Improvements in the Construction of Ships and Propellers thereof.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Ships and Propellers thereof.
1, PETER MAURICE STAUNTON, Dalmeny, Howth, Co. Dublin, Barrister-at-Law,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It consists in the introduction of a body which will afford a slight elasticity or
"spring" between the driving or driven body such as a ship's hull or frame-
and the body or mass upon which it acts, such as the sea-whereby the friction
and reaction incidental to sudden impact may be reduced and a more gradual and
beneficial development of the driving force obtained.
In applying this invention to the bows of vessels or to the propellers of steamers,
I may fix steel sheathing in suitable positions on the bows, or on the blades of the
propellers, in such a way and of such substance that they may slightly yield as
they come into sudden contact with the water-and thereby reduce the effects of
the sudden impact, and I may place a padding of felt or rubber or of some
yielding material between the hull, or the blades and such plates. For the pur-
pose of attaching the said plates or sheathing at a suitable interval of say two or
three inches from the hull proper of a ship, I use a suitable frame-work attached
to the outside of such hull, upon which frame-work such sheathing will be fixed;
and when attaching such plates to the faces of the blades of propellers I may have
such blades hollowed out under such portion as may be covered by the said plates
or sheathing-my object in each case being to enable such sheathing to slightly
yield as it comes into sudden and violent contact with the water, and thereby to
provide a "buffer" which will help to diminish the friction that would otherwise
be caused by such impact.
O
1000
Improvements in the Construction of Ships and Propellers thereof.
PETER MAURICE STAUNTON, Dalmeny, Howth, Co Dublin, Barrister-at-Law,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
[Price 8d.]

page_text: «
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of ships and of the
'propellers" of steamers and it is especially intended for use in connection with
torpedo boats and such craft which combine a very high rate of speed and pro-
peller velocity with a comparatively light draft of water, which factors tend to
increase and intensify the faults which my invention is designed for the purpose
of lessening and overcoming.
This invention consists in the providing of improved means whereby a body or
mass having a sufficient and properly regulated and lasting elasticity may be
attached to the outside of ships and on the faces of suitable "propeller" blades,
which will yield or spring" under sudden impact with the water or seas and
thereby reduce the crushing, friction and vibration incidental to same and the
retarding of the vessels speed thereby caused. In the case of ships propellers my
object being to thereby minimise the friction, waste of driving power and reaction
consequent on such impact, to lessen the tendency of the blades to "break water"
and slip" and to thereby enable a more constant and even application of the
driving pressure to be procured. And by thus substituting a sufficient elasticity
on the faces of propeller blades in place of the flexibility now in use I avoid the
tendency of such blades to "tire" and ultimately lose their shape or break when
their limit of elasticity is exceeded. In applying this invention to the hulls of
ships I would preferably confine it to the bows and I may use suitable steel
or other sheathing or planking attached to the outside of such bows by means of
a suitable frame work in such a way and so placed as to enable it to receive and
by slightly yielding, to break, the shock of the seas through which the vessel may
be driven.
"
In applying this invention to ships 'propellers" I preferably construct the
blades of such propellers, by casting or other suitable methods, with hollow faces
which hollow I may fill or cover with spring metal or other suitable material my
object being to thereby provide a "buffer" to break the force of sudden impact
with the water due to "breaking" of the water by the preceding blades, accelera-
tion of piston speed, getting above the surface of the water or otherwise caused.
With a like object I may also construct the propeller blades with their reverse
sides hollowed, thus reducing the substance of metal in their centres in which
case I would increase the substance of the surrounding edges. I now proceed
to more fully describe the nature of my invention and the manner in which
the same may be carried out, with the assistance of the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
66
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of part of a yachts frame to which my invention is
applied. a being one of the timbers having my outer frame or timber b attached
to it by means of the intervening "steel springs d each being secured as shown
at g, h or otherwise suitably fastened. f, f, show sectional views of suitable
'stringers" preferably of steel, which I fasten longitudinally outside the inner
frame so as to securely brace it up. The outer frame b, may be made of steel
elm or other suitable material and of the required substance, the vessels planking
or sheathing being fastened to it by bolting, riveting or otherwise. In place of
the springs as shown any other suitable contrivance or yielding substance may
be used. I would place a sufficient number of suitable light ribs between such
spring timbers so as to secure, the planking so attached from leaking. I would
graduate the elasticity so procured so as to assimilate its extremities to that of
the planking with which it ultimately comes in contact, and when applying my
invention to small craft I may support such outer sheathing with suitable pads
of inflatable rubber and thereby enable its elasticity to be readily regulated
to suit all weathers, in which case I would have a suitable inner ceiling. The
shape and position of timbers" so treated must be altered so as to enable the
outer frame to receive and support the planking in the required lines. This in-

page_text: vention may also with suitable modifications be applied to the outside of the
ordinary sheathing of the bows of vessels and it should be found beneficial when
thus applied to armoured ships, it may also be applied for the purpose of reducing
the "impact" of shell on such armour, in which case I would use an inner plating
of suitable soft and elastic metal. Fig. 2 shows the face of a propeller blade made
in accordance with my invention, a, being the hollow face, b, b, the edges
of same (slightly hollowed as shown at b, b, Fig. 3, and d, d solid edges of
the blade.
Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of a propeller blade made in accordance with my
invention, d, being the blade or casting as shown in Fig. 2 and, a, a facing of
soft spring steel or other suitable material the same being securely fastened by
welding, brazing, riveting, pressing or otherwise. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of
another propeller blade made in accordance with this invention, in this case the
required elasticity is procured by hollowing the reverse side, b, the substance of
the surrounding edges being increased as shown at, d, d for the purpose of main-
taining the required strength in such blades, the central portion being sufficiently
thin to allow of its "springing" sufficiently when the driving pressure is applied
at the face, a. This form I would preferably forge, or roll from suitable steel
or bronze. Fig. 5 shows a sectional view of another form of my improved pro-
peller blade, a, being the solid blade with hollowed face, such hollow being
covered by the plate, a, made of elastic metal and securely fastened to the sur-
rounding flange, b, b, as already described, leaving a hollow space at, f, which
may if desired be filled in with any suitable elastic substance. Fig. 6 is a
sectional view of another propeller blade the face, a, being composed of softer
metal than the reverse side, b, this may be effected by joining two different sections
of metal or in a less advantageous form it may be got by having the face, a,
tempered more softly than what is required for the reverse side, b, or I may
"shroud" the blades with soft steel. The various illustrations hereto attached
do not purport to accurately show the true lines of such propeller blades.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same may be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
"
(1) The construction of ships hulls having an outer frame-work or timbers"
attached thereto in such a position and in such a manner that the sheathing or
planking supported thereby may be enabled to yield sufficiently when it comes
into sudden impact with the water, substantially as and for the purpose described.
(2) The construction and application to ships hulls of an outer frame-work
resting on suitable springs or other elastic contrivance substantially as and for
the purpose described.
(3) The application to ship's armour of an inner sheathing of soft elastic metal
substantially as and for the purpose described.
(4) The use and application of inflatable rubber pads for regulating the
elasticity of the sheathing of vessels substantially as described.
(5) The construction of ships propellers having hollow faces filled with spring
metal or other suitable material whereby an increased elasticity of substance may
be combined with a sufficient rigidity of blade substantially as and for the purpose
described.
(6) The construction of propeller blades having their reverse sides hollowed
and their surrounding edges strengthened whereby an increased elasticity of form
may be procured, substantially as shown in Fig. 4.
(7) The construction of ships propellers having blades, cast or otherwise made
with hollow faces, such hollows being covered over with suitable plates of steel,
bronze or other metal-whereby an elasticity of form is provided substantially as
and for the purpose described and as illustrated in Fig. 5.
(8) The construction of propeller blades with their faces softer and having a

page_text: greater elasticity of substance than their reverse sides, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
(9) The use and application to ships propeller blades of a "shrouding" of soft
and elastic metal substantially as and for the purpose described.
(10) The arrangements and combination of the parts going to make up my said
improvements in ships hulls and propellers, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of February 1899.
PETER MAURICE STAUNTON.