IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS, VESSELS, AND BOATS, AND IN PROPELLERS FOR PROPELLING THE SAME
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Honeyman, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Miller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS, VESSELS, AND BOATS, AND IN PROPELLERS FOR
PROPELLING THE SAME."
Sealed. the 19th July 1859, and dated the 4th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Honeyman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th February 1859.
I, JOHN HONEYMAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Miller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS, VESSELS, AND BOATS, AND IN PROPELLERS FOR
PROPELLING THE SAME," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a peculiar system or mode of constructing the
hulls of ships, vessels, and boats, which are specially adapted for the improved
propeller herein-after referred to.
According to these improvements the lower part of the hull of a ship or
other vessel, that is to say, the portion that is below the water line, is not
contracted and narrowed into a wedge-like form, but is built of a cylindrical
figure, the width of which corresponds to the width of beam at the upper part
of the hull. This enlarged portion of the hull extends from the bow of the

page_text: vessel backwards nearly to the stern, where it is hollowed in so as to form a
concavity or recess at the parts adjacent to the stern post. The enlarged part
of the hull is made of uniform width from the stem backwards until it curves
away inwards to the stern post; or in lieu of making the sides straight and
parallel to each other, they may be made gradually narrower as they approach
the inwardly curved part at the stern. The cylindrical portion of the hull
projects well out at the stem, where it is enclosed by metal plates or timber,
so as to form a flat vertical surface. At this part a screw propeller is fitted,
the driving shaft of which is carried through the end disc of the cylindrical
part; the screw propeller consists of a conically-shaped drum, having vanes or
blades extending backwards in a curved direction from the apex of the cone
to the base. The disc which forms the base of the cone is made to correspond
in diameter to that which encloses the cylindrical part of the hull, the apex of
the cone forming the outward-termination of the lower part of the hull. The
driving shaft passes through the central line of the cone to which it is keyed or
otherwise secured, and is carried thence inside the hull, and connected to the
engine or other prime mover. When this, propeller is put in,motion, its conical
figure causes it to pass through the water with great facility, the water that
is moved aside by its action glides smoothly and without obstruction along
the sides of the hull until it arrives at the concave part near the stern, where
it closes in, and by its reaction on the hollow portion of the hull assists tho
onward progress of the vessel, by which an increase of speed is obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Honeyman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME,. I, JOHN
HONEYMAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Miller, send
greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing. date. the Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord 8
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year.öf. Her
reign; did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto: me, the
said John Honeyman, Her special license that I, the said John 'Honeyman,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others. as I, the said John
Honeyman, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time 3
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS, VESSELS, AND BOATS, AND IN PROPELLERS FOR PRO-
PELLING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Honeyman, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain 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 Seal 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 Honeyman, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar system or mode of constructing the
hulls of ships, vessels, and boats, which are specially adapted for the improved
screw propeller herein-after referred to, which is the main part of this Inven-
tion, and may be applied to any form of ships, vessels, or boats, but the
following form will be most suitable for this Invention.
According to these improvements the lower part of the hull of a ship or other
vessel, that is to say, the portion that is below the water line, is not contracted
and narrowed into a wedge-like forin, but is built of a cylindrical figure, tho
width of which corresponds to the width of beam at the upper part of the
hull. This enlarged portion of the hull extends from the bow of the vessel
backwards nearly to the stern, where it is hollowed in so as to form a concavity
or recess at the parts adjacent to the stern post. The enlarged part of tho
hull is made of uniform width from the stem backwards, until it curves away
inwards to the stern post; or in lieu of making the sides straight and parallel
to each other, they may be made gradually narrower as they approach the
inwardly curved part at the stern. The cylindrical portion of the hull projects
well out at the stem, where it is enclosed by metal plates or timber, so as to
form a flat vertical surface. At this part a screw propeller is fitted, tho
driving shaft of which is carried through the end disc of the cylindrical part;
the screw propeller consists of a conically-shaped drum having vanes or blades
extending backwards in a curved direction from the apex of the cone to the
base. The disc which forms the base of the cone is made to correspond in
diameter to that which encloses the cylindrical part of the hull, the apex of
the cone forming the outward termination of the lower part of the hull. The

page_text: driving shaft passes through the central line of the cone to which it is keyed
or otherwise secured, and is carried thence inside the hull, and connected to.
the engine or other prime mover. When this propeller is put in motion its
conical figure causes it to pass through the water with great facility, the water
that is moved aside by its action glides smoothly and without obstruction along
the sides of the hull until it arrives at the concave part near the stern, where
it closes in, and by its reaction on the hollow portion of the hull assists the
onward progress of the vessel, by which an increase of speed is obtained.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in the construction
of ships, vessels, and boats, and in propelling the same, may be properly
understood, I shall now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures
on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for
the purpose of showing certain modifications under which my improvements.
may be judiciously carried out in practice, that is to say :-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Drawing is an elevation of a vessel con-
structed according to my improvements, and fitted with my improved propeller;
Figure 2 is an end view of the vessel, looking upon the vessel's bows ;
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of the ship's hull; and Figure 4 is a
plan corresponding to Figure 1. With a view of obtaining superior speed I
prefer that the hulls of the vessels to which my improved propeller are applied
should be constructed according to the form and arrangement shown in the
accompanying Drawings. In this modification the lower part of the hull below
the water line from the bow, and extending backwards nearly to the stern, is
of a segmental figure, as is more particularly shown in Figure 3 on the accom-
panying Drawings. The lower part A of the hull is of a circular figure,
extending upwards nearly to the water line at the part B; the sides then
expand outwards at the part C, the bulwarks D forming a vertical or nearly
vertical line.
The hull of a ship constructed according to this system, when afloat, presents
but little difference in external appearance to those of the ordinary build,
whilst the internal capacity is considerably increased owing to the cylindrical
form of the lower part. The fore part of the hull at the part E, Figure 1, is
built straight up, so as to form a flat vertical disc, against which the base of
the propeller works. The bulwarks D at the bows are carried out forward
over the propeller in manner similar to the ordinary build, this projecting
part forming a cover over the propeller, as shown in Figure 1 of the accom-
panying Drawings. At the after part the shape of the hull does not differ
materially from the usual figure, excepting that the lower part of the stern
may be hollowed in rather more than is usually the practice, with a view of

page_text: of
producing an increased effect by the reaction of the water which is set in
motion by the propeller. The form of propeller which I prefer to use with
vessels constructed in the manner herein-before described, is shown in Figures
1, 2, and 4 of the accompanying Drawings. The body F of the propeller is
conoidal figure, the base being made to correspond in diameter to the
vertical disc E, which forms the fore extremity of the hull; the body of the
propeller tapers forward, and at the apex an aperture is made to admit of the
propeller shaft G passing through it, the extremity of the shaft being supported
in bearings fitted in the curved frame H; this portion of the arrangement is.
indicated by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 4.
}
The propelling surfaces are arranged in the form of three curved blades or
vanes I, of a helical figure, and disposed equidistantly around the conoidal
body F of the propeller. As the higher parts of these propelling surfaces I
project above the water line, they are boxed in by carrying the deck J forward
over the propeller. The propeller shaft is driven by an engine or engines
arranged in the usual manner at the centre or other convenient part of the
hull. When the propeller is put in motion its pointed extremity passes with
great ease through the water, and as the displaced water is thrown aside by
the rotatory action of the blades I, it flows smoothly along the curved sides of
the hull without obstruction; as the displaced water reaches the hollowed part
of the hull at the stern it closes in, and by its reaction assists the progress of
the vessel through the water. As thus arranged the propeller cleaves its way
through the unbroken water in front of the vessel, by which increased mecha-
nical effect is obtained, and the water so divided as to facilitate greatly the
onward motion of the ship.
These improved conoidal propellers are also adapted for propelling ships or
vessels of the ordinary build, as well as those specially constructed therefor.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of ships, vessels, and boats,
and of propelling apparatus, as herein-before described and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of constructing the hulls of vessels of a
seginental figure below the water line, as is more particularly shown in
Figure 3 on the accompanying Drawings, such form of hull boing peculiarly

page_text: adapted to screw propellers arranged or placed at the bow of the vessel, as
herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of arranging and constructing propelling appa-
ratus for vessel and boats of a conoidal shape or figure, and having belical
vanes or blades fitted thereto, the base of the conical body of the propeller
being of the same diameter as the segmental portion of the hull, as herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the system or mode of arranging the conoidal propeller at the bow
or fore extremity of the vessel, so as to work in unbroken water, and thus
obtain a superior propelling power, as herein-before described and shown in
the accompanying Drawing.
Fifth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing ships, vessels, and
boats, and their propellers, in such manner that the propellers in each case
virtually form a portion of the bow or entrance of the craft, in accordance with
the lines thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Honeyman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-nine.
JOHN HONEYMAN. (L.S.)