Improvements in Ships for Transporting Railroad Cars.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships for Transporting Railroad Cars.
I, ALEXANDER MUDOUGALL, a citizen of the United States of America, and
residing at Duluth, in the County of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, one of the
United States, aforesaid Ship Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the
invention to be as follows:—
"
My present invention relates to various changes and additions in those vessels
which have been invented by me, both barges and steamboats, whereby the said
vessels known as "Whale backs are especially adapted for use in the trans-
portation of railroad cars from one place to another. By means of the improvement,
as I shall presently describe it, a great many railroad cars can be transported at
one time, and being entirely within the hold of the boat, there can be no danger of
the cars being swept overboard or being affected by the elements in any way. By
reason also of the covered solid construction of my improved vessels, and the fact
that the boat can be partially submerged so as to reduce pitching and rolling to a
minimum, I am enabled to successfully transport railroad cars, in much heavier
weather, and in higher seas, than would be possible with the vessels which are used
at present for the same purpose. The vessel by its particular construction is also
well adapted for passing through ice. The present improvements are particularly
intended for use with a steamboat of my improved construction, in which a hull of
particular design is employed, having straight sides, parallel with each other, both
horizontally and vertically, a curved top, provided with hatches therein, a rounded
bottom, a spoon-shaped bow and a skeged stern. The present boat, being designed
for the particular purpose before mentioned, embodies these general characteristics
of hull, but differs therefrom in certain features to better adapt the same to the use
to which it is to be put. The most important change is in the stern, at which
point the cars are allowed to enter the vessel. The said stern, instead of being
practically on the same plane as the bow, is much lower, so that the railroad cars
may pass on the same under the curved deck of the vessel, through a suitable
opening made for the purpose. This opening is adapted to be closed in any way,
preferably by ordinary metal' doors, suitably packed so as to exclude water when
To enable the cars to more easily enter the interior of the boat, the curved
top thereof, bulges slightly upward at its rear portion, so as to make a sufficiently
large opening, without depressing the stern to too great an extent.
In the present
vessel the false bottom or inner deck is located about midway of the boat, instead
of being near the lower portion thereof, as in my other boats. In this way several
large tanks are formed beneath the said inner deck, which can be filled more or
less with water, so as to partially submerge the vessel, in order, thereby, to reduce
rolling and pitching to a minimum in heavy weather.
at sea.
The tracks for receiving the cars are placed on this inner deck and are arranged
in any desired manner.
The forecastle of the vessel is reached in the ordinary way, through a turret,
and similar turrets are located near the stern for carrying a suitable cabin. It is
preferable to make use of two screws, operated by twin engines, placed one on
each side of the entrance tracks, but other arrangements can be used as a substitute.
In loading the vessel with cars, it is backed up into a slip, and the cars are run
onto the stern into the hold, being distributed therein as desired. The opening at
the stern is now securely closed, and the vessel is prepared to proceed. In case
stormy weather or rough seas are encountered, the water tanks are filled more or
less, so as to partially submerge the boat to any desired extent, whereby the pitching
and rolling of the vessel will be reduced in a great measure. Should field ice be
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page_text: .
met the vessel may steam backwards through the same so that the propellers will
crush and break up the ice. With ordinary drift ice there will be no necessity of
this precaution, since the particular form of bow which I have adopted, will force
such ice down and under the boat, or to one side thereof.
For a better comprehension of my present invention attention is directed to the
accompanying drawings, forming a part of this Specification, and in which:
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the rear portion of my improved vessel.
Figure 2, an end elevation of the same;
Figure 3, a plan view of the interior of the vessel, and
Figure 4, a longitudinal sectional view.
In all of the above views corresponding parts are designated by the same letters
of reference.
The vessel illustrated in these figures embodies the same general characteristics
of hull and construction which have been before pointed out by me.
The hull is constructed of steel plates, secured to transverse beams. The sides
thereof are parallel, longitudinally and vertically, the top curved, the bottom is
rounded, the bow is made spoon-shaped and the stern is skeged..
The stern is on a plane considerably lower than the bow, and the sides and top
of the boat are abruptly ended some distance in advance thereof, as shown in the
drawings. In this way a flat entrance a, is formed near the stern of the boat,
through which the cars pass in entering the hull, and at the stern portion is a
platform b, on which the cars run before passing through the said entrance. The
entrance to the hold is to be closed when desired, preferably by doors c, c, which
are. to be suitably packed. These doors when closed, incline outward, (see
Figure 3) so as to better withstand any waves which might strike against the
same.
To better accommodate the cars, the top or deck of the boat bulges slightly
upwards at its rear portion, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. A is an inner deck,
which extends to the extreme stern end of the boat, and which is firmly supported
in any way by suitable frames. The space beneath the inner deck A. may be filled
wholly or partially with water, when desired, to partially submerge the boat, for
the purpose before mentioned. Ordinary railroad tracks a. a. are placed on this
inner deck, or on suitable stringers secured thereto, and are to be arranged in any
desired manner. In Figure 3, a central track is shown reaching to the extreme
stern of the boat, with two side tracks, switching into the said central track.
This arrangement possesses many advantages, but it is by no means necessary,
since the side tracks can be dispensed with, or instead of introducing the cars
into the hold, directly over the stern, they may be run into one side thereof.
In Figure 3, two engines are illustrated, one on each side of the central track,
but one or even three engines could be used as a substitute therefor. The said
arrangement being consequently capable of change I do not wish to be limited
to the same. In loading the boat it is backed into a suitable slip, so that the
tracks at the stern will coincide with the tracks on the deck. The cars are
now passed into the boat and are distributed therein, according to the arrange-
ment of the tracks. The tracks on the stern can be brought down or up to a
level with the tracks on the dock by pumping water into or out of the water-
tanks beneath the false bottom. In case heavy weather is encountered, and
should the boat begin to labor, as I have before mentioned, the water-tanks can
be filled more or less so as to submerge the boat to a greater or less extent.
I have found out that when the vessel is submerged to a greater or less extent,
the pitching and rolling are correspondingly reduced, which fact I have before
pointed out in Letters Patent of the United States, and this feature makes the
boat especially adapted for the purpose mentioned herein, since the vessel is
enabled to carry railroad cars in all sorts of weather, which is strictly necessary.
It will be understood that one of my improved barges may be used for the trans-
portation of cars, and that the general broad idea which I have described herein,
I have discovered that when the vessel is submerged to a greater or less extent,
こ
*1

page_text: of introducing the cars into the stern of the boat, may be applied to other varieties
of vessels.
1
T1
C
T 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships for Transporting Railroad Cars.
I ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at Duluth, in the County of St. Louis, and State of Minnesota, one of
the said United States aforesaid, Ship-builder, 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 and accompanying
drawings
The said invention relates to various changes and additions in those vessels
which have been invented by me, both barges and steamboats, and known
generically as whale-back vessels, whereby the said vessels are especially adapted
for use in the transportation of railroad cars from one place to another. By
means of the improvement, as I shall presently describe it, a great many railroad
cars can be transported at one time, and being entirely within the hold of the
boat, there can be no danger of the cars being swept overboard or being affected
by the elements in any way. By reason also of the covered and solid construction
my said improved whale-back vessels, and the fact that the said boats can be
partially submerged, so as to reduce pitching and rolling to a minimum, I am
enabled to successfully transport railroad cars, in much heavier weather, and in
higher seas, than would be possible with the vessels which are used at present for
the same purpose.
of
The vessel by its particular construction is also well adapted for passing through
ice. The present improvements are particularly intended for use with a steamboat
of my improved construction, in which a hull of particular design is employed,
having straight sides, parallel with each other, both horizontally and vertically a
curved top provided with hatches therein a rounded bottom, a spoon-shaped or
ordinary wedge bow and skeaged stern. The present boat, being designed for the
particular purpose before mentioned, embodies these general characteristics of hull,
but differs therefrom in certain features to better adapt the same to the uso to
which it is to be put. The most important change is in the overhang of the stern,
at which point the cars are allowed to enter the vessel. The said over-hang of the
stern, instead of being practically on the same plane as the bow, is much lower, so
that the railroad cars may pass on the same under the curved deck of the vessel,
through a suitable opening made for the purpose.
This opening is adapted to be closed in any way, preferably by ordinary metal
doors, suitably packed so as to exclude water when at sea. To enable the cars to
more easily enter the interior of the boat, the curved top thereof, bulges slightly
upward at its rear portion, so as to make a sufficiently large opening without
depressing the over-hang of the stern to too great an extent. In the present vessel
the false bottom or inner deck is located about midway of the boat, instead of being
near the lower portion thereof, as in my other boats. In this way several large
tanks are formed beneath the said inner deck, which can be filled more or less with
water, so as to partially submerge the vessel to a greater or less extent, thereby to
reduce rolling and pitching to a minimum in heavy weather.
The tracks for receiving the cars are placed on this inner deck and are arranged
in any desired manner.
The forecastle of the vessel is reached in the ordinary way, through a turret, and
similar turrets are located near the stern for carrying a suitable cabin. It is
preferable to make use of two screws, operated by twin engines, placed one on each
side of the entrance tracks, but other arrangements can be used as a substitutę.

page_text: In loading the vessel with cars, it is backed up into a slip, and the cars are run
on to the over-hang of the stern into the hold, being distributed therein as desired.
The opening at the stern is now securely closed, and the vessel is prepared to
proceed. In case stormy weather or rough seas are encountered, the water tanks
are filled more or less, so as to partially submerge the boat to any desired extent,
whereby the pitching and rolling of the vessel will be reduced in a great measure.
Should field ice be met the vessel may steam backwards through the same so that
the propellers will crush and break up the ice. With ordinary drift ice, there will
be no necessity of this precaution, since the particular spoon-shape form of the bow,
if such is adopted will force such ice down and under the boat, or to one side
thereof.
For a better comprehension of my present invention attention is directed to the
accompanying drawings, forming a part of this Specification, and in which
Figure 1, is a perspective view of the rear portion of my improved vessel.
Figure 2, an end elevation of the same.
Figure 3, a plan view of the interior of the vessel, and
Figure 4, a longitudinal view.
In all of the above views corresponding parts are designated by the same letters
of reference.
The vessel illustrated in these figures embodies the same general characteristics
of bull aud construction which have been before pointed out by me, and shown for
example in my Patent No. 9105 of 1890 communicated by me to Mills.
The hull is constructed of steel plates, secured to transverse beams. The sides
thereof are parallel, longitudinally and vertically, the top is curved, the bottom is
rounded, the bow is made either spoon-shaped as shown in said Patent, or of the
ordinary wedge form and the stern is skenged.
The over-hang of the stern is on a plane considerably lower than the bow, and
the sides and top of the boat are abruptly ended some distance in advance thereof,
as shown in the drawings. In this way a flat entrance a is formed near the stern of
the boat, through which the cars pass in entering the hull, and at the stern portion
is a platform b on which the cars run before passing through the said entrance.
The entrance to the hold is to be closed when desired, preferably by doors cc which
are to be suitably packed. These doors when closed, incline outward, (see Figure 3)
so as to better withstand any waves which might strike against the same.
To better accommodate the cars, the top or deck of the boat bulges slightly
upward at its rear portion; as shown in Figures 2 and 4. A, is an inner deck,
which extends to the extreme stern end of the boat, and which is firmly supported
in any way by suitable frames. The space beneath the inner deck A may be filled.
wholly or partially with water, when desired, to partially submerge the boat, for
the purpose before mentioned. Ordinary railroad tracks a a are placed on this
inner deck, or on suitable stringers secured thereto, and are to be arranged in any
desired manner. In Figure 3, a central track is shown reaching to the extreme
stern of the boat with two side tracks, switching into the said central track. This
arrangement possesses many advantages, but it is by no means necessary, since the
side tracks can be dispensed with, or instead of introducing the cars into the hold,
directly over the stern, they may be run into one side thereof.
The cars
In Figure 3 two engines are illustrated, one on each side of the central track,
but one, or even three engines could be used as a substitute therefor. The said
arrangement being consequently capable of change, I do not wish to be limited to
the same.
In loading the boat it is backed into a suitable slip, so that the tracks
on the over-hang of the stern will coincide with the tracks on the deck.
are now passed into the boat and are distributed therein, according to the arrange-
ment of the tracks. The tracks on the over-hang of the stern can be brought
down or up to a level with the tracks on the dock by pumping water into or out of
the water-tanks beneath the false bottom. In case heavy weather is encountered,
and should the boat begin to labor, as I have before mentioned, the water-tanks
can be filled more or less so as to submerge the boat to a greater or less extent.

page_text: the pitching and rolling are correspondingly reduced, and this feature makes the
boat especially adapted for the purpose mentioned herein, since the vessel is
enabled to carry railroad cars in all sorts of weather, which is strictly necessary.
It will be understood that one of my improved barges may be used for the trans-
portation of cars, and that the general broad idea which I have described herein,
of introducing the cars into the stern of the boat may be applied to other varieties
of vessels.
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.
First. An improved vessel for transporting railroad cars, provided with an open
stern having tracks therefrom extending into the hold and having water tanks for
submerging the vessel, to a greater or less extent substantially as set forth.
Second. An improved vessel for transporting railroad cars, provided with a hull
of the character described, having an open stern, with tracks therefrom extending
into the hold, and with water-tanks, beneath said tracks, for submerging the vessel
to a greater or less extent substantially as set forth.
Dated this Twenty-third day of May A.D. 1893.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.