Improved Apparatus for Utilising the Wave Forces which Cause a Vessel to Pitch.
Year: 1892

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Utilising the Wave Forces which Cause a
Vessel to Pitch.
"
of Thurenas pr
We, "TRANSPORTAKTIEBOLAGET FÖR LEFVANDE FISK
Billeberga, Sweden, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus whereby the wave forces that cause a vessel
to pitch are utilised for propulsion of the vessel, for supplying compartments with
water or air, and for other purposes.
In a compartment at the stern there is an upright tube communicating at its
bottom with the external water by a passage having a valve opening inwards, and
having one or more openings directed astern. As the stern descends, water rises
in the tube and as it ascends it rushes out astern causing propulsion.
There may be several such tubes, and there may also be similar tubes at the
bow with their outlets directed forwards, backwards or sideways, so that by opening
one or other the vessel may be propelled backwards, forwards or to the side. Also
at the stern or bow or both there may be tubes each leading from the bottom to
a turbine which being driven by the entering water may cause rotation of a
propeller connected to it by gearing.
The
In vessels having tanks for carrying live fish, these tanks are supplied with
water by valved inlets as the vessel descends, and water flows through grated
openings from the upper parts of the tanks as the vessel ascends. The tanks
being closed, air is drawn into them through valved inlets as water flows out.
forces resulting from inflow and outflow of water during the movements of the
vessel in a rough sea may also be applied to perform other work, as may be readily
understood.
The tubes mentioned above and the other communications with the external
water, besides being provided with self acting valves to operate as above described,
are provided with suitable cocks or valves by which they can be quite closed.
Dated this 28th day of April 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Utilising the Wave Forces which Cause a
Vessel to Pitch.
We, "TRANSPORTAKTIEBOLAGET FÖR LEFVANDE FISK
"of Thurenas pr
Billeberga, Sweden, 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 invention relates to means of causing a stream of water to pass through

page_text: the interior of a vessel at sea or parts of it for instance for the purpose of renewing
the water in fish tanks. This is obtained by providing the vessel with one or more
tubes or openings passing through the hull of the vessel and fitted with self acting
valves opening inwards, and with one or more tubes or openings fitted with self
acting valves opening outwards.
The valves in the former tubes or openings open themselves in a rough sea when
that part of the vessel where the tube penetrates the hull, or where the opening is
made descends and water enters the corresponding compartiment of the. vessel. The
outwards opening valves on the other hand open themselves when the vessel rises,
and allow a corresponding part of the admitted water to return to the sea, while
the valves in the former tubes or openings are closed automatically when the vessel
ascends, not allowing the water to run off by them; also the valves in the latter
tubes or openings are closed automatically when the vessel descends ; not allowing
water to enter the vessel by them.
Thus is ensured in the vessel or parts of the same a circulation of water which
may be used for various purposes.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 shows in longitudinal section the arrangement of such a vessel (form
and size indifferent), Figure 2 is a transverse section, and Figure 3 is a plan.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 shew details.
In the vessel A, which in a calm sea sinks to the water line bb, Figure 1, there
is a watertight compartment k or several such compartments or cisterns occupying
almost the whole length of the vessel which compartment is, for instance, intended
to carry living fish or other aquatic animals. The deck of this compartment k is
under the water line 6, and only an upper part o of the watertight chamber is at a
higher level than the waterline. In the compartment there is fitted a short
upright tubes (or there may be several of these) opening through the bottom of
the vessel, and there is a horizontal tube (or several of these) opening through
the prow of the vessel near the bottom. Each is provided with an inwards opening
self-acting valve and, if desired, with a cock or stop valve. To get a uniformn
distribution of water these tubes may have a perforated cap or perforated tube 8*
extending from them. It is obvious that the tubes s, and may also be arranged
in manner and place other than as shown in the drawing; the tube s³ may, for
instance, be formed as part of the structure of the vessel.
The mouth through
which the water enters the tube or channel should be directed forward while
that of the tubes should be directed downward.
When, in a rough sea, that part of the vessel
fresh water enters through the tubes or s².
water can run off by these tubes.
where the tubes or ³ is descends,
But, when the vessel ascends, no
To provide for the exit of water a tube / (or there may be several of these) s
proceeds from the chamber o and is provided with an outwards opening self acting
valve and if desired with a cock or stop valve. Instead of such a tube l, a tube
opening at the bottom of the vessel may be used, provided that its upper mouth is
on or immediately below the waterline 6, for the purpose of discharging only such
of the water as is no longer fresh and always keeping the compartment full, as
well as for preventing in the compartment shocks or splashing in a storm which
might injure the fish. The tube or is fitted with gratings in order to prevent
the escape of the fish. When the vessel ascends all water above the water line b
or the mouths of the tube or tends to run off, the valves closing automatically
when the vessel descends without allowing water to enter by these tubes.
In this manner a circulation of fresh water is effected through the compart-
ment k when the vessel is in a rough sea, the cocks of the tubes a s³ and 1 (or l')
being open; also only the water at the surface, that is the waste water, flows
away, the compartment & remaining always full, so that shaking of the fish cannot
take place even in a very rough sea. By means of the cocks, the circulation of 5
water may be regulated in a rough sea as desired.

page_text: When the vessel is still, the surface water is discharged by pumping, while fresh
water enters through the tubes s and s'. When the compartment is to be cleansed
or the fish to be taken out, the cocks are closed and the water is drawn off by
means of a pump.
The compartment k may be divided into smaller compartments by watertight
partition walls extending above the waterline, for the purpose of preventing the
displacement of the water in a rough sea. Each of these smaller compartments
must be provided with or communicate with necessary inlets and outlets such as
those described.
The raised chamber o can be closed by a cover, fitted with two pipes, one of
which o, provided with an inwards opening self acting valve, reaches above the
deck of the vessel, and the other, a short pipe o³, provided with an outwards
opening selfacting valve, terminates under the deck.
By the before mentioned selfacting valves (as well as cocks) for the entrance
and exit of the water, which also may be used in open tanks, all the disadvantages
of the usual fish boxes with open holes in the bottom, are avoided. In such fish
boxes there is no complete renewal of the water nor any of the other advantages
mentioned above.
If, in the fish compartments k or in other compartments, it should be desirable
to dispense with all or part of the tubes for the admission and discharge of the
water, the self acting valves are applied directly in the openings in the bottom and
sides of the vessel and, if the compartment is in the fore part of the vessel, also in
the openings in front. For the openings in the chamber o in such a case are
substituted openings made at the top of the side walls of the compartment below
the deck, or, if the compartment is in the stern of the vessel, also by openings
astern.
When the entrance of water takes place in front in consequence of the pressure
of the front wave and the compartment is in the fore part, tubes as well as self
acting valves may be dispensed with in the inlet as well as in the outlet openings,
and when the compartment is situated moro astern they may be dispensed with in
the outlet openings without detriment to the renewal of water when the vessel
moves ahead, provided that when the inlet is at the bottom of the compartment
the outlet must be at the top and vice versà.
In the drawing all the inlets are shown situated in the lower part of the vessel
or of the compartments, and the outlets issuing from the upper part; this however,
though it is not shown in the drawing, may be the reverse in the compartment k or
other compartments, where the whole question is to obtain fresh water, that is to
say, the inlets may be placed uppermost in the compartiment and the outlets
undermost, or both may be placed on the same level.
In the hold p there is fitted a tube m with cock or stop valve and an inwards
opening self acting valve, and a tube n with cock or stop valve and an outwards
opening selfacting valve, in order to extinguish a fire breaking out in the hold. If
the cock of the tube m is opened the hold p will in a rough sea be filled with
water above the water line 6 to a height corresponding to the movement of the
waves, and the water cannot issue by m. When the fire is extinguished the cock
of the tube m is closed and the cock of the tube n is opened, and thus the water is
automatically pumped out, to a level below the water line corresponding to the
wave-motion in a rough sea. The cock or valve of the tube n may also be opened
should the vessel from any cause become water-logged and be in danger of sinking.
A similar arrangement may be made in order to give the vessel a propelling
power in a rough sea. In the watertight compartment c there is for this purpose
fitted a long tube d (or there may be several of these) opening through the bottom
of the vessel and provided with an inwards opening self acting valve and, if desired,
with a cock or stop valve. A shorter tube f (or several) passing through the
bottom of the vessel is provided with an outwards opening selfacting valve and if
desired with a cock or stop valve. When the vessel while in a rough sea dips, the
water enters through the first valve to a height corresponding to the pressure of

page_text: the waves surrounding the vessel and since the valve closes of itself, when the
vessel ascends, the tube d contains a column of water, the surface e of which is at
a higher level than the water line while the water in the compartment c flows out
through the valve in the tube f. As this valve closes itself when the vessel
descends, the surface of water 9 in the compartment e sinks to a level below the
waterline b.
The column of water enclosed in the tube d stores up that force which forced it
up, and this force is equal to the weight of a column of water the volume of which
is the distance between the levels e and g, multiplied by the area of the cross
section of the column.
In order that this column of water may transmit its power to the vessel, there is
fixed to the side of the longer tube da tube provided with an outwards opening
self acting valve and if desired with a cock or stop valve, which tube opens out in
the stern of the vessel so little under the waterline b, that its mouth, in a rough
sea is lifted above the surface of the water. When the vessel is lifted still higher,
the tube d, at a lower level and similarly provided with valves may be used; the
cock in the tube being then kept closed. On the tube d there is, it may be
above the waterline b, an enlargement d', which is filled with water, to a height
corresponding to the movement of the waves, before the cock in d² (or d³) is opened.
When thus at the rising and descending of the vessel in a rough sea the cocks of
the tubes d and d³ (or d³) are opened, the water rushes in through the bottom valve,
rises in the tube d, and a moment after flows out through the stern valve in ď³
(or d') and a propelling force is by the reaction thus produced and transmitted to
the vessel.
In order to allow the water entering through the valve to give out its power
immediately, there is in the compartment c a short tube a (or several) fitted with
inwards opening selfacting valve and, if desired, with a cock or stop valve and at
its top connected with the inlet channel of a turbine a³, of any suitable construction,
from which the water empties into the compartment c, and thence it runs out through
the outwards opening selfacting valve in the tube f, which valve closes itself when
the vessel descends and does not allow an interfering counter current of water to
enter. By the up and down motion of the vessel, in a rough sea, the water is
compelled to pass through the turbine a² causing the shaft a¹ of the turbine to rotate
and drive, for instance, a horizontal propeller shaft connected thereto with gearing
in the usual way.
According to circumstances, another turbine operating the same propeller shaft
may be erected in the fore part of the vessel, and these turbines might be made to
do other mechanical work on board, which need not be enumerated here, but which
may be required, as may be readily understood.
Similar arrangements of tubes as d, d² and d³ may also be made in the fore part
of the vessel, but the outlet pipes must then pass through the sides of the vessel
directed towards the stern. Outlet pipes turned towards the prow and to the sides
may also be used and be arranged in such a manner that by turning a three way
cock inserted at the junction of the different pipes the stream may be directed as-
desired.
A vessel provided with such tubes d d² and d³ (constructed on a relatively large
scale) needs no other ballast than that which is obtained from the water entering
the tubes. When the vessel rises, this water weighs as ballast, but when it descends
this weight passes away, and therefore the sailing becomes easier and, in con-
sequence of the vessel not pitching, so much the distance to be run is shortened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a vessel, an arrangement by means of which a complete circulation of water
through the interior of the vessel, serving for several purposes, is effected in a
rough sea, characterized by tubes or openings with inwards opening selfacting valves,

page_text: and tubes or openings with outwards opening selfacting valves fitted in suitable
compartments or cisterns in the vessel, in such a manner, that the valves in the first
mentioned tubes or openings open themselves when the vessel descends allowing
water to enter, and the valves in the last mentioned tubes or openings at the same time
close themselves and do not allow any water to enter, while on the other hand,
when the vessel rises, the valves in the last mentioned tubes or openings open them-
selves and by letting off a corresponding quantity of water, produce the circulation
of water, while the valves in the first mentioned tubes or openings, closing themselves
at the same time, do not allow any water to run off.
2. In an arrangement such as is set forth in the above claim for the purpose of
renewing the water in a compartment k, or in other cisterns in the vessel, a down-
wardly projecting tube s (or several) or a forwards projecting tube or channel (or
several), or both and, each provided with an inwards opening selfacting valve
and, it may be, with a cock or stop valve, and for the outlet of water a tube or l
(or several), provided with an outward opening self acting valve and, it may be,
with a cock or stop valve, and with its inner mouth in the raised chamber o or on or
close under the waterline b.
3. In the arrangement set forth in the second claim, the modification that
dispenses with the inlet and outlet tubes or part of them, the selfacting valves being
fixed directly in the openings made for the tubes, and that for the tube openings in
the raised chamber o may be substituted other openings under the deck of the
compartment in the stern, sides, prow or bottom of the vessel.
4. In the arrangements set forth in the second claim, the modification dispensing
with outlet tubes, the issue of the water taking place through openings in the com-
partment, provided or not with selfacting valves, while on the other hand the
entrance of water takes place through the tubes, which may be with or without a
selfacting valve, and when the compartment is placed in the fore part of the vessel,
the inlet openings in the prow as well as the outlets are devoid of tubes and self-
acting valves.
5. In the arrangement set forth in the second, third and fourth claims, the
modification consisting in fitting all the inlets or part of them in the upper part of
the compartments or of the vessel and all the outlets or part of them in the lower
part or in fitting all inlets and all outlets on the same level.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.