AN IMPROVED SCREW STEAM BARGE OR VESSEL, MORE PARTI- CULARLY ADAPTED FOR TOWING PURPOSES ON CANALS OR OTHER SHALLOW AND ">
Year: 1874

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to St. Clare John Byrne, of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Consulting Naval Architect, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED SCREW STEAM BARGE OR VESSEL, MORE PARTI-
CULARLY ADAPTED FOR TOWING PURPOSES ON CANALS OR OTHER SHALLOW AND
">
.
Scaled the 16th April 1875, and dated the 22nd October 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said St. Clare John Byrne.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd October 1874.
I, ST. CLARE JOHN BYRNE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Consulting Naval Architect, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED SCREW STEAM BARGE OR VESSEL, MORE PARTI-
CULARLY ADAPTED FOR TOWING PURPOSES ON CANALS OR OTHER SHALLOW AND
CONTRACTED WATERS," to be as follows :—
This Invention consists, firstly, in the peculiar form or model of the
barge or vessel, which is the chief important feature in the whole
design, the midship section being in shape as shown in the accom-

page_text: panying Drawings, Figure 1. This peculiar section is used with a view
to prevent settling down when under way, the bow and stern sections
being precisely of the same form as shown at A, Figure 1, that is, a flat
floor with square corners rising up longitudinally, and ending in a square
bow and stern above the water, the sections throughout being similar in
transverse form to that of the midship section. Although both the fore
and after bodies of the vessel rise up in this way, the vertical or side skin
plating does not do so; aft it will be continued along on cach side to
about as far aft as the rudder, and in depth to about the base line of the
vessel C, Figure 2; forward this side skin plating will be continued
along on each side in length and depth as found upon trial to be
necessary.
A. modification of this form of vessel may consist in leaving the after
body precisely as described, but the fore body may resolve itself into
what may be termed a spoon bow, as shown at B, Figure 1, of the
accompanying Drawings.
The second feature of novelty in this Invention is the introduction of
two pairs of screw propellers, that is, one pair on the starboard side, con-
nected or geared together and driven by a distinct pair or single engine,
with a precisely similar arrangement on the port side, see Figure 2. The
four screw shafts are arranged upon one level athwart ships, and set so
as to give the propellers a considerable downwards and inwards thrust,
that is, each pair of scrows will thrust slightly inwards towards the
centre of the boat's wake as well as towards the bottom of the canal or
other water.
The object of the four propellers is to gain propelling surface on a
light draught of water, enabling much more power to be developed
than could be done by the adoption of single or ordinary twin screw
arrangements.
The rudder is placed aft in the centre of the channel formed by the
two projecting side skins, and the steering wheel or gear may be con-
nected by suitable mechanical arrangement or otherwise to the steam
valve of the engines, so that with cach movement of the wheel the speed
of the starboard or port screws is increased or decreased, as the case may
be. This arrangement will materially assist to steer the vessel..
The advantages attendant upon this Invention are that the whole of
the water upon leaving the vessel (supposing her to be under way) must

page_text: do so in one direction, that is, between the hanging sides and upwards
towards the four screws, equally to cach, none closing in upon them
from the sides or bilges, as in the case of vessels of ordinary con-
struction.
It will be observed that the ordinary centre keel and dead wood aft
the stern post and the usual curved shape of frames aft have all been
done away with.
From the position of the screws it will at once be seen how completely
they are out of harm's way, being quite protected from all damage by
winding up ropes; or from breaking blades against lock piers, on canal
sides, or otherwise; or from collision with unfriendly (or by accident)
flats.
Another most important advantage arising from this form of vessel is
that the damage to the banks of canals will be reduced to a minimum,
as there will be no suction whatever from the sides towards the screws.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said St. Clare John Byrne in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ST. CLARE
JOHN BYRNE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting
Naval Architect, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said St. Clare John Byrne, Her special
licence that I, the said St. Clare John Byrne, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said St. Clare John Byrne,
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 might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,.
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED.

page_text: suit circumstances, as will be understood; forward the side skin plating
may be continued along on each side in length and depth as found
necessary, as shown by the dotted line H, Figures 1 and 6, or the con-
tinuation of the side skin plating may be dispensed with altogether, as
shown at Figure 1.
A modification of this form of vessel consists in leaving the after
body precisely as described, but the fore body may resolve itself into.
what may be termed a spoon bow, as shown at B, Figure 1 of the
Drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification.
The second feature of novelty in this Invention is the introduction of
two pairs of screw propellers K, K', J, J', in the passage or channel
formed by the continuation of the side skin plating E, F, G. The screw
propellers K, K¹, J, J', aro respectively driven by a distinct pair of
engines or a single engine, which drives the screw shafts M by suitable.
gearing N, as shown by Figures 1, 2, and 4 of the accompanying
Drawings. The four screw shafts are set upon one level athwart ships,
but are so arranged as to give the propellers a considerable downwards
and some inward thrust, that is, each pair of screws are by preferenco
arranged to thrust slightly inwards towards the centre of the-vessel's wake
as well as towards the bottom of the canal or other water.
.
The object of the four propellers is to gain propelling surface on a
light draught of water, enabling much more power to be develloped.
than could be done by the adoption of single or ordinary. twin screw-
arrangement.
.
The rudder L of the vessel is placed aft in the centre of the channel
formed by the two projecting side skins E, F, G. The steering wheel or
gear P may be connected by any suitable mechanical arrangement, also
the steering gear may be connected by suitable mechanical means to the
valve of the engines, so that with each movement of the wheel the speed
of the starboard or port screws is increased or decreased, as the case may.
be. This arrangement will materially assist to steer the vessel.
.
The advantages attendant upon this Invention are that the whole of
the water upon meeting and leaving the vessel (supposing her to be
under way) must do so in one direction, that is, underneath her forward
5 and up between the hanging sides towards the four screws, equally to-

page_text: propellers being placed and set substantially as shown in the accom-
panying Drawings, and for the purposes as herein-before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said St. Clare John Byrne, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenticth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
ST. CLARE JOHN (L.s.) BYRNE.