IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS WITH THE VIEW OF SAVING LIFE DURING SHIPWRECK OR OTHER Casualty at Sea.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Duncan Mac Iver Campbell, of Asknish, in the
County of Argyll, North Britain, and Dougald Ballardie, of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS WITH THE VIEW OF
SAVING LIFE DURING SHIPWRECK OR OTHER Casualty at Sea.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Duncan Mac Iver
Campbell and Dougald Ballardie at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 16th December 1875.
We, DUNCAN MAC IVER CAMPBELL, of Asknisl, in the County of
Argyll, North Britain, and DoUGALD BALLARDIE, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS WITH A
VIEW OF SAVING LIFE DURING SHIPWRECK OR OTHER CASUALTY AT SEA," to be as
follows, that is to say :-.
This Invention, which relates to improvements in the construction of
ships has for its object to save life during shipwreck or other casualty
at sea.

page_text: The
The Invention consists in so arranging the hull of the ship that it
carries at the upper stern part what it is preferred to call a "launching
quarter ship." This "launching quarter ship" consists of an oblong
receptacle of sufficient length and depth to contain the inmates of the
ship, it being divided into cabins and other compartments which are used
on board ships, and at all times provided with a supply of stores.
navigating instruments, signals, and appliances for steering.
"launching quarter ship" is attached to the hull by means of suitable
straps, bolts, or the equivalent thereof, so that in the event of shipwreck,
fire, or other casualty occurring these are at once disconnected, and the
"launching quarter ship" being thus free from the hull proper may
either be run sternwards on rollers into the sea, or in the event of the
hull sinking it would float off.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Duncan Mac Iver Campbell and Dougald
Ballardie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DUNCAN
MAC IVER CAMPBELL, of Asknish, in the County of Argyll, North
Britain, and DOUGALD BALLARDIE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
39th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Duncan Mac Iver Campbell and
Dougald Ballardie, Her special license, that we, the said Duncan Mac
Iver Campbell and Dougald Ballardie, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Duncan Mac Iver Campbell
and Dougald Ballardic, our executors, administrators, or 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

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Duncan.
Mac Iver Campbell and Dougald Ballardie, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of
us, 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 we, the said Duncan Mac Iver Campbell and
Dougald Ballardie, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our said Invention, which relates to improvements in the construction
of ships, has for its object to save life during shipwreck or other casualty
at sea.
The Invention consists in so arranging the hull of the ship that
it carries at the upper stern part what it is preferred to call a "launching
quarter ship." This "launching quarter ship" consists of an oblong
structure of sufficient length and depth to contain the inmates of the
ship, and it is attached to the hull by means of suitable bolts, clamps,
straps, or the equivalent thereof, which in the event of shipwreck, fire,
or other casualty occurring at sea are at once disconnected, and the
'launching quarter ship" being thus freed from the hull proper may be
run sternwards on rollers into the sea, or in the event of the hull sinking
it would float away.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood we
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a side
elevation and Figure 2 a longitudinal section of a portion of the stern
end of a ship or vessel, and whereon the "launching quarter ship". is
shewn in position; Figure 3 is a plan of the same part of the hull and.

page_text: of the "launching quarter ship, Figure 4 being a transverse section
thereof on the line x, y, Figure 3; Figure 5 is a part deck plan of the
hull with the "launching quarter ship removed.
As shewn by Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, a house A is situated on the after
part of the ship or vessel and mounted upon rollers b and c, which are
supported in bearings or brackets attached to the deck d. The rollers b,
which act both as guiding and carrying rollers run between rails e or in
grooves made along the bottom or floor at both sides of the house A.
The rollers c are merely carrying rollers placed at or near the extreme
stern end of the deck d, and. on which the house is supported out of
contact with the deck whilst being launched over the stern, as herein-
after set forth. The rails or grooves e aré placed as wide apart as
possible, so as to afford a maximum of stability to the house whilst
being launched and at other times, and a feather placed midway
between the sets of rails e, and working in a grooved rail fixed either to
the deck or to the bottom of the house may, if desired, be also employed
to guide the house whilst being so launched, or the equivalent of such
an arrangement may be used.
The house A, which is capable of containing the inmates of the ship,
has its sides slightly tapered or converging inwards from B to C, Figure 1,
to facilitate the launching thereof, and the bulwarks D, Figure 5, at the
corresponding part of the ship's bull have their inner sides similarly
tapered or inclined, and brought close up to the sides of the house A.
'Above the bulwarks D and round the stern the house A follows the
general mould or contour of the ship's hull, to which it is attached by
which pass through the
means of the straps or clamps and by bolts f,
rails e, and also through jaws or brackets g fixed to the deck d of the
ship, and wherein to the forward ends of the rails e enter. The house
is also further secured in position by tongues or projections thereon
entering openings made in the bulwarks D, as seen at i, Figure 1 of the
Drawings. On the after part of the deck d pulleys m are mounted, and
around them ropes or chains n are conducted, as seen at Figure 5. One
end of each rope or chain is secured to the lower forward part of the
house A, the other end x being conducted on to the roof or upper deck
of the said house whereat it is passed round a pulley block, or it may be
secured to a windlass or other winding apparatus, or instead of con-
ducting the said ends of the ropes or chains on to the roof or upper
deck of the house they may be laid along the deck d of the ship, and

page_text: similarly passed round a pulley or attached to a windlass placed on the
deck.
The ship or vessel is or may be steered from the upper deck of the
house A. which constitutes the "launching quarter ship," and for this
purpose a rod o, formed with a socket at its lower end, which fits on the
upper part of the helm or rudder p, passes down through a tubular
portion made in the house or "launching quarter ship" A, as seen at
Figure 2. The rod o and helm or rudder p are actuated by a steering
wheels or equivalent steering gear placed on the upper deck of the
launching quarter ship," or the steering gear may be otherwise con-
veniently situated and attached to the helm or rudder p by rods or
chains passed under the "quarter ship."
"
The house or "launching quarter ship "A whilst in its position on the
deck d of the ship or vessel may be utilised as a cabin or saloon, or it
may be divided or partitioned off internally into sleeping berths or state
rooms, or, as more particularly indicated at Figure 4 of the Drawings,
may be arranged both as a saloon t and as sleeping berths u.
it
Under any of these arrangements the house or "launching quarter
ship" A is at all times provided with a supply of ship's provisions or
stores, navigating instruments, signals, appliances for steering, and other
necessary articles; suitable chambers or compartments being provided
therein for the reception and safe storage of such articles.
In the event of a casualty occurring at sea necessitating that the
inmates should leave the ship, the bolts by which the "launching
quarter ship" A is secured to the straps or clamps 7, and through them to
the hull of the vessel, are withdrawn; the bolts f are also withdrawn
from the brackets g, and the rod o is raised out of gear with the helm or
rudder p by means of a screw actuated by the hand wheel o, Figures 1
and 2, or by means of equivalent apparatus. The "launching quarter
ship" is thus rendered free from the hull proper, and it is then run
sternwards on the rollers b, c, into the sea by hauling or winding on the
ends of the chains or ropes n. In the event of the hull sinking e
launching quarter ship" would float off without such hauling or
winding operation. A screw or screws is or are provided at y to start
the "
quarter ship" A when being launched as herein-before set forth,
or other equivalent apparatus may be employed for that purpose, it being
explained that we do not confine ourselves to construct the "launching
quarter ship" precisely in the manner herein-before described and shewn
"

page_text: on the appended Drawings, nor do we restrict ourselves to the means set
forth of retaining the said "launching quarter ship" in position on the
hull of the vessel, nor to the apparatus for launching the same, as other
arrangements of apparatus or mechanism may be used for these purposes
without departing from the essential features of our said Invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which
the same is or may be used, or practically carried into effect, we would
observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is constructing ships or vessels with a
detachable "launching quarter ship" capable of being launched into
and floating on the water for the purpose of saving lives at sea, sub-
stantially as set forth with reference to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Dougald Ballardie, on behalf of
myself and the said Duncan Mac Iver Campbell, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
DOUGALD BALLARDIE. (L.S.)