IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF FIXING BULKHEADS IN IRON SHIPS OR VESSELS.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hepple, of South Shields, in the County of
Durham, Engine Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE
OF FIXING BULKHEADS IN IRON SHIPS OR VESSELS.
Sealed the 3rd July 1877, and dated the 29th March 1877.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Heppel at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th March 1877.
WILLIAM HEPPLE, of South Shields, in the County of Durham, Engine Builder.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF FIXING BULKHEADS IN IRON SHIPS OB
VESSELS."
My Invention has for its object the fixing of bulkheads to the frames and floors
of iron ships or vessels in such a manner as to give strength to the vessel by dis-
tributing the fastenings of the bulkheads to the frames and floors more evenly, and
thereby preventing inequality in the different parts of vessels as to the power to
resisting compression and strains.
And my Invention consists in fixing the bulkheads to frames formed by plates,
inclined or diverging from the bulkhead, and riveted by means of angle irons to
the frames and floors of a ship or vessel, thereby giving elasticity to the bulkhead
as a fixture, and forming an air-tight or water-tight space or compartment between
the bulkhead and the sides and floors of the ship or vessel.
The plates forming the said frames may be either straight or curved, and arranged
at any required angle,or with curves at cach radius,as may be required to resist com-
pression, and being fastened by means of angle irons at their divergent ends to the
sides and floors of the ship or vessel will give at each bulkhead the strength of two
complete frames, to resist the pressure on the sides of the ship or vessel, or the
train of the bulkhead. The longitudinal strength of the ship or vessel is not
weakened, as in the ordinary mode of fastening with two rows of rivets close
together, but the two rows of rivets employed to fasten each frame are distributed
so as to be of a distance apart uniform with the distenesc of the rows of rivets
throughout, thereby equalizing the strength of the ship or vessel throughout.
In case of collision in the way of the bulkheads the danger of two compartments

page_text: becoming thereby damaged is reduced by the above described mode of fixing bulk-
heads, whereby a frame of the kind is interposed between the bulkhead and the
sides and floor of the ship or vessel.
The space within the connecting frames can be utilised, if required, by means of
a suitable arrangement of valves, for the purpose of ventilating cargoes at or from 5
any depth of hold of the ship or vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Hepple in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th Sep-
tember 1877.
WILLIAM HEPPLE, of South Shields, in the County of Durham, Engine Builder.
''IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF FIXING BULKHEADS IN IRON SHIPS OR
VESSELS."
My Invention has for its object the fixing of bulkheads to the frames and floors
of iron ships or vessels in such a manner as to give strength to the vessel by dis-
tributing the fastenings of the bulkheads to the frames and floors more evenly, and
thereby preventing inequality in the different parts of vessels as to the power of
resisting compression and strains.
And my Invention consists in fixing the bulkheads to frames formed by plates
inclined or diverging from the bulkhead, and rivetted by means of angle irons to
the frames and floors of the ship or vessel, thereby giving elasticity to the bulkhead
as a fixture, and forming an air-tight or water-tight space or compartment between
the bulkhead and the sides or floors of the ship or vessel.
The plates forming the said frames may be either straight or curved, and arranged
at any required angle, or with curves, at such radius as may be required to resist
compression, and being fastened by means of angle irons at their divergent ends to
the sides and floors of the ship or vessel will give at cach bulkhead the strength of
two complete frames to resist the pressure on the sides of the ship or vessel or the
strain of the bulkhead. The longitudinal strength of the ship or vessel is not
weakened, as in the ordinary mode of fastening with two rows or rivets close
together, but the two rows of rivets employed to fasten each frame are distributed,
so as to be of a distance apart uniform with the distances of the rows of rivets
throughout, thereby equalizing the strength of the ship or vessel throughout.
In case of collision in the way of the bulkheads the danger of two compartments
becoming thereby damaged is reduced by the above described mode of fixing bulk-
heads, whereby a frame of the kind is interposed between the bulkhead and the
sides and floor of the ship or vessel.
The space within the connecting frames can be utilized, if required, by means of a
suitable arrangement of valves for the purpose of ventilating cargoes at or from any
depth of hold of the ship or vessel.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention I will describe more par-
ticularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the accompanying
Drawings, in which are represented several modes of fixing bulkheads in vessels
according to the Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: A is the side of the vessel; B, B, are the frames of the vessel; C, C, are the
reverse bars on the frames ; D, D, are the improved modes of attachment or fixing
of the bulkheads (indicated by full black lines); E, E, are the bulkheads ; F, F, are
the reverse plates on the top of the floor plates G, G.
In Fig. 1 the bulkhead is shown as placed in a line with a frame, but removed
therefrom a distance equal to the space of two frames,and fastened to angle irons or
reverse bars C, C, and fixed by means of curved plates D, D, to the frame fore and
abaft of the bulkhead, and forming an air-tight space or recess H.
In Fig. 2 the arrangement No. 1 represents a single attachment, giving the
required clasticity of fixing without an air-tight space or recess. This plan is only
recommended for small light vessels. No. 2 represents a mode of attachment,giving
the benefit of the improved mode of fixing where no reverse bars are used. No. 3
represents a mode of attachment, giving the same results, and having one frame
reversed, and the reverse bars on the feather edges or sides of the frame, thereby
enabling the rivetting of the attachment or connecting plates D, D, to be effected
inside of the vessel. No. 4 represents an attachment by inclined (instead of curved)
plates D, D, to reverse bars placed in the same manner as in No. 3. No. 5 repre-
sents an attachment by inclined plates to the frames of the vessel where no reverse
bars are used, the plates D, D, being rivetted to simple angle irons B, B, as shown;
and No. 6 represents an attachment by inclined plates at a different angle from those
in No. 4 arrangement, and with reverse bars differently arranged.
In Fig. 3 are represented the continuations of the several modes of fixing bulk-
heads to the sides of vessels represented in Fig. 2, showing corresponding modes of
fixing the same to the floors of vessels. The same methods of fixing shown in these
two Figures can be continued below the deck from the top of the bulkhead on one
side round to the top of the bulkhead on the other side, thereby forming an air-
tight space or recess all round the bulkhead of the vessel, and this arrangement is
recommended in large vessels, but it may not be necessary in ordinary vessels.
It is obvious that in all the above described arrangements there is the same mode
of fixing the bulkheads, so as to give the required elasticity of fixture and distri-
bution of the fastenings; and it is to be observed that the mode of fixing the bulk-
heads may be otherwise varied in detail without departing from the principle of
elasticity of fixture and distribution of fastenings, as described.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim as of my Invention is,
the mode or modes of fixing bulkheads to iron ships or vessels,so as to give elasticity
to the bulkheads as fixtures,and distribute the fastenings in the manner and for the
purpose or purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hepple, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
JAMES S. LAWRIE,
Cobourg Street,
North Shields,
Agent.
WILLIAM HEPPLE. (L.S.)