Improvements in the Construction of Iron, Steel, or Metal Ships, Vessels, or Boats to Impart Increased Buoyancy thereto.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1887
Complete Left, 27th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 1st June, 1888
Improvements in the Construction of Iron, Steel, or Metal Ships,
Vessels, or Boats to Impart Increased Buoyancy thereto.
I, JAMES LONG, of No. 66 Bennerley Road, Wandsworth Common, in the county
of Surrey, Engineer and Inventor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements of and in combination with the invention
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated 9th December
1878 No. 5042. My present improvements, among other advantages, will lessen the
dead weight of the hull of the ship or vessel; be easier and cheaper to construct and
give additional speed; will greatly strengthen a ship or vessel; and can be readily
applied to existing steam ships or vessels, rendering them safe and unsinkable.
The body or hull of the ship or vessel is supported and strengthened by metal air-
tight spaces or chambers which are arranged on the starboard and port sides of the
steam ship or vessel, so that by an extra displacement of water beyond the carrying
capacity, the steam ship or vessel is thus rendered safe and unsinkable.
According to one of my improved methods of construction the upper continuous
angle iron or metal is curved out at right angles beginning at say about the fifth
longitudinal, causing an extra displacement of water by an alteration in the forma-
tion of the lines of the ship in her transverse section, though this need not add to her
displacement in gross; also by the plating-up beginning lower down or carrying up
the lower continuous angle iron or metal, a space may be formed from below the
water line to such a height above as may be necessary, the outer plating forming the
air spaces or chambers (except in such construction where more than one skin
plating is used) each such air space or chamber being separate and distinct, access to
which may be through man-holes cut in the inner plating to each space. There would
be a smooth surface outside the ship or vessel doing away with the convex form of
the outer portion of the plating of the cylinders or spaces, thereby lessening the friction
and increasing the speed of the ships or vessels without diminishing the carrying
capacity, or interfering with the internal arrangements of the ships or vessels.

page_text: In addition to the before-mentioned methods, where necessary, I propose using
similar air spaces or chambers built or constructed within the decks, bulkheads,
partitions, divisions, &c. in the interior of the ship or vessel.
This last method, in addition to the before mentioned methods, may be employed
in the construction of yachts, launches, &c. by forming the air spaces or chambers
into seats, settees, &c.
The whole or any of these improved methods of construction may be used in the
building of either steam or sailing vessels; and may also be readily adapted to
previously built ships and vessels of any description.

page_text: Vessels, or Boats to Impart Increased Buoyancy thereto.
I, JAMES LONG, now of 52, Musjid Road, Falcon Road, Battersea, in the county of
Surrey, lately of 66, Bennerley Road, Wandsworth Common, Surrey, Engineer and
Inventor, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements of and in combination with the invention
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated 9th of December
1878, No. 5042.
The body or hull of the steam ship or vessel is supported and strengthened by metal
air-tight spaces or chambers which are arranged on the starboard and port sides, so
that by an extra displacement of water beyond the carrying capacity the steam ship
or vessel is thus rendered safe and unsinkable.
In ships or vessels already constructed my method can be applied externally to the
hull without interfering with her internal carrying capacity or internal arrangements.
In ships so altered, while the beam would be increased, the ship or vessel could be
lengthened to any extent so as to bring her back to her former proportion of beam and
her carrying capacity increased by reason of her extra tonnage.
In constructing new steam ships or vessels I form the air-tight spaces or chambers
outside the outer skin or inside the same, thus forming with the plating-up a hollow
hull, subdivided into a number of longitudinal hollow divisions, that while strengthening
the constructional work likewise impart additional buoyancy to the ship or vessel and
render the use of transverse bulkheads (beyond the ordinary engine-room bulkheads),
optional; thus providing for the safety of the ship or vessel without the inconvenience
of a number of bulkheads, as her immunity from sinking is secured although the
whole of her carrying capacity may be filled with water.
I sometimes propose in the construction of some of these metal steam ships or
vessels a curved or bow keel or keelson or angle iron, so that in yachts &c. there
would be less displacement than in a level or ordinary shaped hull.
The above constructions are shown in the Drawing hereunto annexed.

page_text: Figure 4. Transverse section showing the application of these air-tight spaces (B) to
yachts, launches, boats, &c.
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 what I
claim is :-
1-The construction of longitudinal air-tight spaces or chambers on the port and
starboard sides of a ship or vessel, or formed in or around the body or hull.
2 The application of these air-tight spaces or chambers to render ships, vessels, and
boats self-righting, without the use of double bottoms or end chambers as at present
in use in Life-boats constructed of wood.