A New or Improved Collision Bulkhead for Ships.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1899-Accepted, 9th June, 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Collision Bulkhead for Ships.
I, WILLIAM HOLDEN, of The Bungalow, Hastings Road, Stratford, Taranaki,
New Zealand, 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:-
Collision bulkheads as heretofore constructed have not been satisfactory when
brought into use, (as for example in the case of collision) the strength and
rigidity of such structures, when of ordinary formation being insufficient.
Now the object of my invention is to provide a new or improved collision
bulkhead, or what I may term a collision bow" for ships, of such formation
and construction, that in case of severe damage to the bow proper of the ship,
the latter will be perfectly safe and seaworthy, and be capable of continuing
her voyage at full speed, even through the bow proper be carried completely
away, by say collision with ice, rocks, ships or the like.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will describe same
with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon Fig. 1 is a sectional plan
view of the bow end of a ship constructed with my "collision bow" according
to my invention and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic elevation of same.
According to my invention I make my "collision bow" or bulkhead A of
curved formation substantially as shewn by way of example at Fig. 1, such
being constructed with a stem B and angle frames C, the ends of the strakes
of plating of the bulkhead being rivetted to stout double angle iron frames 1),
and the whole structure should be made of the same strength as the ship's
sides.
In the drawings, E is the stem of the ship, F are the frames, G are stringer
plates and H are transverse beams. The rake or slope of the collision bulkhead
stem B, as shewn at Fig. 2, brings or is intended to bring the lower end of same
in such a position that it may be stepped or secured at or to the keel or the
flooring of the vessel so as to be near to the same point to which the lower ends
of the double angle iron frames D are also secured.
At this point where the lower ends of the double angle iron frames D and
the lower end of the stem B nearly meet and are secured, the interior of the
vessel is very narrow, and it thus follows that the lower edge of the lower strake
of the collision bulkhead plating A would extend across transversely of the
vessel in a nearly straight line and would be rivetted to the floor or framing on
top of the keel while the upper edge of the same strake of plating would be
curved, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art of shipbuilding
and the upper strakes of plating would be more and more curved as the bulk-
head extends upwards. The lower ends of the angle frames C of the bulkhead
step against the stem B as shewn by the diagram Fig. 2 while stringer frames
or plates C Fig. 1 extend round inside the bulkhead as if it was the actual and
only bow of the ship.
The curved bulkhead described gives more room in the ship, abaft it, for

page_text: storage, in addition to the advantages herein before stated and such bulkheads
may be readily fitted to ships already constructed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In ships, providing a collision bulkhead or "collision bow" extending
across the interior thereof, such structure being of curved formation, and
whereby ships are rendered safe and seaworthy should the bow proper be damaged
or even carried away, substantially as described.
2. The new or improved collision bulkhead or "collision bow" for ships con-
structed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes described and
illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-first day of April 1899.
WILLIAM HOLDEN.