IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS OR VESSELS, AND IN STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-second day of August, in the fourteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her especial license, full power, solo privilege
and authority, that I, the said William Edward Newton, my exors, adññiors,
and assigns, and such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my exors,
adiiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and
Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS OR VESSELS,
AND IN STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS," being a communication from abroad;
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said
William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to
be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Edward Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, refer-
ence being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of Improvements in the Construction of Ships or Vessels,
and in Steam Boilers or Generators, is described by my foreign correspon-
dent as relating, first, to a peculiar mode of constructing ships or vessels
intended to be propelled by stern propellers, but which is also applicable to
vessels intended to be otherwise propelled; and, secondly, to an improved
construction of steam boiler or generator.
The principal object of the first part of the Invention is to construct vessels
intended to be propelled by what are known as stern propellers, in such
a manner as to admit of employing a propeller of greater diameter in propor-
tion to the depth of midship section than is usually employed in any of the
ordinary constructions of vessels, and whereby the proportionate amount of
resistance is reduced, and at the same time greater strength is given to the
vessel at and about the stern, this being an object so much to be desired in
vessels intended to be propelled by stern propellers. In order to effect this
object the vessel is made with the line of the keel inclined to the bilge line, the
distance between these two lines being gradually greater towards the stern. In
order, however, that this part of the Invention may be fully understood, I have
shewn in the accompanying Drawings various views of a vessel constructed
according to the improved plan. Fig. 1 is a plan view representing the lines
of the timbers of the vessel's frame; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 an
end clevation thereof, representing the lines of the bow and stern from the
midship section. The bilge line, which is parallel or nearly so with the water
line b, is shewn at a, a. The bilges extend downwards from what is denomi-
nated the bilge line a to another line c below. The keel d joins the stem
post e near the bilge line, and runs down to the stern post f in a line diagonal
to the bilge line, so as to be much lower at the stern than at the bow. The
floor timbers g unite the keelson and bilges and form bent planes, as shewn in
the Drawing at Fig. 3, by reason of the position of the keel line in relation
to the bilge line. The propeller h, Fig. 2, is represented as placed in an open
space cut out of the dead-wood at the stern in the usual manner. The timbers
for this construction of vessel can be united and bound together in the usual
or any appropriate manner, as this forms no part of the present Invention.
By reference to the Drawings it will be seen that the lines of the floor towards

page_text: the bow are flat or nearly so, and gradually incline and curve as they approach
the stern until the lines formed by thein are lost in the dead wood i at the
stern. Thus it will be seen by this mode of construction that a much greater
depth is obtained at the stern than at the bow and midship sections, so as to
receive a propeller of greater diameter than could be used in vessels of the
usual construction, whilst at the same time the bilge line is parallel with
the water line, so that the displacement of water is but slightly increased as
the body of the vessel passes through the water. The displacement of water
by the keel will, it is true, increase towards the stern; but as this bears but
a very small proportion to the whole displacement, it presents no very serious
objection, and by reason of this the lines towards the stern can be made more
gradual than by the ordinary mode of construction, and this reduces the resist-
ance back of the midships in a greater ratio than the increase due to the
greater depth. Another advantage duc to this mode of construction is, that
the stern is narrower relatively to the entire diameter of the propeller, so that
the water will close in and approach the propeller more freely than on any
other plan. The stern being narrower in proportion to the depth, the timbers
will more nearly approach a vertical line, and thus give more strength to resist
the strain due to the location of the propeller and the machinery connected
therewith, a result much to be desired in vessels propelled in this manner.
And, finally, it will be seen, that the bow is in this way rendered proportion-
ately lighter, so that it will more easily riso with the waves; and the stern, by
reason of its greater depth and weight, will be prevented from rising out of the
water, where it should always remain in order to give the propulsive action.
Having thus described the principle of the first part of the Invention, and
the best mode with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
lines and proportions herein specified, as these may be greatly varied within
the principle of the Invention; but what I consider to be new, and therefore
claim, under this head, is making the line of the keel inclined to the line of
the bilge, and of gradually greater depth towards the stern, as herein described
and for the purpose specified.
The second part of the Invention consists in arranging the direct flues in one
cylinder and the return flues in another cylinder, the two being placed side by
side or one on top of the other, the two cylinders being made to communicate
with each other for the free passage of water; the shells or casings of the two
cylinders being also so connected and bound together that each cylinder shall
be exposed to no more pressure than would be due to a boiler of the capacity
of only one of the cylinders.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of
a boiler constructed according to the present improvements. Fig. 5 is a trans-
verse vertical section of the same taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6
is an elevation of the front end of the boiler, shewing the doors by which
access may be gained to the furnace, ash-pit, and flues. A and B represent
two cylindrical boilers of equal diameter and length placed one above the
other. The two cylinders are not completed, and, instead of completing
the circles where the two come together, the top of the lower one A, and the
bottom of the upper one B, are left open, as at C, for the free communication
of water, and the two cylinders are joined by bending and uniting the plates
constituting the outer casing thereof, as represented at d, d, and the plates so
bent I connect by means of stay bolts e, e, which, by binding these parts
together, give to each cylinder a strength equal or nearly equal to two com-
plete cylinders. The fire-box and the direct flues 9 are arranged in the
lower cylinder A. The direct flues open into a smoke box at the end
which extends up into the upper cylinder B, so that the products of combus-
tion from the fire chamber, after passing through the direct flues, may pass
into and return through the flues i which are arranged in the upper cylinder
B. From these flues i, i, the products of combustion are discharged into
another smoke box j, which leads to the chimney. Any other mode than that
above described of binding together the outer casing of the two cylinders may
be substituted, as I have only described the mode of construction which has in
practice been found successful. The direct and return flues, as well as the
mode of connecting them for the passage of the products of combustion from
one to the other, may be varied at the discretion of the constructor. From the
foregoing it will be seen that each cylinder will be exposed only to the pressure
duc to a boiler of the capacity of one of the cylinders, whilst the entire boiler
will be of double that capacity for water and heating surface. The boiler will
be narrower than if constructed on the usual plan, and therefore for marine
purposes will be less liable to accidents arising from the overheating of the
fire surface by reason of the careening of the vessel.
What I claim and desire to secure as the second part of the Invention is,
arranging the direct flues in one cylindrical boiler, and the return flues in
another cylindrical boiler, when such cylindrical boilers are connected together
as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.
W. E. (L.s.) NEWTON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventeenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord 1851, the aforesaid William Edward Newton came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.