IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING SHIPS
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOSEPH ALFRED NOVELLO of Villa Novello, Crosa San Giacomo Genon in the
Kingdom of Italy Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING SHIPS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in giving a novel form to the stern; to the body or
corpus; and to the bows of ships or vessels which I call "skimmers" suitable
especially to serve as a channel ferry-ship between England and the continent.
These forms are represented by the Drawing annexed; and are designed to obtain
greater steadiness at sea, and less resistance to propulsion than is met with in ships
of the usual type.
The improvements chiefly arrived at, in this Invention, are firstly: in giving to
the stern a concentrating form by extending the flat bottom and the vertical sides
of the skimmer to the extreme length, terminating at a central point, and adding a
sustaining form by raising the outer parts of the flat bottoin into a horizontal
wedge to above the load-line.
2ds: The body or corpus is formed by four watertight girders;-cach, with its
separate, watertight, rectangular sides, extending from stern to bows. These four
girders combine to make the width or "beam "from end to end of length and
should be securely bolted side by side, so that of the 8 sides, 2 only come in contact
with the outside water-walls of displacement. The four girders bolted side by side
will be much stronger than if the ship were enclosed only in one continuous shell,
and when expansion or contraction takes place in the material, the openings or
adjustment will take place where the girders are bolted together, and so cause no
leak or strain.
3ds: The greatest novelty and deviation from established use is in making the
bows gathering and sustaining, instead of dispersing. The gathering bows instead
of scattering the front waters to starboard and port (right and left) gather the
avelling wavo within the basin-bows and raise its level above the normal front
load-line at stationary-trim; thereby it lifts the bows increasingly as the speed
increases. Meanwhile the surplus water goes down the sustaining horizontal
wedge to supply the surface under the flat bottom and escapes at the outer edges
of the flat bottom without disturbing the load-lines along the starboard and port
sides.
There may be many forms of gathering-bows, once the novelty is adopted but
I prefer to adapt them to a flat bottom turned up at its ends to form horizontal
| wedges at stern and bows.

page_text: The displacement may be of many proportions, but those I prefer aro depth 1-
width or beam 10-length 50. Maintaining theso proportions I have designed the
skimmer to be in depth 4 feet-in beam 40 feet in length 200 feet. These.
proportions would be very unsafe with dispersing bows, but with the now
gathering and sustaining bows, the skimmer might safely encounter the roughest
waves.
It may be remarked that at stationary trim the weight of the skimmer and its
cargo should be distributed so na to equally depress the flat bottom parallel to the
normal level of the sea, so as to bring the load-line at all 4 sides of the skimmer
to 4 feet.
The centre of gravity between the stern and bows will be about middle of beam
and length near contre at *. The load-line will then be considerably longer
measured round the front from port centre to starboard centro, compared with
load-line measured round by the stern. The extra length prevents the bows
from diving below the front water at however bigh a speed the skimmer can be
driven.
When the bows are lifted the sustaining stern will prevent much depression
below stationary trim at that part of the bottom so the centre of gravity will
surely riso although it may be thrown nearer the stern, probably to a fluctuating
position between *2 and *.
The propulsion is produced in the following manner;-about the centre of length
is an opening in the flat bottom about 20 feet beam by 12 feet 6 inches length.
The opening shows where the 2 bottomless wells terminate and through which
protrude portions of the circumference of 2 smooth cylinders, or drums, each of 24.
feet diameter by nearly 10 feet beam. The axle of these drums is placed 10 feet 6
inches above the flat bottoin, so that the protruding portion will be about 18 inches
and thus nearly close the opening in the flat bottom. The two drums can be
driven in the same or in opposite directions, to suit any straight-forward or devious
or backward course desired. The friction against the depressed water-bottom of
displacement will be sufficient without paddles, floats, or any disturbance of the
smooth cylinders' circumference to propel tho skimmer;-but it may be safer
to rely on an independent break-power in casos where sudden stoppage is
necessary.
Very strong and light drums I have constructed with honeycomb or hexagon
bracing; and the same bracing may bo used to frame the flat bottom, the floors, or
the sides of the four girders.

page_text: I JOSEPH ALFRED NOVELLO of Villa Novello Crosa San Giacomo Genon in the
Kingdom of Italy, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING SHIPS" and in what manner the same is, to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention consista in giving a novel form to the stern, to the body or corpus
and to the bows of ships or vessels which I call "skimmers" suitable especially to
serve as a channel ferry-ship between England and the continent.
These forms are represented by the Drawing annexed and are designed to obtain
greater steadiness at soa and less resistance to propulsion than is met with in ships
of the usual type.
In the annexed Drawings Figuro I is a sido elevation of the skiminer, constructed
according to my Invention and the forms are applicable either to a sailing ship or
to a ship to be propelled by steam or other internal power.
Figure II is a ground plan of tho limits of the skimmer, one half presenting &
view from above, the other half as seen with bottom turned upwards.
The inclines serving to connect the stern and bows with corpus are portions of a
circle the radius of which are given thus, R. 30.-R. 40.-R. 62.-R. 5.-R. 4. etc.
Figure III is a back elevation of stern across beam.
Figure IV is a cross elevation of corpus and propellors at centre.
Figure V is a front elovation at bows.
Figuro VI is a plan, and
Figure VII is an elevation of another vessel of similar construction but with
somewhat different lines.
The improvements chiefly arrived at in this Invention are, firstly, in giving to
the stern a concentrating form by extending the flat bottom and the vertical sides
of the skimmer to the extremo length terminating at a central point and adding a
sustaining form by mising the outer parts of the flat bottom into a horizontal
wedge to above the load line.
Secondly-The body or corpus is formed by four watertight girders each with
its separate water tight rectangular sides extending from stern to bows. Theso
four girders combine to make the width or "beam" from end to end of length and
should be securely bolted side by side so that of the 8 sides 2 only como in contact
with the outside water walls of displacement. The four girders bolted side by sido
will be much stronger than if the ship were enclosed only in one continuous shell
and when expansion or contraction takes place in the material the openings or
adjustment will take place where the girders are bolted together and so cause no
leak or strain.
Thirdly-The greatest novelty and deviation from established use is in making
the bows gathering and sustaining instead of dispersing. The gathering bows
instead of scattering the front wators to starboard and port (right and left) gather
the swelling wave within the basin bows and raise its level above the normal front-
lond-lino at stationary trim, thereby it lifts the bows increasingly as the speed
increases. Meanwhile the surplus water goes down the sustaining horizontal
wedge to supply the surface under the flat bottom and escapes at the outer odges
of the flat bottom without disturbing the load lines along the starboard and port
sides.
There may be many forms of gathering-bows onco the novelty is adoptod but
I prefer to adapt them to a flat bottom turned up at its ends to form horizontal
wedges at steru and bows,

page_text: The displacement may be of many proportions but those I profer are depth 1—
width or beam 10-length 50. Maintaining these proportions I have designed the
skimmer to be in depth 4 feet-in beam 40 feet in length 200 feet. Theso
proportions would be very unsafe with a dispersing bow but with the new
gathering and sustaining bows, the skimmer might safely encounter the roughest
waves,
It may be remarked that at stationary trim the weight of the skimmer and its
cargo should be distributed so as to equally depress the flat bottom parallel to the
normal level of the sea so as to bring the load-line at all four sides of the skimmer
to 4 feet.
The centre of gravity between the stern and bows will be about middlo of beam
and length near centre at *. The load-line will then be considerably longer
measured round the front from port centre to starboard centre compared with
load line measured round by, the stern. The extra length provents the bows
from diving below the front water at however high a speed the skimmer can be
driven.
When the bows are lifted the sustaining stern will prevent much, depression
below stationary trim at that part of the bottom so the centre of gravity will
surely rise although it may be thrown nearer the stern probably to a fluctuating
position between *2 and *.
The propulsion is produced in the following manner :-about the centre of length
is an opening in the flat bottom about 20 feet beam by 12 feet 6 inches length.
The opening shews where the two bottomless wells' terminate and through which
protrude portions of the circumference of 2 smooth cylinders or drums onch of 24
feet diameter by nearly 10 feet beam. The axle of these drumb is placed 10 feet 6
inches above the flat bottom so that the protruding portion will be about 18 inches
and thus nearly close the opening in the Bat bottom. The two drums can be
driven in the same or in opposite directions to suit any straight-forward or devious
or backward course desired. The friction against the depressed water-bottom of
displacement will be sufficient without paddles, floats, or any disturbance of the
smooth cylinder's circumference to propel the skimmer; but it may be safer
to rely on an independent break-power in cases where sudden stoppage is
necessary.
Very strong and light drums I have constructed with honeycomb or hexagon
bracing and the same bracing may be used to frame the flat bottom, the floors, or
the sides of the four girders.
As passengers are intended to be the chief cargo of the skimmer, at A A A A
are indicated watertight bulwarks for selvage in case of wreck or collision with a
view to delay sudden sinking of the vessel.
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 :-
First—The sustaining wedge form stern with flat bottom and narrowing as it
rises towards the water line substantially as described.
Second-The bows with projecting gathering horns collecting the water beucath
the inclined fore part substantially as described.
Third The construction of ships with the stern corpus and bows herein
described.
Dated this 8th day of Aum 1984