IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING ADDITIONAL STRENGTH AND MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Smethurst at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
March 1863.
I, JOHN SMETHURST, of Royton, in the County of Lancaster, Coal Pro-
prietor & Millowner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS FOR THE PURPOSE OF
OBTAINING ADDITIONAL STRENGTH AND MOTIVE POWER," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists of a peculiar application of motive
power to ships or vessels, and to improvements in the construction of such
ships or vessels; and in order that this principle may be better understood, it
will be necessary to shew the formation of the ship or vessel's bottom, which
is so constructed that it shall have two or more distinct keels; but, for the sake
of illustration, I will proceed to describe a ship or vessel of the proposed con-
struction, the bottom of which will have four distinct keels, so that it will be
something like the bottom of four long but narrow ships or vessels ranged side
by side, only that the space between the two centre keels will be much larger,
both in height and width, than the spaces between the outer and centre keels;
it will in fact be made sufficiently large each way as to admit of the paddle
wheel or wheels being placed in the same midway between the fore and aft
part of the ship or vessel, and in the compartments immediately on each side
of the paddle wheel or wheels I propose fixing an engine or engines, and also
the steam boilers, and thus communicate power to the paddle wheel or wheels
t both sides of the crank or wheel shafts, the weight of the paddle wheel or

page_text: wheels will thus be distributed over two or more bearings on each side, instead
of one end being entirely without support, as is the case where there is a
wheel on each side of a ship or vessel. I also propose placing a smaller
paddle wheel in each of the spaces between the outer and centre keels, each
of which will be worked by a separate engine or engines; the small paddle
wheels, besides assisting the larger in propelling the ship or vessel, will act in
place of rudder for steering the same. Thus, if the ship or vessel is intended
to move directly a-head the small paddle wheels will both move at the same
speed, but if it is desired to go to some point on the right or left hand one
engine could be reversed (as the case may be), until the ship or vessel is in a
line with the required point, and to immediately turn the vessel entirely round
it would only be necessary to stop the larger paddle wheel or wheels, and to put
the small paddle wheels to work, one paddle wheel moving the reverse way to
the other. Further, in place of having the paddle wheel or wheels in the space
between the central keels, I have an arrangement in which a wheel can be
placed in each of the spaces between the outer and centre keels; or a ship or
vessel could be formed with three keels with a paddle in the spaces between
the outer and the centre keels, each wheel either being worked by separate
engines or connected, as desired; or a ship or vessel can be thus constructed
with only two keels with the paddle wheel or wheels placed between the same.
The engines being in compartments in one or both immediately on each side
of the paddle wheel or wheels. I also propose another system of steering,
which can be applied either separately or in addition to the above arrange-
ments; for such purposes in the spaces between the outer and the centre keels
where there are three or more keels to the ship or vessel's bottom, I have
suspended a swivel rudder fixed to a vertical shaft firmly supported by
bearings in the interior of the ship or vessel, which said rudder will be so
formed that where the blade or thin edge of the same is placed at right angles
with the ship or vessel's side it will exactly fit the space between the two
keels, each rudder will be worked by a separate wheel, but so arranged never-
theless that one man (under ordinary circumstances) can work both rudders.
Thus, if the ship or vessel is desired to move to some place on the right or
left band) as the case may be), the rudder on the same side as the point in
question would require to be placed at right angles with the ship or vessel's
side; the other rudder being, however, parallel with the central line from fore
to aft of the ship or vessel, whilst the thin edge only of the latter would cut
through the water, the broad flat side of the former rudder would forcibly
resist the water and thus bring the ship or vessel's head round to the desired
noint.

page_text: I further propose having an inner shell throughout the whole of the ship or
vessel's bottom, which may be continued up the several sides of the ship or
vessel to such height as may be found practical or desirable, the spaces
between the outer and inner shell will be made into water-tight compartments,
but with such an arrangement of valves and communications between each that
all or any portion of them by connection with the exhaust steam passages of
the engine or engines could act as surface condensers, and the steam water
therein collected could from thence be pumped out for supplying the boilers,
or for other purposes, as might be required. Further, if I find there is not
a sufficient amount of condensing surface between the inner and outer shell a
series of tubes could be therewith connected to further aid in condensation by
being placed in any convenient position and immersed in water. Further, if
any of the outer plates became damaged, so as to cause a leakage, the valves
connected with the compartments so damaged would simply require closing to
prevent the water extending into and filling other compartments. I also
propose discharging the exhaust steam into a vessel partially filled with such
water as the ship or vessel is surrounded with, which vessel being connected
with the condensers, the vapour or steam will thence pass into the same.