The Washington times., 1917-10-04

partments. which fragments, together
with the blast Of the explosion gases
themselves, perforate, shatter and dis
rupt the water-tight compartments
and bulkheads in their path.
In the case of the Gulfight these
fragments were hurled clear through
the ship and out at the other side.
| 1t would be impossible to place a
wall of metal in the underwater hull
| of a ship massive enough and strong
enough to protect II against such ac-
| tion Of the explosive b.ast OF a tor
pedo warhead; beCauce, at the inJtant
of detonation, the mass OF high ex-
plosive is powerful enough to shatter
everything in its Immediate vicinity.
Consequently, IL is desirable TO place
| as small masses of metal as possible
in that portion OF the ships hull
which constitutes the danger zone or
danger space. SO as to minimize the
destructive effect OF fragments driven
in through the ship by the explosion.
Long, Strong BuIkhends.
In the present design 'the outer
hull-wall OF the ship around the
danger zone is made as thin and light
as practicable, while two main lon
bANAoAAoA OoAhhNd4Sg OI NdNA
side of the ship and running the en-
tire length of the ship, are made suf-
ficiently strong in conjunction with
connected structure, to give the ship
the required stanchness and longi-
tudinal stability, and also sufficiently
strong completely to resist the resi-
dual force Of the explosive blast.
These two main, longitudinal bulk
heads preferably consist OF a series
OF arches springing from interposed
vertical beams and extending verti-
cally from the usual double bottom
to the main deck, with the concave
OF the arches directed toward the
outer hull. This construction forms
comparatively thin and yet suf-
ficiently strong bulkhead, saves
space, and makes the walls more
resistant for a given weight Of metal
to gas pressure brought against II in
that the pressure is resisted mores by
the tensile strength OF the metal and
less by its mass and stiffness.
Brackets On BaIkheads.
Strong steel brackets are rivcted
to the outer surface of the two bulk
extending outward to the outer hull
OIL Ine SNIP lHG upper
TO support the main deck and to
brace the upper portion OF the outer
hull, the lower bracket extending
from the outer hull down to the bot
tom OF the ship; while the other
brackets extend from the brackets to
the outer side at the turn Of the
bilge, to stiffen and hold the bottom
as we'll as to aid the lrst-named
brackets in stiffening and supporting
the transverse bulkheads and also the
main longitudinal walls and to en-
able them to resist any amount of
gas pressure to which they are likely
to be subjected.
Each OF the large steel brackets is
also made to constitute a part Of
support for the web of a transverse
watertight wall or bulkhead. SO that
a watertight compartment is consti-
tuted between the brackets and the
outer wall, and each of the main inner
walls or bulkheads. Each OF these
watertight compartments is provided
with a hatchway or trapdoor through
the deck. shutting watertight, but
capable Of being thrown open to pro-
vide a large vent for the escape up
ward into the atmosphere Of the
products OF combustion entering the
compartment from an eNplosiN' com
pound exploded against the outer wall
Of the ship.
Strong steel Screen.
Immediately upon the outer face
Of the longitudinal bulkhead. and
built into the same and constituting
an integral part thereof, is a strong
steel screen, made OF round rods.
from three-quarters OF an inch to an
inch in diameter, the longitudinal
rods being drawn taut between
beams forming a part OF the longi-
tudinal bulkhead, and the vertical
rods being drawn tsut between
strong beams, supports or girders.
The steel rods OF the screen thus in
t!mateIy combined with and consti-
tuting a part of the inner main lon
gItudinal wall or bulkhead, greatly
strengthen IL.
II the warhead OF a torpedo were
exploded against the hull of a ship
so constructed. the gases formed by
the explosion entering the ship, en-
at the start comparatively
little resistance, except from the
buffer cargo, would not exert so
much destructive effect in a lateral
direction. and as the gases entered
the compartments. increasing the at
mospherIc pressure therein, they
would find vent upward through the |
apertures or hatchways, above re
ferred to, and harmlessly escape into |
the atmosphere.
Copyright. 1917. Mum & Co. Scientific |
~ 4 a