IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, USES, AND MODE OF NAVIGATING SHIPS AND VESSELS OF VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS IN MARINE AND INLAND NAVIGATION; AND FOR ABSTRACTING FOR SEPARATE USE SUCH POWERS AND MACHINERY AS FORM AN HYDROSTATIC OR OTHER MILL, AND ALSO A MODE AND COMBINATION APPLICABLE TO EASING THE DRAUGHT AND ACCELERATING THE MOTION OF CARRIAGES TRAVELLING ON LAND; AND ALSO A DINING TABLE UPON AN IMPROVED PRINCIPLE
Year: 1814

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DONCASTER, of Charles Street, Cavendish Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His Royal Highness George Prince Regent, in the name and
on the behalf of His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, did, by
His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the fifty-fourth year of His
reign, give and grant unto me, the said William Doncaster, my exors, adñiors,
and assigns, His special licence, full power, sole priviledge and authority, that
I, the said William Doncaster, my exors, admňors, and assigns, during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within that part of His Kingdom of Great Britain called England,
His Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all His Colonies and Plantations
abroad, my Patent right for a series of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION,
USES, AND MODE OF NAVIGATING SHIPS AND VESSELS OF VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS IN
MARINE AND INLAND NAVIGATION; AND FOR ABSTRACTING FOR SEPARATE USE SUCH
POWERS AND MACHINERY AS FORM AN HYDROSTATIC OR OTHER MILL, AND ALSO A
MODE AND COMBINATION APPLICABLE TO EASING THE DRAUGHT AND ACCELERATING THE
MOTION OF CARRIAGES TRAVELLING ON LAND; AND ALSO A DINING TABLE UPON AN
IMPROVED PRINCIPLE;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso
obliging me, the said William Doncaster, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and cause the

page_text: same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within fifteen
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent,
as in and by the said Letters Patent, reference being thereto had, may more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Doncaster, do hereby declare that the nature of my Inventions, and
the manner in which the same are to be performed, are particularly described
in the Plan or Drawing hereunto annexed, and the following description or
explanation thereof (that is to say):
The hydrostatic ship, contemplates, in the principles of its construction,
superior tonnage, safety, and progression; in its uses, to act as a sort of travelling
mill, if not a fishing vessel also; and in its mode of navigation, to enable the
mariner to perform the greatest part of his duties comfortably under cover.
The division of resistances in all the points in which it appeared practicable
will form a prominent feature in the accomplishment of the purposes intended.
In Figure 2 it will thus been seen that the keels A, A, are multiplied into five
in number, which serves the further valuable purposes of giving additional
stability in sailing upon so extended a base, greater safety to both ship and
cargo, and an enlarged capacity for tonnage. The meeting of the two dotted
lines at shews the effect of the water being turned aside from the pointed
head of each keel, and as each of the keels sends the displaced water both
ways, and therefore acts as two divisions, there is here alone a tenfold aggre-
gate of their great advantages. In the longitudinal section of them, Fig. 3,
it will be seen that there area is much less at the stern O than at the head N,
the immediate consequence of which must be that the vessel will always rise
well to the waves, and that such as have entered into the arches must imme-
diately pass down them to the lower level, where they are then left behind by
the progress of the ship.. Another minor purpose also results from their fish-
like form, as by this means the displaced water closes upon their surface, and
thus turns into something of impulsion what. would otherwise. have been
friction in a dead drag. B, B, are supposed wooden sleepers, for strength and
lightness. The hydrostatic bellows or pump E are pourtrayed in Fig. 5. The
arches are made eliptical, that more space may be had on each side them to
work such hydraulic engines in as may be worked by wind or otherwise. The
inclined plane 10 is intended to cover the space occupied by the bellows, and
to conduct the waves quietly into the arches. The rack and pinion F is
intended to act the important office of keeping, by its great pressure upon the
base, the hydrostatic water contained in the pipe I from merging into the other.
The four series of crossed lines by the sides of the three compartments of the

page_text: ship are so many means of dividing the waves which may strike the ship in
front; there are also three triangular projections, one to each body, to divide
them vertically. Behind these, whole series of water wheels are worked the
whole length of the ship, or such parts of it as may be deemed sufficient.
These currents, which comprize four times the length of the ship, and are a new
power, of which the Childers sea horse wheel has been invented to avail itself
in an eminent degree, will probably prove an immense accession of power,
when acting in unison with the other great hydrostatic powers hereafter
described. A vessel of only two hundred feet long consequently has eight
hundred feet of surface for them to act in. Say, however, that six hundred
feet only is employed, it will then carry thirty of the sea horse wheels twenty
feet diameter and two broad. As these wheels, again, may return a considerable
portion of their own water, by working the cranks and pistons of a pump, a
general idea may be formed of the powers of the system. The body of the
ship is free from the, necessity of introducing crooked timbers, bended planks,
or shelving sides, and is indeed plain flooring and wainscotting, such as will be
best done by a house carpenter. Agreeably to our whole system of dividing
resistances, there must be angular projections in front, so that in a high sea the
waves beating against the ship may be received upon the strongest point in
nature, the point of a triangle, and will be then divided each way so as to
throw their contents into the two currents on each side; they are then again
divided horizontally by the shelves between the three divisions, which also serve
to connect them together, and then fall down again into the sea. The best way of
employing the surface for impulsion which the deck affords will be by the use of
horizontal sails, which act with the wind in any direction; the pressure of the ship's
motion against the atmosphere will thus serve to give them an artificial impulsion,"
besides the one they derive from the actual direction of the wind; and thus the
wind, in the hydrostatic system, acts only as a subordinate power in raising water,
either by the improved Archimedes' screws, or in working the cranks of a pump;
but in general it will probably be only a superfluous power devoted to mill pur-
poses, which
may then be carried on while the ship is in port. Upon the highest
level the several divisions of the ship afford must be one general cistern, into
which the tops of all the hydrostatic pipes terminate, so that it may serve as a
general feeder to them all. A man must be appointed specially to this vital part
of the concern, to take care it is always full. The fishing one is founded upon
the extent of beam for bawling which the cast iron sail frame 18 affords when
spread out athwart the ship, this being only one half of it. In the swiftness
with which the hydrostatic ship will travel these improved vertical sails will pro-
bably be useless. In Figure 4, the hand R, working the rope affixed to the

page_text: weight T over the pulley S, gives a representation of the means of working a
leverage of three times the usual length in raising water, with probably less
fatigue than a man would experience from a lift pump, from the different employ
of the muscles, of one third the length. In Figure 5 the hydrostatic pipe E,
having towards its bottom the cock F, is the main feature of the concern. The
astonishing powers of the hydrostatic paradox are well known. This cock, on
being turned, will cutt off the communication between the water in the base
and that in the hydrostatic pipe; its great pressure upon all the particles of
water instantly ceases; and again, by the communication being opened, all the
particles of water within the base are so acted upon as to be prepared to spout up
through the first aperture they can meet with, in the nature of syphons, and in
which they will attain nearly the same height as the level of the water in the
impelling pipe. The grand concern then is to have such an overpowering
pressure upon the top of the bellows as shall prevent the water in the hydro-
static pipe from merging into the main body below, as the base empties itself of
its contents. As long as this effect can be kept up, the hydrostatic pump is a
grand series of syphons spouting up in all the given directions, and worked by
the hand of nature herself. A weight acting at the top of the pipe, as W,
would probably still further increase the astonishing hydrostatic power. The
Encyclopedia states the rack and pinion as being equal to the power of 220 men
when worked by one. The exhausture from the bellows being gradual, the
man working the jack may keep pace with the vacuity created. The bellows
are furnished with valves, to be filled up from the sea, either at the top or
bottom of them, as may be most appropriate to circumstances. Fig. 37 repre-
sents the idea of a pan made to retain a portion of the water the waves throw
into the arches. This would have its weight in the pressure downwards while
wanted in that capacity, and on its valve being opened the supply of water to
the bellows is immediate, and the weight of raising it upwards is eased. But
I do not consider it absolutely essential the old form of the hydrostatical bel-
lows should be adhered to. The same effect, I conceive, may be had from a
plunger made to fit any cubical vessel very tight, and having its thickness
continued to one or two inches, to prevent the water getting above it. With an
equal hydrostatical pressure from a high level, and equal apertures for the
water to make its escape, the same effect must be produced. The hydrostatic
pumps must be divided into a considerable number, for their greater manageability,
one to be filling while another is emptying, so that nothing may be standing
still on their account. No. 21 is my famous sea horse wheel, which I deno-
minate, by way of distinction from the other, Eclipse. It has been the
desideratum of ages to attain a water wheel which should, as an overshot wheel,

page_text: hold its water to the bottom, and, further, quit tail water with a very diminished
resistance. This is also a series of rotary oars, having the faculty of being dis-
tended as they fall into the water, as x, and of being contracted and driven
within the wheel as they come out of it by the bend B. No. 35 represents,
the front view of the float, in which B is the aperture for the admission of
waters, and 36 the side view of it, in which f, f, shews the catches which con-
fine it in its due play backwards and forwards, and E the perpendicular division
within, to eject any water which might lodge in it in rising. It is worked by
a band, as B, the essence of the management of which is that it should con-
tinually coil round the float ascending out of the water, and confine it within
the wheel. The inner circles E, E, show its power as a multiplying wheel, also,
by which velocity to any practical extent may be acquired. Say that the first
wheel goes at the rate of four miles an hour, another, multiplying at that rate,
would produce sixteen, the next sixty-four, &c. The rollers on which the band
runs acquiring so great a velocity, any light business of mill work or turnery
may be done at the same time. The axles of both these wheels turning upon
Carnet's friction rollers, represented by the three balls, will be a considerable
acquisition. No. 15 I denominate my Childers wheel. The ventilator is intended
to take advantage of an artificial current of air, to be formed for the purpose.
23 describes the angular form of the wheel, within which the moveable float
24 works upon; M describes its situation in its descent. Its great merit is, that
after having expanded itself to receive water in its floats, and that has acted
by its gravity to the bottom, it enters the current by yielding in the first instance
to it, so as not to cause that powerful shock which stiff floats are said to do,
and after being acted upon by the current in rising, it bends to the direction of
the wheel, and comes out of the water almost perfectly free of resistance.
shews the manner in which the whole muscular strength of the crew may be
employed in emergencies, throughout the whole breadth of the ship, in accele-
rating velocity. 31 is a diagram shewing the increased tonnage of a patent ves-
sel; 1 being the original vessel; 2 shews the tonnage doubled on the width being
so; and 3 the length, being doubled to keep the duc proportion to the width; a
quarupled base will also well admit of a doubled height, so that this is encreased
to eight times the capacity for tonnage, and all due proportion observed, in
consequence of the original width being doubled; but as we carry nothing
under water, a due allowance must be made on that account. 28, 29, and 30
give different views of the cabin dining table, intended to render every one
independent in himself, and not taking up the time of the ship's company from
their duties. 28 shews the rotary part of it turning on the pin H; 29, as
spread out; and 30, as again closed. 26 is the idea of the hydrostatic pipe
32

page_text: and
power being made serviceable in land carriages, in breaking the ruggedness
of uneven roads; the hydrostatic power acting horizontally, when any shock
takes place I conceive will be a most agreeable liquid intervention in breaking
it, and save a great deal of wear and tear, as well as personal unpleasantness.
27 is the idea of accelerated velocity extracted from the multiplying wheels.
The fore wheel has generally not only two revolutions to one to make in com-
parison with the hind wheel, but has to act as pioneer into the bargain. This
then resolves some of the power of the great wheel into the velocity
of the smaller one. It will want further modification, as to shielding
the strap from dirt, &c. No. 1, 8, shew the series of triangles I term my
proboscis, in their open and closed state. The peculiar value of this apparatus
consists in its elongating in water and contracting in air, free of resistance.
The mode of using it will be to drop it down as near the stem of the boat as
possible, and pressing the handles together; its wall at the end serves as a
fulcrum to act against, and the boat is thus impelled forwards its length. For
deep rivers, strong currents, and muddy bottoms this will far transcends the
shoulder lever. Increased safety is to be presumed as the natural consequence of
so many additional securities; and there being a beautiful division of weight,
power, and resistance throughout the whole of the ship, and no main
dependance anywhere, with the five keels, two bases, and three distinct com-
partments, carrying their lading over the water, not through it, the patent
ship ought, like a cat, to have nine lives. In respect to velocity, the formidable
resistance created above the surface by the weight and motion of the waves
being in great measure done away with, and the resistance below the surface
reduced into finer parts than has ever yet been practised, on the one hand, and
the increase of the surfaces for impulsion sixteenfold, on account of doubling
the width, videlicet, four on deck, four below, four currents, and four for the
muscular power of the crew within the ship, when necessary, the balance of
power over resistance, resolving itself into velocity, must be very great; but as
progression is in question, the direct course from one port to another which
the hydrostatic ship, as dependent only on its own internal powers, can always
steer, must necessarily outdo everything which is dependent upon wind and
uncertainty.
THE PATENTIZED VESSEL.
A bonus to the ship owner and to the mariner upon the present system
greater than has ever yet been given by any individual in his inventions since
the beginning of time will, it is hoped, be found in the introduction of the
vertical sail 11 and 17, and in that working horizontally No. 18, as by it the
dangerous and disagreeable part of the service of mounting aloft in bad

page_text: weather to reef the sails will be done away with. The heavy original cost
and annual wear and tear must be greatly reduced to the ship owner in the
constant wear of complicated tackling, while the great objection of the weight
of the sails breaking down the masts, if they exceeded a certain proportion to
its strength, here sinks to no consideration, since it is sustained upon the iron
rings upon an iron frame, as O. There will then probably be no objection to
having the sail cloth of a double thickness, so that the sailor may indulge his
favourite idea of sailing with an equivalent to a wet sail the year round. To
elongate the sails, a windlass and barrel must be used. One end of the rope
must be fastened to the top of the end ring, and then passed over the pully X,
and again over the pully Y, and.then wound round the barrel by the use of
the windlass. To contract them, the other rope is fixed to the bottom of the
ring, and, passing through the others as a guide until it reaches the pully
behind Y, it is then passed over it, and worked by its windlass and barrel until
brought to the desired position. The part G is intended should be elongated,
to have its bearing upon the bottom; but if a greater power is necessary, the
multiplying power used by wharfingers in working their cranes may be used.
The sails No. 11, being originally formed to fold up like a pair of regimental
colours, will probably be best worked by a capstan below. The intention of
them was that they should be fastened round the supporters of the horizontal
sails, so as to have all the principal points of the compass round them; but 18
will probably be greatly preferred. In the hydrostatic part the additional keel,
and both worked round the hull of the ship, affords room for placing sets of
wheels on each side of the ship. S is intended for the passege of the water
through her; and B, B, as a supply of water for the well C. The hydrostatic
system as before is then to be carried on, and the water forced up pipes at the
sides to be thrown upon the wheels. A portion of the valuable superior
steadiness and uprightness of the patent system might be had by fixing the
two wings on each side, could the ship owner conquer his presumed preju-
dices so far. By this means the heaviest sailors, which always tell in tonnage
according to their squareness, might be transformed in comparatively quick
sailing ones by the additional case being sharp built.
AN HYDROSTATIC OR OTHER MILL
May be constituted so that the same water may be used continually with the
same advantage as if it had a natural fall for working mills. Say that the
bottom of the wheel which drives the machinery is upon a higher level than
the reservoir, the water which the wheel discharges will naturally fall back
into it; then, if two hydrostatic pumps be constituted, as before directed, the