IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE TRANSPORT PASSENGERS, CARRIAGES, CATTLE, AND MERCHANDISE, OVER RIVERS, CHANNELS, AND ESTUARIES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Percival Everitt and Charles Burrell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th February 1882.
PERCIVAL EVERITT of Queen Victoria Street in the City of London, Engineer,
and CHARLES BURRELL the younger of Thetford in the County of Norfolk,
Engineer " IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE TRANSPORT
PASSENGERS, CARRIAGES, CATTLE, AND MERCHANDISE, OVER RIVERS, CHANNELS,
AND ESTUARIES,"
OF
This Invention relates to novel means for effecting the transport of passengers
and goods across rivers channels and estuaries where the force of a rapid current
or of storm waves, has to be encountered.
Supposing it is intended to cross for example the English Channel, we provide a
floating structure of such capacity and power of resistance, that the waves will
break harmlessly over it, and we provide for actuating it means somewhat similar
to that used in steam cultivation for traversing the plough from headland to head-
land thus we avoid the necessity for using paddle wheels or screw propellers and
steering gear. The floating structure will consist of a hull solid or nearly so,
designed to float in the water with its deck about two feet above the water level.
The deck we propose to roof in, making the same water tight and sufficiently strong
to resist the action of storm waves. The hull we propose to construct with
longitudinal girders extending the full depth of the hull and braced together
laterally by transverse girders. The opposite ends of the vessel will be similarly
shaped, and take by preference a taper cut-water form.
The proportions of the floating structure will be such as to be capable of receiving
upon its deck several trains of railway carriages which will enter onto the deck
through an opening in the end of the roof or deck covering closed by watertight
doors, and will have an exit by a similarly fitted opening at the opposite end of
the structure. Rails will be laid upon the deck to receive the engines and carriages
as in a railway shed, or engine house. The center of the deck may be occupied by
a hotel from which above the roof the captain may have his look-out post. The
vessel we propose to connect with the opposite shores by means of wire ropes
Dunn 31

page_text: which being alternately wound upon, and run off, drums actuated by powerful
steam engines, will traverse the floating structure across the sea at speed pro-
portional to the steam power employed. The hauling drums and engines may be
mounted on the vessel itself, or situate on the opposite shores. In the latter case
telegraphic communication must be maintained between the opposite shores to
enable the captain to direct the land engine drivers. To prevent interference with
the navigation of the channel the connection of the wire ropes with the floating
structure must be at a depth below the water level sufficient to enable passing
vessels to clear the ropes; and to insure this latter result when fixed engines are
employed the land end of each rope is led through a short tunnel sunk in the sea
shore and opening into a well sunk in the engine house. Through this tunnel
and well the rope is brought over guide pullies to the winding on drum which
drum we prefer to actuate by a pair of engines coupled together.
To provide against the effects of an accident to one or other of the engines, we
propose to duplicate the hauling drums and winding ropes, thus if one engine is
disabled, or one rope fails the progress of the floating structure need not be arrested,
but it may continue its journey although at a decreased rate of speed.
From the foregoing it will be understood that while one engine or pair of engines
is hauling in, the other will be paying out rope, but this paying out should be so
arranged that the rope will always be kept taut, and thus serve like a rudder to
hold the vessel to its course. For lighting the interior of the vessel we propose to
use the electric light; so as to avoid all risk of damage to the roof; glass if employed
at all should be sparingly used. The electric light may also be used externally of
the vessel.