IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' Bows
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert and Company, Patent
Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' Bows," and in
what manner tlie same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to movable bows for navigable vessels.
In describing the Invention reference will be made to the annexed Drawings, of
which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation showing the application of a movable bow.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation and Fig. 4 a plan of a movable
bow applied to a coal-barge. Fig. 5 represents the position of the movable bow
when the vessel is to be arrested or retarded in its course.
Figs. 6 and 7 are modifications of the movable bow, closed hermetically above
and below for the purpose of preventing the water to pass between the two boards
forming the bow which would tend to impede the course of the vessel.
The system of movable bows consists in securing to the bow or front end of the
vessel two long planks or plates a converging towards each other, and thus forming
another bow.
The shape of the planks is determined by the shape to be given to the movable
bow.
The planks are adapted to be attached or removed at will, and are held in their
converging position by two rods or stays b provided with hooks and fixed to the
front end of the vessel.
If the portion of the hull, to which the planks are attached, is vertical, the
planks may be hinged to the vessel by means of ordinary hooks and hinges cd,
Figs. 1 and 2, such as used for hinging doors in houses; if the bull is not vertical,
the upper hinge c only is retained, while the lower hinge is replaced by one or two
pins e, Fig. 3, by means of which the planks are fixed to the side or hull.
The movable bow is preferably made of light wooden planks, or of sheet metal,
while the hooks and hinges may be fixed in any suitable manner.
•
The movable bow is an appliance by by means of which vessels such as canal boats
or barges with the most full or round bow become easily manageable. A vessel
having the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped provided with this apparatus. may
Price A73

page_text: be easily towed as it easily cuts the water by means of the sharp additional bow.
Whenever this increase in the length of the vessel impedes the manoeuvrcing or
course of the same, for instance when passing through locks, the plates forming the
bow are removed or turned round and placed along the sides of the vessel.
Sea-going vessels may be provided with movable bows of different lengths and
shapes which may be exchanged according to the state of the sea, so as to assist the
navigation of the vessel.
It is evident that the shape and mode of attachment of the movable bow may be
varied to suit different requirements, without departing from the Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
A separate ships bow provided with means for temporarily attaching it to the
front part of the ship and securing it in such position, substantially as described.
H. J. HADDAN,
By Herbert & Co.,
Agents.