IMPROVEMENTS IN FERRY BOATS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Muntz, of Millbrook, in the County
of Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FERRY BOATS."
THE CONSTRUCTION OF
Sealed the 1st May 1860, and dated the 3rd March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Muntz at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd March 1860.
I. WILLIAM HENRY MUNTZ, of Millbrook, in the County of Hants, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY BOATS," to be as follows:
These improvements relate to the construction of ferry boats with "flush"
decks, and the object of the Invention is to enable such boats to carry horses,
catile, carriages, freight, and passengers, without risk of danger.
The improved ferry boats are constructed as follows:-The boats are built
with "flush" decks, level with and supported on the gunwales, the said decks
overhanging the sides of the vessel to the width of the outside of the paddle
wheels. The cabins for the passengers are built on this overhanging part, and
the track for carriages, horses, and cattle runs between this cabins and the
engine house, which latter is in the centre of the vessel. On this part of the
deck there are sheep and cattle pens, to prevent those animals from interfering
with the carriages and horses. The horse deck has folding doors, so as to form
as it were a stable when closed. There is a promenade deck over the cabins,
which may. if desired, also be carried over the carriage and cattle deck.
Price 8d]

page_text: The vessel is steered by means of two helms, both actuated by one wheel.
The communication with the shore is made by means of a floating dummy, the
deck whereof is about the same level as the flush deck of the ferry boat, so that
horses, carriages, and cattle can be driven on or off the latter with great
facility. The dummy is attached to the pier or landing, and rises and falls
with the tide.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Henry Muntz in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY MUNTZ, of Millbrook, in the County of Hants, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto me,
the said William Henry Muntz. Her special licence that I, the said William
Henry Muntz, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Henry Muntz, my 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FERRY BOAT:," upon the condition (amongst
others, that I, the said William Henry Muntz, my executors or administra-
tors, by an instrument 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 William Henry Muntz, 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings,
that is to say :-
My improvements relate to the construction of ferry boats with "flush"
decks, and the object of the Invention is to enable such boats to carry horses,
cattle, carriages and passengers, without risk of danger.

page_text: The improved ferry boats are constructed as follows: The boats are built
with flush" decks, level with and supported on the gunwales, the said
decks overhanging the sides of the vessel to the width of the outside of the
paddle wheels, or even further if necessary. The cabins for the passengers
are built on this overhanging part, and the track for carriages and horses
runs between these cabins and the engine house, which latter is in the centre
of the vessel. On this part of the deck, fore and aft of the engine house, are
the sheep and cattle pens, to prevent the animals from interfering with the
carriages and horses. These pens have folding doors, and the horse deck may
also have similar doors, so as to form as it were a stable when closed. There
is a promenade deck over the cabins, which may, if desired, also be carried
over the carriage and cattle deck.
The vessel is steered by two helms (one at each end), which may either be
worked separately or be both actuated by one wheel.
The communication with the shore is made by means of a floating "dummy."
the deck whereof is about the same level as the flush deck of the ferry boat,
so that horses, carriages, and cattle can be driven on or off the latter with
great facility. The dummy" is attached to the pier or landing, and rises and
falls with the tide.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in the Construction of Ferry Boats," I will proceed to describe more in
detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed. and in
order that the same may be perfectly understood. I have attached hereunto a
Sheet of Drawings, made to a geometrical scale of about one-eighth of an inch
to a foot, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference cor-
responding with those in the following explanation thereof; similar letters of
reference being placed upon corresponding parts of the vessel in all the Figures.
in so far as each part appears or can be seen on each of the said Figures
respectively.
Figure is a side elevation of my improved ferry boat. and Figure 2 is a
plan view of the same; the left-hand half showing the plan of the promenade
deck and captain's gangway, and the right-hand half showing the plan of the
cattle pens and cabins beneath. Figure 3 is a midship section of the vessel.
a, a, is the "flash" deck of the vessel, and b, b, are the cabins for the pas-
sengers, built on the overhanging part thereof.
supported by water-light compartments c, c, (see Figure 1) which also serve
to break the force of a "sea," and prevent it from striking the under part of
the overhanging deck, and at the same time render the vessel more buoyant;
d, d, is the engine house, and e, e, are the cattle pens. These pens are pro-
This part of the deck is

page_text: vided with folding doors f, /, which, when open. close the entrance to the
carriage track, as shown by the dotted lines; g, g. is the carriage track
between the cattle pens and the cabins; h, h, are the steering houses, and i. i,
is the gangway for the captain, over the cattle pens: k, k, is the promenade
deck over the cabins, and 1, 1, are the stairs for access to the same; m, m. are
the paddle wheels.
It will be evident from the foregoing description that the passengers, car-
riages, horses, and cattle are each provided with suitable and separate accom-
modation, and that the carriages, horses, and cattle can be driven direct on or
off the vessel, without in any way interfering with the comfort or safety of the
passengers.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
Improvements in the Construction of Ferry Boats." together with the manner
in which the same is to be or may be performed. I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim as my Invention. the genera! novel construction and
arrangement of ferry boats for the purposes set forth. as shown in the annexed
Drawings, and herein-before particularly described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Muniz, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
W. H. MUNTZ. (L.S.)