Improvements in the Construction of Ships.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1894--Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Ships.
I, LYSANDER MAKEPEACE LINCOLN, Farmer, of Sacramento, in the County
of Sacramento and State of California, 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 :—
The object of the present invention is to provide a vessel of such construction
that it will be capable of attaining a higher rate of speed than a vessel of any
other known construction, the couditions in both instances being equal.
The invention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter pointed out.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will describe it with
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams, in plan and side elevation, respectively, of a vessel
embodying the invention.
Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams in plan of portions of two vessels embodying the
invention in two different forms.
It has been the custom in ship building to construct the cut-water upon lines
that are simply continuations of the lines of the bows, 66
"
cut-water being the
name applied to the extreme front end of the bows. Usually the cut-water is
brought to a sharp point, and it is not separate or distinguishable from the bows,
Bave in imagination. According to the present invention the cut-water is increased
in lateral extent to a considerable part of the entire width or beam of the vessel-
say a fourth or a third and forms a decidedly more abrupt angle with the line of
movement of the vessel than the bows do. In the drawing I have shown this
laterally extended cut-water under three different modifications, and desire to have
it understood that still others are within the scope of the present invention.
In Figure 1A represents the cut-water, the two sides C of which are straight
in horizontal cross-section and meet in an obtuse angle. B, B represent the bows,
which, in this instance, are also straight in horizontal cross-section, and form, with
the sides of the cut-water, obtuse angles.
In Figure 3 the cut-water A' is shown as curved in horizontal cross-section, and
presents a convex surface to the water.
In Figure 4 the cut-water A2 is shown as constructed upon two curves, which
meet at the extreme front in an acute angle, and present concave surfaces to the
water.
In each of these instances the cut-water forms an obtuse angle with the bows,
which latter may be either flat as in Figure 1, or curved as in Figure 4.
The object and effect of this construction is to part the water and give it a
decided impetus outward in both directions from the central line of the vessel,
thus opening up a channel into which the vessel enters with reduced frictional
contact between the water and the bows. When the vessel is moving rapidly the
extent of this lateral displacement is such that the return wave or swell, as the
displaced water regains its equilibrium, strikes the sides of the vessel abaft
the bows. Theoretically, there should not be a spot on the vessel abaft the bows
against which any pressure could be exerted without tending to push the boat
ahead, and I therefore make the sides of the vessel couverge from the bows to the
stern, so as to give the vessel a tapering form. As a consequence the returning
waves or swells, striking the sides of the tapering vessel, will tend to accelerate its
forward movement,
It is the intention to so construct the cut-water that when a sufficient velocity
is attained, the cut-water shall give the water such a lateral impulse that the first

page_text: reactionary wave or swell shall strike the vessel abaft the bows and act upon the
rearward tapering portion of the vessel as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, to
accelerate its movement; and even when the velocity is not sufficient, to perfectly
accomplish this result, the bows will be relieved of frictional contact with the
water to a very considerable extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. A vessel having a laterally extended cut-water brought to a point at the
extreme front and sloping rearward and outward therefrom, upon both sides of a
central line, and forming a more abrupt angle with the line of movement than do
the bows, substantially as set forth.
2. A vessel having a laterally extended cut-water forming a more abrupt angle
with the line of movement than do the bows, the vessel being tapered toward the
stern from a point immediately abaft the bows, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of September 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.