IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH SHIPS, OR VESSELS
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Simons at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th March
1861.
I, WILLIAM SIMONS, of Renfrew, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Shipbuilder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH SHIPS, OR VESSELS," to be as follows, that
is to say :-
This Invention comprehends various improvements in the construction of
ships or vessels for mercantile and for war purposes, and has generally for
object increased strength and protection. The said improvements, classed:
under separate heads, are as follows:-
First, in ships or vessels having iron thwart ship bulkheads, the connecting
of each bulkhead with the beams on one or both sides of it by horizontal
diagonal iron plates or bars secured to the bulkheads and along the upper or
lower edge of the beams. The object is to provide a strong diagonal fastening,
having the bulkheads as a basis of support, which system may be carried out
in various ways. Thus, the diagonal plates or bars may pass through the
bulkhead, and be adopted along one, two, or more ranges of beams, and they
may also be applied along the tops of the bulkheads, and secured thereto. If
preferred, the diagonal plates or bars may extend from side to side of the
vessel, and be secured thereto, or they may terminate at or near longitudinal

page_text: lines at each side of the hatches. The same system may be carried out by
securing the upper sides of each bulkhead at each side of the vessel by large
horizontal triangular plates fixed to the gunwale stringer and to the bulk-
heads; or the bulkheads may have applied to each of them one, two, three,
four, or more diagonal plates or bars arranged separately or in pairs. Bulk-
heads secured on this system may be adopted to the entire or partial exclusion
of the ordinary beams, in which case the deck may be of a greater than the
ordinary thickness. The diagonal plates or bars may be of beam iron or
other section.
Second, the placing of deck beams in reverse diagonal directions in the
same range, the beams below or above each other in the different ranges being
also in reverse directions. This system is applicable to the beams or bearers
supporting the cabin, steerage, or forecastle floors, and the beams or bearers
may be of iron or timber.
Third, in constructing an iron ship or vessel, the erecting of the thwart
ship iron bulkheads, and the bending on the external vertical edges thereof
of diagonal iron plates or bars, rivetted to and having their basis of support
on the bulkheads.. The more numerous the bulkheads are in a vessel thus
constructed the better, and if a very frequent subdivision of the hold is
objectionable, there may be alternated with a few entire bulkheads partial
bulkheads, or strong vertical plate frames having their thwart ship flanges
projecting considerably inwards. These partial bulkheads or deep frames
may be formed of iron latticework. On the framing thus constructed, the
external plating is secured and rivetted. The diagonal frame plates or bars
may be attached, to be passed through or be otherwise supported on the
bulkheads, such diagonal plates or bars tailing along the outside or inside
edges of the present vertical frames, to each of which or to the vessel's side
they are securely rivetted throughout their length. This system of diagonal
fastening may be applied, under various modifications, either externally or
internally to iron or steel ships or vessels, the plates or bars being in all cases
secured to the bulkheads, and having their basis of support thereon.
Fourth, the diagonal trussing of the insides of paddle steamers in such a
way as to take advantage of the insides of the paddle box framing, to form
a strong trussed arch at a part requiring extra support. This diagonal trussing
may be modified in various ways, and may be constructed with iron of various
sections.
Fifth, the applying to paddle steamers of diagonal thwart ship tie bars,
extending from the upper part of each paddle box, through the deck down to

page_text: the bilge. These diagonal bars may at their upper ends be secured to the
paddle box platform, and they may also be rivetted to the vessel's beams.
In a similar way the diagonal iron bars ordinarily used externally to support
the paddle beam, and usually fastened below to the outside plating of the
vessel, may be continued through the side, and be secured inside to the bilge,
keelsons, engine seat, or main keelson, or to the inside of the vessel's bottom
or bilge. These bars may or may not be fastened at the points where they
enter the vessel's side, whilst the apertures at which they enter are made
water-tight by means of doubling plates fitted to and caulked round the bar,
or by other means.
Sixth, the extending of beams or bars from the wingwale of paddle steamers
diagonally across the vessel, to form a horizontal diagonal deck trussing.
These bars are, if possible, fastened to the bulkheads and to any beams they
may come in contact with.
Seventh, in connection with fore and aft deck planking upon diagonal deck
beams, as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to the
present applicant, and dated 9th July 1858, (No. 1545), or upon ordinary.
beams, the fastening of such planking wholly or partially with thwart ship
diagonal seam bolts between the beams. By these means the deck is
strengthened, vibration decreased, and a greater beam space permitted.
Under this head is also included the fastening of deck plank butts by trans-
verse sean bolts entering the adjoining planks.
Eighth, the substituting for the longitudinal bars, ordinarily fixed at slight
distances apart inside iron vessels, for the protection of the cargo, of bars of
various sections arranged diagonally in one or two lengths, and in various
ways, being well secured, so as to increase the strength of the vessel as well as
protect the cargo.
Ninth, the forming and applying of vertical, diagonal, or lattice truss bulk-
heads of iron in the coal bunkers, engine rooms, and other parts of steam
vessels, or where from the space occupied by machinery or boilers a direct
thwartship connection cannot be obtained. Entire bulkheads of this con-
struction may also be applied to the holds of sailing or steam ships or vessels,
or the transverse framing of a vessel may consist of such bulkheads to the
entire or partial exclusion of the kind of framing commonly adopted.
Tenth, the fastening of timber on the outsides of iron battle ships or war
vessels, from about the water line to the gunwale, such timber being disposed
diagonally in one or more layers, and in one or in reversed diagonal directions
on one side, the parts directly opposite on the other side being in the reverse

page_text: trussés.
;
Eleventh, the applying of diagonal T iron, angle iron, or bar iron trusses to
the outsides of iron vessels from about the water line to the gunwale. The
spaces between or over such bars may or may not be covered with timber
it is, however, preferred so to cover them, the timber being arranged vertically,
diagonally, or horizontally. This improvement is more particularly applicable
to war ships.
Twelfth, in war vessels formed with internal angular shields, according to
the plan described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to the present
applicant, and dated the 2d January 1860 (No. 3), the filling up of the
triangular spaces between the shields and the external timber side with
timber arranged with its fibres in any direction, but by preference athwart
ship. The timber may be built up with pieces of metal or other material in
its interstices, or introduced otherwise to increase its resisting power.
Thirteenth, the constructing of the side of a battle ship or war vessel with
several thicknesses of iron and timber arranged alternately, the timber being
disposed horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The thicknesses may be
varied, but inch for the iron, and 6 to 8 inches for the timber are suitable
proportions. Instead of timber, the spaces between the metal shells may be
occupied by short tubes or hollow cylinders or prisms disposed transversely, so
as to form a sort of "honeycomb," such "honeycomb" construction may be
adopted with only two shells, an inner and an outer one. Ships' sides con-
structed in these ways may be made upright, or more or less inclined, and
generally this improvement may be combined with the system of construction
described in the earlier Specification already herein referred to.
Fourteenth, the constructing of iron diagonal latticework, yards, masts, or
spars with long bars of T iron or angle iron alone or together, or in connection
with flat bars and with internal horizontal transverse bars or bolts; or the
spars may have throughout their length circular, solid, or perforated discs
secured to the inside of the latticework. Similarly external hoops may be
rivetted or otherwise secured to the outsides of such latticework, yards, masts,
or spars.
Fifteenth, the rivetting of the bands of iron rudders upon the rudders
themselves, instead of upon the stern posts, the axis being in the stern post,
which is formed with apertures to receive the bands instead of in the rudder
stock. This arrangement permits of the plate ends being caulked in a more
satisfactory manner than hitherto.

page_text: Sixteenth, the making of a vessel's iron mooring bits hollow, and with
suitable communications with the cabin or hold, so as to act as ventilators,
being provided with adjustable water-tight covers. Similarly pall bits and
other bits passing through a vessel's deck, covering board, or waterway may
be adapted to act as ventilators.
In conclusion, it is to be observed, that whereas iron is herein-before
generally mentioned as the material to be used other metals or varieties of
metal may in many cases be used in carrying out the improvements.