Improvements in or appertaining to Sectional Lighters or other Vessels Formed in Sections and afterwards Put Together.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1875
Complete Specification Left. 24th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Sectional Lighters or other
Vessels Formed in Sections and afterwards Put Together.
We, WALTER JAMES CHAMBERS of King Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Shipowner and RICHARD WILLIAMSON of Workington in the County
of Cumberland, Ship Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
1
This invention relates to the construction of sectional lighters or other vessels
formed in several sections and afterwards put together, and comprises certain
improvements in construction or arrangement hereinafter more particularly set
forth, whereby such vessels are rendered stronger while at the same time the
segments of which they are built up can be made of a convenient size to facilitate
their transportation or shipment.
Sectional barges and boats as hitherto constructed have been formed of a series
of segments divided transversely, the ends being in one piece and the middle
sections being divided up the centre line and afterwards rivetted, the deck being
also rivetted in each section.
Now this invention consists in forming the boat in a somewhat different way, and
in carrying the invention into effect, we generally form the bow and stern each in
one piece as before, but instead of dividing the sections at the centre line they are
divided between the centre line and side or can be built in one piece from the end
sections. When divided at the side line the butts of the side pieces can be either
made continuous across, or else broken, making much stronger work. In order to
more particularly describe our invention we will take by way of example, a barge
or lighter having a large hatchway in the deck extending nearly from end to end
for the purpose of loading cargo into the hold below. The bow and stern of such
barges or lighters we make in one piece, or more, as desired, and each side between
the bow and the stern are so made that they will look in cross section somewhat
like a channelled girder, the deck or stringer on each side of the hatchway forming
the top member of the girder and the turn at the bottom of the side forming the
bottom member thereof. Each side is by preference divided into two or more
sections or lengths, though it must be distinctly understood that we do not bind
ourselves to any exact number of lengths, as the sides may be made in any suitable
number of sections, and when these sections are rivetted together to the bow and
stern pieces they act as a girder for the vessel. The bottom of the barge is made
in any suitable number of pieces according to the size of the barge and to the
space at disposal into which they have to be stowed away for transportation or
shipment. If for example they are made in two pieces these two pieces extend
when put together from end to end between the bow and stern segments, the
transverse joint in the bottom in that case being in the middle and breaking joint
with the joints in the side pieces which can be made in two or more pieces.
do not however confine ourselves to making the bottom in two pieces as it can be
made in more than two pieces, and their joints made to break joint with the joints
of the side girders or not as desired. The segments are all rivetted or bolted
together in any suitable manner.
Dated this 21st day of November 1895.
We

page_text: Improvements in or appertaining to Sectional Lighters or other
Vessels Formed in Sections and afterwards Put Together.
We, WALTER JAMES CHAMBERS of King Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Ship Owner and RICHARD WILLIAMSON of Workington in the
County of Cumberland, Ship Builder, 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 the construction of sectional lighters or other vessels
formed in several sections and afterwards put together, and comprises certain
improvements in construction or arrangement hereinafter more particularly set
forth, whereby such vessels are rendered stronger, while at the same time the
segments of which they are built up can be made of convenient dimensions to
facilitate their transportation or shipment.
Sectional barges and boats as hitherto constructed have been formed of a series
of segments divided transversely, the ends being in one piece and the middle
sections being divided up the centre line and afterwards rivetted, the deck being
also rivetted in each section.
Now this invention consists in forming the boat in a somewhat different way, and
in carrying the invention into effect, we generally form the bow and stern each in
one piece as before, but instead of dividing the middle sections (namely, those
between the ends) longitudinally at the centre line, they are divided between the
longitudinal centre line and side or the deck. These divisions can be built in one
piece longitudinally from the end section to end section. When divided at the side
lines, the butts of the side and centre pieces can be either made continuous across
or else broken, making much stronger work.
In order to more particularly describe our invention, reference is had to the
accompanying drawings, which show by way of example a barge or lighter having
a large batchway in the deck extending nearly from end to end for the purpose of
loading cargo into the hold below,
Figure 1 being a plan, showing one way in which the vessel may be subdivided;
Figure 2 a plan showing another way of subdividing it ;
Figures 3 and 4 fragmentary cross sections of the harge on a larger scale showing
methods of making the sectional joint between side and bottom, and
Figure 5 a longitudinal section on the line ab of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section on the line xy, Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross section of a barge showing a method of making
the sectional joint at the turn of the bilge.
Referring to Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the sections are divided longitudinally
at a, between the centre line and the sides, instead of longitudinally at the
centre line. The bow and stern sections A A are made in one piece or more as
desired, and each side B between the bow and stern are so made that they will look
in cross section somewhat like a channelled girder, the deck or stringer b on each
side of the hatchway C forming the top member of the girder, and the turn at the
bottom of the side B forming the bottom member thereof as depicted in Figures 3
and 4.
Each side B is by preference divided into two or more sections or lengths.
In Figure 1 the sides are divided each into two lengths, in Figure 2 into three
lengths, though it must be distinctly understood that we do not bind ourselves to
the exact number of lengths, as the sides B may be made in any suitable number
of sections, and when these sections are rivetted or bolted together and to the bow
and stern pieces A. A they act as a girder for the vessel. The bottom D of the
barge is made in any suitable number of pieces according to the size of the barge

page_text: and of the space at disposal into which they have to be stowed away for trans-
portation or shipment. If for example they are made in two pieces D D, these
two pieces extend, when put together, from end to end between the bow and stern
segments A A and from side to side between the side segments B B, the transverse
joint being in that case in the middle, and in cases where there are three side
segments B, as in Figure 2, breaking joint with the joints in the side pieces. The
hatchway plates H can be divided same as the side sections or sent out in one or
more pieces as desired. We do not however confine ourselves to making the
bottom in two pieces, as it can be made in more than two pieces and their joints
made to break joint with the joints of the side girders or not as desired. These
segments may also be divided longitudinally down the centre in addition to at the
sides. In Figure 1, the bow and stern sections are made in one piece each, in
Figure 2 they are divided longitudinally on each side of the centre line.
The segments are all rivetted or bolted together in any suitable manner, one
arrangement being shown by way of example, in Figure 3 of the drawings which
shows the joint a between a side segment and a bottom segment, in which e is the
framing of the side segments (see also Figure 5) e¹ the framing of the bottom
segments; and f¹ are the keelson angles, 9 g¹ the floor plates, h h' the reverse
frame angles and the skin plates of the sides and bottom respectively. To rivet
the side section B to bottom section D, the two sections are brought together and
the framing e¹ connected to and rivetted to the framing e by the angle iron butt
strap J, and the reverse angles to the reverse angles by the butt strap J'.
The keelson angles ff are likewise rivetted together and also the skin plates i i
where they overlap at the joint. The joint is now complete, the floor plates g g¹
simply butting together without any special fastening.
This mode of construction may be usefully adopted, especially in the case of
small barges, but in the case of barges or lighters of larger capacity or in cases
where the barges have to be sub-divided into a large number of segments, owing to
the space in which they have to be stowed away, being limited, we prefer the
construction indicated in Figures 4 and 6, in which we run an intercostal plate K,
the whole length of the barge between the bow and stern pieces A A. This plate
however may be made in any convenient number of pieces and its joints may
coincide or otherwise with the joints of the sections. e e¹ are the side and bottom
framing angle irons which are rivetted to the floor plates g g'. These are not
turned up at their adjacent ends so as to be rivetted to the short longitudinal angle
irons and reverse frames h h' respectively, but are stopped short so as to allow
sufficient clearness for the insertion of short vertical angle pieces m m¹ and are
rivetted to the floor plates 9 gl and to the reverse angles hh'. The short vertical
angle pieces m m' are rivetted to the floor plates g g¹ and intercostal plate K. The
angles of the keelson ff1 are rivetted to the reverse frames h¹. The side section B
will therefore contain the deck b, the frames e, the vertical angle piece m, the
reverse frames h, the short longitudinal angle irons 1, the keelson angle irous f, the
floor plates g and the skin plates i; while the bottom section will be constructed
of the frames e¹, the vertical angle piece m³, the reverse frames, the short
longitudinal angle irons 1, the keelson angle irons f1, the floor plates g' and the
skin plates. The intercostal plate K being placed in position, the two sections B
and C are brought together and rivetted through the angle pieces I and the
keelson angles ff with the intercostal plate between, the pieces being also
rivetted to the skin plates i. The overlapping edges of the skin plates are
likewise rivetted together and the joint between the side section and bottom
section is then complete.
It is obvious that instead of making the joint at a, it may be made at a', as
shown at Figure 7, namely at the turn of the bilge. The arrangement is sub-
stantially similar to that described in the previous figures. e and e¹ are the frames,
h the reverse frames, g the floor plates, ff the keelson angles, J the angle iron
butt strap, O is a gusset plate to strengthen the joint. In this method of dividing
the barge into sections, the side B will contain the deck b, the frames e and the

page_text: skin plate while the bottom section will contain the frames e', the reverse frames h,
the keelson angle irons ff1, the floor plate g and the skin plate ; the gusset
plate O, and the angle iron butt strap J will be bolted or rivetted in position after
the sections are put together. Any suitable joints however may be used for
connecting the sections together and it must be distinctly understood that we do
not confine ourselves to the special methods or arrangements herein shown and
described, which are merely produced by way of example.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The improvement in sectional lighters or other vessels formed in sections and
afterwards put together, which consists in dividing the structure into sections
longitudinally between the centre line a, and the two sides, or deck, instead of or
in addition to dividing them up the longitudinal centre line as formerly,
substantially as described.
2. In sectional lighters, barges or other vessels formed in sections and after-
wards put together, dividing the bow and stern segments longitudinally on each
side of the centre lineæ, substantially as described.
3. In sectional lighters, barges or other like vessels, forming each side, between
the bow and stern segments, of channel girder form, the deck or stringer on each
side of the hatchway forming the top member of the girder, and the turn or flange
at the bottom forming the bottom member thereof substantially as described.
4. In sectional lighters, barges or the like, arranging the butt joints of the
bottom and side segments in the manner set forth, so that they can be readily put
together or separated when required for transportation or shipment.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.