Improvements in the Construction of Iron and Steel Vessels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Iron and Steel Vessels.
I, WILLIAM BRUCE THOMPSON, of Ellangowan, Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, Scotland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention, which relates to improvements in the construction of iron or
steel vessels, has reference principally to the saving of material used in connection
with the frames and outside strakes, and in the construction of the double bottom,
or water ballast tanks.
In existing vessels it is usual to employ packing pieces to fill up the spaces
between the frames and the outside strakes, or between the angle irons, and certain
plates in connection with the water ballast tanks, the results being that more
material is used in the construction of a vessel than is absolutely necessary, and
the loss of a proportion of its carrying capacity.
In carrying out my invention, I do not use packing pieces between the outside
strakes and the frames, but bend or set the frames there, in order that they may
come in contact with such strakes, that is to say each frame is made to bear
directly against the strakes. In a similar manner the angle irons used in the
construction of water ballast tanks are set so that they may, where practicable,
bear against the plates of such water ballast tanks.
Dated this 10th day of February 1894.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
41, Reform Street, Dundee, Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Iron and Steel Vessels.
I, WILLIAM BRUCE THOMPSON, of Ellangowan, Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, Scotland, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention which relates to improvements in the construction of iron or steel
vessels, has reference principally to the saving of material used in connection with
the frames and outside strakes, and in the construction of the double bottom, or
water ballast tanks.
In existing vessels it is usual to employ packing pieces to fill up the spaces
between the frames and the outside strakes, or between the angle irons and certain
plates in connection with the water ballast tanks, the result being that more
material is used in the construction of a vessel than is absolutely necessary, and the
loss of a proportion of its carrying capacity.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory drawing showing in half cross-section--X. X. being the
medial line the improved method of constructing a vessel.
In carrying out my invention, I do not use packing pieces between the outside
strakes and the frames, but bend or set the frames there, in order that they may come
in contact with such strakes, that is to say each frame A. is made to bear directly

page_text: against the strakes B. In a similar manner the angle irons used in the construction
of water ballast tanks are set so that they may, where practicable,-as at C.-
bear against the plates D, of such water ballast tanks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In iron and steel vessels, the improved method of construction, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated on the annexed drawings, in which the
frames and angle irons are bent or set so that they may come in contact with the
strakes or plates, and thus dispense with packing pieces.
Dated this 10th day of November 1894.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
41, Reform Street, Dundee, Agents for Applicant.