IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE FORM OF VESSELS AND BOATS."
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Collis Browne, of The Cedars, Hampton
Wick, in the County of Middlesex, Physician, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE FORM OF VESSELS AND
BOATS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Collis Browne at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th May 1872.
I, JOHN COLLIS BROWNE, of The Cedars, Hampton Wick, in the
County of Middlesex, Physician, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE FORM OF
VESSELS AND BOATS," to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to the construction of the hulls of vessels
in metal, or in wood, or a combination of metal and wood, whereby
greater strength is obtained than by the present method, also in the
form of vessels and boats in order to obtain greater floatative properties
from them, as well as less pitching, lurching, and rolling action.

page_text: The frame ribs at the bows are carried down the sides to the kelson
to which they are secured, so that the skin plating or the sheathing is
made flush and in a line with the keel, which springs from about
the fore part of the bilge to the stern, the extreme fore part of the vessel
being pointed and with a rounded cut-water, so that the vessel passes
through the water without causing eddies or waves.
The fore quarters of the vessels are slightly sunken to break the
contact of waves striking on the bows, and the hulls are so shaped or run
up at the stern to present a very deep keel; thus the waterline when
a vessel so constructed and formed is afloat would be from the tip of 1
the point at the fore end to a short distance from the rail at the stern.
By this means no part, or very little of the bows, would be submerged to
offer an impediment to the vessel's progress.
In the case of vessels of war, the fore point or prow would act as a
ram with a piercing action, and by means of the high poop or fore deck
one or more chaser guns could be carried with greater advantage then
can at present be obtained. Vessels of this build will sail and steam
better than those of ordinary construction, and are more readily handled
on account of the small amount of the submerged fore part, the centre
upon which she would turn being by this form thrown much further
back.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Collis Browne in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COLLIS BROWNE, of The Cedars, Hampton Wick, in the County of
Middlesex, Physician, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors
give and grant unto me, the said John Collis Browne, Her special
licence that I, the said John Collis Browne, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Collis Browne,

page_text: my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE FORM OF VESSELS And Boats,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Collis
Browne, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Collis Browne, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :—
These improvements relate to the construction of the hulls of vessels
in metal, or in wood, or a combination of metal and wood, whereby
greater strength is obtained than by the present method, also in the
form of vessels and boats in order to obtain greater floatative properties
from them, as well as less pitching, lurching, and rolling action.
The frame ribs at the bows are carried down the sides to the kelson.
to which they are secured, so that the skin plating or the sheathing is
made flush and in a line or nearly so with the keel, which preferably
springs from about the fore part of the bilge to the stern, the extreme
fore part of the vessel being pointed and with a rounded prow or cut-
water, so that the vessel passes through the water without causing eddies
or waves.
The fore quarters of the vessel are slightly sunken to break the contact
of waves striking on the bows, and the hulls are so shaped or run up at
the stern as to present a very deep keel, thus the waterline when a
vessel so constructed and formed is afloat, would be from the tip of the
point at the fore end to a short distance from the rail at the stern. By
this means no part or very little of the bow would be submerged to offer
an impediment to the vessel's progress.

page_text: The Invention will be clearly understood by referring to the annexed
Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a longitudinal view of a vessel,
and Figure 2 a transverse view with the rounded prow or cut-water in
section to show the lines of the frame ribs a, which run down and are
fastened to the kelson b, the section being taken through the line A, B, 5
Figure 1. The prow projects a great distance in front of the bow, and
is so to speak, lifted at the fore point to the load waterline, so that very
little of it is submerged. From the point the bow gradually widens out,
as seen in Figure 3, in a rounded or heart-shaped form, where from B to
C the bottom is flat for sitting well upon or in the water. The after part 1
from O to D rises up to near the rail, and has a deep keel E to steady
the vessel while sailing.
Figure 4 represents a vessel with a prolonged prow or cut-water as
just explained, and with the after part similarly shaped with the exception
that the rudder post forming part of the deep keel is carried beyond for 1
the rudder to be attached. In this view the keel runs more to the front
than in the previous Figures, otherwise the fore part of the vessel is the
same. In this construction of vessel, if she be a masted one, the fore
mast is fitted nearer the bow than is usual, to enable the action of the
wind upon her sails to produce great speed. The bow of the vessel is 2
slightly hollowed at E to turn outwards or downwards any water that
may run up the prow. By this means head waves can have little or no
effect upon the vessel's speed.
In the case of vessels of war the fore point or prow would act as a
ram with a piercing action, and by means of the high poops or foro deck?
one or more chaser guns could be carried with greater advantage than
can at present be obtained. Vessels of this build will sail and steam
better than those of ordinary construction, and are more readily handled
on account of the small amount of the submerged fore part, the centre
upon which she would turn being by this form thrown much further 3
back.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as
my Invention of "Improvements in the Construction and in the Form of
Vessels and Boats,”-
Firstly. Constructing or fitting a prow of great length with curved
upper sides and flattish bottom side in front of the bow of a vessel,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.
3

page_text: Secondly. I claim constructing the hulls of vessels, in the manner and
for the purposes set forth and substantially as shown in the annexed
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Collis Browne, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two: