Improvements in the Construction of Ships.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1395-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1895
Improvements in the Construction of Ships.
I, FRIEDRICH NORDHAUSEN, of Steiniverder, Hamburg, Germany, Naval
Architect, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved construction of ships whereby, in the case
of stranding or of a collision at a vital part, the ship is prevented from capsizing
or sinking.
It consists in constructing the ship, above water line, with air or float chambers
extending along any desired length thereof, which air vessels do not become filled
with water in the event of the ship stranding or coming into collision and heeling
over so as to be in danger of capsizing and they thus prevent the foundering or
capsizing.
If in the case of a collision, the ship has sufficient water beneath it, the said air
chambers will enable it to right itself again and float, even after a considerable rent
has been formed in one side.
This is of course under the assumption that the lower spaces of the vessel have
become more or less completely filled with water so that it has sunk to such a
depth that the said air or float chambers sink into the water.
If the ship is stranded it will of course seldom be enabled to resume the upright
position by the action of the air chambers, but it will, except under the most
unfavorable circumstances be prevented from being capsized thereby, as the water
that penetrates into the lower part of the vessel cannot penetrate into the air
chamber, notwithstanding any considerable heeling over thereof.
If the inner longitudinal walls of the said chambers are constructed in the same
strong and solid manner as the outer shell of the vessel, which will generally
constitute the outer walls of the said chambers, they will also afford increased
security in the case of collisions, as should the ships outer shell be cut through the
said inner walls of the latter, owing to their considerable distance from the outer
shell, will mostly remain intact and thus serve as an inner shell, maintaining the
longitudinal strength against transverse rupture, when the collision takes place at
a point opposite or near the larger opening in the ships main decks.
In particular with twin screw steamers, this strengthening of the ship in the
longitudinal direction by the inner walls of the air chambers is of great
importance, as in this case the main deck openings which carry the top lights for
the engine rooms are extended to pretty near the outer shell of the ship.
If the ship is struck near such a top light the danger of transverse rupture is
very considerable when the breech made in the side is of a certain extent, unless
special means have otherwise been taken to insure sufficient longitudinal strength.
The said air or float chambers can be arranged in any desired positions
relatively to the length of the ship. Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings
shew by way of example sections of ships in which the said air or float chambers
are constructed in three different ways. In Fig. 1 the said chambers A are
arranged entirely within the shell of the ship at the amidships section at water
line; in Fig. 2 they are entirely outside the shell of the ship at load water line,
and at Fig. 3 they are so arranged that they partly project over the load water
line, and partly into the ship.
The last described construction is the most advantageous as regards collisions,
because the ramming shiv, must first cut through the submerged part of the outer