A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY BOAT AND ITS LANDINGS, OR MODE AND MEANS OF LOADING AND UNLOADING SAME"
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry William Ball, of the Firm of Alexander Chaplin
and Company, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, and
William Clapperton, Manager to the said Firm, for the Invention of "A NEW
OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY BOAT AND ITS LANDINGS, OR MODE AND
MEANS OF LOADING AND UNLOADING SAME"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry William Ball and
William Clapperton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th
January 1877.
HENRY WILLIAM BALL, of the Firm of Alexander Chaplin and Company, of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, and WILLIAM CLAPPERTON,
Manager to the said Firm. A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY BOAT
AND ITS LANDINGS, OR MODE AND MEANS OF LOADING AND UNLOADING SAME.".
«
This Invention has reference to the construction or arrangement of a ferry boat
and its fittings for heavy traffic across rivers, estuaries, or such like waters, and
also to the construction of the landing quays or stations for the same, all for the
receiving, transporting, and discharging of horses and vehicles, cattle, and other
animals and heavy goods, in a better and more convenient manner at all states of
the tide or heights of the water than by the use of the ordinary long and expensive
shore embarking and landing inclines, or other angled and rising and falling or
floating stages; or the construction of ferry boats and their approaches or stations
heretofore in use.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in making the hull or
floating pontoon part of the boat proper, to carry its level traffic stage or platform
separate therefrom on a strong horizontal frame of its own, so as to be raised or
elevated and lowered vertically over and parallel to the pontoon and level with the
quay walls or roadway at either side, or nearly so, to suit the state of the tide and
draught of the boat at the time being. This new or improved traffic platform is
on and elevated over the top and from end to end of the pontoon, as stated, by a
set of two or more strong supporting screws ranged to work vertically in footstep

page_text: and upper journal bearing bushes secured on a suitable framing at considerable
distances apart along each side of the pontoon, the upper thread part of the screws
working in and up through deep brass or other screw bushes or nuts strongly
secured to the main carrying beams or frame of the platform.
When the platform is to be guided and steadied by the screws, as well as carried
and raised and lowered by them, these have their upper ends working in bearing
blocks or frames, all secured together by stays, or other equivalent; but the, plat-
form may be so steadied in its vertical motion by special guides or frames secured
below to the frames of the pontoon at its sides or between the supporting and
elevating and lowering screws, and secured at top by stays, or other tie frames or
bars, which might also stay the tops of the screws above the platform, which by
hollow or recessed slides or blocks secured to it would work on the said fixed
guides.
The two sets of screws supporting the platform are turned at the same speed to
raise and lower it parallelly by screw wheels at their lower ends working corre
sponding screws one to each in two longitudinal shafts carried in bearing blocks,
one on each side of the pontoon and set of supporting screws; these shafts being
actuated by correspondingly sized bevel wheels on them and the opposite or outer
ends of a transverse shaft, or other equivalent countershaft and gearing, driven
direct or through gearing by a steam engine and boiler of ordinary suitable power
and construction, and all carried in the pontoon below the traffic platform; and
with accommodation for a suitable supply of coal or other fuel for as many hours or
trips as found convenient.
Any suitable mode and means of propulsion used for heavy traffic ferries may be
employed for this new or improved boat, preferably an arrangement of gearing and
chain drawing or winding barrels and pulleys, the draw chain or chains commonly
in use laid loosely across the bottom of the river with their ends fixed on the
opposite sides.
The necessary reversing of the screws for the raising of the platform as the tide
falls, and vice versa, as well as that of the chain barrels of the draw chain for the
outward and return passage, may be effected direct by the reversing of the motive
engine fitted with the ordinary link notion or other reversing gear for that purpose;
or otherwise an ordinary reversing clutch and gear may be fitted to the gearing of
the screws or the chain barrel, or both, and thus not require to reverse the engine
for both purposes; the driving gear of both motions would in either case be
preferably fitted with an engaging and disengaging clutch and lever.
The traffic platform is made of sufficient length and width between its supporting
and moving screws and stays, which project up through and where there might be
a dividing rail, partition, or longitudinal girder, to receive the number of horses
and carts, lorries, or other vehicles, animals, or goods, generally found necessary at
each trip to overtake the traffic of the ferry for which the new boat is required.
The traffic platform is preferably made wide enough between the said main
longitudinal frames or girders to have one or more cart or lorry tracks, and long
enough to take, say, three or four of these and the horses in the length; and in
this middle part left open above, but having the platform extended on both sides
outside beyond. the division of the cart track and screws and guides, sufficient to
give accommodation to the number of passengers generally requiring to cross at each
trip, say, five or six feet or so, which would be preferably covered in on the top to
protect the passengers in wet weather; and it might be closed in on either or both
sides, when it would be fitted with windows or openings for light and air. The
ends of this platform would be fitted with the usual hinged turning up and down
tapered sharp-ended landing plate or board for resting on the ground for the easy
rolling of the wheels or barrels on to the platform, and with their ordinary raising
and lowering gear.
The floating hull or pontoon would be about the same width and length as the
platform, exclusive of the hinged landing stages, and of sufficient stability and
proper buoyancy or displacement as to securely carry the said platform and freight.

page_text: or objects of traffic on it, with the steam boiler and engine, and working gearing of
the platform screws and the drawing chain barrels, or other mechanism for pro-
pelling the boat to and fro across the river in all states of the tide or levels of the
water, and for which purpose it is preferred to make the hull of the flat bottom or
pontoon construction.
Although only an arrangement of long vertical screws has been described for
supporting, elevating, and lowering the traffic platform, it is to be understood that
any other arrangement of mechanism which would give the same parallel or hori-
zontal powerful and secure holding and raising and lowering actions would also
answer the purpose and be contained within this Invention, as by short vertical
screws worked as stated, with long angular parallel-acting connecting rods jointed
to the screw nuts below and to the under frame of the platform above, or equi-
valent acting connecting rods jointed below to screw bushes, traversed on two
longitudinal screw spindles with right and left screws cut on them, placed and
actuated in any equivalent manner to the shafts described for actuating the long
screws.
The traffic stage (carried above the whole of the hull or pontoon part) may by
another alternative arrangement be carried and raised and lowered by chains and
winding barrels, the free end of each chain being attached to its longitudinal or
transverse beams, say, on the inside of each guide standard, and passed over a
pulley carried by it at top and led down to the chain barrel on the outside, or it
might be on the inside, the whole set of barrels being worked direct on or by two
longitudinal shafts, such as those for working the screws, both driven by gearing at
a uniform slow motion by the engine, as herein-before described.
The improvements connected with the quay or ferry station at each side of the
river consist in forming a channel or basin of a width and length to conveniently
receive the whole boat, and extending inwards sufficiently that the end of the boat
would be within the line of the quay wall, so as not to obstruct the passing of
other ships or boats, and surrounded by quay walls or structures carried up to the
level of the quay and four feet or so above it on the sides to prevent people falling
in, and at the end (where the passengers and traffic pass off and on) it is protected
by chains, or other equivalent, with attendants, and fitted with proper moving
pawls and other suitable appliances for securing the boat while loading and
unloading. The advantage of this ferry basin is, that the boat enters and lies in
the direct straight transverse line in which it has to cross the river, and therefore
does not require to be turned, and does not take up so much front quay room as if
brought broadside into the quay; and when the channel is formed the full length
of the boat it allows other vessels to pass close to the quay while it is loading and
unloading at the stations, all on a level with the quay whatever may be the state
of the tide.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry William Ball and William Clapperton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th July 1877.
HENRY WILLIAM BALL, of the Firm of Alexander Chaplin and Company, of
5 Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, and WILLIAM CLAPPERTON,
Manager to the said Firm. "A NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY
BOAT AND ITS LANDINGS, OR MODE AND MEANS OF LOADING AND UNLOADING
SAME.
"
Our said Invention has reference to the construction or arrangement of a ferry
O boat and its fittings for heavy traffic across rivers, estuaries, or such like waters,
and also to the construction of the landing quays or stations for the same, all for
the receiving, transporting, and discharging of horses and vehicles, cattle, and other

page_text: animals and heavy goods in a better and more convenient manner at all states of
the tide or heights of the water than by the use of the ordinary expensive and long
shore embarking and landing inclines, or other angled and rising and falling or
floating stages, or the ordinary construction of ferry boats and their approaches or
stations as heretofore in uso.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing our said Invention.
may be properly understood, we shall now proceed to describe the several Figures
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings which we have hereunto appended for the
purpose of showing the best modes and means we are at present aware of for putting
the Invention into effect or practice, the same reference letters and numerals indicating
the same or like parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 1 -1 in
Figure 2; and Figure 2 is a corresponding transverse section taken on the line
22 in Figure 1,. both as floating at the low water level zz, while
Figure 3 is a corresponding transverse section floating at the high water level
z, all of a ferry boat A constructed in accordance with and illustrative of one
modification of our said Invention, the two transverse sections, Figures 2 and 3,
being shown as within their new or improved landing quays or channels Q, Q¹,
with the carrying platform P raised and lowered respectively to the level q of the
landing quay Q¹
Figure 4 is a horizontal section or plan taken on the line 3. 3 in Figure 1
below, or with the platform P removed; and Figure 5 is a complete plan corre-
sponding to Figure 1 above the platform, shown as in the act of entering the quay
or channel Q, Q¹, (at one side of the river) indicated in plan in Figure 6.
Referring to these Figures 1 to 5, the nature, novelty, and mode of performing
our said Invention consist in making the hull or floating pontoon part B, B¹,
of the ferry boat A preferably of a double shell flat bottomed form, as seen par-
ticularly in the sections Figures 1 to 3 with an air space b between the shells to
give greater stability and buoyancy, or it might be of an ordinary form large enough
to carry the level traffic stage or platform P separate therefrom on a strong hori-
zontal frame formed of transverse and longitudinal beams or girders p, P¹, so as to
be raised or elevated and lowered vertically over and parallel to the pontoon B to
the level g of the quay walls. Q'; or roadway at either side, or nearly so, to suit the
state of the tide and draught of the boat for the time being. This new or improved
traffic platform P is arranged over the top and extends from end to end of the
pontoon, and is carried and elevated by a set of two or more strong square threaded
supporting screws C (four being shown in the Drawings, as seen particularly in
Figures. 1 and 4). ranged to work. vertically in footstep. bushed bearing blocks c
secured at considerable distances apart along each side of the inner floor B¹ of the
pontoon B, the upper thread part of the screws C working in and up through deep
bushed or other screw blocks or nuts C¹ strongly secured to the main transverse
carrying beams p of the frame of the platform P. The platform P is shown as
steadied in its vertical motion by special guides or frames F, f, secured below to the
upper edge and floor B¹ of the pontoon at the sides between the supporting and
elevating and lowering screws C, and secured at top by stays or tie frames or bars fl;
and the platform P may be fitted with hollow or recessed slides or blocks secured to
it so as to work on the said fixed guides f of the stay frames f, F.
The two sets of screws C carrying the platform at each side are all turned simul-
taneously at the same speed to raise and lower it parallelly by cast steel or
other screw wheels d at their lower ends working in corresponding screws d' one to
each on two longitudinal shafts D carried in suitable bearing blocks projecting up
from the floor B₁ along each side of the pontoon B, and set of supporting screws C,
these shafts being actuated by suitable mitre or bevel wheels D₁ on them, and the
opposite or outer ends of a transverse shaft E or other equivalent countershaft and
gearing driven through wheel and pinion E¹, E, from the crank shaft E2 of a pair
of horizontal steam engines E2, E3, at one end of the floor of the pontoon. A hori-
zontal tubular boiler E is preferably placed near the centre to supply steam to the

page_text: engines below the sides of the pontoon B or level of the traffic platform P in its
lowest position, as seen particularly in Figure 1 to 3, leaving room for a suitable
supply of coal or other fuel for as many hours or trips as found desirable. The
platform P, p, is strengthened longitudinally by two deep lattice beams or girders P¹
close above the screws C which pass up through the platform P, p, as it is lowered,
and the platform is made of sufficient length and width between these beams P¹, as
seen particularly in Figures 2, 3, and 5, to receive the number of horses and carts,
lorries, or other vehicles, animals, or goods generally found necessary at each trip to
overtake the traffic of the ferry for which the new boat is required. As shown in
these Figures the platform is constructed with one lorry track T (but it might have
two, as seen in Figure 7, side by side) of a length sufficient to receive three or four
lorries with their horses, and is left open above. The platform P is extended on
both sides beyond the cart track and guides P¹ and screws C, say from three to six
feet in width, as seen at t, sufficient to give accommodation for the number of
passengers generally requiring to cross. at each trip, and which would be formed
with an outer protecting side railing R, and when preferred could be covered in on
the top to protect the passengers in wet weather; and it might be further closed in
on either or both sides and fitted with windows or opening for light and air and
with seats, as t¹ in Figure 7. The ends of this platform P, p, are shown fitted with
the usual hinged turning up and down end landing plates or gangways G for resting
on the ground or end of the quay Q¹ sunk or checked at Q to receive it for the
easy rolling of the wheels of the vehicles off or on to the platform P, and fitted with
ordinary raising and lowering chain gear g and hand wheel and chain barrel G', g',
near the centre and side of the platform so as to raise the one gangway G as the other
is lowered. The reversing of the screws C for the raising and lowering of the plat-
form P, p, as the tide falls or rises respectively is effected preferably direct by the
reversing of the motive engines E2, E³, fitted with the ordinary link motion or other
reversing gear for that purpose; or otherwise an ordinary reversing clutch and
bevel wheel gear may be fitted to the first motion shaft E driving the two shafts D
of the screw gear when that is preferred without requiring to reverse the engines;
either arrangement used being fitted with a simple stopping or engaging and dis-
engaging lever or clutch and lever respectively for the raising or lowering of the
platform to the level of the quay Q1, all as herein-before described.
The floating hull or pontoon B is made.of sufficient stability and buoyancy or
displacement to securely carry the said platform P, p, and freight or objects of traffic
on it, together with the steam boiler E and engines E2, E3, and working gearing of
the platform screws C, and the drawing chain barrels H. and their motive
engines J, J, for propelling the boat to and fro across the river in all states of the
tide or levels of the water.
This improved arrangement of ferry boát is shown by preference as propelled or
drawn from side to side of the river, by an ordinary arrangement of two chains H,
having their ends fixed at a convenient level within long deep recesses in the
ends of the channels Q at each side of the river for receiving the ferry boat, as
indicated by dotted lines at Q1, in Figures 5 and 6; the chains H, H, passing
into and out of the ferry boat through water-tight casings or chain pipes H¹ formed
at an angle up through the ends and bottom of the pontoon to above the water
level outside; each chain being carried one or more turns round a drawing chain
barrel H, mounted on each end of the main winding spindle I, carried in suitable
standards I projecting up from the floor in the centre of the pontoon, and actuated
by its spur wheel I" and a pinion 12 on the crank shaft J of a pair of small winding
engines J, J, with their cylinders J¹ set on angled frames J" to work at right
angles to each other on the same crank or crank pin of the shaft J, carried in
suitable journal bearing blocks J2 below the winding shaft I, the boat A being
drawn to the one side or the other to enter its landing quay channel Q by the
reversing of the engines J, J¹, fitted with ordinary reversing link motion or other
suitable reversing hand gear, the boiler E being set between the two pairs of
engines, and fitted with pipes for supplying steam to either the screw and platform'

page_text: hoisting engines E², E³, or the chain and boat drawing engines J, J¹, all as seen par-
ticularly in Figures 1 to 4..
The platform P, p, in the modification shown is made rather less than the width
of the pontoon B below it, with its outer rail R within or coinciding with the line
of the guides f, but it will be understood that when the central part T of the plat-
form P for the horse traffic is made wider, the footway t for the accommodation of
the passengers might extend over the pontoon, though this is not preferred, and
have the guides F, f, parallel, and passing up through cases or recesses made for
them in this part of the platform. When desired the platform P might be guided
and steadied by its lifting screws C, working up through journal guide blocks c'
secured to the top side of the girders P¹, and having their upper ends working in
steadying journal blocks c² secured in or together by an upper stay frame above the
level of the passengers when the platform is in its highest position (as seen at c² in
Figure 7); and other arrangements of shafts and gearing than that shown might be
used for actuating the two sets of platform lifting screws C. And although two
sets of vertical screws C have been shown and described, it will be understood that
other arrangements of screws might be used, as by transverse right and left hori-
zontal screws, worked with screw nuts and long angular parallel-acting connecting
rods jointed to the serew nuts below, and to the under frame p of the platform P
above; or by equivalent acting connecting rods jointed below to screw bushes,
traversed on two longitudinal screw. spindles with right and left screws cut on them,
placed and actuated in any equivalent manner to the two shafts D, D, described for
actuating the vertical screws C.
And by another arrangement the traffic stage P (carried above the whole of the
hull or pontoon part) may be carried and raised and lowered by chains and winding
barrels; the free end of each chain being attached to its longitudinal or transverse
beams p, say on the inside of each guide standard f, and passed over a pulley carried
by it at top and led down to the chain barrel on the outside of the guide F (or it
might be on the inside), the whole set of the barrels being worked direct on or by
two longitudinal shafts, such as those D described for actuating the vertical
screws C, both driven by gearing at a uniform slow motion by the engine as herein-
before described.
Although two sets of engines are shown, the one for working the elevating screws
of the platform, and the other for propelling the boat by its chain winding gear, it
will be understood that one pair of engines only might be used, fitted with a suitable
arrangement of shafts and gearing for each, with stopping and starting and
reversing couplings and hand levers. And although the boat has been described as
actuated by chains and gearing, it will be understood that it might be propelled by
screws or paddles.
The improvements connected with the quay or landing station Q, Q¹, at each side
of the river for this improved ferry boat consist in forming a channel or basin Q of
a width and length conveniently to receive the whole boat, and extending inwards
sufficiently that the end of the boat would be within the line of the quay wall Q¹,
so as not to obstruct the passing of other ships or boats, and surrounded by quay
walls or structures Q1 carried up to the level q, q, of the quay and fitted with a
railing ground the sides to prevent people falling in, or a wall may be built three
or four feet high for that purpose; and in either case at the end Q, where the
passengers and traffic pass off and on, it would be protected by chains or other
equivalent, with attendants, and fitted with proper moving pawls or other suitable
appliances for securing the boat while loading and unloading. The advantage of
this ferry basin Q is, that the boat A enters in the direct straight transverse line in
which it has to cross the river, and therefore does not require to be turned, and does
not take up so much front quay room as if brought broadside into the quay; and
when the channel is formed the full length of the boat, it allows other vessels to
pass close to the quay while it is loading and unloading at the stations, with its
platform P, p, on a level with the quay at any state of the tide or level of the
water.

page_text: Figure 7 is a transverse section of another modification of our new or improved
ferry boat A showing a somewhat different general construction and arrangement
of the platform and chain gearing for drawing the boat from side to side of the
river. In this example of performing or putting the Invention or improvements
into effect or practice the hull or pontoon is made in the ordinary manner with a
single outer flat-bottomed shell B with strong internal side and transverse bottom
frames covered with a sheet-iron floor B¹, and longitudinal box beams B, and
bottom frames B2 above the floor B¹ to carry the two sets of screw shafts C,
the boiler E, and the engines E², E³, and J, J, for actuating the gearing of
the four or other number of screws C on each side working up through bushed
screw blocks C¹ under the centre of four strong transverse box beams p close
to the deep upper longitudinal lattice beams P¹, all of and for carrying and
raising or lowering the platform P, p, in the new or improved manner described
in reference to Figures 1 to 5; the vehicle or heavy traffic part T of the plat-
form P, and that t for the passengers is shown broader in this case, the former
with two horse tracks T and the latter with seats t¹ close to the bulwarks or
rail R, the whole being guided and steadied by three or more strong upright
lattice girder-formed buttress, piers, or stays, F, f, (at the ends p2 of the trans-
verse beams between those p of the screws C) secured over the tops and side parts
B of the pontoon B, which is preferably boxed off from the main central part con-
taining the gearing and engines by side walls B³, which may be lattice-framed or
stayed, as seen at B, and made air and water-tight when desired to give increased
buoyancy. The boat A in this case is shown as propelled or drawn from side to
side of the river into its new or improved channels Q by two chains H, H, (as in the
former case) but fixed to the end walls as Q of the channels, preferably above the
mid or intermediate water level close to the sides, so that the chains pass along
the outer sides of the pontoon B guided between vertical guide rollers to allow
them to rise and fall vertically to suit the level of the vessel or state of the tide, and
over horizontal grooved guide pulleys r¹ at the bottom of these rollers r, both work-
ing in bearing blocks 2 secured at the side near the end of the pontoon to carry up
the weight of the loose chains leading to and passing from the main winding chain
pulleys H2, one keyed on the outer end of each short transverse shaft I, carried in
stuffing box journal bearing blocks I' secured to the outer and inner walls B, B³ of
the side casings B¹¹¹, preferably near the centre of the pontoon, leaving these
grooved chain pulleys H2 round which the chains are wound one turn or so, free to
be shipped off and on for repair or renewal when desired without disturbing the
internal gearing, a longitudinal wooden fender or beam L being secured along the
outside of the pontoon B from the centres of the pulleys H" rounded or tapering
towards the ends to protect these and the guide chain pulleys 7, 71, and chains H
from rubbing on the sides of the quay walls Q1 of the channels Q, the chains and
their pulleys r, rl, working clear of the sides of the ship below the fender L. These
winding pulleys or barrels H", and their shafts I, are driven in this case by the spur
wheel I on the inner end of each shaft I through a pinion I² gearing into it, keyed
on the overhanging ends of the crank shaft J, which is carried in journal bear-
ing blocks across the lower central part J, J, of the pontoon B and driven
either direct or through gearing from the crank shaft of the traction or pro-
pulsion engines J, J₁, which in this case are shown as a double cylinder bori-
zontal engine with reversing link motion and placed in the centre of the
pontoon, all as seen particularly in the central transverse section of this arrange-
ment, Figure 7, of our improved ferry boat A.
Instead of the chains being attached direct to the quay walls within the
channels, they might be passed round pulleys carried in blocks at the inner corners
of the channels, which would thus allow the chains to adjust themselves to equal
lengths and strains on each side and winding pulley or barrel H"; or otherwise this
adjustment may be effected by having the pinions 12 on the end of the crank shaft J
to slip on feathers out or into gear in different positions with the teeth of their
motion transmitting wheels I",

page_text: Having now described the nature of our said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, we have to state that we do not confine ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what we consider novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First. The general construction and arrangement of heavy traffic ferry boat and
its fittings, with adjustable platform to suit the different heights of the tide, com-
bined with new or improved receiving and landing quay channels therefor, all sub-
stantially as herein-before described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The supporting and raising or lowering of the traffic platform or stage of
ferry boats by sets of screws acting simultaneously, all substantially as herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
Third. The supporting and raising or lowering of the traffic platform or stage of
ferry boats, by lifting chains passed over pulleys carried near the top of the guiding
standards and led down to the winding barrels on shafts below, all acting simulta-
neously and at the same speed, substantially as herein-before described in reference
to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Willian Ball, on behalf of the said
William Clapperton and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
HENRY WILLIAM BALL. (L.S.)