IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS WITH A VIEW TO SPEED AND BUOYANCY
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Long Wrey, of Northumberland Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS WITH A VIEW TO SPEED AND
BUOYANCY."
Sealed the 12th April 1867, and dated the 13th October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Long Wrey at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th October 1866.
I, WILLIAM LONG WREY, of Northumberland Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS WITH A VIEW TO SPEED
AND BUOYANCY," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of ships
and vessels, the object of which is, firstly, to effect a maximum speed, and,
secondly, to render them unsinkable; such ships or vessels being chiefly
intended for the conveyance of passengers and light cargo.
I propose to construct the ship or vessel of the following midship or widest
section:-As a proportionate scale I form the extreme width of about one
hundred feet, the level of which would form the level of the water line, or

page_text: thereabouts; from the extremities of this line the sides of the vessel are
formed with an internal angle of about 45 degrees, ascending to an elevation
of about 20 feet; thus the top or upper deck of the vessel would be about
60 feet in width. The bottom of the vessel is formed from the water -line or
extreme width at an incline or angle of about 28 degrees. The vessel is
strengthened with a rib or backbone running vertically as far as necessary
from end to end through the central longitudinal vertical section. Three
internal decks are formed about 10 feet apart, the two upper internal decks
giving a space, including the backbone, of about 60 feet in width by nearly
ten feet in height by reason of walls or partitions descending vertically from
the angles formed by the sides and top deck of the vessel to the sides of the
vessel below the water line. Within the space thus formed (that is to say,
the space between the walls and side and bottom of the vessel contained by
the angle formed by the junction of the sides and bottom) I propose to
construct a continuous series of air and water tight bulkheads or compartments
forming, as it were, a system of cells or honeycomb, so that in case of leakage,
collision, or striking on a rock, the vessel would always be sufficiently buoyant
to keep above water, and thus the foundering of the vessel would be rendered
an impossibility.
The plan of the vessel would be as follows:-From the extreme or widest
section of the proportion given I propose to form the fore part with a gradual
taper extending. from the widest section to about 500 feet in length to form a
pointed bow or cutwater, the after part to be in parallel lines the same width
as the widest section, terminating in a semicircular stern, the length of the
after part being about 250 feet from the commencement of the widest section,
that is to say, the total length of the vessel would be about 750 feet; she
would thus taper forward to a very fine point, thus giving her the sharpest
possible cutwater, and enabling her with the aid of the comparatively flattened
bottom to attain a maximum speed, or one higher than has hitherto been
attained by the fastest vessels. Ships thus constructed may be propelled by
steam power. I should propose to apply several engines and boilers, each of
comparatively small power, and communicating by suitable gearing with any
form of propelling apparatus to be applied; by these means the weight of the
machinery would be fairly distributed throughout the vessel, instead of
concentrating an undue weight in an isolated position, which would entail
danger in a vessel of so extreme a length and of such fine lines. Moreover,
by reason of the employment of a number of engines, if an accident or break
down should occur to one the others would be available.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Long Wrey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LONG WREY, of Northumberland Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, -bearing date the Thirteenth-day of October, in the year of our-
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Long Wrey, Her special licence that I, the said William
Long Wrey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1,
the said William Long Wrey, my executors, administrators, and 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS WITH A VIEW TO SPEED
AND BUOYANCY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Long Wrey, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 I, the said William Long Wrey, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 relates to certain. improvements in the construction of ships
and vessels, the object of which is, firstly, to effect a maximum speed, and,
secondly, to render them unsinkable; such ships or vessels being chiefly.
intended for the conveyance of passengers and light cargo. I propose to
construct the ship or vessel of the following midship or widest section :-As a
proportionate scale I form the extreme width of about one hundred feet, the
level of which would form the level of the water line or thereabouts; from
the extremities of this line the sides of the vessel are formed with an internal.
angle of about 45 degrees, ascending to an elevation of about 20 feet; thus

page_text: the top or upper deck of the vessel would be about 60 feet in width. The
bottom of the vessel is formed from the water line or extreme width at an
incline or angle of about 28 degrees. The vessel is strengthened by a rib or
backbone running vertically as far as necessary from end to end through the
central longitudinal section (but this rib is no part of the Invention). Three
internal decks are formed about 10 feet apart, the two upper internal
decks giving a space including the backbone of about 60 feet in width by
nearly 10 feet in height by means of bulkheads or partitions descending
vertically from the angles formed by the sides and top deck of the vessel
to the sides of the vessel below the water-line. Within the space thus formed
(that is to say, the space between the partitions or walls and side and bottom
of the vessel contained by the angle formed by the junction of the sides and
bottom) I propose to construct a continuous series of air and water tight
bulkheads or compartments, forming as it were, a system of cells or honey-
comb, so that in case of leakage, collision, or striking on a rock, the vessel
would always be sufficiently buoyant to keep above water, and thus the
foundering of the vessel would be rendered an impossibility.
-
The plan of the vessel would be as follows:-From the extreme or widest
section of the proportion given I propose to form the fore part with a gradual
taper extending from the widest section to about 500 feet in length, to form
a pointed bow or cutwater, the after part to be in parallel lines, the same
width as the widest section, terminating in a semicircular stern, the length of
the after part being about 250 feet from the commencement of the widest
section, that is to say, the total length of the vessel would be about 750 feet.
long; she would thus táper forward to a very fine point, thus giving her the
sharpest possible cutwater, and enabling her with the aid of the comparatively
flattened bottom to attain a maximum speed or one higher than has hitherto
been attained by the fastest vessels. Ships thus constructed may be propelled
by steam power. I propose to apply several engines and boilers, each of
comparatively small power, and communicating by suitable gearing with any
form of propelling apparatus to be applied; by these means the weight of the
machinery would be fairly distributed throughout the vessel instead of con-
centrating an undue weight in an isolated position, which would entail danger
in a vessel of so extreme a length and of such fine lines. Moreover, by
reason of the employment of a number of engines, if an accident or break
down should occur to one the others would be available.
In order that my said Invention may be more completely understood, I
refer to the annexed Drawings in which Fig. 1 represents a deck view of the
vessel, Fig. 2 a longitudinal view, and Fig. 3 a transverse midship section of

page_text: the rear portion of the vessel, as shewn by the line A, B, of Fig. 1. The
various dimensions are shewn by the numbers in feet. The first 100 feet of
the bow of the vessel will not be made use of for cargo, but will form air-
tight or buoyant compartments. The remainder of the tapering portion is of
a telescopic form, the internal sections of each division having parallel sides
divided by longitudinal water-tight bulkheads from the external shell of the
vessel, so as to create a series of vessels, each compartment of the fore part of
the vessel will be of dissimilar capacity.
a, a, shew the sections, strengthened at the parts b,-6, by internal pro-
jections b', 6; c, c, represent the sloping or angular sides, as shewn in the
transverse section. The line d in Fig. 2 shews the slope of the fore part of
the vessel, and represents the water line coming under the bow or cutwater
in Fig. 3; ffff, are the decks; 9, 9, the side air-tight compartments;
h, h, are bulwarks curved so as to throw back the waves and prevent them
washing over the deck.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, I would remark that I
do not limit myself to the precise details nor to the measurements or figure
I have mentioned, as they may be modified or varied without in any way
departing from the Invention, which consists in appropriating a space on each
side of the vessel divided from the centre or cargo portion by a longitudinal
water-tight bulkhead in each division of the tapering bow of the vessel and on
each side of the vessel, thereby creating a series of air chambers, giving her an
unusual amount of buoyancy. I do not lay any claim to the application of
the central stay or backbone, as I am aware that it is not new; but what I
claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters
Patent is, the construction.of ships intended to attain a maximum speed and
rendered unsinkable, substantially as herein specified and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Long Wrey, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM LONG WREY. (LS.)
Witness,
ALEX. M. PRINCE,.
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.