Improvements in the Construction of Cargo Vessels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL STECIFICATION
Improvements in the Construction of Cargo Vessels.
JOHN PRIESTMAN, Castletown Yard Sunderland Shipbuilder, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in the upper or weather deck being rounded or flat for
about two feet at gunwale and thence carried at a steep slope on each side to a
platform deck on which would be built oblong erections and hatches to serve as
hatches and feeders to the holds. The invention also consists in the above erections
being divided (preferably into towers with rounded ends) making free passage ways
for seas accross the vessel. This combination of sloped deck with erections on top
with passage-ways between conducing to increased seaworthiness and easier loading
of bulk cargoes as well as economy of space in the computation of tonnage; and
the invention also consists in this sloping deck terminating about 30 feet from the
ends of the vessel and merging in a poop and forecastle of ordinary construction for
the accommodation of officers and crew and for the working of anchors and other
parts of the navigation of the vessel. And also if necessary of an ordinary bridge
house amidships for the protection of the engines and boilers and space for bunker
coal and for cabin accommodation if necessary and for the safe working of boats.
This combination of sloped deck (having about 2 feet flat space at sides) and
erections and hatches joined to poop bridge and forecastle of ordinary form would
add to the seaworthiness, strength and equilibrium of the vessel and would chiefly
be an advantage in bulk cargoes for self-trimming.
Dated this 29th day of May 1894.
Improvements in the Construction of Cargo Vessels.
I, JOHN PRIESTMAN of Castletown Yard, Sunderland in the County of Durham,
Shipbuilder, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of cargo vessels and
consists in a certain disposition or dispositions of the parts forming the super-
structure or decking of the vessel whereby self-trimming of the cargo is effected
while increased seaworthiness combined with strength and stability may be
obtained; furthermore the self-trimming properties attained by the improved
construction described render the
66
of
use
practically
shifting boards
unnecessary.
"
I will fully describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which Figures 1 and 2 show side and plan views and Figures 3 and 4 cross-sectional

page_text: views on lines w x and y z in Figures 1 and 2 and in the following description like
marks of reference designate like parts.
Referring to the drawings it will be observed that from the points A where the
vertical sides of the vessel cease, I firstly form a narrow level platform B on each
side and then I slope the deck upwards on both sides at a steep angle till it reaches
the lower edge of the hatch-coaming at C.
In combination with the webs W forming the sides of the hatchway, I construct
and secure a second set of webs W₁ as shown and cover over these webs W
and W by a flange plate forming a platform D in each case so that the com-
bination of longitudinal webs and flanges described forms a longitudinal box
girder on each side which not only serves to give great longitudinal stiffness to the
vessel but also to afford a very convenient platform D at each side of the hatches
and platforms hereinafter described for the practical working of the ship and
deck gear.
Further between the steep-sloped decks and the transverse beams E I arrange at
suitable intervals transverse gusset-plates F which serve to strengthen and stiffen
the ship and superstructure.
Between the several hatches and at the level of the top of the longitudinal box
girders I form a platform G in each case to carry the winches and other requisite
gear so that although the hatches are separate or discontinuous to provide for the
requisite deck erections and gear as described yet the internal cargo space is
practically continuous fore and aft of the vessel and by the special arrangement of
construction or cross-section not only is efficient self-trimming of such bulk cargoes
as grain and the like ensured but in the case of seas breaking over the vessel such
seas must instantly run off instead of being temporarily retained on the deck.
The lower side platforms B will be found specially useful in enabling the crew
to protect the vessel from damage, and in the working of boats or similar work
required to be done along the vessel's sides and handrails can be arranged along
these platforms as well as along the upper platforms D.
Instead of the side platforms B being connected to the steep-sloped decks as
shown in full lines in the drawings, these parts may be joined by a curve as shown
in dotted lines in Figure 4.
It will be observed that the steep-sloped decks both fore and aft terminate
abruptly in a forecastle J and poop J' respectively as shown by the lines F2 F2, FFI
so that by this construction seas are no more likely to be shipped forward or aft
than in the ordinary type of cargo boat.
In Figures 1 and 2 besides the parts already mentioned K is intended to represent
a chart house and L the engine and boiler casing.
In Figure 1 the line T T represents the bottom of the outside girder web W',
the dotted line T' T' represents the top of the trimming deck and bottom of inside
girder web W while the line T T represents the top of the box girder or
platform D.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The improvement in the construction of cargo vessels consisting in arranging
the superstructure above the level of the line where the vertical sides of the vessel
cease with firstly narrow level platforms and then straight steep slopes terminating in
fore and aft girders forming longitudinal platforms extending along both sides of the
hatchways engine and boiler casings and winch platforms substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
2. The improvement in the construction of cargo vessels consisting in arranging
the superstructure above the level of the line where the vertical sides of the vessel
cease with firstly narrow platforms and then straight steep slopes terminating in
fore and aft girders forming longitudinal platforms extending along both sides of
the hatchways and winch platforms the superstructure so constructed terminating

page_text: abruptly fore and aft in a forecastle and poop of the ordinary width of the vessel the
several parts being arranged constructed and adapted for use substantially as and
for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 27th day of February 1895.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.