Improvements in the Construction of Boats or Rafts and Floating Structures.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1894-Accepted, 23rd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Boats or Rafts and Floating
Structures.
I, CLARA HEDWIG MARTINI of Elisenstrasse 45, II, Leipzig in the Empire of
Germany do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved floating structure adapted
to be propelled through the water, while it also possesses lightness of weight and
great buoyant power and rigidity in the direction of its length.
The improved structure comprises a number of parallel floats, preferably
cylindrical and not less than two in number suitably shaped at their ends and
arranged with their longitudinal axis in the same direction as that in which the
structure is intended to be propelled. A flooring or deck is placed across these
floats and the said deck and floats are stiffened in the direction of the length of the
floats by a lattice or girder frame or trussing usually of timber placed vertically
and standing above the deck. If more than two parallel floats are used there may
be more than two such trussings.
The structure as above described according to its length may be made in or of
two or more sections coinciding with each other at their ends and the trussings of
one section may then be bolted to and form a continuation of the trussing of the
next section.
Dated thie 22nd day of August 1893.
R. HADDAN,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Boats or Rafts and Floating
Structures.
I, CLARA HEDWIG MARTINI, of Elisenstrasse 45 II, Leipzig, in the Empire of
Germany, Manufacturess, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to an improved boat or floating structure adapted to be
propelled quickly through the water, while it also possesses lightness of weight and
great buoyant power and rigidity in the direction of its length.
The improved structure comprises two or more long and comparatively narrow
floats, suitably shaped at their ends and arranged parallel and with their
longitudinal axes in the same direction as that in which the structure is intended to
On the top
be propelled. A flooring or deck is placed across above these floats.
of all or some of the floats trusses or frames are erected for the purpose of stiffening
the floats in the direction of their lengths. The structure or vessel so described is
made in sections in the longitudinal direction, so that it may be joined or taken to
pieces, also lengthened or shortened at pleasure.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig 1 is a side view of my improved ship or boat. Fig. 2 is a transvere sectional
iow of the come

page_text: Figs. 3, 4 and ɔ are side views of the several sections composing the ship or
structure and
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views of different constructions.
The floats A A, Figs. 1 and 2, have nearly for their whole length the same cross
section of shape, for example, a circular one, except at the ends which are so formed
as to easily cut through the water. The floats A are made in sections, as shown in
Figs. 3 to 5, which are united end to end and fastened to each other by bolts or
similar means. Between the bow and stern pieces A' and A³ one float section A³
is inserted, or two, three, four or more float sections may be inserted to obtain
floats of any desired length. If these are to be shortened, this can be easily done
by omitting one or several float sections.
On the tops of the floats A, suitable supports B of any desired shape are fastened,
for the purpose of receiving not only the deck C but also the longitudinal stiffening
trusses or frames D. The deck C is also made in sections the same as the floats A,
and serves at the same time for securing the floats A A in a parallel position and
at the proper distance from each other.
The stiffening trusses or frames D are employed to protect the floats A against
beuding under the weight of the freight, passengers etc., placed on the deck C and
to render the whole boat or structure strong and reliable. The truss or frame D
may be constructed as lattice work, or as a kind of bridge truss. The end members
of the truss can have the top chords inclined, as shown in the right and left hand of
Fig. 1 and in Figs. 3 and 5, or they can be finished square, as shown in dotted
lines in Figs. 1 and 5. The top chords may also be bent arch-like or in any other
shape.
The stiffening trusses or frames D are equally made in sections, the same as the
floats A and the deck C and as is shown in Figs. 3 to 5. Therefore they can be
'put together end to end and secured by bolts or similar means. The trusses or
frames D may extend either over the whole or only a part of the length of the
floats A, in which latter case the bow and stern float pieces may remain without any
truss work.
In Figs. 1 and 2 a composite ship or structure with two floats A. A is shown.
According to its size and the load to be carried the ship or structure may have three
floats A A A as in Fig. 7, or four of these as in Fig. 8 or more floats. Then only
two of them, the outer as in Fig. 7, or the inner as in Fig. 8, need be stiffened by
trusses or girders D, while the other floats remain without any girder work or are
simply provided with rails E as in Fig. 8.
It depends upon circumstances whether more than two of the floats A require to
be stiffened by trusses or girders D.
The truss sections are fastened by means of the supports B to the corresponding
float sections, or they may be fixed direct to the float sections. The deck sections
may be either fastened or simply bolted thereto as may be convenient. When the
ship or structure is to be transferred from one place to another or to be stored, all
that is necessary is to take the ship sections apart. Or when it is desired to
increase the size of the ship, one or more sections (such as shown in Fig. 4) may be
inserted after the ship has been divided and the whole to be bolted together. In a
similar manner the ship may be shortened by omitting any section. Also the
number of the floats A may be increased or decreased, in which case of course the
deck C will require to be altered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A composite ship or floating structure composed of several floats arranged
longitudinally and united to a deck fixed above them by means of stiffening trusses
or girders which are erected vertically on the top of all or some of the floats, the
said ship or structure being made in attachable or detachable longitudinal sections
and so capable of being lengthened or shortened and widened or narrowed at

page_text: pleasure by adding or omitting some sections, substantially as illustrated and.
described.
2. In a composite ship or structure the combination with float sections A, of truss.
or girder sections B and D on the top of the same, and of deck sections C; also
with float sections, of truss or girder sections and deck sections, to form sections of
a ship or structure, that can be united end to end by bolting its ends together-
substantially as illustrated and described.
R. HADDAN,
Of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agent for Applicant..