IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS, AND IN MEANS FOR PROPELLING THE SAME
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS, AND IN
MEANS FOR PROPELLING THE SAME." A communication from abroad by
Andreas Olsen, of Ephraim, in the Territory of Utah, United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th June 1880.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS, AND IN MEANS FOR PROPELLING THE SAME." [A com-
munication from abroad by Andreas Olsen, of Ephraim, in the Territory of Utah,
United States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to provide a life preserving hull for soa-going and
other vessels. This hull consists of two or more longitudinal tubular pontoons
sustained parallel to each other at suitable distances apart by transverse connecting
braces in combination with struts extending vertically from each pontoon, longi-
tudinal air tight cylinders connected to the upper ends of the vertical posts or
struts immediately above and parallel to the pontoons, and transverse braces
connecting the cylinders, the structure so formed being adapted to sustain the deck
and cabins of a vessel, and the arrangement being such, that if the posts or struts
and upper horizontal cylinders which mainly support the deck and cabins should
accidentally become detached from the pontoons by rough weather, said upper
cylinders will still subserve the purpose of floating the remaining structure.
The Invention also consists in the combination with a vessel constructed as
above stated of one or more turn-tables supported upon or in the deck, so as to
permit of their being readily turned, and one or more paddle wheels having their
shafts supported in said turn tables, and adapted to turn with said turn tables to
propel the vessel in any direction.
The pontoons are preferably pointed at each end, so as to facilitate the passage
of the vessel through the water, and are also preferably divided by transvorso
partitions into a series of water tight compartments, so that if one of said

page_text: compartments should be penetrated the remainder of the pontoon would be kept
free from water.
This arrangement of compartments adds greatly to the safety of the vessel, and
renders it almost impossible to sink her.
Arranged parallel with and above the pontoons are a corresponding number of
tubes or cylinders, which may be somewhat smaller in diameter than the
pontoons.
The several pontoons and cylinders are inflexibly connected at suitable distances
apart by strong rectangular framework, which serves to support the cabins, decks,
and receptacles for cargo.
The framework may consist of tubes of smaller diameter, the upper and lower
or horizontal parts of which are termed braces, and serve to unite together
respectively the cylinders and the pontoons, while the side or vertical portions,
which are termed posts or struts, serve to unite the pontoons with the cylinders.
In order to further strengthen the pontoons transversely, diagonal tubular braces
extending from the pontoons to the cylinders at each end of the vessel may be
employed.
Upon this tubular framework are supported tho decks and all the internal
framework and compartments of the vessel.
In order to provide for propelling the vessel it is furnished with paddle wheels,
of which one or more aro fixed at or near the centre of the vessel, and are adapted
to be rotated to drive the vessel ahead. Other paddle wheels are placed at either
end of the vessel, and are mounted in turn-tables supported in the deck of the
vessel, whereby the paddle wheels may be turned so as to act in a direction
parallel with the length of the vessel, or at any anglo thereto, as desired.
Any suitable mechanism may be employed for working the paddle wheels as
well as for turning the turn tables, and proper devices may be employed for holding
the tables when in proper position.
The object of thus swivelling the paddle wheels is to permit the vessel to be
propelled in a direction transverse to the run of the waves without turning, so as
to present the broadside to the action of the waves.
Rudders are arranged at both ends of the vessel for steering it, and which may
be in all respects similar to rudders ordinarily employed, and transverse swinging
plates are adapted to the underside of the vessel to prevent as far as possible the
movement of the vessel in the direction of the length, when it is being propelled
transversely, to the length and the run of the waves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
December 1880.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS, AND IN MEANS FOR PROPELLING THE SAME." A com-
munication from abroad by Andreas Olsen, of Ephraim, in the Territory of Utah,
United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a life preserving hull for sea-going and
other vessels. This hull consists of two longitudinal tubular pontoons sustained
parallel to each other at a suitable distance apart by transverse connecting braces
in combination with (1) vertical posts or struts extending vertically from each
pontoon, (2) longitudinal air tight cylinders connected to the upper ends of the
vertical posts or struts immediately above and parallel to the pontoons, and (3)
transverso braces connecting the two cylinders, the structure so formed being
adapted to sustain the deck, cabins, and other parts of the vessel, the arrangements
being such, that if the posts or struts and upper horizontal cylinders which mainly
support the deck and cabin should accidentally become detached from the pontoons
by rough weather, the said upper cylinders will still subserve the purpose of
floating the remaining structure.
The Invention also consists in the combination with a vessel constructed as
above stated of one or more turn tables supported upon or in the deck, so as to
permit of their being readily turned, and one or more paddle wheels having their
shafts supported in said turn tables, and adapted to turn with said turn tables to
propel the vessel in any direction.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents an irregular longitudinal section
of a vessel embodying my improvements, Fig. 2 represents a plan thereof, and
Fig. 3 represents a transverse section on a large scale on the dotted line x, x, of
Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Similar letters of reference designato
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A, A, are the pontoons by which the vessol is supported, and which are here
represented as two in number placed at a proper distance apart one on each side of
tho vessel. Thoso pontoons A are preferably pointed at each end, so as to facilitate
the passage of the vessel through the water, and are also preferably divided by
transverso partitions a into a series of water-tight compartments, so that if one of
said compartments should be penetrated the remainder of the pontoon would be
kept free from water.
This arrangement of compartments adds greatly to the safety of the vessel, and
renders it almost impossible to sink her.
Arranged parallel with and above the pontoons A, A, are a corresponding number
of tubes or cylinders B of somewhat smaller diameter than the pontoons. When
connected to the pontoons A by vertical braces or framing the cylinders B are
greatly strengthened to resist any tendency to break or "hog" transversely, as
would be the case in a vessel raised upon the waves and not properly strengthened
transversely.
The pontoons A and cylinders B are inflexibly connected by a strong framework,
which serves to support the cabins, decks, and receptacles for cargo.
In the present instance the framework consists of tubes of smaller diameter than
the cylinders B. C, C, are horizontal tubular braces uniting tho two tubes or
cylinders B; D, D, are vertical tubular posts or struts uniting the pontoons A and
cylinders B; and E, E, are tubular cross braces between the two scries of posts or

page_text: struts D. In order to further strengthen the cylinders B transversely, diagonal
tubular bracos F extending from the pontoons A to the cylinders B at each end of
the vessel are employed.
Upon this tubular framework are supported the decks and all the internal
framework and compartments of the vessel
In order to provide for propelling the vessel it is furnished with four paddle
wheels, of which two G, G, are fixed at or near the centro of the vessel, and are
adapted to be rotated to drive the vessel ahead. H, H, are two other paddle
wheels, which are here shewn as arranged one at each end of the vessel.
The two paddle wheels H, H, have horizontal shafts, which are supported in
turn tables I. These turn tables are supported in the deck N of the vessel, and
are adapted to be turned upon vertical axes, so as to enable the paddles wheels to
revolve in a plane parallel with the length of the vessel, as illustrated in Figures 1
and 2, or at right angles thereto, as illustrated in Fig. 3; or if desirable at any
angle between the two positions.
Any suitable mechanism may be employed for turning the turn tables, and any
proper devices may be connected therewith for holding the tables when in tho
required position.
The object of thus swivelling the paddle wheels is to permit the vessel to bo
propelled in a direction. transverse to the run of the waves without turning, so as
to present the broadside to the action of the waves.
When the turntables H, H, are employed they should be set low enough in the
vessel to enable a sufficient portion of the paddle wheels to be submerged in the
water to render their operation effective, and for this purpose a vessel constructed
with pontoons is very suitable, as the hull of the vessel is much less in depth at
the centre between the pontoons than at the sides.
No mechanism for operating the paddle wheels is here represented, as it forms
no part of the present Invention, and any suitable mechanism modified to permit
of the turning of the turn tables without disengaging the paddle shafts from their
driving mechanism may therefore be employed for this purpose. J, J, are rudders
arranged one at either end of the vessel for steering it, and which may be in all
respects similar to rudders ordinarily employed.
In order to prevent as far as possible the movement of the vessel in the direction
of the length when it is being propelled transversely to the length and the run of
tho waves, I employ what I term water anchors, which consist of heavy iron
plates K hinged at the under side of the vessel, and extending transversely across
the same. When the vessel is being propelled forward in the direction of its
length these anchors are swung up and secured in a horizontal position at the
underside of the vessel, but when the vessel is being propelled transversely to the
direction of its length and to the run of the waves the anchors are let down into
a vertical position, and secured in such position by chains or other connections.
Having now described the nature of this Invention for "Improvements in the
Construction of Navigable Vessels, and in Means for Propelling the same," as
communicated to me from abroad, and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim,―
First. In the hull of a vessel the two longitudinal tubular pontoons A, A,
sustained parallel to each other at a suitable distance apart by the transverso
connecting braces E in connection with posts or struts D extending vertically from
each pontoon, longitudinal tubular cylinders B connected to the upper ends of the
vertical posts or struts immediately above and parallel with the pontoons, and the
transverse braces. C connecting the two cylinders substantially as shown and
described, the said cylinders and posts or struts serving to support and sustain the
deck and cabins of the vessel, as herein set forth.
Second. The combination with the vessel constructed as herein above described
of one or more turn tables supported upon or in the deck, so as to permit of their.

page_text: being readily turned, and one or more paddle-wheels having their shafts supported
in said turntables, and adapted to turn with said turntables, as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
H. E. NEWTON. (Ls.)