IMPROVEMENTS IN BOATS AND VESSELS APPLICABLE. ESPECIALLY TO SAVING LIFE AT SEA
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Noad, of Saint Mary's Terrace, Pelley
Road, Plaistow, in the County of Essex, Engincer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOATS AND VESSELS APPLICABLE. ESPECIALLY TO
SAVING LIFE AT SEA."
Sealed the 12th February 1875, and dated the 27th August 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Noad at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th August 1874.
I, JAMES NOAD, of Saint Mary's Terrace, Pelley Road, Plaistow, in the
County of Essex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOATS AND VESSELS APPLICABLE ESPECIALLY
TO SAVING LIFE AT SEA," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in boats and vessels.
These improvements are more especially suitable to sailing life boats
and other similar small sailing boats, but they are also more or less
applicable to large sailing vessels and steamers.

page_text: The bow, stern, and keel of the boat or vessel are of the ordinary
form, as also is the upper part of the sides, but all the rest of the sides
is omitted. The centre portion of the deck is also omitted, and an
elliptical well open to the water by reason of the omission of the sides
takes its place. In fact the vessel consists of an ordinary bow and stern
connected together by the keel and by two. hollow water-tight com-
partments following on the outside the lines of an ordinary deck, and
their upper surface forming a narrow gangway or deck (having the
ordinary bulwarks) round the central elliptical well. In this well, sus-
pended in horizontal bearings at the bow and stern ends, there is a water-
tight compartment of an egg shape, that is to say, nearly of the form of
an ellipsoid of revolution. This compartment is capable of revolving in
its bearings, so that if struck either at the top or bottom by a sea it will
freely turn and offer no resistance to it.
Ordinary hatches are provided in the deck to give admission to the
bow and stern portions of the vessel, which also communicate with
each other by the side water-tight compartments. The bearings of the
suspended compartment are carried by vertical screws, so that if the
screws are turned the suspended compartment is raised or lowered when
it is desired to alter its position, according as the ship is loaded or
otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said James Noad in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
NOAD, of Saint Mary's Terrace, Pelley Road, Plaistow, in the County of
Essex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of August, 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, .
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page_text: give and grant unto me, the said James Noad, Her special license that
I, the said James Noad, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Noad, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
3 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOATS AND VESSELS
APPLICABLE ESPECIALLY TO SAVING LIFE AT SEA," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Noad, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describo and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Noad, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
These improvements are more especially suitable to sailing lifeboats
and other similar small sailing boats, but they are also more or less
applicable to large sailing vessels and steamers.
-
The bow, stern, and keel of the boat or vessel are of the ordinary
form, as also is the upper part of the sides, but all the rest of the sides
is omitted. The centre portion of the deck is also omitted, and an
elliptical well open to the water by reason of the omission of the sides
takes its place. In fact the vessel consists of an ordinary bow and
stern connected together by the keel and by two hollow water-tight
compartments following on the outside the lines of an ordinary deck,
and their upper surface forming a narrow gangway or deck (having the
ordinary bulwarks) round the central elliptical well. In this well sus-
pended in horizontal bearings at the bow and stern ends there is a
water-tight compartment of an egg shape, that is to say, nearly of the
form of an ellipsoid of revolution. This compartment is capable of
revolving in its bearings, so that if struck either at the top or bottom by
a sea it will freely turn and offer no resistance to it.

page_text: Ordinary hatches are provided in the deck to give admission to the
bow and stern portion of the vessel, and they also communicate with
each other by the side water-tight compartments. The bearings of the
suspended compartment are carried by vertical screws, so that if the
screws are turned the suspended compartment is raised or lowered,
according as it is desired to alter its position, according as the ship is
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Ordinary hatches are provided in the deck to give admission to the
bow and stern portion of the vessel, and they also communicate with
each other by the side water-tight compartments. The bearings of the
suspended compartment are carried by vertical screws, so that if the
screws are turned the suspended compartment is raised or lowered,
according as it is desired to alter its position, according as the ship is
loaded or otherwise.
In constructing a steamer according to this system the stern portion
would be made larger than for a sailing vessel so as to give sufficient
space for the engines.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I have shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed a
vessel constructed according to my Invention.
: Figure 1 shews a plan view of the vessel; Figure 2, a side view;
Figure 3, a longitudinal section; and Figure 4, a transverse section of
the same.
In these Figures A is the egg-shaped water-tight compartment sus-
pended at its ends upon axes which are received in bearings B. These
bearings can be raised or lowered by screws C which can be turned in
either direction by means of a worm and worm wheel gear, as shewn at
Figures 1 and 4. D is the opening in the central portion of the vessel
in which the suspended compartment A is received. The upper part of
the sides of the vessel are carried across this opening, as shewn at E,
and form part of water-tight compartments or passages connecting the
bow and stern ends. F are hatches to give admission to the bow and
stern portions of the vessel from the deck.
Vessels constructed in the manner above described with a suspended
air-tight compartment capable of revolving upon axes are not only
applicable for use as life boats and for sailing and steam ships generally,
but may also be used advantageously for raising wrecks and sunken
vessels. For this purpose I would use two or more of the vessels,
placing one or more on each side of the wreck at high water, and having
previously passed a hempen cable round her hull fitted with double
slings, I would bring these slings to capstans on board the two vessels
and screw down the caisson or air-tight compartment as the tide fell, at
the same time working capstans and repeat this operation, screwing the

page_text: caisson up and down as many times as possible until low water; and as
the tide rose I would work my vessels as ordinary lighters. It is
evident much time and labor would thus be saved. The vessels would
also be useful for raising the bow or stern of a vessel requiring repairs,
or for floating off vessels which have taken the ground. Also for
laying out, raising or shifting, mooring or picking up anchors, and for
salvage purposes; and in case the raising vessels were fitted with
engines they could steam into shallower water with the wreck.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would state that I claim, the construction of
boats or vessels, substantially in the manner herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Noad, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
TAMS NOLD
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