Improvements in the Construction of the Hulls of Vessels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Hulls of Vessels.
1, PATRICK O'BRIEN of The Deanery, St. Patrick Street, St. John's,
Newfoundland, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
My invention relates to the hulls of vessels and has for its object to construct a
hull in such manner that a maximum of speed will be attained together with a
maximum of safety and further to construct the hull in such shape that drift to
leeward will be in a great measure avoided.
My invention consists in constructing the hull of a vessel with sides inclined
inwardly from the deck towards the bottom and a bottom extending upwardly from
the keel to the sides, the said bottom being concaved transversely of the hull.
In the construction of the hull, the bottom is curved upwardly to present a
concaved face from the keel to a sharp-edged bilge, and from the bilge to the top
of the hull the sides extend upwardly, said sides being flared or converged from the
bilge to the deck or upper termination of the hull. The sides and the bottom of
the hull preferably meet at an obtuse angle. The sharp-edged bilge section forms
to an extent a side keel, and owing to the bottom being concaved from the keel
to the bilge a greater bearing surface is presented to the water and the craft is
thereby rendered less liable to be upset. The outward inclination of the sides
in connection with the concaved shape of the bottom will effectually prevent
a vessel, constructed according to my invention, from shipping water to any great
extent in a rough sea. Drift to leeward is also prevented in a great measure as
the outwardly flared sides offer such a resistance to the water as to cause the hull
to be forced over more to windward than in the hulls of ordinary construction and,
again, the steering qualities of the hull are greatly augmented especially in heavy
winds which throw the hull over upon its side, since the bilge sections at that time
serve as a side keel and hold the vessel up to its course.
My invention when applied to steamers will cause such vessels to roll but little
even in a heavy sea.
It will be understood that the proportions of length, breadth, and depth, the
inclination of the sides, the angle between the sides and the bottom, and the degree
of concavity of the hull, will vary according to the class of vessel to which the
improvement is to be applied while the general features as hereinbefore described
will be embodied in every vessel constructed according to my invention. The
following additional features may be used with advantage in special cases, though a
greater or lesser part of them may be dispensed with in other cases where no
particular advantage would be secured by their employment. The bottom presents
a convexity from the stem to the stern and the sides are convexed at the stern
while the remaining portions of the sides are essentially straight in cross-section.
The outward inclination of the sides increases from the stem to the stern, but in
other cases it may increase from the stern to the stem. The concavity of the
bottom increases towards the stern.
Dated this 17th day of August 1893.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Hulls of Vessels.
I PATRICK O'BRIEN, of The Deanery, St. Patrick Street, St. John's,
Newfoundland, Clerk in Holy Orders 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 :-
My invention relates to the hulls of vessels and has for its object to construct a
hull in such manner that a maximum of speed will be attained together with a
maximum of safety and further to construct the hull in such shape that drift to
leeward will be in a great measure avoided.
My invention consists in constructing the hull of a vessel with sides inclined
inwardly from the deck towards the bottom, and a bottom extending upwardly from
the keel to the sides, the said bottom being concaved transversely of the hull.
In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent a hull
embodying my improvements.
In the said drawings-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vessel's hull constructed in accordance with my
invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of one-half of the hull;
Figure 3 is a view of the bow;
Figure 4 is a transverse section taken practically on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a similar section taken practically on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 ;
Figure 6 is a similar section taken essentially on the line 6-6 of Figure 1;
Figure 7 is a similar section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 1; and
Figure 8 is a similar section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1.
In carrying out my invention, I construct the hull of the vessel of any suitable
material, such as wood or iron; and I wish to state at this place that the invention
relates merely to the exterior shape of the hull, and that in all other respects the
vessel may be constructed in any well-known or approved manner.
In the construction of the hull the bottom A is curved upwardly to present a
concaved face from the keel B to the sharp-edged bilge C, and from the bilge C to the
top of the hull the sides D extend upwardly, said sides being flared or converged from
the bilge to the deck or upper termination of the hull. The sides and the bottom
of the hull preferably meet at an obtuse angle, as will be seen in Figure 3 and in
the cross sections shown in Figures 4 to 8.
The sharp-edged bilge section forms to an extent a side keel, and owing to the
bottom being concaved from the keel to the bilge a greater bearing surface is
presented to the water, and the craft is thereby rendered less liable to be upset. It
will be further understood that the outward inclination of the sides, in connection
with the concaved shape of the bottom, will effectually prevent a vessel
constructed according to my invention from shipping water to any great extent in
a rough sea.
Drift to leeward is also prevented in a great measure, as the outwardly flared
sides offer such a resistance to the water as to cause the hull to be forced over
more to windward than in the hulls of ordinary construction; and, again, the
steering qualities of the hull are greatly augmented, especially in heavy winds,
which throw the hull over upon its side, since the bilge sections at that time serve
as a side keel and hold the vessel up to its course. My invention, when applied to
the construction of steamers, will cause such vessels to roll but little, even in a
heavy sea.
It will be understood that the proportions of length, breadth and depth, the
inclination of the sides, the angle between the sides and the bottom, and the degree

page_text: of concavity of the hull will vary according to the class of vessel to which the
improvement is to be applied, while the general features, as herein before described,
will be embodied in every vessel constructed according to my invention.
In the accompanying drawings, which represent one of the many forms of con-
struction resulting from my invention, I have shown some of the additional features
which may be used with advantage in special cases, though a greater or lesser part
of them may be dispensed with in other cases where no particular advantage would
be secured by their employment.
As illustrated in the said drawings, the bottom A presents a convexity from the
stem to the stern, and the sides D are convexed at the stern, while the remaining
portions of the sides are essentially straight in cross section, as will be seen in
Figures 3 to 6. The outward inclination of the sides increases from the stem to the
stern, but in other cases it may increase from the stern to the stem. The concavity
of the bottom increases toward the stern, as shown in Figures 3 to 7.
I do not confine myself to the form of construction illustrated in the drawings,.
as it will be understood that the same may be altered in various manners, as herein-
before indicated, without departing from the nature of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said.
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. The hereinbefore described improvement in the construction of hulls of
vessels, which consists in constructing said hulls with a bottom extending upwardly
from the keel, said bottom being concaved in transverse direction, and sides inclined
inwardly from the top of the hull towards the bottom, said bottom and sides meeting.
along a sharp edge to form bilges which are adapted to serve as side keels,
substantially as set forth.
2. The hereinbefore described improvement in the construction of hulls of
vessels, which consists in constructing said hulls with a bottom extending upwardly
from the keel, said bottom being convexed in longitudinal and concaved in trans
verse direction, and essentially straight sides inclined inwardly from the top of the
hull towards the bottom, said bottom aud sides meeting along a sharp edge to form
biiges which are adapted to serve as side keels, substantially as set forth.
3. The hereinbefore described improvement in the construction of hulls of
vessels, which consists in constructing said hulls with a bottom extending upwardly
from the keel, said bottom being convexed in longitudinal and concaved in trans-
verse direction, the concavity increasing towards the stern, and essentially straight
sides inclined inwardly from the top of the hull towards the bottom, the portion of
the sides near the stern being convexed, and the inclination of the sides increasing.
from one end of the vessel to the other, the said bottom and sides meeting along a
sharp edge to form bilges which are adapted to serve as side keels, substantially as
set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. A vessel's hull having a bottom extending upwardly from the keel, said bottom
being concave in transverse direction, and sides inclined inwardly from the top of
the hull towards the bottom, said bottom and sides meeting along a sharp edge to.
form bilges which are adapted to serve as side keels, substantially as set forth.
5. A vessel's hull having a bottom extending upwardly from the keel, said
bottom being convex in longitudinal and concave in transverse direction, and
essentially straight sides inclined inwardly from the top of the hull towards the
bottom, said bottom and sides meeting along a sharp edge to form bilges which are
adapted to serve as side keels, substantially as set forth.
6. A vessel's hull having a bottom extending upwardly from the keel, said bottom.
being convex in longitudinal and concave in transverse direction, the concavity
increasing towards the stern, and essentially straight sides inclined inwardly from.
the top of the hull towards the bottom, the portion of the sides near the stern
being essentially convex, and the inclination of the sides increasing from one end of
the vessel to the other, the said bottom and sides meeting along a sharp edge to.

page_text: form bilges which are adapted to serve as side keels, substantially as set forth with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
7. The improved vessel's hull, substantially as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and described with reference thereto.
Dated this 28th day of September 1893.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
P. O'BRIEN,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.