IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Peter Schaeffer at the Office
"
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th August 1883. Communicated
to him from abroad by O. Holtermann of Cherbourg, France, Captain in the
French Navy
CHARLES PETER SCHAEFFER of Great Winchester Street in the City of London,
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS." [Communicated
to him from abroad by O. Holtermann of Cherbourg, France, Captain in the
French Navy]
This Invention relates to a new construction of vessel which is designed to attain
the heretofore uoprecedented speed of 25 knots and upwards per hour, and the
Invention consists in constructing the immersed portion of the hull of a form which
from its resemblance to that of an ordinary spinning spindle, the Inventor designates
by the name of the spindle bottom. This form may be more accurately defined as
approximating to that of the solid generated by the revolution of a segment of a
circle about its chord. The longitudinal axis of this figure corresponds to the length
of the vessel from stem to stern post, and the greatest diameter to the breadth, and
this spindle shaped bottom or submerged portion of the hull is connected to the
superstructure by surfaces of junction being surfaces of the least resistance whose
general form may be represented by the mould board of a plough which is the
surface offering the least resistance under conditions analogous to that of a vessel
cutting through the water. There is consequently a groove or hollow extending
along the fore and aft body of the vessel at or above the water line between the
spindle and the superstructure and running out to nothing amidships, the effect of
which is that the resistance to the displacement of the water ahead is reduced to
its minimum, and the water so displaced can most quickly regain its equilibrium
and that the upper part of the screw works in a medium nearly as dense as the
lower part, this form thus giving at the same time the minimum of resistance ahead
and the maximum efficiency of the propeller aft.
->
In practice however the exact form of the so called spindle bottom above described
although it would no doubt enable great speed to be obtained, is not the best
which may be adopted, as owing to its circular form in cross section, the vessel
would be deficient in stability. "For this and for other reasons it is advantageous
...
11

page_text: to flatten the figure above described, so that instead of being circular it is of
elliptical form in cross section.
And in order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have
represented in the accompanying drawings plans of a screw steamer from which the
peculiar form of the hull above described will be readily understood by any person
conversant with ship building, the sheer plan and half breadth plan for the sake of
convenience being divided into lengths marked from A to G which when placed
together side by side-represent the entire bull, but I would have it understood
that the Invention is not limited to the plans here given as modifications are
requisite in practice according to the dimensions of the vessel and the use it is
intended for, the Invention being applicable to all kinds of sailing vessels, steam
ships, ironclads, cruizers, torpedo boats, line of battle ships, river steamers, &c.