CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDING SHIPS OR VESSELS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE CALCULATED TO LESSEN THE EFFECTS OF INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL VIOLENCE
Year: 1826

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PARSONS, of His Majesty's Dockyard, Portsmouth, Naval Architect, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by lis
Letters Patent under the 'Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the seventh year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Parsons, His especial licence that I, 'the' said William Parsons,
my exors, adñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Parsons,
my exors, 'admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no otliers,
'from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also within all His Majesty's
'Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN BUILDING SHIPS OR VESSELS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE CALCULATED TO LESSEN
THE EFFECTS OF INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL VIOLENCE;" in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said William Parsons, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the 'nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and to cause the same 'to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next. and immediately
after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Parsons, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described and ascer-
tained in and by the Drawing or Plans bereunto annexed, and the following
explanation thereof (that is to say):
Fig. 1 is a transverse section of the frame of an India ship of thirteen
hundred and twelve tons burden. Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section,
and Fig. 3 a horizontal longitudinal section of the frame; the letters and
figures correspond in all the plans and sections. The lengths of the several
timbers composing the frame are shewn in these plans; thus, from a to a is
the floor timber; from a to 6 is the second futtock timbers; from 6 to c is the
long top timber; these timbers form one bend; the next bend of timbers is
placed by the side of the former one, either in contact or at a certain distance
from it, and is formed by the lower or first futtock timber extending from
1 to 2, the third futtock timber from 2 to 3, and the top timber from 3 to c.
The only connection that these two bends of timber have with each other is
by a few bolts, Fig. 2, driven longitudinally through them on each side of each
joint. These two bends thus bolted together is called a frame, which name
A. The bolts are merely intended to keep the timbers in their proper places
while the frame is being lifted into its vertical position in the vessel; in the
same way is the next pair of bends bolted together, and formed into the
frame B, and lifted into its position by the side of the former frame A; the
other frames C, D, &c. are formed in the same way. This is the usual method
of forming the frame of a vessel, from, which it is readily seen that the
frames A and B have no connection whatever with each other. The like is the
case with all the other frames, and by inspecting Fig. 3 it will be seen that
the two sides of the vessel's frame have no connection, but by the bolts
in the floor and first futtock. Again, although each frame is formed
of two separate bends of timber, yet is its absolute strength, which must be
taken at the weakest part, namely, at the joints only, equal to the strength
of one timber. To remedy this evident want of connection and unity in the
frames of vessels, and to increase, their strength at the joints, is the object of
this Invention, and is effected in the following way-Take the same bends of
timber, and keep them apart a parallel distance from each other, suppose three
inches, as in Figs. 4 and 5; then in all these openings, between the bends
introduce a connecting metal frame, made to the form of the bends, as from
e to f, and from g to g.
Figs. 6, 7, 8, are vertical transverse sections of the connecting frame.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section made at 1, 1, through five timbers and five

page_text: connecting frames, drawn to a scale four times greater than the other plans;
the connecting frame, shewn in blue, is made with a flanch or projecting
rib one inch and a half square on each side. Both at the upper and lower
edges a groove or rebate is taken out of each edge of each timber where the
connecting frame is placed to receive the flanches or projecting ribs, by
which it is easily seen, that as these connecting frames clasp both edges
of the two adjacent timbers, they cannot be separated from each other trans-
versely. Thus, if either timber is attempted to be forced in or out, it must carry
the connecting frame with. it, which, in its turn, takes the next timber, and so
on through the whole range of connecting frames; thus a regular connection
and union of all the timbers is made as far as these connecting frames are
used, Fig. 7 extending from g to g across the keel clasps, the floor timber,
and the lower part of the two lower or first futtocks, (that is to say) the lower
futtock on each side of the vessel, and thus strongly connects the two sides of
the vessel's frame. Fig. 6 and 8 extend from e to f, and covers the two joints.
at a and 2, consequently it increases the strength of the vessel at these parts by
the absolute strength of the connecting frame, which, if made of cast iron, I
have made equal to the strength of the timber; thus the absolute strength at
these joints will be double what it was, and if the strength derived from the
union of the whole be taken into consideration, it is incomparably greater
than without the connecting frames; and it will be seen in Fig. 5, that.
between the ends of the connecting frames, from e to g, there is now a range
of perfect timbers. There are many ways of making these connecting frames.
Fig. 7 and 8 are made solid, with the exception of a few holes for bolts to pass
through, if thought necessary, similar to the bolts in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 6 is
made with openings in it, by which means the strength is but little diminished,
and the weight of the frame may be increased or diminished. The flanches or
projecting ribs may be omitted at intervals, as Fig. 12, and the wood being.
left in the timber to fill up these vacancies will be a stop to prevent the frames.
moving upwards or downwards.
Fig. 10 is another method of making these connecting frames; it may be
cither solid or open without any flanches or projecting ribs, but with dowels
or coaks k projecting from each side, which dowels or coaks are to be sunk
in the two adjacent timbers. The outer and inner surfaces of the con-
necting frames need not make a fair surface with the timbers; they may
be some little distance within which will greatly facilitate the making of
them, as all the edges may be made square, and not to the bevellings of the
timbers. It is evident that these connecting frames must be put in as the framio
of the vessel is proceeded with in-new vessels; but in repairing a vessel, this

page_text: is not always possible; and if the connecting frame or timber cannot be entered.
above or below its work, and swept in, recourse must be had to the method
shewn in Fig. 13; generally in this round part of the vessel an arc of a circle
may be swept very nearly through the middle of the frame, as x, x, x, the centre
of which is o. Let the frame be made in two parts at the joint x, x, x, with
the flanches or projecting ribs, as before described, one part to be put in from
the inside, and the other from the outside; let each part be made with a kind
of dovetail at the joint, as shewn in the section, Fig. 14, so that when these
parts come together they will form a kind of double dovetail; then have
pieces of any length similar to Fig. 15. To fit in this double dovetail, they
must be made to the same arc as x, x, x, and being entered at the opening
at either end, they may be easily forced into their places, which will strongly
connect the upper and lower pieces of the connecting frame. If this joint is
well made, the piece, Fig 15, may be made in one length; it may, perhaps, be
necessary to put one bolt through the lower part to prevent its sliding down in the
connecting frame, Fig. 7. A straight line will do instead of an arc of a circle.
Another plan may be adopted by having short connecting frames made exactly
similar to Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9; the length of these frames must not exceed the
distance of the openings between the timbers, which for this purpose may be a
little wider; then the frames can be entered in the openings with the flanches
in the opposite direction, and turned round to clasp both edges of the adjacent
timbers; in this plan several of these pieces will be required above and below
cach joint. Again, the pieces in Fig. 13 may be made with a plain joint
without the dovetail, and strongly bolted together. In this plan for an india-
man, I have applied the connecting frames only in the lower part of the vessel,
which is the weakest and most subject to injury, considering that the decks
sufficiently strengthen the upper part of the vessel. But I do not confine
its application to this part; it may be applied throughout the vessel if thought
necessary. I do not confine myself to any particular metal or material for
the connecting frames, but the propriety of using cast iron is obvious, as it
will answer the purpose of ballast, which, instead of being a weight upon the
frame tending to destroy it, will now constitute part of the frame, and add
considerably to its strength; it will be stowed low as ballast, and give room in
the hold, for more stowage of cargo. I do not confine myself to any particular
form of open work for the connecting frames, neither to their lengths or
thickness, neither to the size of the flanches or projecting ribs, These
particulars must be determined by the judgment of the shipbuilder or super-
intendent of the work, and depend on the peculiar form of the vessel, the service
it is required for, and the quantum of strength required at different parts, and

page_text: the weight of ballast. The sizes of the timbers may or may not remain the
In this plan of the indiaman I have kept the room and space, (that is
to say) the distance of four timbers and four openings, the same in both cases,
and by reducing the siding of the timbers from fourteen and a half inches to
twelve inches I retain sufficient strength in the wood frame and procure a
parallel opening of three inches for the connecting frame, which being made
of cast iron, similar in form to Fig. 6, is equal in strength to the timber. The
wood and metal ought to be so proportioned; and generally, if the thickness of
the iron connecting frame is one fourth or one fifth part the thickness of the
wood, and in form of Fig. 6, it will be equally strong with an oak timber.
Other metals or materials must be proportioned according to their relative
strength. I do not confine the application of the connecting frames to the frame
of the vessel only; it is applicable to beams, hooks, crutches, and various other
purposes in forming connections.
I claim as my Invention the connecting frame for all purposes to which it
is applicable in shipbuilding. And,
Lastly, I claim the adaptation of the ballast to the forming of the con-
necting frames, and its subserviency to the strength of the vessel's frame.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Parsons, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven.