IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE KEELS OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Bower, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Broker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
APPLICABLE TO THE KEELS OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Bower at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th January 1857.
I, ALPRED BOWER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Broker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
APPLICABLE TO THE KEELS OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS," to be as follows, (that is to
say):
The objects of this Invention are, to give to vessels to which the improve-
ments are applied a greater hold of the water, to enable them to go more
readily to "windward," give them greater stability under canvas, and improve
their steering qualitiés, at the same time to obtain these advantages without
increasing the vessel's draught of water, by making additions below the keel.
To accomplish these improvements, it is proposed to construct the keels of
vessels of such a form, that when taken in cross section amidships, the section
in outline will present a truncated pyramidical form; or they may be formed
so as to present a double truncated pyramidical form, the upper truncated

page_text: pyramidically formed portion having its sides less oblique, and its base equal
to the upper portion of the lower truncated pyramidically formed base. Or,
these improvements may be accomplished by attaching to the vertical sides of
ordinary keels wood or metal, so that the keel and its additions will present
the same figure or figures in cross section.
The objects of this Invention may be obtained by forming the keels so that
in cross section they would present at the lower portion of the keel a truncated
pyramidical form or forms as described, and then forming the upper portion of
the keel with parallel sides; but is prefered to adapt such form or forms of
keels as present in cross section the pyramidical or double pyramidical form
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Bower in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
BOWER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Broker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Bower, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Bower, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred
Bower, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time 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 OR APPLICABLE
TO THE KEELS OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Alfred Bower, my executors or administrators, by an.
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Bower, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
(that is to say):
The objects of this my said Invention are, to give to sailing vessels a greater
hold of the water, to enable them to go with greater facility to "windward,"
increase their stability under canvas, and improve their steering qualities.
And these advantages I propose to attain without the necessity of increasing
the vessel's draft of water by making additions below the keel.
I accomplish these improvements by increasing the width of the lower
portion or the base of the keel, for (say) about three-fourths or four-fifths of the
centre portion of its length, causing the oblique or angular sides to gradually
diminish and die away towards the extremities into vertical parallel sides.
My said improvements are obtained by forming the keels so that when
taken in vertical cross section amidships they would present in outline a
truncated pyramidical or double truncated pyramidical form, or so that the
lower portion of the keel will present a truncated pyramidical form or forms,
and the upper portion thereof vertical parallel sides, or by forming the sides
of the keel of a curved shape, so as to increase the thickness of the keel from
its upper part towards its base.
When I use the double truncated pyramidical form, I construct the upper
portion of the keel with its sides less oblique than that of the lower portion,
and the base of the upper angles equal to the upper portion of the lower
angles.
My Invention may also be carried out by adopting such form or forms of
keels as present in cross section the combination of an angle and curve, or
angles and curves, so arranged as to increase the width of the keel at or near
the base. But I prefer to use those which present in cross section the
truncated pyramidical or double truncated pyramidical form.
In forming keels according to this Invention, they may be constructed
from the solid or be built from pieces, or by attaching to the sides of the
ordinary vertical-sided keels pieces or flanges of the required form or forms,
so that when taken in the cross section they will present the form required.
That this Invention may be more readily seen and understood, I have
hereunto annexed Drawings (of so much as is necessary) of various modi
fications and forms in illustration of its application.
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of one of my improved keels, having double
angular flanged sides, and which illustrates the method I use for causing it

page_text: to die away into the ordinary vertical sides at or near the extremities of the
.keel.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross section of the same. It will be
observed, on looking at the section, that the flanges are not carried down quite
to the bottom of the keel; which is done to prevent their being injured when
the ship is blocked in the dry dock.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, & 16 are all vertical cross
sectional elevations of various modifications of my improved keel or keels, with
side pieces attached thereto, to give the requisite form. These sections are
taken at the centre. of the length of the flanges.
Figure 4 is a keel with my improvements applied thereto, and which
represents in outline. a truncated pyramid, having at the bottom a small
projection for the purpose of protecting the base of the flanges when the ship
is blocked in the dry dock...
Figure 5, ditto, having less acute angular sides than Figure 4.
Figure 6, ditto, having less acute angular sides than Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a keel with its additions, having at its upper portion vertical
sides, and on the lower portion a right-angle triangular piece attached on each
side.
Figure 8 is a keel formed with vertical sides above and having a double
angular projection below.
Figure 9 has short vertical sides above, and a large angular projection
below.
Figure 10 is a keel having curved sides.
Figure 11 is a double angular sided keel.
Figure 12 is ditto, having the angles more oblique.
Figure 13 is a curved sided keel.
Figure 14 is a double angular sided keel.
Figure 15 is a vertical curved and angular sided keel.
Figure 16 is a three angular sided keel.
In conclusion, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details, or the distance the flanges are to be carried on the sides of the
keel, as in some cases it may be found beneficial to extend the flanges fore
and aft nearly the whole length of the keel, and in other cases it may not be
necessary to construct the flanges even of so great a length as three-fourths or
four-fifths, as a much shorter length will in some cases be found sufficient
to accomplish the objects in view; and it may be deemed advisable, in some

page_text: cases, in constructing my improved keels, to form the flanges nearer the fore
part, and in others nearer the after part of the keel, in place of the centre
thereof.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion for "Improvements in or applicable to the Keels of Navigable Vessels,"
what I claim is the use and application of keels of the form or forms
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Bower, have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street, Liverpool.
ALFRED. (L.S.) BOWER.