IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING BATTERIES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Longsdon, of New Broad Street, in the City of
London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING BATTERIES."
A communication from abroad by Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the Empire of
Germany, Cast Stool Manufacturer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Longsdon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th September 1881.
ALFRED LONGSDON, of New Broad Street, in the City of London. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FLOATING BATTERIES." A communication from abroad by Alfred
Krupp, of Essen, in the Empire of Germany, Cast Steel Manufacturer.
This Invention consists of a hull constructed of polygonal, circular, or annular
section in plan; this hull is divided by radial bulkheads into a number of
compartments, each compartment having a double bottom fixed to the outside skin
as well as to the bulkheads. The whole of the space of each compartment is filled
with watertight cases constructed of thin iron plates, each case having a
comparatively small horizontal section, and of the depth of the hull, and divided
by a number of horizontal bulkheads into still smaller divisions. The cases are
ranged in rows within the compartments and may be secured in different ways
cither to the deck or to the double bottom. I prefer the following arrangement :-
Each second row of cases is fixed to the double bottom, whilst those coming in
between are connected with their top ends to the rows attached to the bottom. In
the double bottom of each compartment there is a manhole, by which access is
given into the space underneath for the purpose of securing the cases.
The hull
is covered with an iron deck, and the interior between the cases may bo filled with
water up to the outside water line. In the bottom of the battery some permanent
ballast may be arranged, another and larger ballast weight being suspended below
the battery by chains worked from the deck. This ballast weight may be lifted
or lowered, or moved to either side, according to the most favourable conditions of
stability and flotation. By lowering the ballast weight stability will be increased,
and in case of one side of the battery being damaged by shot or shell the ballast
weight can be moved to the opposite side in order to balance the structure. An

page_text: armoured rim may be attached at the gunwale by which projectiles will be diverted
without piercing the crafts. Anchors are provided for mooring the structure, as
well as for manoeuvring it for aiming purposes. A gun of comparatively large
calibro will be mounted on deck in the centre, the carriage being by preference one
known as Krupp's pivot carriage; however, any other convenient carriage may be
applied if preferred.
In some cases this battery may be made in the shape of a ring of larger
dimensions, this ring being composed of a number of independent sectors attached
to each other. Each sector will carry its own gun; for the rest the detailed
construction of every sector, as well as of the battery as a whole, remains the 1
same as before described. This arrangement, besides affording room for a larger
number of guns, allows of each sector being exchanged separately in case of being
severely damaged.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Longsdon in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 27th March
1882.
ALFRED LONGSDON, of New Broad Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FLOATING BATTERIES." (A communication from abroad by Alfred
Krupp, of Essen, in the Empire of Germany, Cast Steel Manufacturer.)
This Invention consists of a hull constructed of polygonal, circular, or annular
section in plan; this hull divided by radial bulkheads into a number of compart-
ments, cach compartment having a double bottom fixed to the outside skin as well
as to the bulkhoads. The whole of the space of each compartment is filled with
watertight cases constructed of thin iron plates, each case having a comparatively
small horizontal section, and of the depth of the hull, and divided by a number of
horizontal bulkheads into still smaller divisions. The cases are ranged in rows
within the compartments and may be secured in different ways either to the deck
or to the double bottom. I prefer the following arrangement:-Each second row
of cases is fixed to the double bottom, whilst those coming in between aro
connected with their top ends to the rows attached to the bottom. In the double-
bottom of each compartment there is a manhole, by which access is given into the
space underneath for the purpose of securing the cases. The hull is covered with
an iron deck, and the interior between the cases may be filled with water up to the
outside water-line. In the bottom of the battery some permanent ballast may be
arranged, another and longer ballast weight being suspended below the battery by
chains worked from the deck. This ballast weight may be lifted or lowered, or
moved to either side, according to the most favourable conditions of stability and
flotation. By lowering the ballast weight stability will be increased, and in case
of one side of the battery being damaged by shot or shell the ballast weight can
be moved to the opposite side in order to balance the structure. An armoured rim
may be attached at the gunwale, by which the projectiles will be diverted without
piercing the craft.
Anchors are provided for mooring the structure, as well as for
manoeuvring it for aiming purposes. A gun of comparatively large calibre will be
mounted on deck in the centre, the carriage being by preference one of those
known as "Krupp's " pivot-carriages; however, any other convenient carriage may
be applied if preferred.
In some cases this battery may be made in the shape of a ring of larger
dimensions, this ring being composed of a number of independent sectors attached
to each other. Each sector will carry its own gun; for the rest the detailed
construction of every sector, as well as of the battery as a whole, remains the same
as before described. This arrangement, besides affording room for a larger number
of guns, allows of each sector being exchanged separately in case of being severely
damaged.
On the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a vertical cross section, and
Figure 2 a plan with part of the deck removed of a floating battery constructed
according to this Invention; Figure 3 is a part plan shewing the cellular
construction of the interior of one of the compartments of the battery; Figure 4
is a detail vertical section of part of same to a larger scale; Figure 5, similarly a
plan; Figure 6 is a side elevation of one of the boxes or cells with which the
compartments are filled, and Figure 7 a cross section through such a cell;
Figure 8 is a side view, and Figure 9 a plan of a ring shaped floating battery,
consisting of separate sectors combined together, and each having its own gun.
The vessel consists, as more particularly shown in Figures 1 and 4, of a skin A,

page_text: :
or vessel proper, of a circular or polygonal, or annular form in plan; it is by means
of radial bulkheads B divided into a number of sector shaped compartments, in
this case twelve in number, as shown at Figure 2. Each compartment has a double
bottom or inner skin C, as shewn in Figures 1 and 4; this inner skin is firmly
'united to the radial bulkheads as well as with the outer skin. Each compartment
is filled with a number of water-tight boxes D, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7; they
are made of thin sheet metal of about one or one and a half square feet in cross
section, and of a length equal to the depth of the body of the ship. Each box or
cell is by means of horizontal transverse plates d' (Figures 4 and 6) at about a
distance of 15 inches apart divided off into still smaller water-tight cellules; these
cells or boxes are placed in rows in the sector-shaped compartments of the body of
the ship and may be fastened in various ways either to the deck or to the inner
skin. For the sake of security against breaking away, and also to enable boxes
which have been damaged to be replaced, I prefer the following mode of
fastening About two thirds of all the compartments in a certain order, such, for
instance, as those which are marked by thicker lines in Figure 3 in the horizontal
section, are screwed to the inner skin or double bottom C by means of screws and
nuts, Figure 4; the remaining third is held down by the bolts d³ (Figures 4
and 5), which are projected from the upper ends of the other boxes or cells-which
are fastened to the floor. The boxes which are fastened to the floor have therefore
not-only-to-transfer-their-own-buoyancy-on-to-the-hull of the ship but also that of
the cells or boxes_which are held down, and the first named boxes are therefore
made correspondingly stronger. A certain play must be left between the boxes-
To hinder all possible shaking and grinding against each other strips of cork or
other suitable material are in suitable places fastened to the boxes as a lining d*,
Figures 5, 6, and 7. In the double floor or inner skin C of every compartment.or
division is arranged a manhole, through which the space underneath is accessible
for the purpose of fastening and unfastening the compartments by means of the
aforesaid screws and nuts d². The body of the vessel is provided with an iron
deck E, Figures 1 and 2, and the inner part or intermediate spaces left between
the boxes or cells can be filled with water to the same height as that which is
outside.
F, Figure 1, represents ballast which is placed on the bottom of the hull;
G, Figure 1, is a large ballast weight in the water, shown in full lines and in dotted
lines, to illustrate two different positions of same; it is suspended in chains or
ropes from winches H, Figures 1 and 2, by which winches the position of the
weight G can be changed, that is, raised and lowered and drawn to one side or the
other in order to meet the requirements for the most suitable stability and float
power; by lowering it the stability is increased, and according to the monsure in
which one side of the battery or vessel is more damaged than the other so the
diminished floating power of that side can be equalized by pulling the weight G
over to the opposite side.
In case of need the ballast can be lightened, or it can be lowered to the bottom
of the sea by means of the chains, or wholly separated from the battery.
There may be an armour J all round the edge of the deck, as shown at
Figures 1 and 2, which repels the enemy's missiles without their touching the body
of the vessel itself.
•
Several anchors K, Figure 2, serve to anchor the battery. Strong springs may
be used to mitigate the shocks in the cables when the sea runs high. Such springs
may also be used in the chains of the ballast.
A gun L of proportionate calibre is placed on the deck in the centre of the ship,
Figures 1 and 2. For a carriage Krupp's patent pivot gun carriage without a
retrograde recoil motion, patented in Great Britain the 9th February 1880, No. 554,
may be used advantageously, as it is worked quickly and easily in all directions.
The vessel can be turned by means of the anchors; sails or special motive powers
are not adapted for the floating battery, as it has to be towed into position by
other ships.

page_text: Cabins and places for the crew, ammunition, and other stores M, Figure 1, are
fitted up in the middle under the deck. It is only intended that a small magazine
is to be kept on board, which magazine is to be renewed by small ships from an
isolated floating magazine or from shore.
In order to protect the crew against the weather a light and easily removable
shed may be put up over the guns. For particularly important places I intend to
construct the battery in the form of a ring of large dimensions, as shown in
Figures 8 and 9; this ring battery consists of a number of independent sector
parts N joined together, in this case six, as shown in Figure 9. Each part carries
its own gun; in other respects the construction of the whole battery, as well as
that of each part, remains the same as before described. This arrangement allows,
firstly, of placing a great number of guns, and secondly, each part is separate and
can be changed in case it should be badly damaged.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I declare that I claim,―
First. In combination with a floating battery or gun platform detachably
connected and separately removable watertight boxes or cells for the purpose of
affording buoyancy to same and rendering same unsinkable, even when riddled
with shot below the water line, all substantially as set forth.
Second. A floating battery divided into separate compartments containing
watertight cells or boxes D, which are detachably connected to an inner skin or
double bottom C and to each other, substantially in the manner set forth.
Third. A floating battery divided into separate sector shaped compartments
containing detachably connected and separately removable watertight cells or
boxes D, and arranged round a central well in which a pivot gun is mounted,
substantially as set forth.
Fourth. A floating battery divided into separate compartments (containing
watertight cells or boxes), and arranged around a central well having movable
ballast G and means for changing position of the latter, substantially as set
forth.
Fifth. A combined ring shaped floating battery, consisting of separate
connectible ring sector parts containing detachably connected watertight cells or
boxes, and forming each a platform for one or more guns for the purpose of being
used either as a combined battery or as separate batteries, all substantially as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Longsdon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.