IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Wilkins, of Farnborough, in the County
of Kent, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 30th August 1870, and dated the 7th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Wilkins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th March 1870.
I, FREDERIC WILKINS, of Farnborough, in the County of Kent,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
and
The object of this Invention is to increase the stability, safety,
speed of ships and other vessels. It consists in the application of what
I call the under wave principle, and is to be applied to ships propelled
by means of steam, hot air, or other motive power (it is chiefly recom-
mended for the conveyance of passengers, but the principle is also
applicable to sailing ships, yachts, floating piers, floating breakwaters,

page_text: floating bridges or ferrys, floating light and telegraph stations. These
vessels are to be constructed in two parts or divisions, one being placed
several feet above the other. The hull or lower vessel which is to be in
the water is to be built as ships usually are, of iron, wood, or other suit-
able material is to be immersed to the water's edge or nearly so, at or near
which point the deck or back of the hull is to commence; this is to be
equally water-tight with the other parts of the hull, so that it may float
at, under, or above the surface of the water with equal safety. Above
the deck of the hull, (which may be slightly arched upwards towards the
central parts, I erect a stage, platform, deck, or vessel, which is to be
supported on a skeleton, gridiron, or open framework formed of pillars or
stanchions of iron, wood, or other suitable material, and approved form
and position. The open space between the upper vessel and the hull I
call the waterway; it may be about 8 or 12 feet high at the outer edge,
the distance varying according to circumstances. The effect of this
intermediate space is to allow the waves to pass through it and glide
over the deck of the hull instead of dashing against a flat side, as it
would do of an ordinary ship. The upper vessel may be a mere open
deck like that of an ordinary ship, or it may contain cabins, saloons,
and every accomodation which passengers or other persons may
require, and it is to be connected with the hull below by capacious
commodious water-tight gangways. The upper vessel is to be equally
water-tight as the hull, so that it would float by itself if separated from
it. It may consist of two or more decks with or without cabins, and may
be of various dimensions (and constructions) compared to the size of the
hull, smaller would generally be best. The waterway is not intended
for use, but is left open merely to allow the waves to pass through
without touching or affecting the upper vessel, in other words, to allow
the hull to pass straight through the waves instead of being lifted over
them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederic Wilkins in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERIC
WILKINS, of Farnborough, in the County of Kent, Civil Engineer, send 3
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Frederic Wilkins, Her special licence, that
I, the said Frederic Wilkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Frederic Wilkins, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Frederic Wilkins, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederic Wilkins, 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 :—
The object of this Invention is to increase the stability, safety, and
speed of ships and other vessels. It consists in the application of what
I call the under wave principle, and is to be applied to ships propelled
by means of steam, hot air, or other motive power. It is chiefly recom
mended for the conveyance of passengers, but the principle is also.
applicable to sailing ships, yachts, floating piers, floating breakwaters,.
floating bridges or ferries, floating light and telegraph stations, and.
floating harbours. These vessels are to be constructed in two parts or
divisions, one being placed several feet above the other. The hull or
lower vessel which is to be in the water is to be built as ships usually
are, of iron, wood, or other suitable material, and is to be immersed to
the water's edge or nearly so, at or near which point the deck or back
of the hull is to commence. This is to be equally water-tight with
the other parts of the hull so that it may float at, under, or above
the surface of the water with equal safety. Above the deck of hull

page_text: (which may be slightly arched upwards towards the central parts) I
erect a stage, platform, deck, or vessel, which is to be supported on a
skeleton, gridiron, or open framework formed of pillars or stanchions of
iron, wood, or other suitable material and of approved form and position.
The open space between the upper vessel and the hull I call the water- 5
way. It may be about 8 or 12 feet high at the water's edge, the distance
varying according to circumstances. The effect of this intermediate
space is to allow the waves to pass through it and glide over the deck
of the hull instead of dashing against a flat side as it would do of an
ordinary ship. The upper vessel may be a mere open deck like that of 1
an ordinary ship, or it may contain cabins, saloons, and every accommo-
dation which passengers or other persons may require, and it is to be
connected with the hull below by capacious and commodious water-tight
gangways. The upper vessel is to be equally water-tight as the hull
so that it would float by itself if separated from it. It may consist of 1
two or more decks with or without cabins, and may be of various
dimensions (and constructions) compared to the size of the hull, smaller
would generally be better. The waterway is not intended for use but
is left open merely to allow the waves to pass through without touching
or affecting the upper vessel, in other words to allow the hull to pass
straight through the waves instead of being lifted over them.
The annexed Drawing will shew the manner in which I propose to
construct vessels on this principle.
In Fig. 1, A, A, A, represent the hull, which may be immersed nearly
to the water's edge when loaded, and it is the medium of supporting and 2
carrying the vessel B, B, B, as shewn above; this upper vessel is supported
on a frame of angle iron or other suitable supports, it is also connected
with the hull by the gangways C, C, C, C, and by the enclosed space
for the engines, &c., marked D. If paddles are substituted it may be
desirable to make this central part of the full width of the hull. E, E, 3
represent screw propellers; F, F, are extra supports for the upper vessel;
G, G, are steps from deck of upper vessel to open deck H, H, extending
over the hull; I, I, are port holes; J, J, iron ties supporting the upper
vessel; K, K, surface of water; L, L, the raised centre of deck of the
hull.
In Fig. 2, A, A, A, A, is the hull; B, B, is the upper vessel; C, C,
are gangways; D, the space for engines, &c.; J, J, supports connecting
the unner vessel with the hull.

page_text: In Fig. 3, A, A, is the hull; B, B, the upper vessel; D, the space for
engines, &c.; J, J, the supports.
The foregoing represents a steam ship suitable for passengers, but the
precise proportion or relative form may be varied to suit the particular
purpose for which the ship is intended. Floating breakwaters, harbours
of refuge, or landing stages of any form may be constructed on similar
principles, but for these purposes the triangular or oval form would be
the most suitable. The interior may or may not be left open, and it may
be with or without an open end by which ships may enter thereto or
make fast to the lee side thereof, in all cases the waves breaking on the
hull and passing below the platform or deck supported above.
.
The feature of novelty which I claim is the application of an open of
intermediate space (herein called the waterway) between the upper and
lower vessel as a means of allowing wind and waves to pass through, and
the general combination substantially as set forth in the foregoing
description and Drawings annexed,
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Wilkins, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
F. WILKINS. (L.S.)