Improvements in the Construction of the Bottoms of Ships and Steamers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Bottoms of Ships
and Steamers.
I, EDMUND FREDERICK WAILES, of 13 Tankerville Terrace, in the City and
County of Newcastle upon Tyne, Naval Architect, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The objects of my invention are to provide the bottoms of ships and steamers
"well
with a receptacle for bilge water by constructing them in the form of a
thus avoiding loading the bottom of a vessel with heavy cement and affording
facilities for examination and cleaning and to give additional structural strength to
what may be termed the "back bone or foundation of the ship.
According to my invention the "well" is constructed in the form of a trough
(taking the place of the ordinary keel) and instead of the usual fore and aft centre
"intercostal two fore and aft "intercostals" are fitted and attached to the
up-turned flanges of the flat keel plates and a projecting keel forming a trough or
"well" the "intercostals" being the full depth of the "floors" or cellular-bottom;
securely connected to the tank top or to the "keelsons," in accordance with the
construction of the vessel. The width of the "well" for say a 3000 ton vessel
would be about 2' 6" and the depth about 11" below the "heel" of the frame bars.
The "floors"
and
are fitted upon alternate frames between the "intercostals
are carried right down to the bottom of the "well" and connected all round with
an angle iron frame and upon the other alternate frames is a frame bar all round
instead of a "floor" plate. The "garboard strakes" on the outside of the "well"
and the "intercostals on the inside of the "well are rivetted through the
upturned flanges of the keel plate thereby forming double straps to the "butts" of
the flanges.
"
The main frames are butted against the "intercostals" and connected thereto.
with angle bars, knees and floor plates, the "butts" of the frames being compensated
in strength by "butt straps."
In vessels with a double bottom this construction forms what may be termed a
fore and aft centre "well" box girder "intercostal" and in vessels without a double
bottom the construction will form two centre girder "intercostals."
The "well" is accessible from the top or, in the case of double bottoms, by
manhole doors through the top or sides with the usual "manholes" through the
floors.
The "well" is intended for the reception of the bilge water so as to admit of
perfect drainage and the suction pipes are below the bottom of the ship being
situated at the bottom of the "well."
The usual "limber" and drain holes will be provided through the floor frames
and "intercostals."
The "well" is intended to run fore and aft and to extend to the ends of the
vessel and tapered to about half the width at the junction with the stem and stern.
This form of "well" bottom is peculiarly adapted to stern frames and stems con-
structed according to my Patents Nos. 9942 and 10,737 of 1887.
If desirable the "well" can be stopped at some distance short of either end of
the ship and connected to bar or plate keels as in the usual construction of vessels.
A vessel constructed as described would be termed a "well-bottomed " ship.
Dated this 17th day of January 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Bottoms of Ships
and Steamers.
I, EDMUND FREDERICK WAILES, of 13 Tankerville Terrace, in the City and
County of Newcastle upon Tyne, Naval Architect, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The objects of my invention are to provide the bottoms of ships and steamers
with a receptacle for bilge water by constructing them in the form of a trough
shaped "well" projecting below the bottom thus avoiding loading the bottom of
a vessel with heavy cement and affording facilities for examination and cleaning
and to give additional structural strength to what may be termed the “backbone”
or foundation of the ship.
"
According to my invention the projecting "well" bottom is constructed in the
form of a trough (taking the place of the ordinary flat or bar keels) and in large
steamers where great structural strength is required instead of the usual fore and
aft centre "intercostal" two fore and aft "intercostals are preferably fitted
attached to the upturned flanges of the flat bottom plates which form the trough
"well" shaped projecting bottom, the intercostals being the full depth of the
floors" in the projecting portion of the bottom and securely connected to the tank
top or to the keelson bars on top of floors in accordance with the construction
of the vessel. The width of the projecting bottom for, say a 3000 ton vessel, would
be about 2' 6" and the depth about 11" below the "heel" of the frame bars.
or
t
In an alternative form for vessels of ordinary classes not requiring additional
structural strength the trough may be formed by attaching the upturned edges
direct to corresponding downturned edges of the "garboard-strakes" the ordinary
centre intercostal "keelson" only being adopted.
The "floors are fitted upon alternative frames and continued between the "inter-
costals," when double, and carried right down to the bottom of the projecting
portion of the bottom forming the "well" and connected all round with an angle
iron frame and upon the alternate frames is a frame bar all round instead of a "floor"
plate.
"
The "garboard strakes on the outside of the "well," when double intercostals
are adopted, are rivetted through the upturned flanges of the keel plate of the
projecting portion of the bottom thereby forming double straps to the "butts" of
the flanges.
י,
The main frames and "floor" plates are "butted" against the centre "intercostal,"
or the double "intercostals as may be, and connected thereto with angle bars,
knees and "floor" plates, the "butts "being compensated in strength when necessary
by "butt straps."
"
In vessels with a double or cellular bottom the double "intercostal" construction
forms what may be termed a fore and aft centre "well" box girder "intercostal
as shewn on Fig. 3 and in vessels without a double or cellular bottom the .same
construction will form two centre girder "intercostals," as shewn on Fig. 5.
The projecting bottom is accessible from the top, in vessels of ordinary con-
struction as in Figs. 5 and 6 or, in the case of double bottoms, as Fig. 3 by manhole
doors through the top with the usual "manholes" through the "floors."
The projecting bottom provides a trough or well for the reception of the bilge
water and admits of perfect drainage as the suction pipes are carried to the bottom
of the "well" formed by the projecting bottom.
The usual "limber" and drain holes will be provided through the floors frames
and "intercostals."
The projecting bottom is intended to run fore and aft and to extend to the ends
of the vessel and may be tapered at the junction with the stem and stern.

page_text: This form of projecting bottom is peculiarly adapted to stern frames and stems
constructed according to my Patents Nos. 9942 and 10,737 of 1887.
If desirable the projecting portion of the bottom may be stopped at some distance
short of either end of the ship and connected to bar or plate keels as in the usual
construction of vessels or can be continued so as to form part of the stem or stern
post. A vessel constructed as described would be termed a "well" or "projecting
bottomed "ship.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying sheets of drawings I illustrate my invention as applied to
two types of vessels also shewing the ordinary constructions now generally adopted.
Fig. 1 shews the ordinary construction with a bar keel and cellular bottom and
Fig. 2 the same construction with a flat keel.
Fig. 3 shews my improvements as applied to large vessels with additional
structural strength with cellular bottoms and
Fig. 4 as applied to vessels without additional strength also having cellular
bottoms.
Fig. 5 shews the form of application to large and extra strong vessels without
cellular bottoms and
Fig. 6 to similar vessels of ordinary strength.
Figs. 7 and 8 shew alternative methods of forming the "floors" within the
projecting portion of the bottom instead of the cranked angle bars straight bars
being adopted, fitting into the lower angles drainage being provided for by holes in
the floors.
66
Referring to Fig. 3 Sheet 2 the projecting bottom forms a trough or well W the
upturned edges of which are rivetted between the downturned edges of the
garboard strake"
plates G G and the two "intercostal keelsons" K K thus
forming double straps at the "butts" and the keelsons K K are carried up to the
top of the cellular bottom or tank and the box girder form is completed by a covering
plate P to which they are rivetted.
The "floors" F upon alternate frames abut against the "intercostal keelsons" K K
and a supplementary floor plate F' fills the space between the "intercostals" through
which the rivets pass and thus preserve the continuity of the "floors" throughout
the projecting portion of the bottom.
Referring to Fig. 5 Sheet 2 the construction is similar but the "intercostal
keelsons" K K have no covering plate and project above the top of floors F F forc
and aft "keelsons" of angle irons A A. binding the floors from stem to stern.
On Fig. 4 Sheet 1. the trough shaped bottom forming the "well" W is of the
same construction but with a single centre "intercostal-keelson" K extending from
the bottom of the well to the top of the cellular bottom or tank where it is rivetted
to a covering plate P. The "floors" F F in this construction abut against the
"intercostal-keelson K to which they are rivetted. In the case of Fig. 6 Sheet 1.
the construction is similar except that, in place of the covering plate, double angle
irons A form a fore and aft "keelson-stringer" binding the "floors" from stem to
stern the centre "intercostal-keelson" K forming a T girder.
"
When desirable the projecting bottom formation may be developed at the sides
upon either "bilge," as shewn in Fig. 9 Sheet 2 in lieu of the ordinary girder or
bar "bilge-keels" as shewn at BK Figs. 1 and 2 so as to give increased bearing
when upon the ground and to facilitate drainage in case of excessive listing and to
admit of the cellular bottoms being divided into separate fore and aft water tight
compartments.
It will be seen that by my invention in alternative forms of its application the
bottoms of ships and steamers are so constructed as to secure the following
advantages viz. :-
1. Accessibility when in progress of building, whereby continuity in the con-
struction of the "floors” and “frames” within the projecting portion of the bottom,

page_text: forming the trough shaped well, is secured and facilities are afforded for examination
cleaning or repairing.
وو
and
2. The projecting portion of the bottom, forming a trough-shaped well, gives
greater depth to the "floors" and to the "intercostal-keelson
or "keelsons
additional structural strength to the ship where most required, forming a fore and
aft girder and provides for perfect drainage of bilge water besides dispensing to a
great extent with cementing the bilges.
3. The construction of the bottoms of ships or steamers according to my invention
offers no difficulties, in fact the practical work is facilitated, being a development
of the existing system by which the advantages already stated are secured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The improvements in the construction of the bottoms of ships and steamers
consisting in the formation therein of projecting trough-shaped bottoms, in lieu of
the ordinary keels, of such dimensions and accessibility as to permit of the
introduction of "floor" plates, taking the internal shape of the projecting bottom;
and to preserve the continuity of the "floors" and "frames" with the intercostal
"keelsons" and to give additional structural strength with a perfect system of
drainage.
'
2nd. In such improved construction of ships and steamers, the formation of a
trough forming a projecting portion of the bottom with upturned edges rivetted to
the "garboard-strake plates and to intercostal "keelsons," the whole forming
a girder to which the "frames" and "floors" are rivetted, substantially as shewn
by Figs. 3 and 5 (Sheet 2) or in the alternative forms shewn by Figs. 4 and 6-
(Sheet 1) in each case with or without the "bilge-keels" shewn by Fig. 9 with the
objects hereinbefore stated.
T. J DANSON, F. Inst. P.A.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
2, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Agent for Applicant.