Improvements in the Construction of Steamers, Sailing Ships, and other Vessels, and in Means for Increasing the Buoyancy of the same.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1887
Complete Left, 15th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 20th Apr., 1888
Improvements in the Construction of Steamers, Sailing Ships, and
other Vessels, and in Means for Increasing the Buoyancy of the
same.
I JAMES GIBSON SCOTT of 36 Park Avenue Southport in the County of
Lancaster Engineer. do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAMERS, SAILING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN
MEANS FOR INCREASING THE BUOYANCY OF THE SAME to be as follows :-
The object of my Invention is to increase the buoyancy of Steamers, Sailing
Ships and other vessels so as to prevent them from sinking in case of accident or
damage.
In carrying out my Invention I employ an additional deck specially constructed and
supported at a suitable height above the ordinary or main deck. This special deck is
either made hollow and air and water-tight or is built up of hollow tubes, cylinders or
compartments and is supported preferably by a series of hollow tubes as well as by the
ribs of the ship.
I also propose in addition to or instead of the special deck to have a number of air-
tight bags made of prepared canvas or other flexible or elastic material placed in the
saloon engine rooms, cabins or any other suitable vacant part of the ship and connected
hy tubes or otherwise so arranged that they can all be inflated from the deck by means
of air pumps worked by hand or power or filled from tanks, tubes or reservoirs charged
with compressed air or other fluid at a very high pressure so that in case of accident
all the bags could be filled at a moment's notice.
The air-tight compartments of the special deck and the hollow supporting tubes or
columns might be utilised as reservoirs for the fluid under pressure.
In addition to the specially constructed deck and the air-tight bags as above
described I may also if found advantageous make any of the other decks
hollow.
My Invention may be applied to ships of war, steamers, sailing ships and other
vessels and to existing as well as to new vessels.
Dated this 14th day of La 1987
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Steamers, Sailing Ships, and
other Vessels, and in Means for Increasing the Buoyancy of the
same.
I JAMES GIBSON SCOTT of 36 Park Avenue Southport in the County of Lancaster
Engineer, 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:-
The object of my Invention is to increase the buoyancy of steamers sailing
ships and other vessels so as to prevent them from sinking in case of accident or
damage.
In carrying out my Invention I employ an additional deck specially constructed
and supported at a suitable height above the ordinary or main deck. This special
deck is either made hollow and air and watertight or is built up of hollow tubes
cylinders or compartments and is supported preferably by a series of hollow tubes as
well as by the ribs of the ship.
I also propose in addition to or instead of the special deck to have a number of air-
tight bags made of prepared canvas or other flexible or elastic material placed in the
saloon engine rooms cabins or any other suitable vacant part of the ship and connected
by tubes or otherwise so arranged that they can all be inflated from the deck by means
of air pumps worked by hand or power or filled from tanks tubes or reservoirs charged
with compressed air or other fluid at a very high pressure so that in case of accident
all the bags could be filled at a moments notice. The airtight compartments of the
special deck and the hollow supporting tubes or columns might be utilized as reservoirs
for the fluid under pressure.
In addition to the specially constructed deck and the airtight bags as above
described I may also if found advantageous make any of the other decks hollow.
My invention may be applied to ships of war, steamers, sailing ships and other
vessels and to existing as well as to new vessels but it is obvious that to apply the
system of hollow decks to existing vessels would entail a large expenditure and would
be attended with considerable difficulty.
I propose therefore only to describe in detail and to illustrate by Drawings a
suitable arrangement of airtight bags and connections to compressed air reservoirs as
applied to a first class Atlantic Liner of the present construction and which arrange-
ment would be sufficient to keep such vessel afloat under the worst possible conditions
without specially constructed hollow decks. In constructing new vessels however no
naval architect would have any difficulty in designing hollow decks in the manner and
for the purposes above indicated.
The seven Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed show the Invention applied to a
first class Atlantic Passenger Steamer of which the following are the principal
dimensions

page_text: of the reservoirs for compressed air and some of the parts which I employ according
to my Invention.
In these views. a designates the reservoirs for the storage of compressed air at a
very high pressure the pipes connecting the reservoirs a to the two main supply
pipes c; d the valve boxes each containing a valve operated by means of a hand-
wheel e. f the flexible pipes which connect the mains c to the collapsible bags. Each
reservoir a is constructed of steel and is calculated to resist a very high pressure say
800 lbs. to the square inch. I propose in all cases to use at least two reservoirs
never less; by preference I employ six reservoirs three placed at the forward
end of the boiler space and three at the after end of the engine space as shown
the reservoirs in these positions being easily accessible from the engineers department.
The reservoirs a are charged with compressed air from an air engine worked by
steam from the boilers or other power or by hand in case of extreme need and my
intention is to have the reservoirs of such a capacity and to charge them with air at
such a high pressure before leaving port that immediately the handwheels e are
operated and the valves which they control are opened sufficient air will rush from the
reservoirs through the pipes to the mains e and through the flexible tubes f to fill all
the bags with air at a pressure of or about eight pounds to the square inch. It is obvious
that the air engine could be kept at work to supply more air if necessary but it is not
anticipated that such would be the case however the fact remains that the air engine
would always be available in case of need. The supply pipes bare led up the stoke
hole and engine room to the level of the upper deck beams where the valves and
handwheels e are placed so as to be readily accessible.
Each compressed air reservoir has an automatic or back pressure valve and also a
cock by which it may be disconnected from the air engine and also from the other
reservoirs and the system of distributing pipes if necessary.
The air reservoirs
occupy comparatively little space and can be placed in any convenient part of the vessel
provided that they are out of the reach of danger but I consider the positions shown
as the safest and most convenient.
The air bags are preferably made of strong linen canvas coated or impregnated with
some suitable composition or material to render them absolutely airtight and watertight
and each air bag is provided with a back pressure valve and also with a tap or cock
by turning which any bag may be disconnected from the system. The flexible
tubes branch from the mains c to supply air bags placed at the various open spaces
from fore to after ends of the saloon or main deck so that when the valves are opened
the whole space available from end to end of the said deck and between the main deck
and upper deck can be immediately filled by bags inflated with compressed air at eight
pounds pressure per square inch thereby driving out the water if already there or
preventing its inrush as the case may be.
The air bags can be placed under the bottom berths in the state rooms against the
bulkheads and those in the dining saloons can be folded up and placed under sofas or
tables or against athwartship bulkheads at the ends of the saloons while those in the
fore and aft passages of cabins forecastle and steerage as well as those in various open
places in the engine and boiler rooms can be placed and fastened against the lining of
bulkheads etc. with cord or twine or in other ways in the most convenient positions to
suit the arrangement of the vessel. The air bags as the compressed air from the
reservoirs rushes into them expand from their places and fill every vacant space and
crevice.
The mains c can be carried along close to the underside of the upper deck beams
along the fore and aft passages and across the dining rooms as shown without being
in any way likely to become obstructions and the flexible tube branches from the said
mains can be easily carried over the runners of the state rooms without obstructing the
ventilation or otherwise encroaching on the air spaces between the beams.
Each reservoir a has a capacity of 327-2 cubic feet giving in round numbers a
total capacity for the six reservoirs of 1963 cubic feet and consequently if the reservoirs
are charged with air at 800 lbs. pressure per square inch they would contain sufficient
air to fill air bags having a total capacity of 196300 cubic feet at a pressure of eight

page_text: pounds per square inch and the air bags thus inflated would at thirty five cubic feet
per ton be capable of floating 5608 tons deadweight in salt water omitting from the
calculation the weight of the air bags themselves which would not however materially
affect the result.
In the calculations given hereinafter the holds are supposed to be full of cargo taken
at one ton per 50 cubic feet making a total deadweight of 3749 tons. As a matter of
fact however the holds can never be totally filled with cargo at one ton per 50 cubic
feet because a first class Atlantic Passenger Steamer can only sail at 26 feet 6 inches
to 27 feet draught and this only allows her to carry about one half of 3749 tons. It
will therefore be evident that in this case sufficient allowance has been made for extra
weights of the various articles which would become saturated with salt water in the
event of the vessel being struck and damaged.
The total bag capacity as illustrated by the Drawings and mentioned in this Specifi-
cation is enough to displace sufficient deadweight of water to insure the vessel keeping
afloat and buoyant under the severest conditions of injury.
Detailed Calculations of weights of the vessel under the following conditions,
viz Engine and boiler spaces full of water (with the exception of the open spaces
supposed to be occupied by the inflated bags as described) and cargo holds supposed
filled with cargo at one ton per 50 cubic feet also with coals in the Bunkers abreast of
the engine and boiler rooms calculated at one ton per 45 cubic feet with an extra
allowance for the weight of salt water with which they are supposed to be saturated.
Tons.
Equipped weight of vessel with main and donkey
boilers condensers, exhaust tanks, fresh water
tanks all full, and ships stores etc. on board - 8304
Weight of coal in Bunkers at 45 cubic feet per
ton
-
-
Weight of Cargo in holds supposing the different
holds to be entirely filled with cargo at one
ton per 50 cubic feet
Allowance for extra weight supposing water to
have reached the coals in the between decks
and aft cross bunker and also the cargo space
on starboard side of the engine room (lower
deck)
Weight of salt water supposed to fill every crevice
in engine and boiler rooms to upper deck
except the spaces occupied by the inflated bags
as described
2077
3749
205
3522
Total displacement weight (approximate) of vessel
up to the top of upper deck -
Total deadweight of vessel including holds full
of cargo (at one ton per 50 cubic feet) coal
bunkers full and engine and boiler rooms
full of salt water (except spaces in the same
occupied by inflated bags) also extra weight
allowed for sea water penetrating throughout
coals in bunkers abreast of engine and boiler
rooms as above
Tons.
- 20,375
-17,857

page_text: upper
deck
named the vessel would only be down to within 4 feet 6 inches from the
and would consequently remain afloat and buoyant and so long as the cargo holds
remained intact and watertight and the inflated bags kept the sea out of the saloons
state rooms etc. along the main deck the vessel could not sink.
Total weight of salt water in engine and boiler rooms and coal bunkers abreast of
the same
various open spaces about engine and boiler
rooms as before described
-
There will then remain to be accounted for a
total weight of salt water in engine and
boiler rooms of
-
1406
Tons 3522
As already stated the total bag capacity is approximately 196300 cubic feet yielding
when the said bags are inflated as described a total floating power of 5608 tons and it
s obvious that this would be amply sufficient to float the vessel under the extreme
conditions mentioned.
It can equally be shown that if instead of the engine and boiler rooms being flooded
ny three cargo holds were to be filled with water to the level of upper deck the vessel
vould still keep afloat.
It will be seen that the floating power of 5608 tons has been obtained without
aking into account many places which if desired could be utilized for air bags but
which are not necessary to keep the vessel afloat and buoyant as no allowance bas
been made for the various watertight compartments the majority of which would of
course remain intact and free from water.
As already stated the reservoirs would be charged with compressed air at a pressure
of say 800 pounds per square inch before the vessel left port so that at any time it
would only be necessary to operate the two handwheels e in order to instantaneously
nflate all the bags.
In the event of any accident to either of the reservoirs it could by means of its
stop cock be immediately isolated from the rest of the system and the air engine kept
at work in order to insure a sufficient supply of compressed air to fill all the bags with
if a bag
air at a pressure of about eight pounds per square inch. In the same way
were injured it could be cut off from the system in a moment by simply turning the
stop cock with which it is provided.
I am aware that an attempt has been made to design a system of buoys arranged
both inside and outside the vessels hull all such buoys communicating by means of

page_text: pipes with one common reservoir containing a gaseous element in a condensed
or compressed state and to such a system or arrangement I lay no claim. It will be
obvious to any practical man that to have an arrangement of external buoys which
when not in immediate use are intended to be hauled on deck and stowed away and to
be let down over the side of a vessel when an accident requires their use is a scheme
which would be utterly unreliable as in the first place a considerable delay must occur
in getting out the buoys and in letting them down over the side of the vessel
and secondly supposing this to have been successfully accomplished which is
highly problematical there is no doubt that the buoys would never live in a
heavy sea.
I would have it clearly understood however that I do not limit myself to the exact
details herein shown and described as the same may be varied or modified without
departing from the nature of my Invention always provided that at least two inde-
pendent reservoirs for the storage of compressed air are employed and that all the
collapsible bags are placed inside the hull of the vessel and further that the said
arrangement of reservoirs and bags may be used either with or without the hollow
decks as specified. I desire also to state that I do not bind myself to the accuracy of
the various dimensions and capacities nor to the calculations based thereon as these
have simply been given as examples to render the mode of applying my Invention
clear and intelligible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is―
1. The combination with two or more strongly constructed reservoirs placed
preferably amidships and means for supplying said reservoirs with air at a high
pressure, of a series of collapsible airtight and watertight bags distributed over the
interior of the vessel and connected by flexible tubes to two or more mains or supply
pipes leading from the said reservoirs each main being controlled by a valve arranged
to be operated from the main or saloon deck or other easily accessible place
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as illustrated by the Drawings
annexed.
2. The combination of reservoirs a and means for charging the same with com-
pressed air, pipes for connecting the reservoirs a to mains c valve boxes d containing
valves operated by handwheels e for controlling the discharge of compressed air from
the reservoirs a to the mains cand flexible tubes f connected to collapsible airtight and
watertight bags all substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
3. The combination with an arrangement of collapsible airtight and watertight
bags distributed over the interior of a vessel and connected by flexible connections to
main supply pipes connected to reservoirs containing compressed air for the inflation
of said bags when required, of an additional and specially constructed hollow deck
supported above the main deck and used in conjunction with other hollow decks if
found necessary or advantageous substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth.
4. The several constructions combinations and arrangements of parts embodying
my improvements in the construction of steamers sailing ships and other vessels and
in means for increasing the buoyancy of the same substantially as and for the purposes
herein described with reference to the Drawings annexed.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.