USRE1631E - Improved construction cf steam and sailing vessels for naval and merchant service - Google Patents

Description

lift-h, in devices for ventilating the interior of PATENT OFFICE.

lAUGUSTUS WALKER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION CF STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS FOR NAVAL AND MERCHANT SERVICE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39, Reissue No. 1,608, dated January 19, 1864;

To all when@ it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUs'rUs WALKER, of the city of Buli'alo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in steam and sailing vessels, both for naval and merchant service, and in the mode of arming and working the same; and I do hereby declare I the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- A Figure l is a side view ot' a vessel illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a stern view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan thereof. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 5 is a transverse section thereof on the line l 1. Fig. 6 is a tranverse section on a larger scale in the saine plane, illustrating a mode of mounting and ot' ventilating the turret. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 2 2, on the same scale as Fig. 6, illustrating devices for elevating and lowering a sliding pilothouse and for ventilating the vessel below deck.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

My said invention consists, iirst, in the use ot' one or more arches or trusslframes applied longitudinally in the center of the hull, for the purpose of strengthening the latter; second, in a bottom of peculiar form; third, in the combination of a series of central longitudinal larches with the said peculiar form of bottom; fourth, in a peculiarly-constructed prow employed for the purpose of a ram;

the ship without danger of the entrance of water or projectiles; sixth, in a peculiar manner of mounting and sustaining a revolving turret; seventh, in a peculiar construction of movable pilot-houses and devices for raising and lowering the same eighth, in devices for working the anchors.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be en abled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A A A2 A3 A4 represent various parts of the framing of the ship. The bottom B is made in the form cle-arly illustrated in Fig. 5,

Reissue No. 1,631, dated March 8, 1864.

having a central keel, C, on each side of which is a concavity, c c, and on each side of the concavity a straight and nearly horizontal surface, b b, from near the stein to near the stern, throughout the length otl the ship.

` D D are respectively a direct and inverted arch, terminating at each end at the kin g-posts A'z A3 and extending vertically from the deckbeams to the keelson C. The arches D D and the vertical frames A4 near the longitudinal center ofthe ship are tightly bound together by metallic rods d d, so that the whole will constitute'truss-frames of the greatest possible strength and rigidity, adapting the ship to be sustained by her center or by her ends without injury.

Df2 represents an additional arch extending from one of the central frames, A4, to the extreme bow, and inclosing and sustaining a prow, D3, constructed ot' iron or steel, arched both vertically and horizontally, so as to give it great strength. The form ofthe outline ot' the said prow in its vertical section is clearly shown in Fig. 4; in its horizontal section4 it follows round from the stern in contact with the skin of the'vessel, terminating at the longitudinal center in front of one of the sta-nchions, A4, as before explained.

To adapt it to resist a crushing strain, and at the same time avoid unnecessary weight, the interior of the prow is lilled with timber.

This peculiar construction ot' prow does not interfere in any manner with the correct lines of the ship, or change her external form in any degree.

For naval purposes the entire deck and quired distanceV below the water-line) aie protected by metallic armor of peculiar construction. lt consists of two straight plates, F F', Fig. 7) with a corrugated plate, F2, between them. rEhe corrugations in the plate Fzare filled with india-rubber or any elastic material. This peculiar construction of armor is adapted by its yielding nature to resist projectiles very et'ectually, and hence is not required to be of great strength.

Gr G represent a shot-proof turret, supported upon or within a casing, H, within which the guns are mounted. The top of the turret may be adapted to revolve, or it may be stationary, and permanently secured to the sides of the vessel (above and to the re casing or foundation H, and pierced with ports at suitable distances, or it may beattached to the gun-carriage. The entire turret, or the floor upon which the guns are mounted, may be revolved within the casing H, being mounted on ways and revolvedl on its bed, where it rests on the casing H.

By preference, Iconstruct the turret in two parts,the lower part, of G', constituting the gun-carriage, and being formed of open framework. 'Ihis gun-carriage is supported in ci: cular ways g g', of any suitable form, and may rest upon a number of balls in the customary manner, to facilitate its free rotation. The upper and external part, G, of the turret, being separate from the gun-carriage, may under ordinary circumstances remain stationary, while the latter revolves. The dome or top G may be supported upon independent ways to permit its rotation, when necessary, independently of the gun carriage, or it may at any time be connected with the gun-carriage by bolts, pawls, or any other suitable device, so as to adapt them to be revolved together. By thus adapting the dome to be revolved independently it may be turned whenever needful to present a strong and uninjurcd surface in the event of any part being injured by an enemys shot.

rIhe casing H consists essentially of a circular arch, h, as shown in Fig. 6, giving great strength both vertically and horizontally, which arch mayv be surmounted by a rabbet, h, to support the revolving pai ts. This structure affords very firm support to the turret, an d,together with the peculiar construction and form of deck shown in Figs. 4 and 6, (-ft'ectually protects it from any injury from an enemys shot, which would endanger its free rotation.

'.lhe ventilation of the turret is provided for by tubes I l, constituting at their outer ends mere slits of about two inches in vertical width, and two feet in lenth. These tubes extend inward and upward in curved form and inclined direction to the interior of the casing H, where they may be twelve inches square.

g g g represent a series of apertures in the turret, which communicate with the inner ends of the. tubes lin such a manner as to permit the ingress of fresh air in any positionY of the turret. Any requisite number ot' the tubes I may be employed converging from both sides forward and abaft the turret, as well as directly alongside thereof. The form and inclination of the tubes prevent the possibility of the entrance of shot or water, and adapt them to create a forciblev and constant draft of air. The top of the turret is dome-shaped, and the wholey upper deck is o f convex form, and the sides are inclined inward, so that no part of the ship above the water line presents a perpendicular surface to receive the direct impact of an enemys shot.

l l2 are Ventilating-tubes for admitting air and light to the cabins and hold. The tubes I incline upward from the outsidc,-and under ordinary circumstances will in bthis way be protected from the entrance of water. The tubes I?, by which the cabins and state-rooms are ventilated, may be closed by shot proof caps i2, to exclude water and projectiles in rough weather or when in action.

JJrepresentslidingstanchions,which, while the vessel is under way, may project above the upper deck, but while in action are lowered to the position shown' in Fig. 7, and thus constitute plugs, which close the tubes l 12. A life line or chain 'rove through eyes or rings at the tops of the stanchions serves as a rail or guard while they are in their upper positions. The tubes l I2 are also inclined sternward as they pass inboard, so as to cause a more free ingress of air when the ship is in motion. 4

K K represent dome-topped pilot-houses adapted to slide up and down in the upper deck, and constituting the only way of access below decks. While the ship-is under way the said pi1ot-houses,being raised to their upper positions by stationary screws or windlasses L, or in such other manner as may seem best, and there sustained by the screws, or by spring-catches, pawls, or any other suitable means, afford additional means of ventilation and a full and free lookout. Vh en in act-ion, the pilot-houses are lowered, so that only their convex tops will remain above the deck, and thus afford no availablemark for the enemys shot. The roofs are pierced with narrow slits, affording sufficient lookout for steering or other purposes, and at the same time preventing the entrance of Alarge or small shot.

M M represent circular fluked anchors atltached to cables N, running out through hawse-holes n at the bow. To weigh the anchor it is tirst hove up to the hawseholes in the usual manner, after which a stopper, P, leading froma port, uf, is rove through the rin g and the anchor drawn back, while the cable is paid out from the hawse-hole. When the anchor approaches anchorport n, a block and tackle let down from a crane, O, is hooked to a smaller ring attached to the crown of the anchor, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and the anchor, being thus elevated tol a horizontal position, is hove inboard by the stopper P, which is attached to a capstan, p, for this purpose. Vhen thus hove in,

-the circular fluke of the anchor completely closes the port. These anchor-ports are on an inclined plane, being reduced to one-fourth the size of the outer diameter extending inboard to its terminus. From the peculiar construction of this anchor-port the anchor goes overboard from its own weight as soon as the ring-stopper is let go. Should the vessel be in action while at anchor, these ports may be closed in any suitable manner.

The relative positions of the hawse-holes n and ports n are shown in Fig. l. By this mode of stowing away the anchor the bow is left clear and the anchor preserved from danger of injury in the event of collision.

The cranes O may likewise be employed as davits for raising the ships boats and depositing them in suitable receptacles on deck.

Q Q represent smokestacks adapted to slide down to a level with the deck during action.

It represents a propeller, of which there may be one, as shown in Fig. 5, or two, as represented in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The said propeller may be driven by a pair of oscillating engines, S S, so arranged as to avoid dead-centers on the cranks.

T T represent the boilers.

The coal bunkers will be located in the lower hold and filled through dumpers protected by shot-proof gratings.

The side frames A A are placed alternatelyA in inclined and vertical positions, to aiford the requisite strength.

All Vanchors and moorings are worked from within the vessel between decks. The turret G, containing the guns, is operated through the medium of the engines, which are located in the hold.

I am aware that it has before been proposed to strengthen ships hulls with 'longitudinal truss-frames located and applied differently from mine, and likewise that various forms ot m oreor less concave bottoms have before been devised, located at a greater or less distance from the center of the hull 5 but I am not aware that a vessel of any form or for any purpose 4has before been constructed with a vertical truss frame, arch, or bulk-head extending longitudinally through the center of the hull, or that a double concave bottom of similar form to mine has before been used.

The peculiar form of the double -concave bottom consists in its commencing at the top of a central keel extending upward and outboard describing an arc, c c, of some ninety degrees where it connects with a flat bottom, b l), (with little deadrise,) at which flat bottom connects with the second futtock forming the bilge and the upright side. This constitutes the entire frame of the ship.

The concave form extends the whole length of the keel, fore and aft, making the entire bottom from the connection of concave form to the turn of the bil ge a straight flat surface athwartships, as well as fore and aft, which differs from the common mode of construction, all of which is substantiallyv set forth and represented in Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5 of the' drawings. This form of double concave bottom is adapted alike to ocean and inland navigation wherever there is sufficient depth of water to permit the propeller-wheel to work freely below the dead flat of the bottom. It is equally well adapted to vessels which rely entirely upon their canvas to make speedy voyages, the narrow portion of the bottom presenting but little resistance whilerunning oif large or free before the wind, and when close-hauled no form of bottom can ply faster to Windward.

This form of bottom presents a more natural set of waer-lines both forward and aft than the common mode of ship-building, the angles being much less abrupt at the entrance or displacement ofthe ship. The. result of this is a greater increase of speed.

lhe most important effect of the double concave bottom in increasing the speed of the ship is gained by having a sufficient depth of propeller 1o allow nearly one-half the power to be applied in solid water below the main displacement, giving great advantage over the common mode of propulsion, where the whole depth of displacement is in a line parallel with the lower circumference of the wheel, causing the propeller to act in a body of water disturbed by the vessel passing through it. In addition this form of bottom is peculiarly calculated to make the vessel answer her helm more readily. All thev water-lines from the keel upward to the flat bottom are nearly straight, giving a free passage to the current throughout the entire length of the vessel, as in the run of any clean-built ship.

The principal advantage in locating the 'longitudinal arch frame or bulk-head inthe center of the hull is that it affords greater strength than when otherwise located. 1t will also be apparent that in keel-vessels a greater vertical depth is afforded for the frame in the center than elsewhere, and also thatgreater strength may be secured byframing the truss or arch directly into the keel or keelson.

The advantages of my peculiar combination of truss framing and double concave bottoin are, first, to combine strength, seaworthiness, and a high rate of speed, the arches being of 'great vertical depth, and the displacement of water chiefly near the surface, while at the same time the keel extends to a sufficient depth; second, to protect the screws irom injury and admit the power to be applied in solid water below the main displacement of the ship; third, the interior of the concave bottom above the keelsou affords a safe and convenient location for the magazine well below the water-line and beyond danger of injury.

The vessel is coinely -in her model, affords ample and well-ventilated apartments for her officers immediately below the upper deck, and is in every way adapted to constitute a most formidable ship of war. The movable pilot-houses are the only means of ingress to the interior, and when these are lowered preparatory to action the ship is impossible to board, no foothold or place of entrance being left.

The invention is applicable to both steam and sailing vessels for naval and merchant service, ocean and inland.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what 'I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. Constructing a vessel with one or more longitudinal arches or truss-frames, applied in vertical position to the central part of the hull for the purpose of strengthening it, substantially as set forth.

2. A vessels bottom constructed with a central keel, C, two concavities, c c, and two straight and horizontal or nearly horizontal surfaces, b b, all extending longitudinally throughout the'length of the vessel, substantially'as shown and described.

3. The combination of a central longitudinal truss-framing or arch with a double concave bottom, constructed substantially' as herein described.

4. The doubly-arched prow or ram D, constructed and supported as described.

5. The dome or turret G, formed and supported substantially as shown and described, and adapted to be revolved either independently of or in connection with the gun'carmage.

6. lThe inner turret or guncarriage, G, constructed separately from the. dome or outer turret, G, so as to be revolved either independentl y of or in connection therewith.

7. Themethod of Ventilating by the construction and method of insertion of tubes or flues, substantially as set forth and described herein.

8. Closing the ventilatingtubes I I2 by the stancliions J J, substantially as described.

9. The casing H, constructed with a circular arch, h, for sustaining the turret G or G', substantially as specified.

l0. In connectionwith a vessel ofthe above construction, the sliding pilot-houses K K, elevated and sustained in any Way, substantia-ily as described, either by Windlass or stationaryT screw.

1l. The described Working the anchors.

AUGUSTUS WA LKER.

position and means ot' Witnesses:

Oc'iAviUs KNIGHT, R. H. M AYHEW.

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