IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR CARRYING LIQUID CARGOES. IN BULK
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR
CARRYING LIQUID CARGOES. IN BULK."-A communication from abroad.
by William Gray Warden, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America.
Sealed the 17th January 1871, and dated the 23rd November 1870...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd November 1870.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THERI-
WITH POR CARRYING LIQUID CARGOES IN BULK," a communication from abroad
by William Gray Warden, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
of America, to be as follows:-
-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of vessel &
appliances connected therewith for carrying petroleum and other liqui.i
cargoes in bulk.

page_text: The hull of the vessel according to this Invention is built of iron or
of wood, and has constructed inside it a series of compartments or cells,
the structure enclosing the cells resting on and being secured to trans-
verse beams, which are connected by longitudinal beams to the ribs of
“the vessel. There is consequently a space of considerable capacity
between the bottom of the cellular structure and the bottom of the
vessel's hull for bilge water and the like.
-
The vessel may have three decks, and the outer portions of the cells
may extend in altitude as far as the under side of the beams of the
lower deck, to which beams the cellular structure is properly secured,
the outer portions terminating laterally at the inner edges of the vessel's
ribs, to which they are also properly secured. The central portions of
the cellular structure extend to the under side of the beams of tho
intermediate deck, to which they are also secured. One or more
longitudinal bulkheads or girders strengthened by ribs extend from the
kelson of the vessel to the highest portion of the cells, and in fact form
a part of the same, as it is a longitudinal midship partition between and
forming a part of two rows of cells which are separated from each other
by transverse partitions, in other words, the portion of the vessel set apart
for the liquid cargo consists of a cellular structure of plate or sheet iron
or other suitable material made wider below and contracted above and
united to the beams and ribs of the vessel so as to form an integral part
of the entire structure of the same. If desired, however, the said bulk-
head or beads may be dispensed with.
The greatest bulk of the cargo is contained within the lower and wider
portion of the cellular structure, which is situate below the load water
line, and such portion of the structure as is above this line is narrower
and occupies a central position in the vessel. This arrangement answers
the best for properly trimming the vessel, and it possesses the advantage
of affording spaces for the storage on the lower deck of a return cargo
that might be deteriorated if introduced into the cells previously filled
with petroleum.
Each cell of the structure is provided with a hollow project" passing
thro' the lower deck and furnished with a cover, on the removal of which
access may be had to the interior.
Should it be desirable to introduce a mast in the vessel at any point
within the space occupied by the cellular structure, the cells are so
formed and the central bulkhead so constructed as to leave an open

page_text: space or well much larger than the mast for the reception of the same,
which is therefore totally disconnected from the cellular structure, the
latter being consequently free from all liability to injury by any move-
ment of the mast.
Petroleum, for the transportation of which in bulk the vessel herein-
before described has been more especially designed, is liable to expand
under a comparatively slight increase of temperature, and this might
result in the disruption of any one or more of the cells in the absence
of any provision for obviating such accidents.. Near one or both ends
of the cellular structure are arranged a supplementary vessel- or vessels
with which communicates a pipe, one of these pipes passing above cacli
row of cells, and having a branch communicating with each cell so that
à portion of the contents may find their way into the supplementary
vessel when any cell becomes surcharged by the expansion of the fluid.
A valve opening downwards may be arranged beneath the top of each
cell where the branch pipo enters the same, so that the valve may be
self-closing and prevent unnecessary escape of the fluid from the cells
when the vessel rolls.
In order that the gas generated within each cell may always have free
vent, there is connected to the pipe a branch or branches which are
continued along the mast or are otherwise so disposed of that there can
be no danger of the accidental ignition of the escaping gas. If desired
there may be a separate system of pipes arranged above and communi-
cating with the several cells for the escape of gas, or if the mast be
made of iron and hollow it may be used as a vent for carrying off
the gas.
After the tanks have been emptied they require to be thoroughly
freed from gas, an operation which I perform by injecting steam into
each cell, thereby forcing the gas therefrom through moveable or
stationary pipes.
Any desired number of properly stiffened plates may project down-
wards into each cell for the purpose of preventing the undue agitation
of the fluid as the vessel rolls; should the cells not be quite full, the
plates at the same time serving to impart additional strength to the
structure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
=
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
34th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license,
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my exccutors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR
CARRYING LIQUID CARGOES IN BULK," a communication to me from abroad
by William Gray Warden, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer--
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
The said Invention relates to an improved construction of vessel and
appliances connected therewith for carrying petroleum and other liquid
"
11

page_text: Figure 1 of the Drawings is a transverse midship section of a vessel
constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
midship section of part of the vessel; Figure 3 is a plan view, and
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a portion of one of the overflow or vent
pipes.
A represents the hull of the vessel, which in the present instance is
built of iron, but which may be built of wood, although an iron vessel is
preferred; B, B, are a series of compartments or cells of the peculiar
sectional form best observed in Figure 1, the structure enclosing the cells
resting on and being secured to transverse beams a which are connected
by suitable longitudinal beams to the ribs d of the vessel. There is
consequently a space of considerable capacity between the bottom of the
cellular structure and the bottom of the vessel's hull for bilgo water and
the like.
In the present instance the vessel has three decks E, F, and G,
and the outer portions e, Figure 1, of the cells extend in altitude as far
as the under side of the beams of the lower deck G, to which beams the
cellular structure is properly secured, the outer portions e terminating
laterally at the inner edges of the vessel's. ribs, to which they are also
properly secured. The central portions f, f, of the cellular structure
extend to the under side of the beams of the intermediate deck F to
which they are also secured. One or more longitudinal bulkheads or
girders properly strengthened by ribs as seen in Figure 3 extend from
the kelson of the vessel to the highest portion of the cells, and in fact.
form a part of the same, as it is a longitudinal midship partition between
and forming a part of two rows of cells which are separated from each
other by transverse partitions m, as seen in Figure 3, in other words, the
portion of the vessel set apart for the liquid cargo consists of a cellular
structure of plate or sheet iron or other suitable material made by
preference wider below and contracted above and united to the beams
and ribs of the vessel so as to form an integral part of the entire structure
of the same.
The peculiar shape of this cellular structure viewed transversely has
been adopted for reasons which I will now proceed to explain.
.
Firstly. The space in the hold of the vessel to be devoted to liquid
cargo must owing to the weight of the latter be restricted and pro-
portioned in accordance with the carrying capacity of the vessel;

page_text: secondly, the bulk should be distributed within the vessel with due
regard to the proper trimming of the same; thirdly, the cellular structure
containing the cargo should be such as to impart strength to the vessel
both longitudinally and transversely; and, fourthly, the structure should
be so arranged and distributed as to afford space other than that within
the cells for the storage of a return cargo.
.
It will be seen that in carrying out this Invention a due regard has
been had to these requirements. The cellular structure for containing
the liquid cargo is of such extent that when filled with liquid it will load
the vessel to its full carrying capacity. The greatest bulk of the cargo is
contained within the lower portion of the cellular structure which is
situate below the load water line, and such portion of the structure as is
above this line is narrower and occupies a central position in the vessel.
This arrangement answers the best for properly trimming the vessel, and
it possesses the advantage of affording spaces y, y, for the storage on the
lower deck G of a return cargo that might be deteriorated if introduced
into the cells previously filled with petroleum. As regards the addition
of transverse strength to the hull of the vessel it will be seen that the
lower portion of the cellular structure extends from side to side of the
hull is united to the ribs and is essentially a part of the hull, and as
regards additional strength longitudinally this is imparted by the entire
structure, and especially by the longitudinal bulkhead or girder h, in
fact increased strength is imparted to the vessel where the greatest
strength is required, that is, where the heaviest cargo is stowed within
the cellular structure. The structure, however, while it adds strength
to the vessel does not impart objectionable rigidity or stiffness to it for it
is not united directly to the shell excepting at the opposite sides between
the points x, x, where the structure is connected directly to the ribs,
and here a packing may be introduced between the structure and the
shell of the vessel of such yielding character as to counteract the rigidity
which would otherwise exist at those points.
:
Each cell of the structure is provided with a hollow projection n
passing through the lower deck G and furnished with a cover, on the
removal of which access may be had to the interior.
Should it be desirable to introduce a mast in the vessel at any point
within the space occupied by the cellular structure the latter may be
constructed as shewn in Figure 3, the cells being so formed and the

page_text: central bulkhead / so constructed as to leave an open space or well p
much larger than the mast for the reception of the same, which is there-
fore totally disconnected from the cellular structure, the latter being
consequently free from all liability to injury by any movement of the
mast.
Petroleum, for the transportation of which in bulk the vessel hercin
described has been more especially designed, is liable to expand under a
comparatively slight increase of temperature, and this might result in
the disruption of any one or more of the cells in the absence of any
provision for obviating such accidents. Near one or both ends of the
cellular structure are arranged a supplementary vessel or vessels J with
which communicates a pipe K, one of these pipes passing above each
row of cells and having a branch communicating with cach cell, so that
a portion of the contents may find their way into the supplementary
vessel J when any cell becomes surcharged by the expansion of the
fluid. A valve opening downwards, as shewn in Figure 4, may be arranged
beneath the top of each cell where the branch pipe enters the same, so
that the valve may be self-closing and prevent unnecessary escape of the
fluid from the cells when the vessel rolls.
In order that the gas generated within each cell may always have free
vent there is connected to the pipe K a branch or branches which are
continued along the mast T or are otherwise so, disposed of that there can
be no danger of the accidental ignition of the escaping gas. If desired
there may be a separate system of pipes arranged above and com-
municating with the several cells for the escape of gas, or if the mast
be made of iron and hollow it may be used as a vent for carrying off
the gas.
After the tanks have been emptied they require to be thoroughly
freed from gas, an operation which may be performed by injecting steam
into cach cell, thereby forcing the gas therefrom through moveable or
stationary pipes.
Any desired number of properly stiffened plates t may project down-
wards into each cell for the purpose of preventing the undue agitation
of the fluid as the vessel rolls, should the cells not be quite full, the
plates at the same time serving to impart additional strength to the
structure.

page_text: Seventh. The arranging of any desired number of plates within the
cells, as and for the purpose set forth.
'
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of
May, One thousand cight hundred and seventy-one.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)