IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS. FERRY-BOATS. AND OTHER VESSELS ”
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hugh Aldersey Egerton, of Hextable, in the
County of Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS. FERRY-BOATS. AND OTHER VESSELS ”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hugh Aldersey Egerton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th December 1875.
I, HUGH ALDERSEY EGERTON, of Hextable, in the County of Kent,
3 Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS, FERRY-BOATS, AND OTHER
VESSELS," to be as follows:-
The principal object of my Invention is so to construct sea going
vessels, that they shall be capable of conveying cattle and other animals
with greater facility, convenience, security, and economy than vessels
of the ordinary construction. To this end I construct the submerged
portion of the structure of two cylindrical or cigar-shaped pontoons,

page_text: which are arranged parallel to each other at a suitable distance apart
and connected together by cross girders, on which is erected a platform
with deck houses and cabins to receive the animals, crew, and stores.
The pontoons should be arranged at such a distance apart that the
water may have a free run between them, so that there shall not be
undue friction or resistance on the wetted skin of these submerged
parts.
Suchi
I am aware that it has already been proposed to erect a platform with
cabin accomodation on two or more hulls, constructed very much on
the ordinary lines of ships and having vertical sides or nearly so.
vessels have, however, been found deficient in speed and are altogether
inapplicable, for various reasons, for sea-going vessels, and especially for
crossing the stormy Atlantic. I have found that in order to contend
with heavy scas the hull of the vessel should be so constructed as to
offer as little resistance as possible to the passage of the waves, which
should be allowed to pass over, under, or past the hull, which should
offer very littlo obstruction. This is effected by constructing the
pontoons of a circular form transversely, and raising up the platform
(on which the cabins and deck houses are placed) considerably above
the top of the poutoons, so that should any largo: wave strike the side
of the pontoon it may pass clear over without meeting with any serious
obstruction and will not come in contact with the under side of the
platform. This being the case, the waves will be powerless to exert
any prejudicial effect upon the structure, which will also remain
moderately steady in the heaviest sea, on which it will only rise and fall
harmlessly without any undue motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hugh Aldersey Egerton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th June 1876.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Hʊon 3
ALDERSEY EGERTON, of Hextablo, in the County of Kont, Gentleman,
sond greeting

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Hugh Aldersey Egerton, Her
special licence, that I, the said Hugh Aldersey Egerton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hugh
Aldersey Egerton, executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS, FERRY-BOATS,
AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Hugh Aldersey Egerton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hugh Aldersey Egerton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):-
The principal object of my Invention is so to construct sea-going
vessels, that they shall be capable of conveying cattle and other animals
with greater facility, convenience, security, and economy than vessels of
the ordinary construction. To this end I construct the submerged portion
of the structure of two cylindrical or cigar-shaped pontoons, which are
arranged parallel to each other at a suitable distance apart, and con-
nected together by cross girders, on which is erected a platform with
deck houses and cabins to receive the animals, crew, and stores.
.
The pontoons should be arranged at such a distance apart that the
water may have a free run between them, so that there shall not
be undue friction or resistance on the wetted skin of these submerged
parts.

page_text: with a separate engine and propelling gear, and the two pontoons are
placed at such a distance apart that the water run of one cannot
possibly interfere with the other. This is an important point in
reference to speed and economy of power.
The stalls or stables for the
platform a, but being raised
cattle are erected on the lower deck or
above the water they can casily be kept well ventilated and clean;
thereby increasing the comfort of the animals and tending to keep them
in good health. The space between the girders c, c, is such as to admit
of constructing a row of stalls, each capable of containing three or four
beasts with room for them to lie down.
In the rear of each row of stalls is a passage d, sufficiently wide to
allow the attendants to pass and attend to the wants of the animals
without it being necessary to enter the stall. This arrangement will bo
best understood by referring to the plan and sectional views, Figures
9 and 10, in Sheet II., which are drawn on an enlarged scale. If
desired, the partitions b, b, whereby the long space between the girders
c, c, is divided into any convenient number of separate stalls or com-
partments may be moveable and made to turn on hinges at one end,
for the purpose of more conveniently embarking and disembarking the
cattle. Or these partitions may be fixed in their places permanently,
and the cattle may be driven into the separate stalls through doors or
gates with which each stall must be provided, and which doors com-
municate with the passages d, d, as shown in the plan view, Fig. 10.
Each stall is provided with a manger and drinking trough e. Theso
conveniences may be made moveable on centres, so that they may be
rocked thercon in order that the attendants may draw them back into
the passages d, as shown in the sectional view, Fig. 9, so that they may
be cleaned without the necessity of the attendants going into cach
separate stall. The flooring of the stalls may be laid at a slight
inclination, so that the urine from the animals may run to the rear and
be discharged through suitable openings into the sea below. In the
upper part of the stalls, or on the deck above, are placed tanks to
contain water for the use of the animals. Tanks are also provided to
receive sea water for washing and cleansing the stalls, for which purpose
the water is pumped from below by one of the engines into the tanks
above, from which it is distributed through holes and suitable jets
directed by the attendants, so as to wash away all filth into the sea
below and keep the stalls sweet and wholesome. The cattle food, con-

page_text: sisting of maize or other suitable provender, is stored in chambers on
the upper deck, so that it may be easily discharged through openings
in the upper deck into the mangors or feeding troughs below.
It will be seen on referring to the enlarged sectional views, Figures
5, 6, and 7, that the long cross girders c, c, are connected to and
supported on the pontoons by means of the radial struts ſ, ſ, which aro
properly trussed to give them stiffness, rigidity, and strength enough to
support the superincumbent weight of the superstructure, which is
raised up sufficiently high above the pontoons to allow any wave to
pass over.
Having now described my Invention of Improvements in the
Construction of Ships, Ferry-boats, and other Vessels," and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid the mode
herein set forth of constructing ships or ocean-going vessels for tho
transport of cattle and other animals, the superstructure of such vessels
being raised on struts or supports above the pontoons, or floating or
submerged part, so that the stalls in which the animals aro confined
may be well ventilated and kept sweet and wholesome, and in the event
of a heavy sea the waves may freely pass over the pontoons or floating ?
part without striking the superstructure, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hugh Alderscy Egerton, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, the Thirtieth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
cie