An Improved Unsinkable Ship or Vessel Capable of Picking-up and Transporting Torpedo Boats, Launches, or other Small Craft with Safety during Rough Weather, and Affording Available Means for Repairing same without having to Proceed to Port or Dock Yard.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 6th July, 1839
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Unsinkable Ship or Vessel Capable of Picking-up and
Transporting Torpedo Boats, Launches, or other Small Craft with
Safety during Rough Weather, and Affording Available Means for
Repairing same without having to Proceed to Port or Dock Yard.
I, SAMUEL ALBERT JOHNSON of 13 East India Road Poplar E., in the County of
Middlesex, Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
By this Invention 'I propose to so form and arrange an opening or recess at and
from a suitable distance from the bows of a Transport or other ship or vessel or in
other suitable part within the beam, and of the necessary width and depth required,
and to fit thereto on either side hinged doors capable of being caused to open out-
wardly when desired, and when opened to readily admit of Torpedo Boats, Launches
or other small craft. being floated and housed within a Transport or other vessel in
manner and for the purpose hereafter described.
The said opening or recessed passage formed and suitably constructed within a Ship
or Vessel by my method would by preference be so arranged as to be partly beneath
and above the water line of the same, this opening or recess is intended to perinit of
the free ingress of water when opened as in a Graving dock or Lock, so that the
Torpedo or other craft intended to be docked therein may be easily floated into the
space provided and within the open hinged doors.
A platform is provided within the space or tank at its lower part, having a cradle or
carriage receptacle to receive the said Torpedo or other craft to be floated thereon
and secured thereto. The cradle or carriage would be provided with bearing wheels,
and suitable provision made so that both the cradle or carriage and the Torpedo
or other craft thereon together with the platform may by means of suitable hydraulic,
steam or other power and arranged gear to cause same to be lifted bodily either on
to the level of the tween, main or upper deck or as may be desired, without being in
any way strained, and hy means of the bearing wheels the cradle together with its
Torpedo or other craft upon it can be easily run aft, or into any suitable position of
the vessel and then made fast, and upon lowering the platform the same process or
method renewed over again to take in as many Torpedoes or other craft from time to
time as may be desired to safely protect and overhaul them on board.
When all are securely housed or stored the hinged doors are caused to close inwards
either by hydraulic or other suitable means and the water contained within the so
formed dock is then pumped out, and the said doors upon being securely closed,
and provision made to render them perfectly water-tight and secure, thus forming
a flush stem or bow.
Abaft the movable hinged doors forming the bow entry (or otherwise if preferred)
a transverse collision bulkhead would be formed by means of hinged doors which may
be caused to open outwards likewise, and be of the depth of the dock or tank, and
upon the suid hinged doors forming the entrance being closed the collision bulkhead
would also be secured.
In the case of warfare at sea Torpedo Vessels or Launches in Harbour or under
shelter can by my system or method be easily floated inboard and raised up and stowed
snugly in any suitable position on either deck, and if damaged can be readily seen to
or examined, and their bottoms painted, and put in order, as readily as if in Harbour
where it would be impossible for them to reach if disabled, especially in rough weather,
and when required can be easily lowered and.floated out to sea again ready for service
with steam up.
For the speedy and safe conveyance of Torpedoes, Launches or other Vessels to or

page_text: from any port or part of the coast, they can by my method be easily transported as
desired irrespective of weather.
In the case of carrying passengers or Troops and to ensure their safety, likewise
that of the Torpedoes, Launches or other cargo stored, so that,-say in time of war
(or otherwise) where a Vessel may be liable to injury and to prevent any possibility
of their being totally sunk ; 1 propose to form in way of the upper deck another deck
or space immediately beneath it of about three feet (more or less) in depth and
rivetted to the under side of the deck beams, the deck beams forming a series of
water tight division spaces and of sufficient floatative capacity to prevent the ship
together with its cargo, and those on board from sinking, in case of injury to the
main or other bulkheads, so that if a Vessel was disabled or partially sunk, she could
be towed safely into Harbour as a log. I would also propose to form a belt around
the upper deck and space formed beneath it, wherein I would propose to pack bales of
Cotton or other suitable material to resist the impact of Shot or Shell and prevent
injury thereto.
Dated this 60th day of July 1000.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Unsinkable Ship or Vessel Capable of Picking up and
Transporting Torpedo Boats, Launches, or other Small Craft with
Safety during Rough Weather, and Affording Available Means for
Repairing same without having to Proceed to Port or Dock Yard..
I, SAMUEL ALBERT JOHNSON of 13 East India Road Poplar, E., in the County
of Middlesex, Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
n what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying slicet of Drawings:
By this Invention I propose to so form and arrange an opening or recess at and
-from-u-suitable distance from the bows of a Transport or-othorship or vessel or in
other suitable part within the beam, and of the necessary width and depth required,
and to fit thereto on either side hinged doors capable of being caused to open out-
wardly when desired, and when opened to readily admit of Torpedo Boats, Launches
or other small craft being floated and housed within a Transport or other vessel in
manner and for the purpose hereafter described.
The said opening or recessed passage formed and suitably constructed within a
ship or vessel by my method would by preference be so arranged as to be partly
beneath and above the water line of the same, this opening or recess is intended to
permit of the free ingress of water when opened, as in a Graving dock or Lock,
so that the Torpedo or other craft intended to be docked therein may be easily floated
into the space provided and within the open hinged doors.
A platform is provided within the space or dock at its lower part, having a cradle
or carriage receptacle to receive the said Torpedo or other craft to be floated thereon
and secured thereto. The cradle or carriage would be provided with bearing wheels,
and suitable provision made so that both the cradle or carriage and the Torpedo or
other craft thereon together with the platform may by means of suitable hydraulic,
steam or other power and arranged gear to cause same to be lifted bodily either
on to the level of the tween, main or upper deck or as may be desired, without being
in any way strained and by means of the bearing wheels the cradle together with
the Torpedo or other craft upon it can he easily run aft, or into any suitable
position of the Vessel and then inade fast, and upon lowering the platform the same
process or method renewed over again to take in as many Torpedoes or other
craft from time to time as may be desired to safely protect and overhaul them on
board.
When all are securely "housed" or stored inboard the hinged doors are caused to
close inwards either by hydraulic or other suitable means and the water contained
within the so formed dock is then pumped out, and upon the said doors being securely

page_text: closed, provision would be made to render them perfectly water tight and secure,
thus forming a flush stem or bow.
Abaft the movable hinged doors forming the bow entry (or otherwise if preferred)
a transverse collision bulkhead would be formed and an opening made in the said
bulkhead to admit of entrance of the Vessel and a door provided to slide vertically
upwards and downwards by preference, worked by means of a coarse screw or
thread working in a nut.
In the case of warfare at sea Torpedo vessels or Launches in harbour or under
shelter can by my system or method be easily floated inboard and raised up and
stowed snugly in any suitable position on either deck, and if injured or damaged
can be readily seen to or examined and their bottoms painted and put in order,
as readily as if in Harbour where it would be impossible for thein to reach if
disabled, especially in rough weather, and when required can be easily lowered and
floated out to sea again ready for service with steam up.
For the speedy and safe conveyance of Torpedoes, Launches or other vessels to or
from any port or part of the Coast they can by my method be easily transported as
desired irrespective of weather.
Apart from "
picking up" and housing Torpedo vessels or other small craft the
principle described would of course be equally applicable for taking in machinery,
heavy Guns or other material too heavy to be lifted by ordinary appliances that may
be available and which could be floated inwards upon a barge, pontoon or other like
Vessel and when desired floated outwards.
In the accompanying drawing Figures 1 and 2 exhibit a longitudinal section
shewing the Bow and Stern of a Transport or Merchant vessel. Figures 3 and 4
plan of same. Figure 5 a midship section and Figure 6 a section of the bow or fore
portion of the Vessel wherein similar letters of reference indicate like or corresponding
parts. A, is the well opening or recessed passage or dock suitably constructed
within the central part of the Vessel as shewn, and of sufficient length, breadth and
height to accomodate or dock the largest class of Torpedo or other craft, having at
the inner end or extremity a bulkhead B. C, are hinged doors capable of being caused
to open outwardly to a sufficient extent so as to readily admit of Torpedo Boats,
Launches or other craft being floated and "housed" within a vessel. The dock
opening or passage is so arranged as to be partly beneath and above the water or
load line and when the hinged gates or doors C, are caused to opon the water freely
enters as in a Graving dock or Lock, so that the Torpedo or other craft intended to be
docked and "housed " may be easily floated into the space provided within the hinged
gates or doors. D, is a platform provided within the said dock opening or passage A,
at the lower part of same and having a cradle or carriage receptacle E to receive
the Torpedo Bont and to rest upon same. This cradle or carriage would be provided
with bearing wheels F, so that when in position the cradle or carriage E, together
with the vessel resting upon same, would by means of suitable Hydraulic Steam
or other power be lifted bodily together with the platform supporting it. G is the
Collision Bulkhead having an opening of sufficient size to admit of the Torpedo
vessel entering which opening is covered with a sliding door H, working upwards
and downwards by means of a square threaded screw H, worked from the main deck.
L, L, are chains or wire ropes connected to the lifting platform for raising and
owering same to either deck level by means of Hydraulic or other power. M, M, are
the Torpedo Boats in position and as in Figures 2 and 4 shewn entering through the
hinged doors towards the cradle or support E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
laim is :-
:-
Firstly. The method or principle of fitting and constructing a portion of the bows of
Transport or other Vessel so as to be opened and closed as occasion requires to
ermit of Torpedo Boats or other craft being floated into same and “housed”

page_text: tored therein likewise heavy Ordnance without being lifted over the side of a Ship
or Vessel.
Secondly. Enabling damaged Torpedo Boats to be "picked up" at sea so that
they may be repaired on board ship and floated out or delivered wherever desired
irrespective of weather or distance.
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