Improvements in Sailing Yachts or Vessels, also applicable for Rowing Boats.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sailing Yachts or Vessels, also applicable for
Rowing Boats.
We, JAMES SETON PRENTICE, Engineer, of 347 Pollokshaws Road, WILLIAM
DOUGLAS CAIRNEY, Chartered Accountant, and DOUGLAS CAIRNEY, Stockbroker,
both of 24 George Square, all of Glasgow in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :--
This invention which relates to improvements in sailing yachts or vessels also
applicable for rowing boats has for its object to keep the vessel upright or
approximately so whilst under a heavy breeze of wind and thus to ensure safety in
preventing the vessel capsizing and also to obtain greater speed.
In the carrying out of our invention we provide the sides of the hull below the
water line, with flaps which are hinged to the side of the vessel. When not in use
the flaps lie close to the side of the vessel and preferably the flaps are made to
correspond with the contour of the vessels side. When it is desired to bring the
flaps into operation they are moved outwards upon their hinges so that there is a
solid stream of water between the flap and the vessel's keel. The flaps may be
operated by levers; for example two, three or more water tight recesses may be
made in the sides of the vessel in each of which recess a lever may be mounted and
provided with a quadrant to regulate and retain the flaps at any desired angle, the
arrangement being such that the levers can be operated from the deck. The flaps
may be hinged directly to the sides of the vessel and in this case the water tight
recesses within which the levers are operated, whilst allowing free motion for the
levers and the moving of the flaps on the hinges will prevent any leakage having
access to the interior of the vessels; any suitable arrangement may be employed so
as to operate all the levers by gearing from a power wheel or its equivalent.
The solid stream of water between the flap and the vessel's keel tends to keep
the vessel upright under any stress of weather, the shape of the flap which as
aforesaid is made to correspond with the contour of the vessels side, also assisting in
keeping the vessel upright.
The flaps are extended the whole length of the vessel and for strength they may
be made of double cased steel strengthened with ribs or framings.
The edges of the flaps at the bow are preferably tapered to lessen the friction
through the water and the flaps may be expanded at the bow to assist the flow of
water between the flaps and the vessel's keel.
Dated this 5th dow of Lau 1001
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioners' Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sailing Yachts or Vessels, also applicable for
Rowing Boats.
We, JAMES SETON PRENTICE, Engineer of 347 Pollokshaws Road, WILLIAM
DOUGLAS CAIRNEY, Chartered Accountant and DOUGLAS CAIRNEY, Stockbroker
both of 24 George Square, all of Glasgow in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
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 sailing yachts or vessels and

page_text: other boats, has for its object to keep the vessel upright or approximately so whilst
under a heavy stress of wind, thus ensuring more safety and therefore tending to
prevent the vessel from capsizing; a greater speed can also be obtained with safety
when running much closer to the wind.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a part side elevation and Figure 2 an
end elevation shown. partly in cross section, of a sailing yacht having one arrange-
ment of our invention adapted thereto.
Referring to the said drawings we provide each side of the hull below the water
line with a hinged or pivoted flap A which may if desired be hinged direct to the
vessel's hull, though preferably as shown, that is to say, the flaps A when not in
use are caused by any suitable means to lie up within water tight casings B, to
the forward ends of which the flaps A are hinged or pivoted as shown at C. The
contour or shape of said flaps A is made to correspond with that of the vessel's
hull.
When it is desired to use the flaps A, they are moved outwards on their hinges
or pivots C by any suitable means, though preferably by a screw gear arrangement
as shown; the said arrangement consists in providing each of the flaps A near their
rear ends with a pivoted or swivelling internal screwed nut d into which an external
screwed rod D works, the said rod being suitably secured at both its ends in such a
manner as to permit of it being revolved in either direction as desired by means of
the hand wheels d¹ and intermediate gearing ; the said hand wheels a being
suitably arranged so as to be ready at hand when desired to raise or lower the said
flaps A.
Or if desired the flaps could be raised and lowered by means of chains,
drums or barrels and operating handles, in each of which case the flaps when out
and in use would always enclose a solid stream of water between their inner sides
and the vessel's keel, and so tend to maintain the vessel in an upright position under
any stress of weather.
In Figure 2 the one flap is shown in use and the other out of use, it being under-
stood that they can be used independently of each other as well as jointly and that
they need not always be full out.
Our invention may also be carried into effect in various other ways, for example
the flaps may be made to fold against the sides of the vessel when not in use and
operated through the medium of levers working in water tight recesses, and regulated
by means of a quadrant arrangement so as to retain the flaps in any desired position.
The flaps may extend the whole length of the vessel or only a part of its length as
shown in the drawings, and for strength they might be made of double cased steel
strengthened with ribs or framings. The edges of the front end of the flaps may be
tapered so as to lessen friction when going through the water and if desired they
may also be otherwise shaped at the bow so as to assist in the flow of the water
between the flaps and keel of the vessel.
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
In sailing yachts, vessels, or rowing boats, the hinged or pivoted flaps substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Deted this 5th day of October 1809