An Improved Horizontal Platform for Sea-going Vessels.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Oct., 1891-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Horizontal Platform for Sea-going Vessels.
I HENRY CHAPMAN BAGOT of Glyn near Conway in the County of Carnarvon
Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This my invention relates to an improved horizontal platform for sea-going
vessels and the object of my invention is to devise a platform which shall maintain
a perfectly level or horizontal position throughout; independent of the rolling and
pitching of the vessel and which will be found particularly valuable for gun-mountings
passenger saloons and other purposes in which a stable and motionless platform is
desirable.
In carrying my invention into practice I build or secure in the body of the
vessel at the position required a hemispherical tank or cistern preferably of
galvanized steel of any required size in which is a second hollow hemisphere upon
which the platform is built. The outer tank contains a quantity of water oil or
other liquid sufficient to float the inner hemisphere and packing may be inserted
between the adjacent spherical surfaces to prevent leakage of the before-mentioned
liquid while the loss by evaporation or other cause may be replaced by a pump or
other convenient means.
The inner or floating sphere may be provided with suitable guides to prevent
rotation and the sides must be of sufficient height to keep them well above the
upper edge of the outer vessel during the oscillation of the ship..
Two or more platforms may be connected by a hinged gangway so as not to
interfere with the properties of their respective hemispheres or prevent their
independent action with relation to each other.
Liquid may be injected into the outer hemisphere when it is required to raise
the platform and withdrawn when required to lower the same and the liquid may
be heated by steam or other means for warming the saloon or other cabin when
my invention is applied to a passenger ship.
As the inner hemisphere is floating it follows that it will maintain its vertical
position independently of the rolling and pitching of the ship and the supported
platform will remain perfectly level or horizontal.
Dated this 26th day of March 1891.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Horizontal Platform for Sea-going Vessels.
I HENRY CHAPMAN BAGOT of Glyn near Conway in the County of Carnarvon
Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
a
This my invention relates to an improved horizontal platform for sea going
vessels and the object of my invention is to devise a platform which shall maintain
perfectly level or horizontal position independently of the rolling and pitching
of the vessel and which will be found particularly valuable for gun mountings,
passenger saloons and other purposes in which a stable and motionless platform is
desirable.
In carrving my invention into practice I build or secure in the body of the

page_text: vessel at the required position a hemispherical tank or cistern preferably. of
galvanized steel of any required size in which is a second hollow chamber of
spherical form in or upon which the platform is built. The outer tank contains a
quantity of water, oil, or other liquid sufficient to float the inner chamber, and
packing may be inserted between the adjacent spherical surfaces to prevent leakage
of the before mentioned liquid; while the loss by evaporation or other cause may
be replaced by a pump or other convenient means.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood reference should be
made to the accompanying drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a cross section of a portion of a vessel shewing my invention in use as
a gun mounting.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the gun removed, and
Fig. 3 is a detail hereinafter explained.
In the said figures like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the
letter A indicating the outer or containing hemisphere which may be constructed
in any suitable manner, and of any material, although I prefer to use galvanized
steel for the plating or lining thereof. The said hemisphere may be built into or
secured in the hull of the vessel in any desired position.
The said outer hemisphere A contains a quantity of liquid a which may be water,
oil, or other fluid sufficient to float the inner chamber B. The said inner hemi-
sphere B may be constructed with any suitable internal framing of sufficient
strength to support the weight carried. The outer skin or shell 6 being preferably
of galvanized steel. The upper side of the said chamber B is covered with a deck
or platform C, which may be utilized for any of the purposes before mentioned:
In Fig. 1, I have illustrated its use supporting a light machine gun, but it is to be
understood ĺ do not wish to confine myself to any particular use for the same.
Packing c of any suitable nature may be inserted between the adjacent surfaces
of the inner chamber B and outer hemisphere A to prevent leakage of the liquid
contained by the latter.
The sides of the inner chamber are carried up a sufficient height above the upper
edge of the outer hemisphere A to keep them clear of the contained liquid during
the oscillation of the ship.
The inner or floating chamber is preferably provided with suitable guides to
prevent its independent rotation. The said guides may consist of a groove E in
the inner chamber B and a ball e adapted to engage therein carried in a socket e¹
upon the outer hemisphere A as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.
Liquid may be injected into the outer hemisphere when it is required to raise the
platform or withdrawn when required to lower the same and the liquid may be
heated by steam or other means for warming the saloon or cabin when my invention
is applied to a passenger ship.
As the inner chamber B floats it follows it will maintain its vertical position
independently of the rolling and pitching of the ship and the supported platform C
will remain perfectly level or horizontal. When my invention is applied as a gun
mounting the inner or floating sphere may be provided with a dome top of steel
plates the lower portion being ballasted in proportion and suitable doors being
provided for entering the upper chamber thus formed. Two or more platforms may
be connected by a hinged-gangway in which case the guides previously mentioned
might be dispensed with, and suitable stairs leading from the platform to the deck
of the vessel may be provided having an universal joint on an under carriage and
capable of being adjustably attached to or detached from the platform at will.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
In a ship or vessel a hemispherical tank or bason built or secured in said vessel
the said tank or bason containing a quantity of liquid in combination with an inner

page_text: chamber of spherical form adapted to float in the said liquid and having suitable
guides and a platform supported by the inner chamber, the whole arranged and
constructed substantially as and for the purposes described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 91st dow of October 1901
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.