IMPROVEMENTS IN SEA-GOING SHIPS AND VESSELS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Smith at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1879.
EDWARD SMITH, of Great Horton, near Bradford, in the County of York,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEA-GOING SHIPS AND VESSELS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of sea going ships and
vessels, the object of the improvements being to prevent sea sickness, provide greater
comfort to passengers, and greater safety to life and property, and the Invention
consists in rendering the saloon steady and level in the ship by means of flotation
in another chamber somewhat larger than the saloon; also in rendering the saloon
and outer chamber unsinkable.
In carrying out my Invention I construct two chambers or vessels of steel or
other suitable metal, and nearly spherical in shape. One of these chambers or vessels,
which I preferably name the outer chamber, is placed in a hollow in the centre of
the length of the body of the ship and is fixed to the deck by moveable parts. The
other chamber or vessel, which I designate the inner chamber, is made somewhat
smaller than the outer chamber, and placed within it, and has a covering of glass
and steel, or other suitable material in which are made one or more water tight
entrances. The inner chamber is fitted and used for saloons, cabins, cattle-pens,
gun-platforms, or powder magazines. In the bottom of this inner chamber a
quantity of metal or other heavy substance is placed in order to weight it. Air
shafts or tubes also rise from the interior of this chamber to the height of a few
yards outside it and are provided at their tops with coverings to prevent water
from getting into them. To the inside of the outer chamber, and at or near its
diameter, there are pivoted four or more racks at equal distances from each other.
These racks have the same curve as the inside of the outer chamber, the teeth being
made in the hollow of their curve, and are provided at each end with small broad
wheels which are free to work against the inside of the outer chamber and are
placed in an upright position. To the outside of the inner chamber there are fixed
as many flanged cog wheels as there are racks. Water or other liquid is placed in
the space between the two chambers until the inner one floats and an upward
pressure of the wheels on the racks is made. It will be seen that when the ship
and the outer chamber roll or pitch in any direction the inner chamber and the
water in which it floats will have a tendency to move slightly in the opposite
direction, but the liquid between the chambers being either increased or diminished
in proportion to this tendency counteracts it by the upward pressure of the wheels

page_text: on the racks, and the inside chamber or structure maintains a level whilst the vessel
rolls around it; a steady platform being thus obtained on board ship sea sickness is
prevented.
In case the ship is in danger of being lost either by fire or wreck, the before
mentioned moveable parts by which the outer chamber is fastened to the ship's deck
are knocked away, and the two spherical chambers being freed from all connection
with the ship form a structure quite independent of it. All persons having got into
the inner chamber and the water tight door or doors being firmly closed this
structure is rendered practically unsinkable, and the ship settling down under it
leaves it floating on the top of the water. Air being obtained by the air tubes
before mentioned, those inside are kept alive until picked up by some passing vessel
or until the nearest port can be made. The ship's instruments having been fixed to
these saloons are preserved to them in case the ship is lost.