IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF, AND APPLIANCES TO, STEAM SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Silver and Thomas Mooro
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
19th September 1861.
We, THOMAS SILVER, of Philadelphia, United States, and THOMAS
MOORE, of No. 33, Regent Circus, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF, AND APPLIANCES TO, STEAM SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
The first part of our Invention consists in dividing the hulls of the ships by
longitudinal bulwarks intersected by transverse partitions. The fore and aft
partitions to divide the ship into four tubular sections below or about the load
line, one longitudinal partition to be secured to the centre kelson, and the two
others to spring from side or sister kelsons. The two longitudinal divisional side
partitions to be carried up to the upper deck and above the same, to form the
sides of a hurricane deck. The partitions to be stiffened with bars of angle
iron crossing each other diagonally. The angle irons to be made in one piece,
so as to form a double angle in the shape of a Z. The 'thwartship partitions
to be stayed with straps or tension rods extending from one side of the vessel
to the other.
The second part of our Invention consists in facilitating the loading or
discharging of coals or cargo, by beam travellers or wheels, flanged or other-
wise, running in suspended grooves, or working to and fro on rails. These

page_text: suspended travellers to be fitted to the beams or decks to raise or lower cargo,
and to run the same to and from the hatchways.
The third part of our Invention consists in the mode of fixing the machinery
and boilers in the side sections of the ships, so as to allow the whole centre
section to be free from appliances connected with steam propulsion. The
paddle-wheel engines will be connected by a shaft fitted with a pinion on cach
end, gearing into toothed wheels on each engine shaft.
The fourth part of our Invention consists in the arrangement of the screw
engines, three cylinders to which will be fixed longidudinally, the centre
cylinder to have its piston connected with two connecting rods. By this 1
arrangement the centre piston will do the work of preventing the back-lash
for which two cylinders are required under the common working of modern
engines. By the arrangement here described each set of engines will drive
two spur wheels, between which a pinion gears carrying the screw shaft.
The fifth part of our Invention consists in working a screw under each 1
quarter of the stern of the ship, with paddle wheels at the sides.
The sixth part of our Invention consists in steering apparatus. This may
be effected in the ordinary manner, or by steam power in combination with an
bydraulic cylinder and piston, the latter being for the purpose of maintaining
the position in which the rudder may be placed by the power of the steam
pistons. The steam pistons may work in fixed vibrating or rotary cylinders,
and the whole placed in the most convenient part of a ship to suit requirements,
and connected by chains or other suitable contrivances.
The seventh part of our Invention consists in making the hot air pipes for
warming the ship to serve as fire extinguishers by attaching flexible hose at 2
proper intervals to smother conflagration by steam.
air.
The eighth part of our Invention consists in ventilating the between decks
and cabins in a manner more suited to insure health, by carrying off impure
This we propose to do by inserting trap valves in the decks, com-
municating with pipes carrying the foul air below, where it will be forced s
upwards from the bottom of the ship, and taken up through pipes through the
floors, and extending above the upper deck. The carbonic gases, which
contaminate the atmosphere through the impossibility of their escaping, will
be allowed to descend, as it is their nature to do, and be carried by the upward
draught of the ventilating pipes in the bottom of the ship. The trap openings
will be covered by gratings. Thr trap valves will be made self-acting floats,
to close up in the event of water rising underneath. The tops of the
ventilating pipes above the upper deck to be in the form of a cap cono
fashioned to increase the draft.

page_text: The ninth part of our Invention consists in lighting the between decks.
We accomplish this by inserting honeycombed or iron framed glass in all the
corridors or passages throughout the vessel, these diffusers of light to represent
the appearance of an honeycomb, with conical cells and glass bull's-eyes, so
shaped as to fit such cells, the upper part of the cells to have an iron projecting
rim, so made as to form cavities for the reception of elastic or other suitable
cushions to keep the bull's-eyes from being forced upwards.
The tenth part of our Invention consists in abolishing all standing masts,
yards, or rigging; spars, to be carried to take fore and aft sails in an
emergency, and to be hinged, falling along the roof of the upper or hurricane
deck, to form seats.
The eleventh part of our Invention consists in steering floats, worked on
either side of the stern or quarter by a cogged connecting shaft from side to
side of the ship, actuated by a vertical spindle driving a spur wheel or endless
screw, or by a wormed screw.