IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1843

page_text: WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eleventh day of July, in the seventh year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Laird, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said John Laird, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Laird, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Laird,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Laird, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and

page_text: ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
-
My Invention relates, first, to a mode of applying two rudders, one at each
end, to a steam or other vessel, whereby each rudder has an iron guard to
protect it.
Secondly, my Invention relates to a mode of applying rudders in combi-
nation with iron ships or vessels having no keel, nor what is technically called
dead wood or gripe, of curved lines, as herein described, the object being to
facilitate the passage of vessels in shallow water, and in waters subject to
shifting sands; and this part of the Invention also relates to the making of
steamboats of iron, such as herein described, without keel, or what is technically
called dead wood or gripe.
Thirdly,
y, my Invention relates to applying an iron water-tight trunk in
steam vessels propelled with screws or submerged propellers, such trunk being.
for enclosing the axis.
And, fourthly, my Invention relates to a mode of constructing the fore parts
or bows, and the after parts or sterns, of iron ships or vessels for war purposes,
in order to enable a ship or vessel to carry guns forward and. aft.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to explain the Drawings bereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents the side view of an iron steamboat, having two rudders
applied thereto, each having an iron guard a, b. The two rudders may be
hung according to any convenient arrangement, and have tillers or other
steering apparatus to give motion thereto, my Invention not depending on the
form of rudders used, or the manner of hanging or working them, this part
of my Invention being for applying guards a, b, to steam or other vessels which
have two rudders, one at each end. By these means the vessel may con-
veniently be propelled, the guard a or 6 being forward, and for the time being
constituting the cut-water of the vessel, the rudder at the end a or 6 being
then retained fast, and the guard will offer protection to the rudder. c, c, are
two rudders, one at each end of the steamboat, or it may be to other vessels.
d, d, are axes to which the rudders are affixed, and the axes turn in suitable
bearings at e, f. When the rudder a or 6 is for the time being the stern
rudder, and with its guard acting as the cut-water of the vessel, then I employ
a bolt g or other convenient means of fixing the rudder, as is shewn in the
Drawing.

page_text: of
I will now describe the second part of my Invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of a vessel, being similar at both ends, and Figure 3
shews the lines. Figure 4 shews part of another side view, on a larger scale,
with the means of combining a rudder therewith according to the second part
my Invention. I would, however, remark, that I do not confine myself to
the precise shape of the vessel, so long as the vessel is of a similar description,
not having keel and dead wood or gripe, with curved water lines, and of a
curved form from the bottom to, and, if desired, above, the water line, as is
shewn. h is a bar supported at the stern of the vessel by the bars i, i; and j
is a fixed axis for the movement of the rudder, and allowing of the rudder
rising and falling in the event of the rudder touching the ground.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention, which relates to
applying a water-tight trunk for the axis of a screw or such like propeller,
where the axis is required to be below the water line, by which arrangement
cargo may be stowed around and about the trunk, and the steam engine and
machinery may be amidships.
Figure 5 shews so much of a section of a steam vessel as will enable me to
explain this part of the Invention. Figure 6 is a transverse section thereof.
1, 1, is a water-tight iron trunk from a point at or near the stern of the vessel
to the engine room, or to such other part of a ship or vessel as may be
desired, in which the axis of the screw or such like propeller turns, care
being observed, as heretofore, that in passing out of the vessel at the stern
end, the axis works through the vessel water-tight; and I prefer to make
such water-tight trunk of such a size that a man might get from end to end
in order to get at any bearings of the axis which may be fixed within the
trunk; and the end of the trunk which comes to the engine room, or any
intermediate part may, if desired, have a stuffing box for the axis of the
propeller to work through.
I will now describe the fourth part of my Invention, which relates to the
construction of steam or other vessels built of iron, such part of the Invention
being intended to be used for vessels of war, where it is desirable to carry
guns at the bow or stern. The object of this part of the Invention is to so
construct the vessel, that by using a false bow or stern, the vessel may be
sharper forward and aft, and that the vessel may carry her forward and after
guns with more stability, and be aided by the buoyancy of the false bow
or stern.
Figure 7 is part of a side view of an iron ship or vessel, and Figure 8 a
plan thereof. m, m, is a bow with fine lines, being separated by a strong
bulkhead from the fore part of the vessel, the false bow being hollow, and I

page_text: prefer that it should be of considerable strength in the event of running into
another ship or vessel. is the bow of the vessel which carries the guns. I
would remark, that, when desired, the stern of a vessel may be similarly con-
structed with a projecting hollow stern, the stern portion of the vessel, which
carries the guns, being similar to the bow above described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would wish it to be understood that I
do not confine myself to the precise details shewn and described, provided the
peculiar character of either part of my Invention be retained; but what I
claim is,-
First, the mode of applying a rudder at each end of a steam or other vessel
in such manner that each rudder is protected by a guard, as above
described.
Secondly, I claim the mode of applying a rudder to an iron vessel formed
without keel, or what is technically called dead wood or gripe; and I also
claim the constructing of steam vessels of iron without keel, or what is called
dead wood or gripe, as herein described.
Thirdly, I claim the application of a trunk to an iron steam or other vessel
where a screw or other such propeller is employed.
And, fourthly, I claim the mode of constructing iron ships or vessels for
war purposes, by applying false bows and sterns to facilitate the carrying of
forward and aft, as above described.
guns
In witness whereof, I, the said John Laird, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-four.
Enrolled the Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-four.