IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HULLS OF SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Middleton Justice, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE HULLS OF SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS," A communication from abroad
by Charles George Lundborg of Helsingborg Sweden
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Middleton Justice at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th July 1880.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HULLS OF SHIPS OR OTHER
VESSELS." A communication from abroad by Charles George Lundborg, of
Helsingborg, Sweden.
This Invention relates to ships and vessels, and the object is to construct ocean
steam ships and other vessels of a new form, such as shall unite great strength and
the finest possible lines or sharpness with large capacity for cargo and room for the
application of great steam power, thereby attaining the highest speed and at the
same time securing the safety and comfort of the passengers and crew.
The Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts and lines
of ships and vessels, substantially as hereafter more fully described, it being
understood that the form of vessel, which in its progressive motion displaces and
deflects the water with the greatest ease or with the expenditure of the least
power, is the most advantageous for speed. Sharp bow and stern, or in other
words, fine entrance and run, being the indispensable conditions for easy dividing
and deflecting the opposing element. The tendency has been to make vessels
narrow in comparison with their length, which latter must be made comparatively
great in order to give the necessary displacement and room for machinery, coal,
passengers, crew, and cargo; and the last conditions will, without speaking of the
seagoing qualities, always present obstacles to extreme proportions in the direction
of building ships to "cut through the water like a knife." The resistance to a body
moving with a certain velocity through water or other liquids in which such body
is wholly immersed must be the same, irrespective of any change of position,
Davies 77

page_text: provided that no alteration takes place with regard to the line of progress. Thus a
board, for instance, when wholly immersed in water and drawn or propelled in the
direction of its length, must meet with the same resistance whether its flat side is
horizontal or vertical, because the transverse area moving against the water is, as
well as the surface, exposed to friction in both cases the same, the difference in
density of the water at the upper and lower edge of the board being too insignificant
to be taken into account.
This Invention, being made in conformity with and based upon this physical law,
regards therefore only the form and lines of a vessel, and does not deal with the
mechanical way or method of building, which must depend upon the materials used
and the different manner of fitting and adapting them for the particular purposes
required.
According to this Invention the immersed portion of the hull below the load
water line is so constructed that its lowest part (which forms the mainbody of the
displacement) has but little depth or heighth between its top and bottom in com-
parison with its width; the said height decreasing toward the bow and stern where
the top and bottom sides meet (at or about the middle depth of this part of the
hull) and form a sharp edge or cut water forward, and stern aft, that lay in horizontal
instead of vertical lines, as in vessels of usual construction. The angles of obliquity
at the bow and stern which determine the fineness of entrance and run are therefore,
according to this Invention, vertical instead of horizontal, and it is evident that said
angles are quite independent of the width or beam of the lower immersed portion
of the hull, which may be increased to any practical extent, thus enlarging the
capacity of the vessel by increasing its displacement without adding to its length or
depth. The width of the vessel forward may be contracted, and aft increased, in
order to give sufficient room for two or more propellers and their engines. The
upper part of the immersed body of the vessel forms only a comparatively small
part of the entire displacement, and the upper part of the vessel above the load
water line presents about the ordinary appearance, having a cutwater and stern that
are nearly vertical as usual. A modification of the forward end of the hull is
sometimes desired in which the cutwater is vertical, or nearly so, and the frames or
transverse sections from thence expand towards the sides or wings, and gradually
assume the form before described. In this case the water would first be divided
vertically, and then by the middle body and stern in a horizontal direction.
The upper part of the vessel above the load water line may be made longer or
shorter in comparison with the immersed hull without changing the general features
of this Invention.
The buoyancy of the vessel will of course increase the nearer the ends or bow and
stern of the upper part of the vessel approach the ends of the submerged hull; and
when the part above water extends so as to have its cutwater vertical, or nearly so,
above the extreme end of the submerged hull the anchors may be let go from the
bow in the usual manner; whereas when the vessel is so constructed as to have the
bow of the upper part some distance astern of the end of the submerged hull the
anchor and cable may be dropped through a well built in the middle line of
the forward part of the vessel. The propellers have their shafts passing through
the horizontal edge of the submerged hull, or near thereto. The depth of the
propellers' centre below the surface of the water is therefor about equal to half the
depth of the lower part of the hull, plus the depth below the load water line of the
upper part. The propellers may be protected by a surrounding projection or shield
extending horizontally from the edge. The rudder is placed between the propellers,
the rudder head passing vertically through the top and bottom of the hull some
short distance forward of the stern, where the space between the top and bottom is
sufficiently large to admit of the fixing of the tiller and the support of the rudder
head in its place. Friction rollers fixed in a collar resting on a circular plate at the
top or bottom of the hull may be employed, the openings around the rudder head
being closed by such packing boxes applied to the outside of the bull as shall offer
the least resistance to the water. Blades may be attached to the rudder above as

page_text: well as below the hull, and forward as well as abaft, the rudder thereby being
nearly perfectly balanced, and requiring little power to move it.
In order to facilitate the steering a keel is sometimes desirable, and is or may be
placed fore and aft; a corresponding vertical projection may also be placed on the
upper side of the submerged stern.
A further modification of this Invention consists in carrying, say, four propeller
shafts to holes or wells just within the edge of the submerged hull, at a point at
which its depth or heighth is about equal to the diameter of propeller hubs, the
propellers themselves in this case working in said wells. Under these circumstances
three rudders may be employed, one being placed between each two propellers.
The tillers being connected by suitable mechanism may be operated simultaneously
by the same steering apparatus.
The aft part of the hull from the propeller wells to the edge has an arched form,
and may be of great strength to protect the propellers and rudders against shocks
and collisions.
The form of ships and vessels as herein described ensures a high degree of
strength, and permits of almost an unlimited amount of propelling power being
applied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Philip Middleton Justice in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd October 1880.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HULLS OF SHIPS OR OTHER
VESSELS." A communication from abroad by Charles George Lundborg, of Helsing-
borg, Sweden.
The nature of my Invention relates to ships and vessels, the object being to
construct ocean steamships and other vessels of a new form, such as shall unite
great strength and good seagoing qualities with very fine lines and great sharpness
at the bow and stern, thus enabling such vessel to enter, divide, and deflect the
water, and to leave it a clear and unobstructed run astern with the greatest facility,
or with the expenditure of the least power; and at the same time give the vessel
large carrying capacity for cargo and good accommodations for passengers and crew,
together with ample space for engines and propelling machinery of great power,
thus ensuring very high speed and great comfort to the people on board.
The ever increasing demand for rapid and comfortable communications by sea as
well as by land requires more and more the fulfilment of these conditions, but it
may be conceded that with vessels of the common type which have already been
brought to a comparative high degree of excellence, the obstacles to further
improvements become greater, and advantage in one direction is therefore generally
gained only at some corresponding sacrifice in onother.
Sharp bow and stern, or, in other words, fine entrance and run, being indispensible
conditions for easy dividing and deflecting the opposing element, the tendency has
been, in order to maintain the fine lines of construction necessary for high speed, to
increase the length of ships as compared with the breadth until the proportion has
been reached, or even exceeded, of ten to one; and it will readily be seen that the
demand for large displacement or great carrying capacity could, without diminishing
the sharpness, only be satisfied by an increase of the length, since the depth or
draught of water must necessarily be limited by the conditions of the harbours
which the ship would have to enter. But extreme proportions of length to breadth
must become a source of weakness; and it is also obvious that great sharpness
astern or fineness of run will, with the usual form and vertical stern post, whenever
it is advisable on account of the ship's size and draught of water, or from other
considerations, to divide the power required for propulsion upon two propellers, one
on each side the rudder, make it necessary to have the propeller shafts extending
outside for some considerable distance, in which position they must be supported by
struts and brackets, which must present obstructions to the easy flow of water,
and cause resistance detrimental to the speed.
The resistance to a body moving with a certain velocity through water or
any other fluid must, when wholly immersed below the surface, be the same
irrespective of any change of position, provided that no alteration takes place with
regard to the line of progress. Thus a board, for instance, submerged under the
surface and drawn or propelled through the water in direction of its length must
meet with the same resistance whether its flat side is horizontal or vertical, because
the transverse area moving against the water is, as well as the surface, exposed to
friction, in both cases the same; the difference of density of the water at the depth
of the upper and lower edge of the bord being too insignificant to be taken into
account.
This Invention is made in conformity with and based upon this physical law.
It regards, therefore, only the form and lines of a vessel, and does not deal with the
mechanical way and method of building it, which must depend upon the materials
used and the manner of fitting and adapting them to the purpose..

page_text: The accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view; Figure 2, a plan;
and Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are transverse sections, show the outlines and form of
a vessel according to any Invention.
The immersed portion of the hull A OFTLQCD, Figure 1, below the load
waterline Ww may for the sake of elucidation be conceived to consist of two parts,
AOBQCD and OFTLQB. The lowest part, AOBQ CD, Figure 1, and
ABCDE, Figure 2, confined between the bottom line ADC, Figure 1, and the
top line A OBQC (the dotted part of which only shows the continuation of the
line of construction, being within the limits of the upper part OFTL QB,) forms
the main body of displacement, and is so constructed that its heighth (BD, Figure 1,)
in the middle line of the vessel, as well as in the wings, decreases towards the ends A
and C where the topside AOBQC and bottomside ADC, Figure 1, meet and
form a sharp edge. This edge thus makes a cutwater C¹CC", and and stern A³¹AE,
Figure 2, that lay horizontal instead of vertical, as on vessels of usual of usual con-
struction, and which cutwater and stern therefore must during the progress of the
vessel divide the water in a horizontal direction. The angle of obliquity at the bow
and stern, which determines the fineness of entrance and run, is therefore here vertical
instead of horizontal as in other vessels; and it is evident that this angle of obliquity
(QCg, Figure 1, and corresponding angle at the stern) is quite independant of the
vessel's width, or in other words, the breadth of beam of the lower part of the
immersed body of the vessel may be increased to any desired extent, thus enlarging
the displacement and carrying capacity without adding to the length or to the
depth (draught of water), and yet maintain the same angle of obliquity, that is to
say, the same sharpness of entrance and run.
The said edge is shown having its place at the middle depth of this part of the
hull, the curvature of AOBQC and ADC, Figure 1, being equal, but in
constructing and building the vessel its position may be at greater or less depth
below the surface of water, the top and bottom sides being curved accordingly.
Towards the forward end C, Figure 2, the width is shown contracted, the
cutwater C¹CC having but small horizontal extent, approaching a point at C, but
towards the stern considerable breadth of beam is maintained, thus giving great
width to the horizontal edge A¹A E, Figure 2, and thereby obtaining ample room
for two propellers and their engines.
The upper part of the immersed portion of the hull OFT LQB, Figure 1, forms
only a comparatively small part of the displacement, and the part F NIKML
above the load waterline Ww, presents about the common appearance of ships,
having together with the upper part of the immersed hull a cutwater QLM, and
stern post OFN, dividing the water vertically as usual. FGLH, Figure 2, shows
the plan of the load waterline, and the rail.
Figure 8 shows an enlarged end view of the frames at transverse sections,
corresponding to the numbers on Figure 2, those on the right side of the vertical
middle line belonging to the forward part, and those on the left side belonging to
the aft part of the vessel.
During the progress of the vessel the water is divided horizontally by the lower
and vertically by the upper upper part of the immersed hull. This will clearly
The water being
appear by inspecting the sections Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
divided in a horizontal direction by the horizontal cutwater C¹CC", Figure 2,
will, as the vessel progresses, continue to be thus divided in the direction of
the lines m, m, by the lower part of the hull AO BQ CD, Figure 1, which, as
before said, forms the mainbody of the displacement, being the greatest portion by
far of the ship below the load waterline W w; and the upper part of the immersed
bull OFT LQB, which forms only a small part of the displacement, will divide
the water in a vertical direction by the cutwater QLM. The resistance of the
water during the vessel's progress, owing to this latter part of the immersed hull,
which, as shown in the Drawings by the plan of the load waterline, may have very
fine entrance and run, is therefore comparatively very small; its depth (LQ
Figure 1, and LC, Figure 9) being greatest at the end L, where the entrance is very,

page_text: sharp, and decreasing towards the middlepart (BT) of the vessel. The resistance
to be overcome by the propelling power will therefore mainly depend upon the
lower part of the immersed hull, which may be constructed of the largest size with
moderate draught of water, and yet have cutwater and stern of the greatest
sharpness and the finest lines, allowing to the water the most easy flow from
the entrance to the stern, where it will present a solid body to the propellers and
rudder.
The upper part of the vessel may be made longer or shorter in comparison with
the lower part of the hull, without changing the general features of my Invention,
as will be seen by Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, showing a sideview, plan, and
transverse sections of the forward part only of a small vessel having the middle and
aft part of the same form as shown in Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7. In this case the
upper part of the vessel TIKM L, Figure 9, above the load waterline Ww, (the
plan of which is GCH, Figure 10) as well as the part BTLC of the immersed hull,
extends forward as far as the lower part of the hull, the cutwater CLM, which
divides the water vertically, rising from the submerged extreme point C. The lower
part of the hull BCD, Figures 9 and 10, which forms the mainbody of the displace-
ment, has the same form as shown in Figures 1 and 2; and the sections, Figures 11, 12
and 13, at the corresponding frames Nos. 25, 22 and 18, show how during the
progress of the vessel the water will be divided horizontally by and from the cut-
water CCC in direction of the lines m, m, as before described. The buoyancy
the vessel will of course increase the nearer the ends of the upper part of the
ssel approach the ends of A and C of the submerged hull, with the additional
(vantage of thereby enlarging the displacement and carrying capacity, while the
mersed surface may be less in proportion to the diminished upper surface of the
bmerged hull between C and L, and between A and F, and when the forward
rt extends all the way to C, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the anchors may be
let go from the bow as usual (the rail being shown by the line rrr, Figure 10),
whereas, when the vessel is so constructed as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the anchor
and cable may be let down through a well d built in the middle line of the forward
part of the vessel.
The propellers P, Figures 1, 2, and 7, have their shafts passing through the
horizontal edge A'A E, Figure 2, of the submerged stern in suitable tunnels
constructed therefor. The propellers may be protected by a surrounding projection
extending horizontally from the edge.
The rudder R, Figures 1, 2, and 7, is placed between the propellers, the rudder
headh passing vertically through the top and bottom of the submerged stern or
hull some short distance from the edge A¹ A E, Figure 2, where the space between
the top and bottom is sufficiently high to admit the fixing of the tiller and the
support of the rudderhead in its place, which may move on friction rollers fixed in
a collar resting on a circular plate at the top or bottom of the hull, and the openings
may be closed by packing boxes of suitable shape so as to offer the least resistance
to the water on the outside. Blades may be attached to the rudderhead above as
well as below the hull, and forward as well as abaft (as shown in the Drawings),
the rudder thereby being nearly perfectly balanced, so that comparatively little
power will be required to move it.
The area of the rudder may be considerably less than for vessels of the usual
form, because it will not require so much power to move the stern sideways, or,
which is the same, to turn the head of the ship, owing to the angular side and
comparatively small longitudinal area of the submerged stern.
In order to facilitate the steering of the vessel a keel is shown by the dotted line
a and a¹, Figure 1, under the fore and aft part. A corresponding vertical projection
on the upper side of the submerged stern may also be applied if desired.
Figures 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 show a side view, plan, and sections of a
modification of the forward part of the submerged hull, in which the cutwater
CCC, Figure 14, is vertical or nearly so, and the frames or transverse sections
from thence gradually expand towards the sides or wings, as shown by the sections,

page_text: Figures 16, 17, and 18, at the corresponding frames Nos., 25, 23, and 20, Figure 15,
assuming at frame No. 16, as shown by the half section, No. 19, the forin shown in
Figures 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7. In moving forward the vessel first divides the water
vertically, and then by the middlebody and stern in a horizontal direction, as
already described.
A vessel may be constructed having the middle body and forward part of tho
usual model and a submerged stern with horizontal edge, as hereinbefore described.
Figures 20 and 21 show the side view and plan of the aft part, and Figure 22, the
midship section of such a vessel; FIBC, Figure 20, being the part above the load
waterline; AFCD, Figure 20, and A'D DE, Figure 21, the immersed part of the
bull; and FDD, Figure 21, the plan of the load waterline W w; Figures 23 and 24
show a side view and plan of the submerged stern of a vessel with four propellers.
The aft part and the stern of the vessel are constructed nearly similar to that
already described and shown in Figures 1 and 2, but the propeller shafts do not in
this case pass through the hull at the edge A' A E, reaching only to a point where
the propellers P work in holes or wells c, c, c, c, through the hull, which at that
place has a depth or heighth about equal to the diameter of the hubs of the
propellers. Three rudders R, similar to that before described are shown, one rudder
being placed between two propellers; their tillers being united by a crosspiece or
other suitable mechanism, they may be all turned simultaneously by our steering
apparatus. The aft part of the hull from the wells c to the edge of A'A E, has an
arched form, and may be built of very great strength, so as to fully protect the
propellers and rudders against shocks and collisions. In the foregoing description
two or more propellers are spoken of and shown in the Drawings, but it is evident
that, if desired, one propeller may be used in similar manner in a vessel having a
submerged stern as described. In that case one rudder might be used, but I should
prefer two, one on each side of the propeller or propeller shaft, worked simultaneously
by our steering apparatus. The form of ships and vessels herein described admits,
as before shown and explained, of the finest lines and the greatest sharpness
of entrance and run, together with the largest carrying capacity; and a vessel thus
constructed, having an advantageous form for dividing and deflecting the water,
permitting at the same time the application of almost an unlimited amount of
propelling power, must therefore attain a very high speed. By the peculiar form
of the stern a very clean run is obtained, and the propellers will always work in
solid water free from any disturbing elements, such as may be caused by the stern-
post and rudder in vessels of the usual model; while the distance of the propellers
from the aft part of the vessel above water, which contains the accommodations for
passengers and crew will, to a very considerable extent, mitigate, if not entirely
obviate, the discomfort often caused by the vibration of the aft part of the vessel
through the motion of the propeller. The form of ships and vessels herein
described admits of a high degree of strength, as will bo readily seen by the sections
of the frames of the immersed hull. Transverse and longitudinal watertight
compartments, judiciously applied, will make such a vessel when built of good
inaterials (iron or steel) strong enough to withstand strains and shocks of the
greatest violance. Such a vessel ought also to be comparatively steady in a seaway
owing to the projecting angular side below the surface of the water, against which
side the heavy seas would break and spend part of their force.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the same may be practically
employed, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. A ship or vessel having the upper part of ordinary form, or nearly so, from
the load waterline upwards, and the lower immersed part or portion thereof so
constructed that the depth or height between the top and bottom sides of its
transverse sections diminish as the sections approach the ends of the vessel, where
the top and bottom sides meet in a sharp edge, forming below the surface of the
water a horizontal cutwater and stern which, during the vessel's progress, divide

page_text: the water horizontally when the vessel is upright, substantially as shown and
described.
2nd. A-ship or vessel consisting of an upper part of ordinary form, or nearly so,
above the load waterline, and a lower submerged part having the body and form of
its aft part defined by the top and bottom sides of the submerged hull, which sides
gradually approaching each other towards the stern meet at the aft end of the
vessel below the surface of the water in a sharp horizontal edge, such aft part and
stern constituting the run of the vessel, having propeller shafts passing through, and
being surrounded on all sides by water above as well as below such run, substan-
tially as shown and described.
3rd. A ship or vessel consisting of an upper part of ordinary form, or nearly so,
above the load waterline and a lower immersed part having a submerged stern
with horizontal sharp edges at the end and sides, that will, during the progress of
the vessel, and when by the action of the rudder the stern is moved sideways,
divide the water in a horizontal direction, substantially as described.
4th. A ship or vessel having a submerged stern provided with one or more vertical
openings or wells for one or more propellers working therein, the propellers
acting on the water above as well as below such stern, and being protected against
shocks, such as collisions or ramming, by said stern surrounding the said wells &
propellers, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philip Middleton Justice, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
1880.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE. (L.S.)