Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Bilge Keels and Side Keels for Preventing the Rolling of Ships and Vessels at Sea.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1886.
Complete Left, 22nd Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 24th May, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. .
Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Bilge Keels
and Side Keels for Preventing the Rolling of Ships and Vessels
at Sea.
I, ANNIE MATILDA WOOD, of Firs Cottage, East Sheen, in the county of Surrey,
Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It has been established by experiment that the rolling of ships at sea may be largely
reduced, even in the cases of ships subject to excessive rolling, by applying to them
rolling keels of considerable length projecting from the bottom, and that to make such
keels effective it is necessary to place them, not low down under the ships bottom, but
well out upon the turn of the bilges, or even higher up upon the side. But keels so
placed, if of the requisite depth, are apt to interfere with the docking of the ship, and
it is to remedy this defect that I have devised my present invention.
The invention consists in fitting ships with flexible keels, capable of extension to
full dimensions desired when the ship is at sea, and of being contracted when in port
or in dock, and this object I accomplish by making the said keels (or bilge pieces or
rolling pieces as such keels are sometimes called) of manufactured India-rubber so
prepared as to be able to withstand the action of either the atmosphere, or of fresh, or
salt water without rapid deterioration, and providing for their expansion and contrac-
tion either by forcing into them and withdrawing from the atmospheric air, employing
the necessary pressure for the purpose by means of air pumps, or by constructing
within them iron or steel trellis work or a folding lever arrangement in such manner
that when projected (by mechanical means applied either from within or outside of
the ship) the flexible keels will be forced out to their full extent and firmly held there ;
and, when contracted, they will fold in against the bottom of the ship, and present
but little obstruction to the entering of wet or dry docks.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction and Arrangement of Bilge Keels
and Side Keels for Preventing the Rolling of Ships and Vessels
at Sea.
I ANNIE MATILDA WOOD of Firs Cottage East Sheen in the County of Surrey
Gentlewoman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF BILGE KEELS AND SIDE KEELS FOR PRE-
VENTING THE ROLLING OF SHIPS & VESSELS AT SEA and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
It has been established by experiment that the rolling of ships at sea may be largely
reduced, even in the cases of ships subject to excessive rolling, by applying to them
rolling keels of considerable length projecting from the bottom, and that to make such
keels effective it is necessary to place them, not low down under the ship's bottom,
but well out upon the turn of the bilges, or even higher up upon the side. But keels
so placed, if of the requisite depth, are apt to interfere with the docking of the ship
and it is to remedy this defect that I have devised my present invention.
The invention consists in fitting ships with flexible keels capable of extension to the
full dimensions desired when the ship is at sea and of being contracted when in port
or in dock, and this object I accomplish by making the said keels (or bilge pieces, or
rolling pieces, as such keels are sometimes called) of manufactured India Rubber so
prepared as to be able to withstand the action of either the atmosphere, or of fresh, or
salt water without rapid deterioration, and providing for their expansion and contrac-
tion either by forcing into them and withdrawing from them atmospheric air, employing
the necessary pressure for the purpose by means of air pumps, or by constructing
within them iron or steel trellis work or a folding lever arrangement, in such a manner
that when projected (by mechanical means applied either from within or outside of the
ship) the flexible keels will be forced out to their full extent and firmly held there;
and, when contracted, they will fold in against the bottom of the ship, and present
but little obstruction to the entering of wet or dry docks.
The accompanying drawings illustrate one method of carrying my Invention into
effect, but there are many other ways of accomplishing the same object as will be
apparent to persons skilled in Naval Construction.
Fig. I represents a part section of a vessel showing the side or bottom A. to which
the flexible rolling keel B is attached. The Keel B is made of manufactured India
Rubber or other suitable material so prepared as to be able to withstand the action of
the atmosphere, or of fresh, or salt water, without rapid deterioration, and is fitted
in the most advantageous position to suit the form of the ship. The Rolling keel B
is shown extended to its full extent by means of iron or steel expanding trellis or
"lazy-tong "work C within it. This expanding trellis work C can be actuated by
means of a shaft or shafts with bevelled gearing, or by pulleys, or other mechanical
means of a suitable character, applied either from within or outside the vessel, so that

page_text: the keel can be extended to its full extent and firmly held there, or contracted so that
it will fold in against the side or bottom of the ship."
Fig. II represents a part section of a vessel shewing the side or bottom A and the
flexible rolling keel B fitted in an advantageous position to suit the form of ship and
folded in against the vessel's side or bottom by means of iron or steel trellis work
within it. It is evident when the rolling keel is so fitted it will offer but little
obstruction to the entry of the vessel into wet or dry docks.
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 I do not limit my
claims to the precise arrangements and particulars hereinbefore described, as the same
may be varied and extended within the scope and carrying out of my Invention, but
what I claim is
I. The improved construction of bilge keels and side keels for preventing the rolling
of ships and vessels at sea, by forming them of manufactured India Rubber or other
suitable material (so prepared as to be able to withstand the action of either the
atmosphere or of fresh or salt water without rapid deterioration) so that they can bo
contracted and folded against the vessel's side or projected to their fullest extent and
retained in these positions by mechanical means, applied either from within or outside
of the ship or by withdrawing from, or forcing into, them atmospheric air under
pressure.
II. The employment of such Bilge keels and Side keels fitted well out upon the turn
the bilges, or even higher up upon the sides of ships and vessels, for the purposes
above described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.