CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SAILING AND OTHER VESSELS WHEREBY GREATER STABILITY AND INCREASE OF SPEED IS EFFECTED
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Conrad d'Hue Gustave Dressler, Gentleman, of Barnard's Inn,
Holborn, London, W.C., for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SAILING AND OTHER VESSELS WHEREBY GREATER STABILITY
AND INCREASE OF SPEED IS EFFECTED."
Sealed the 17th May 1878, and dated the 21st November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Conrad d'Huc Gustave
Dressler at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November
1877.
"
CONRAD D'HUC GUSTAVE DRESSLER, Gentleman, of Barnard's Inn, Holborn,
London, W.C. CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SAILING AND
OTHER VESSELS WHEREBY GREATER STABILITY AND INCREASE OF SPEED IS
EFFECTED."
The first part of my Invention relates to the construction of ships or other similar
vessels, having secured, "fore" and "aft," suitable "gimbles" or "studs," upon which
is hung the keel.
The second part relates to the construction and method of hanging the keel on to
the ship or boat.
"
"
I propose to make the keel of iron or other suitable material and separate from
the ship, and at each end of the said keel I construct suitable bearings which
correspond and fit on to the said "gimbles or "studs upon the ship or other
vessel. By thus hanging the keel, the motion of the boat or vessel is rendered
quite independant of that of the keel, so far as affects its rolling.
I propose moreover, in the case of sailing vessels, to attach the step or foot of the
mast or masts direct on to the keel in lieu of on to the vessel.
In addition I may sometimes construct the keel with a link or swinging rod
secured at each end, and hang the keel by these said rods or links on to the gimbles
or studs; and to the upper ends of these rods or links, which extend above the point
of suspension, I attach suitable ropes whereby the keel can readily be moved to
rDell

page_text: either side of the vessel so as to secure additional stability when required whilst
sailing, or I may effect the same movement by any other suitable mechanical
means.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side view of the
bow of a boat fitted with my Invention, Fig. 2 being an end view of the same.
A is the hull or boat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Conrad d'Huc Gustave Dressler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st May 1878.
CONRAD D'HUC GUSTAVE DRESSLER, Gentleman, of Barnard's Inn, Holborn,
London, W.C. " CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SAILING AND
OTHER VESSELS WHEREBY GREATER STABILITY AND INCREASE OF SPEED IS
EFFECTED."
The object of this Invention is to secure greater speed, stability, safety, and
comfort in vessels carrying sails.
For this purpose, instead of building the keel into the bottom of the vessel in
the usual manner, I make it, in a great measure, a distinct and separate portion of
the same.
I make each end of the keel to terminate in a vertical frame which
reaches somewhat higher than the upper portion of the vessel's sides; at the top
of each of these frames is a circular aperture for carrying a mast on which the sail
is set, no masts being carried on the hull of the vessel; to the top of each of these
frames I also attach a cross bar for the purpose herein-after mentioned.
At the corner or angle formed at each end of the keel by the meeting of the
horizontal portion of the same with the uprights at each end, I fit, by means of a
pin joint, a post or standard, or, in small vessels, a rod reaching to about the same
height as the vertical frames or uprights before mentioned, the lower end of such
posts working on the pin joints, thus permitting them, in their entire length, to
inove freely in the arc of a circle.
At any suitable height, preferably about the centre of the height of the posts, I
fix each of the ends of the vessel which are pointed and made to project outwards
for that purpose in such manner that when the posts at either end of the keel move
on the pin joints in the arc of a circle, the hull of the vessel is carried with them
sideways in the same direction. Therefore the only attachment of the hull of the
vessel to the keel is by means of the pin joints to which the posts are fitted, the
pointed ends of the vessel being attached to these latter.
The upper portion of the keel may only just clear the bottom of the hull, or if the
depth of water will admit, considerable space may be left beween the two, the keel
being thus brought lower down in the water.

page_text: I prefer to construct the hull proper in the form of a hollow cylinder with ends
tapering off to a point, except for some distance on each side of the centre of its
length, where I make the upper part of the hull flat.
On the top of the hull proper I lay the deck, which (may be made hollow and
air-tight) I make to overhang the hull considerably at the stern, such overhang
gradually decreasing until, at the stem, the hull projects beyond the deck.
The pointed ends of the vessel may be made to serve as water-tight compartments,
and the central portion be used as a cabin or for stowage. To the stern end of the
keel I fit a rudder, which I work from the deck in any suitable manner.
Having provided one or both of the vertical frames with a suitable mast and sail,
and the vessel being in water of a sufficient depth, my Invention is worked and
employed in the following manner:-When the wind is abeam, in which case my
Invention offers the greatest advantages, its force, instead of causing the hull of the
vessel to heel over, acts only in causing the keel to diverge from the vertical towards
the horizontal plane, the hull resting evenly on the water.
When the masts and keel heel over by reason of the force of the wind more than
is considered safe, such position may be corrected by means of a rope and pulley
mechanism in connection with the cross bars on the top of the vertical frames and
the top of the posts working in the pin joints, an endless rope passing through an
aperture in the top of these posts, right and left, to the ends of the cross bars.
When the rope is pulled or wound up, the posts act as fulcra for bringing the keel
and masts towards a vertical position.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, I have to remark that my
claim is for an arrangement whereby the force of the wind against the sails of a
vessel is caused to act on the keel, mast, and sails, only without affecting, or affecting
in only a small degree, the position of the hull of such vessel on the water; I wish
it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein-before
described, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature or principle
of my Invention.
In order that the nature of my Invention may be more readily understood, I
hereunto annex a Sheet of Drawings, in which a side view of a vessel, to which my
Invention has been applied, is represented at Figure 1; at Figure 2, a plan of the
same; and at Figure 3, an end view of the stem, shewing the keel and mast heeling
over whilst the position of the hull of the vessel is unaffected. In the different
Figures the hull of the vessel is marked A; the keel, B; vertical frame at each end
of keel, C; posts or standards at each end of the keel, D; deck, E; masts, F; G,
endless rope; and H, cross bars.
In witness whereof, I, the said Conrad d'Huc Gustave Dressler, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year of
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.