The hull is shown as equipped with arr-inboard motor, but the boat may, if desired, be driven by an outboard motor. In "general, the hull is characterized by a wide and high body usual in speedboats, the body having a covered deck, and rearwardly of the deck 'an open cockpit. Along the sides of the cockpit in this example are continuations of the forward deck plate;

.In the drawings, transverse-sections of the hull are'shown in-Figs; 3, 4, 5, 6, '7 and 8, the first of these being-taken near the stem, the second and third "through the wide portion of the bow, the

fourth through the forward part of the cockpit, the fifth through a-narrower portion of the cockpit, and the last (Fig.- :8) being taken at a point near the stern. From these, it will be seen that near the'stem the hull ischaracterize'd by a high and narrow shape, generally triangular, widening out into the-shapeof Fig. 4, with a flattening of the bottom. 'In Fig. tithe V of the bottom has further flattened, the side walls are shorter and have less angle tothe vertical. In

" Fig. 6, the bottom is further flattened, andthe side walls are further shortened. In Fig. 7 the side walls are' further shortened and the angles of the" sidewalls come up more nearly to the vertical. 'In' Fig. 8, the angles of the side walls to the vertical are reverse angles as compared to Fig. 7.

The hull comprises essentially a deck plate 20 of metal such" as steel, side plates 2|, a bottom plate 72, and a transom plate 23. The plates referred to (except the-transom plate) may be continuous from stem to stern, that is to say, in one piece, and it is preferred to make them in this way, although they can, if desired, be made up of "sections suitably interconnected end to end 'as by welding. The several main plates are interconnected by means of continuouswelds. It is unnecessary to employ separate rail members. Is is desirable, however, to use a keel strip in the manner hereinafter described. This keel strip preferably extends. from the top of the stem to a point rearwardly of the widest part of the bow, where it terminates. The keel strip is indicated in the drawings at 24. Within that part of the hull which lies rearwardly of the keel strip is a reinforcing member 25 in line with the keel strip suitably attached to the bottom plate 22 and preferably extending from the rear end of therelatively thick metal plate having its rear end abutted against the transom plate and welded 28, these portions or furcations being separated by a space 29 defined by edges converging rearwardly toward a point 30. In constructing the" hull, the bottom plate is bent to the shape shown in the drawings, the furcations 21 being brought into close adjacency, so that they can be welded to the keel strip 24 in the manner shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. The keel strip 24 preferably has a semi-round cross section, being rounded at the lower part and flat at the upper part, and the portions of the bottom plate are welded to the fiat upper face, for which purpose the plate portions are provided with flanges 3 I These flanges 3| lie against the upper face of the strip and have their opposing faces spaced apart at a suit-- I able distance, and in the space between their. opposing faces, welds 32 are placed, one of such welds 32 being at the edge of each plate portion.

Outside welds 33 are also used, these welds 33 being located alongside the curved outer surface of the keel strip and being in locations where the flanges 3| form angles with the bodies of the respective plate portions. hull shown in Fig. 9, the furcations .21 are bent rection of the stern, the angle is decreased. In

the preferred form, the anglegoes' up steeply adjacent the stem to a line such as 34 (Fig. 9) and, from this line, the steepness of the rise is I increased to a slight, extent. The welds 32 and 33 extend rearwardly substantially to the crotch 30 where the keel strip terminates and the inner reinforce 25 begins.

Marginal portions of the furcations 21 have a lapped relation'to the side plate 2|, as shown more particularly in FigsQlS to 17 r inclusive. It

is preferred to have the lower parts of the side plates on the outside and the upper portions of the bottom plate on the inside, there being a substantial overlap, and continuous welds at the edges of the respective plates,'each such weld connecting the edge of the respective plate to the face of the adjacent plate.

between a portion 35 of the side plate and a por- The joint is formed tion 36 of the bottom plate, as appears in Fig. 13, for example, where the continuous edge welds referred to are indicated at 31 and 38. As will be I seen from Figs. 13 to 17 inclusive, the lapped portions of the side plate and the bottom plate bear substantially the same relation to each other at different points in the length of the hull, but the I Fig.16. When the section of Fig. 17 is reached,

the lapping portions have a reverse angle of inclination to the vertical, as compared to Fig. 16.

It will be noted from Figs. 4, 5 and 6 that in In the portion of the 35 upwardly at a relatively steep angle. In the di- I 'wardly of the line 66 and disappears before the section line 1--1 is reached. On referring to Figs. 13 to 17, inclusive, it will be seen that Figs- 13 and 1e show the spray projection or rib at about its gmaximum extent. In Fig. 15 it is disappearing, and in Figs. 16 and 17 it has disappeared.v I

In the boat hull of the invention, the structure is such as to accommodate suitable interior frame members, but the present invention is not concerned with the frame members, if any, and no such members are'shown in the drawings.

One of the important'featuresof the invention is the use of a minimum number of plate members. It will appear from the foregoing that the late members areiof,.a minimum number and of simple form. -FIhey can bereadily interconnected by continuous welds as in the example described. Another advantage arises from the fact that the structure is wellgsuited to building by mass production methods, there being no need of great accuracy and preciseness in locating the edge portions of thepplatesfor the creation of the welds. Nor is it necessary to cut the plates with extreme accuracy It will be noted that the joint between each side plate and the bottom plate is a lap joint andthat thejoint between the bottom plate portion and. the keel strip is also a lap joint. The amount of overlap can vary within rather wide limits without harming the strength and appearance of the structure, and in connection with each lap joint two different welds can be used, tl nis insuringv a very strong structure. It'will be seen by reference to Figs. 9, wand 11 that-the joint between each part of the bottom plate and the keel strip is similar to I the joint of Fig. 13, for example, not only because there isv a lap'in' connection withwhich two welds are used, at difierent points, but because the keel stripprovides an el'e'm'ent in the nature of a flat surfaced plate lapping the .portion of the bottom plate. The weld 33 moreover is at the edge of this element of the natureof a plate. All of the welds referred to are inlocations where welds can be made readily. No joint is necessary in the bottom plate between the crotchand the transom plate. 2;. I i

It will be noted thatthe spray rail; portion of the hull merges into the hull body gradually at the ends of the spray rail. In the spray rail portion of the hull the side plate has a bent portion or flange atthe lower part, and the bottom plate hasa bent portion 'or flange at its upper part, the flanges providing the portions of the respective plates which are lapped, and the thereon. By comparing figs. 13,14 and 15 it will be seen that the lapped joint; the difierent portions of the hull length where the spray rail is providedi's of the same formation and character notwithstanding the different inclinations of the side plate and bottom plate to a vertical plane,.and that the lapped-joint itself is at varying angles to such a plane at different points in its length. It is also noted that in this structure the weld placed at the edge of' a given plate is spaced laterally from the bend in thatpla'te and the bend in the other late.

It is also to be noted that in the keel portion of the hullillustrated in Figs. 9'; 10 and 11, the strength of the hull is-increased at a result of the provision of flanges at the lower ends of the side plates.- These flanges lie flatwise against th'e' u'ppersurface of the heel and "have the same relation to it at diiferent'points in the length of thel'ii'ill, as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the differ-'- ence" at dilfer'ent points inthe hull length being in the angle defined between the flange and the plate body.

In the spray rail portion of the hull the flange provided on the side plate is, in general, in a laterally directed positioniso as to afford good support for the flange of thebottom plate which is superimposed upon it. This is a further factor increasing the strength of the hull and its weightcarrying capacity.

In one aspect of the invention the furcations at the forward portion of the bottom plate are interconnected by welding them by continuous welds to a plate member, this plate member preferably being applied externally as in the case of the keel strip shown in this example.

While only one example of the hull structure is shown in the drawings, it will be understood that the invention can take many other forms and that various modifications and changes in the details can be made without departing from the principles of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A boat hull comprising metal plates interconnected, said hull having at the chine portions side plates and a bottom plate structure joined by lap joints, each lap joint including two edge welds of the plates, the lapping portions of each side plate and of the bottom plate being at different angles to the vertical lengthwise of the hull.

2. A boat hull comprising metal plates interconnected, said hull having at the chine portions side plates and a bottom plate structure joined by lap joints, each lap joint including two edge welds of the plates, the lapping portions of each side plate and of the bottom plate being at difierent angles to the vertical lengthwise of the hull, the chine portion being formed as a spray rib through a portion of the hull length.

3. A boat hull comprising metal plates interconnected, said hull having at the chine portions side plates and a bottom plate structure joined by lap joints, each lap joint including two edge welds of the plates, the lapping portions of each side plate and of the bottom plate being at different angles to the vertical lengthwise of the hull, the chine portion being formed as a spray rib through a portion of the hull length, each side plate having a lapping portion on the exterior of a portion of the bottom plate.

4. A boat hull comprising interconnected metal plates including side plates and bottom plate portions, and the hull having chine members constituted by lapping portions of the side plates and bottom plate por'tibns,eaeh chine member including two welds associated with the edges of the" lapping por'tions, the lapping portions in a portion of the hull length'being disposed at angles to the bodies of their respective plates; and the angular portion on one lapping on the" angular portion on the other to" provide spray ribs.

5. A boat hull having at the chine portion a* side plate and a bottom plate joined by a, lap joint, said jo'int being formed'between lapping portions of the side plate and bottom plate respectively at differentangles to a'vertical plane,

said lapping portions throughout a portion of the hull length being at angles to the plates to provide a spray rib.

and providing in a portion a s'pray'rib.

7'. Aboat hull having a side plate and a bot tom plate joined by a, lap joint at the chine portion of the hull, said lap joint comprising flanges formed respectively on the plates and overlapping each other and secured together by edge welds, said flanges being at different angles to a, vertical plane at diiierent points lengthwise of the hull and providing in a portion of the hull length a. spray rib, said spray rib having ends which merge into the hull body.

8. A boat hull having a side plate and a bottom plate joined by a lap joint at the chine portion of the hull, said lap joint comprising flanges formed respectively on the plates and overlapping each other and secured together by edge welds, said flanges being at difierent angles to a vertical plane and at different angles to the bodies of their respective plates at different points lengthwise of the hull and roviding in a portion of the hull length a spray rib, said edge welds being laterally spaced from the bends at the base portions of the flanges.

9. In a boat hull, a keel member in the nature of a plate having a flat upper surface, and a hull plate having a lower integral flange placed against the upper surface of the first plate, and two linear welds fastening the plates together, one being at the edge of each plate, the body of the second plate being at different angles to its flange at different points in the length of the hull.

10. A boat hull comprising side plate portions and bottom plate portions joined together to form chines, said plate portions having edge portions overlapping and interconnected in the bow of the hull and lying substantially in the planes of the respective bodies of said plate portions, said plate portions having approximately horizontal flanges amidships that are overlapped and interconnected and provide spray-rib portions, and the hull having astern of said sprayrib portions a joint structure between said plate portions in which the bottom plate portion is flanged and the side plate portion unflanged, the side plate portion adjacent the joint in this portion being inclined so a to be closer to the vertical than in the spray-rib portion, and the side plate portion adjacent the joint at the stern being at a reverse inclination to the vertical.

and side plate portions overlapped at the chine portions of the hull, said plate portions being interconnected at each side of the hull by a weld and side plate portions overlapped at the chine portions of the hull, said plate portions being 1 interconnected at each side of the hull by a weld along a lower edge provided upon the side plate portion and a weld along an. upper edge. pro- 1 vided upon the bottom plate portion, there being at each side of the hull in a part of its length a spray-rib formation formed by flanges provided upon the respective plate portions, the welds being laterally spaced from the bends by which the flanges are created, both of said plate portions being unfianged s-temwardly of the sprayrib formation, and one of said plate portions being unflangedisternwardly of the spray-rib Iormation.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent! V I v UNITED srATEs PA'IENTS Number Name I 250,717 Durant Dec. 13, .1881 926,252 I Hyde June 29, 1909v 1,243,938 -I-Ii1ls Oct-23, 1917 1,295,117 Campbell Feb. 25, 1919 1,636,076- Ruthenburg July-19, 1927 f. 1,790,624 Shoup Jan. 27, 1931 1,794,895- Hall Mar. 3,1931 1,823,986 Pritchard. Sept. 22, 1931 1,980,998 -Knight- 1 Nov. 20,1934: 2,083,410 Stiver June 8,1937 2,251,621 Van Hoorn Aug. 5, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Y,

Number Country f 7 Date 392,703 Great Britain May-25,1933

468,280 Great Britain July 1, 1937 MARCUS A. I-lALL.

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