IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING BATTERIES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Keech, of the City of New York, in the
County and State of New York, in the United States of America, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING BATTERIES."-A communication
from James Hyde, residing at New York, in the County and State of
New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 19th December 1862, and dated the 6th October 1862.
. PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Keech at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
October 1862.
I, THOMAS KEECH, of the City of New York, in the County and State
of New York, in the United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING BATTERIES," & commu-
nication from James Hyde, a person residing at New York, in the County
and State of New York, in the United States of America, to be as follows,
that is to say:-
The said Invention consists in the employment of a shot-proof turret, so
arranged as to float in water contained in a suitable reservoir or compartment
formed within the ship's hull, the centre shaft of which is sustained by hollow
frames, forming at the same time a communication between the inside of the
ship and the inside of the turret by a suitable passage way through said hollow
frames and through the central shaft, and also in the arrangement of the gun
running on curved railways. Near the centre of the ship's hull a reservoir or
compartment is formed, nearly filled with water or any other suitable fluid, in
which floats the turret or gun house. A hollow arch-like frame extends from

page_text: the hull over the turret, from which projects downwards a hollow shaft, into
the lower end of which a stud or shaft is fitted, capable of sliding freely up and
down, and connected to one of the floors or decks of the turret through a
universal joint. A system of gearing is arranged around the lower part of the
hollow shaft and connected with the central stud whereby the same and con-
sequently the turret can be turned or rotated in the reservoir. By virtue of
the universal joint the turret is also free to tip in any direction, in consequence
of which the carreening of the ship will not effect said turret so much, the
tendency of the water in the reservoir being to maintain its level, whereby the
turret is caused to float in a level condition, while the hull tips, whereby a
greater degree of accuracy can be obtained in firing the guns than can be
arrived at in the present mode of construction.
The guns are made to travel on circular railways about in the shape of a
quarter of a circle, the carriages being constructed with suitable sector frames,
which are hung at one end on pivots fastened to the deck around which the
carriages travel. By this arrangement less space is required for the guns, and
consequently a greater number of guns can be arranged in one turret, and
capable of being fired directly opposite each other. Suitable elevators or dumb
waiters are arranged in the turret through which the ammunition is passed up
from the lower decks of the turret to the guns, as may be required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Keech in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th March 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
KEECH, of the City of New York, in the County and State of New York, in
the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Keech, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Keech,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Keech, 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 night make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOATING
BATTERIES," a communication from James Hyde, a person residing at New
York, in the County and State of New York, in the United States of America,
upon the condition (amongth others) that I, the said Thomas Keech, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my or 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 said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Keech, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to that kind of floating battery in which the guns are
arranged within a revolving or rotating turret or case made shot-proof and with
ports through which the guns are discharged. In the various batteries of this
class beretofore made, it has been necessary to employ an immense amount of
power to operate the revolving turret, and the amount of requisite machinery
has been so great as to render it impractical to have the craft sea-going and
possess any very great comparative speed. Another great practical difficulty
in making a successful battery of this kind has been the impossibility of
keeping the guns nearly level and working them rapidly and easily. These
and other minor difficulties it is the object of my present Invention to over-
come in the production of a sea-going craft, which may be made to possess the
requisite degrees of strength and speed, while at the same time the revolving
turret is so combined with the body of the ship as to be readily turned and
adjusted by a few men, and remains nearly level while the guns are, being
worked.
My Invention consists in the employment, in combination with any kind of
ship's hull or body of a floating turret, so arranged as to float in water or any
other suitable fluid contained within the ship's hull (or in a compartment
formed therein), and be readily rotated by machinery in the turret, as herein-
after more fully explained.
And my Invention further consists in forming a communication between the
inside of the ship and the inside of the turret by a suitable passage way
through hollow frames which sustain the central shaft and through. the said
shaft, as herein-after more fully described.
And my Invention further consists in a novel arrangement of the guns on
curved railways, in a manner which will be presently explained.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure I. is a side elevation; Figure II. is a vertical longitudinal section ;
Figure III. is a horizontal section at the line X, X, of Figure II.; and
Figure IV. is a plan view of the gun deck or floor of turret. In the
several Figures the same letters of reference indicate the same parts of the
apparatus.
A represents the hull or body of a ship with its different decks L, M, N;
and constructed in any desired model, about the center of which is formed a
reservoir or compartment C. This reservoir C is nearly filled with water (as
shewn in blue tint in the Drawing) in which floats the "turret" or gun
house D. This turret D should be made in the usual way of plates of iron
sufficiently strong to withstand shot and somewhat dome shaped (where it
projects above the hull A) to reflect shot fired against it. B is a hollow arch-
like frame extending from the hull A over the turret D, and from which
projects downwards the hollow shaft F, in the lower end of which is fitted, so
as to slide freely up and down a stud or shaft a; said shaft a is connected to
the floor or deck S of the turret D by two cross pivots 1 and 2, forming a
"universal joint." Around the lower part of the shaft F, at the solid part J, is
arranged and secured a frame b, on which is hung a system of gearing for
turning the spur gear c, which is keyed on the shaft a, and consequently turns
the turret in the reservoir. In one half of the hollow frame B there is formed
a staircase k, over which, from the steps 1, persons can pass from the interior
of the hull A to the winding stairway n in the hollow shaft F, and thence down
through the doorway q into the turret. Suitable traps or openings for commu-
nication between the different compartments or decks of the turret are
provided, as seen at G, Figure III. On the upper deck R of the turret is
constructed the railway for the guns K. The arrangement of said railway s
and of the gun carriages will be best understood by reference to Figure IV.,
which is a plan of deck R. The four guns K travel on four railways s, each
about in the shape of a quarter of a circle, the carriages being constructed
with sector frames P, which are hung at one end on pivots V, around which
the carriages travel.
In Figure IV. I have drawn the carriages in their normal position and

page_text: shewn one in red lines run out to its port ready for action (or firing). The
ports t are made in the usual manner with closing iron doors. E are elevators
or dumb waiters, through which ammunition is passed up from the lower decks
of the turret to the gunners, as required. It will be seen that by turning the
crank handles o, o, the gears h, h, will impart motion to the gears f,f; on the
shafts of gears f, f, are two bevel gears i, i, which mash into and drive
the gear g, g; on the shaft of which latter are two spur pinions .d, d, which
drive the large gear wheel c, secured to the central stud or shaft a (see
Figure II.). It will be understood then that by turning the handles o, o, the
turret D is rotated, its shaft a turning in the socket formed in the lower end J
of the hollow shaft F, and also sliding up and down in said socket, to suit the
variable position of the turret D in its reservoir. While the turret is free to
rotate on the shaft a it is also free to tip in any direction by virtue of the
universal joint j, formed by the pivots 1 and 2, by which the shaft a is coupled
to the deck S (see Figures II. and III.). To admit of the tiping or carreening
(caused by the motions of the ship) and at the same time always have the top
of the turret through which the stationary shaft F passes closed tight, I arrange
a collar (dish-shaped) W, around the upper end of the shaft F, sufficiently
large to always keep 'covered the opening made in the top of D, to admit
sufficient play of the turret. I have shewn one half of the hollow frame B
divided off by a partition r, to form a smoke stack; in the other portion used
as the passage way, small holes m, m, may be made through the inner and
outer sides for ventilation as well as for observation.
It will be understood that by having the turret floating in a reservoir, as
shewn and described, all friction from the usual supporting mechanical devices
is avoided, and the turret can be easily turned by hand power in lieu of steam
power now used with its necessary accompaniments of machinery. By thus
dispensing with all the machinery and engines now used to operate the turret
in this class of batteries, I am enable to construct my hull with the adaptation
to greater speed and sea-worthiness than can be obtained when the heavy
turret is not floated, and is operated in the manner heretofore practiced.
It will be understood that by leaving the turret to float as described,
the carreening of the ship will not effect said turret so much, the tendancy of
the water in the reservoir being to maintain its level, whereby the turret D is
caused to float in a level condition, while the hull tips, as illustrated in red
lines at Figure I., whereby a greater degree of accuracy can be obtained in
firing the guns than can be arrived at in the present mode of construction.
The small red circle in Fig. I. indicates the center of motion of the ship around
the turret.

page_text: When the turret is not in use for war purposes it may be used with great
comfort as a cabin, being free from the unpleasant motion of the hull or ship.
If it be found necessary in practice, I propose to put steadying rollers or
guides around the turret or reservoir near the top of the latter, to prevent the
locking of the turret in said reservoir.
Having now described the construction and operation of my improved
floating battery, which it will be obvious is subject to many modifications,
without departing from the spirit of the Invention, though differently con-
structed in detail, I hereby state that what I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent, is, the employment of a floating turret in a reservoir in
combination with suitable mechanism for turning it, substantially as herein-
before described, and for the purposes set forth.
.I. also claim, forming a communication between the interior of the hull or
ship A and inside of. the turret D through hollow frames and a hollow shaft,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
I also claim, the arrangement of the guns K on carriages swinging on fixed
centers V and running on curved tracks s, substantially as herein-before set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Keech, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
THUMAS KEECH. (L8.)