IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS AND VESSELS TO RENDER THEM UNSINKABLE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Joseph Frederick Andrews, of 18, Nettleton Road,
Hatcham Park, New Cross, Surrey, Naval Architect, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS AND VESSELS TO RENDER THEM UNSINKABLE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Joseph Frederick
Andrews at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December
1878.
JOHN JOSEPH FREDERICK ANDREWS, of 18, Nettleton Road, Hatcham Park, New
Cross, Surrey, Naval Architect. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS AND VESSELS TO
RENDER THEM UNSINKABLE."
This Invention has for its object the rendering of ships and vessels unsinkable
from the effects of collision or from other causes.
1
For this purpose I propose to construct along both sides of ships and vessels air
chamber belts or casings, which air chamber belts or casings will form part of and
be constructed and incorporated with the structure of the hull of the ship or
vessel.
These air chamber belts or casings may be placed at or near to the water line, or
they may be entirely above or entirely below the water line.
The air chamber belts or casings may be made to project slightly from the sides
of the ship or vessel at the middle portion, and made to taper gradually to the form
of the ship or vessel at the fore and after ends, so that no undue resistance may be
offered to the passage of the ship or vessel through the water, or they may be made
flush with the sides of the ship or vessel).
These air chamber belts or casings may be subdivided into compartments, cells,
or box spaces as convenient and as may be required, the main bulkheads of the
ship or vessel being made to form part of them, or worked around them.
The air chamber belts or casings being so subdivided into compartments, cells, or
box spaces, any one or some of the compartments, cells, or box spaces being damaged

page_text: by collision or otherwise, or any of the cargo holds or ordinary hold spaces of the
ship or vessel becoming filled with water, the compartments, cells, or box spaces
remaining intact will support and float the ship or vessel.
The compartments, cells, or box spaces may be utilized for the stowage of light
goods, passengers' baggage, offices of the ship, and for other purposes as desired.
The ordinary cargo holds, arrangements of hatchways on deck, arrangement of
cabins, berths, &c., of the ship or vessel may not be interfered with.
Access to the compartments, cells, or box spaces may be obtained by means of air
tight trunks passing to them from the upper or main deck of the ship or vessel, and
the trunks closed in any manner desirable, such as the ordinary hatch covers, or by
covers made watertight.
By means of these air chamber belts or casings along the sides of a ship or vessel,
being constructed and forming part of the ship or vessel as above described, greater
buoyancy, stability, and strength will be obtained, in addition also to rendering the
ship or vessel to which it may be applied wholly unsinkable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Joseph Frederick Andrews in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd June 1879.
JOHN JOSEPH FREDERICK ANDREWS, of 18, Nettleton Road, Hatcham Park, New
Cross, Surrey, Naval Architect. " IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS AND VESSELS TO
RENDER THEM UNSINKABLE."
My Invention of improvements in ships and vessels has for its object the render-
ing of them unsinkable from the effects of collision or from other causes.
For this purpose I propose to construct along both sides of ships and vessels air
chamber belts or casings, which air chamber belts or casings will form part of and
be constructed and incorporated with the structure of the hull of the ship or
vessel.
These air chamber belts or casings may be placed at or near to the water line, or
they may be entirely above or entirely below the water line.
The air chamber belts or casings may be made to project slightly from the sides
of the ship or vessel at the middle portion, and made to taper gradually to the form
of the ship or vessel at the fore and after ends, so that no undue resistance may be
offered to the passage of the ship or vessel through the water, or they may be made
flush with the sides of the ship or vessel.
These air chamber belts or casings may be subdivided into compartments, cells,
or box spaces as convenient and as may be required, the main bulkheads of the
ship or vessel being made to form part of them, or worked around them.
The air chamber belts or casings being so subdivided into compartments, cells, or
box spaces, any one or some of the compartments, cells, or box spaces being damaged
by collision or otherwise, or any of the cargo holds or ordinary hold spaces of the ship
or vessel becoming filled with water, the compartments, cells, or box spaces remain-
ing intact will support and float the ship or vessel.
The compartments, cells, or box spaces may be utilized for the stowage of light
goods, passengers' baggage, offices of the ship, and for other purposes as desired.
The ordinary cargo holds, arrangement of hatchways on deck, arrangement of
cabins, berths, &c., of the ship or vessel may not be interfered with.
Access to the compartments, cells, or box spaces may be obtained by means of air
tight trunks passing to them from the upper or main deck of the ship or vessel, and
the trunks closed in any manner desirable, such as the ordinary hatch covers, or
by covers made watertight.
By means of these air chamber belts or casings along the sides of a ship or vessel
being constructed and forming part of the ship or vessel as above described, greater
buoyancy, stability, and strength will be obtained, in addition also to rendering the
ship or vessel to which it may be applied wholly unsinkable.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to describe
more particularly and in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of
the following description and accompanying Drawings.
The principle of my Invention of constructing ships and vessels with air chamber
belts or casings along their sides to render them unsinkable from the effects of
collision or from other causes, consists in making the air chamber belts or casings of
a capacity and buoyancy sufficient to float the ship or vessel when the cargo holds
or ordinary holds of the ship or vessel are filled with water.
The air chamber belts or casings may be made of a capacity to entirely float the
ship or vessel when all the cargo holds are filled with water, or only partially,
when one or more of the cargo holds are filled with water.
Figures 1, 2, 3, Sheet 1, are an elevation and plans of a large class of Atlantic
passenger, trader, cargo, and mail steamer, shewing the air chamber belts or
casings A. along the sides, subdivided into compartments, cells, or box spaces, by

page_text: diaphragms made watertight worked across them, and shewing the arrangement of
trunks T leading to the compartments, cells, or box spaces of the air chamber belts
or casings.
Figure 4, Sheet 2, is a cross section of the same class vessel, shewing the air
chamber belts or casings A at or about the load water line, and the construction of
the air chamber belts or casings into and forming part of and incorporated with the
structure of the hull of the ship.or vessel.
A watertight deck may be worked at the top of the air chamber belts or casings
across the ship, and trunks T provided for access to the ordinary cargo holds.
Figure 5, Sheet 3, is a cross section of a large class of armour clad vessel, shewing
the air chamber belts or casings A at or about the load water line.
Figure 6, Sheet 4, is a cross section of an Australian passenger, emigrant, or mail,
government transport, or troop ship, in which the air chamber belts or casings A
are shewn at the water line.
Figure 7, Sheet 4, is a cross section of a paddle passenger, royal mail, royal
yacht, or despatch vessel, shewing the air chamber belts or casings A at the load
water line.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, Sheet 5, are sections of various kinds and sizes of
screw, paddle, or sailing ships or vessels, in which the air chamber belts or casings A
are shewn in various positions and forms along the sides suitable to the particular
kind of ship or vessel.
Figure 13, Sheet 5, shews the application of the air chamber belts or casings A to
the sides of a river, saloon, or passenger paddle vessel.
The air chamber belts or casings may be either at or about the load water line,
or entirely above or below the water line, and may project entirely from the side of
the ship or vessel or only slightly, or they may be flush with the sides of the ship
or vessel, and may be constructed of any shape, form, or manner to suit the require-
ments and arrangements of the particular ship or vessel, and may be divided into
compartments, cells, or box spaces, longitudinally or crossways, and of any size or
capacity, as may be required.
The trunks leading to the holds and compartments of the air chambers may be
brought to the upper deck and ordinary scuttles placed over them, or watertight
doors may be formed through them, or scuttles and manholes placed on the tops or
sides.
Having thus stated the nature and application of the said Invention for improve-
ments in ships and vessels to render them unsinkable from the effects of collision or
from other causes, and having described in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, I would have it understood that what I claim as my Invention is, the
construction and formation of air chamber belts or casings along the sides of ships
or vessels to render them unsinkable from the effects of collision or from other
causes, which air chamber belts or casings form part of and are constructed into and
incorporated with the structure of the hull of the ship or vessel.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Joseph Frederick Andrews, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.