IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS OR VESSELS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Cullen, of Rosherville, near Gravesend, in the
County of Kent, Engineer and Ship Builder, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS OR VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Cullen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1881.
CHARLES CULLEN, of Rosherville, near Gravesend, in the County of Kent,
Engineer and Ship Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS OR VESSELS."
My Invention relates to certain improvements applicable either to existing ships
or vessels or in the construction of new ships or vessels, whereby in the event of
injury through collision or stranding sufficient buoyancy is obtained to maintain
the ship or vessel afloat without diminishing cargo space or passenger accommo-
dation.
In carrying out my said Invention I construct the decks of the vessel of two
sets of iron plates so connected together as to form air chambers. In each deck I
form hatchways consisting of an iron frame covered by an iron or steel plate,
whereby I am enabled by closing down the hatchways to prevent the water from
rising above any deck in the event of any damage to the lower part of the vessel;
I construct the ventilators of iron and arrange them in the centre line of the vessel
with a single ventilating pipe, which communicates with the whole of the decks.
through suitable outlets, the latter being fitted with slides or valves so as to enable
any deck or compartment to be shut off if required in order to prevent the ingress
of water into other compartments. The bulkheads may be constructed in a similar
manner to the decks so as to form air tight chambers.
In the case of river passenger steamers the vessel, which is constructed in the
manner herein before described, also embodies the following features, viz.
The tables, lockers, seats, and like appurtenances are constructed so as to form
air chambers and so as to rise to the underside of the deck in the event of the
vessel filling with water, whereby I not only obtain additional buoyancy but bring
the lifting power to bear upon the vessel at a point as close as possible to the
weight and thus prevent the vessel from capsizing.
The outer edge of the sponson deck may be made a continuous line, thereby
further increasing the lifting power, and the deck is supported and connected to the
frames of the vessel by bracket plates and curved angle irons, which form air spaces
and augment the strength as well as the lifting power of the vessel:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Cullen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th July
1881.
CHARLES CULLEN, of Rosherville, near Gravesend, in the County of Kent,
Engineer and Ship Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS OR VESSELS."
My said Invention relates to certain improvements applicable either to existing
ships or vessels, or in the construction of new ships or vessels, whereby in the event
of injury through collision or stranding sufficient buoyancy is obtained to maintain
the ship or vessel afloat without diminishing the cargo space or passenger accommo-
dation.
My Invention consists in constructing the decks of the vessels hollow so as to
form air tight compartments, and in providing the hatchways with covers, whereby
the water is prevented from rising above any deck in the event of damage to the
lower part of the vessel, and in utilizing other parts of the vessel to form air tight
compartments; also in the arrangement of the ventilators; and the Invention
further consists, in the case of river passenger steamers and other light vessels, in
constructing the seats and such like appurtenances so as to form air chambers or
receptacles which are capable of rising up to the deck so as to secure additional
buoyancy to the same in the event of the water rising in the lower part of the
vessel through damage thereto, and in utilizing other parts of such vessels for
similar purposes.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a midship section
of a vessel, with the decks, hatchway, and other parts constructed according to my
said Invention.
Figure 2 is a similar section showing the method of regulating or controlling the
ventilation of the decks; Figure 3 is a centre section of the after saloon of a river
passenger steamer constructed according to my said Invention, and Figure 4 is a
diagram plan, hereinafter referred to. Referring to Figure 1, the decks A of the
vessel (of which two are shown) are constructed of two sets of iron plates a, so
connected together so as to form air chambers or watertight compartments.
In the decks I form hatchways B, which consist of iron frames b covered by iron
or steel plates or covers b¹ and fitting water tight, so that in the event of any damage
to their lower part of the vessel the hatchways can be securely closed to prevent
the water rising above any deck.
I construct the ventilators of iron or other suitable metal and arranged in the
centre line of the vessel, as shewn in Figure 2, with a single ventilating pipe C,
which communicates with the decks through openings c in the tube. The said
openings are fitted with slides or valves c¹, which can be quickly and securely
closed by means of connecting rods c³, the same being operated by racks and pinions
worked by cranked handles c³ conveniently situate on the top deck of the vessel,
as shewn. By this arrangement, in the event of damage to the vessel, the ventilating
aperture can be at once closed to prevent the water gaining access from one deck or
compartment to the other.
The bulkheads a may be constructed in a similar manner to the decks so as to
form air chambers.
In applying the Invention to a river passenger steamer, as shewn in Figure 3,
the following additional features are also embodied :—
The tables, lockers, seats, and like appurtenances, are so constructed as to form

page_text: air chambers. In the Drawing I have shown the saloon and cabin provided with
tables D and settees E constructed according to my said Invention so as to form
air tight chambers or receptacles. The said receptacles may be either loose, or they
are so fixed to the vessel that in the event of the vessel filling with water the said
receptacles will run to the underside of the deck, whereby I not only obtain
additional buoyancy but bring the lifting power to bear upon the vessel at a point
as close as possible to the weight and thus prevent the vessel from capsizing. The
table D in the cabin is shewn in the Drawing attached to a guide F, which may be
the support for the deck or other part of the vessel. The settees may also be
provided with guides in order to direct the said receptacles, so that when used as
floating supports they may be regularly arranged against the underside of the deck.
The receptacles in the deck saloon may be also similarly arranged and provided
with guides. The sponson deck A and bulwarks a' are constructed as described
with reference to Figures 1 and 2 so as to form air tight receptacles, and the deck. A
may be also provided with my other improvements, herein before described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2; the outer edge of the sponson deck "A" is made a
continuous line, as shewn in the diagram, Figure 4, thereby further increasing the
lifting power, and the deck is supported and connected to the frames of the vessel
by brackets, plates, or curved angle irons A³, which form air tight spaces and
augment the strength as well as the lifting power of the vessel.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is, -
First. Constructing ships or vessels, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. Constructing ships or vessels, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Cullen, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
CHARLES CULLEN. (L.S.)