IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE ATTACHED TO SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SPENCELY, of Whitstable, in the County of Kent, Master Block Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twentieth day of January, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Spencely, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said John Spencely, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and
such others as I, the said John Spencely, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, and
in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND ALSO
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE ATTACHED TO SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said John
Spencely, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in

page_text: and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said John
Spencely, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
My Invention of Improvements in the Construction of Ships and other
Vessels, and in Apparatus to be attached to Ships and other Vessels, consists in
the first place in the application and employment of strengthening stays or
braces whereby the parts of the hull of a ship or vessel, or some of the
principal timbers composing the same, are braced or held together, and the
whole fabric rendered more strong and rigid than if merely constructed in the
ordinary manner. This part of the Invention will be found more particularly
useful for strengthening vessels employed for carrying loose cargoes, such as
coals, stone, sand, iron, and similar materials, and also for ships of war, where
great rigidity and strength are required.
The second part of the Invention consists in the construction and employ-
ment of an apparatus whereby the leeway that a ship makes when sailing with
a side wind may be ascertained with greater certainty than by the means now
in use for that purpose. The Invention consists,--
Thirdly, in various improvements applicable to ships' pumps or the means of
working the same.
Fourthly, in improvements upon ships' windlasses; and,
Lastly, in an improved mode of heaving in and out the bowsprit of vessels
whereby this operation may be effected in less time than by the ordinary means
and with much greater facility.
In order, however, that my Invention may be more clearly understood, I
have shewn in the accompanying Drawings various views of my several
improvements as applied to a sailing vessel of large tonnage and to a steam
vessel.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional representation of a large schooner or brig
with some of my improvements applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal
sectional view of the same, as seen when looking upward from below. The
hull of the vessel is constructed in the ordinary manner; and I do not propose
to make the slightest alteration in the arrangement or disposition of the
timbers or framing, my object being merely to impart additional strength and
rigidity to the keel and deck framing, for which purpose I employ stays or
braces and supports, whereby the keel or kelson, and the deck timber may be
r

page_text: firmly braced together so as to prevent either from yielding or giving way when
exposed to any additional or accidental strain. a, a, a, a, is the kelson to
which the saddle or joint pieces 6, b, at the lower end of the inclined stays or
braces c, c, are firmly attached by means of screw bolts, as seen in the
Drawing. As the braces c, c, which are composed either of single rods, chains,
or wire ropes, are in the line of the keel, and therefore if carried upwards in an
inclined direction would interfere with the masts, they are furnished with a
strong cross-head at their upper end, as seen best at d, in Fig. 2, and two
strong wrought-iron rods, chains, or wire ropes e, e, are passed, one on each side
of the mast up to the deck beams or timbers f, f, which are furnished with
strong iron plates g, g, to receive the heads of the iron rods e, e, and distribute
the strain. The lower end of these rods e, e, which passes through the cross-
head d, is furnished with a screw thread; and as they are furnished with nuts,
the rods may be screwed up to any desired tension. It will be seen that the
inclined brace at the other end of the vessel is constructed and applied in
precisely the same manner, so that the description of one will apply equally to
both; but this brace is inclined in the opposite direction,- so that the braces
are pulling against each other; and in order to transfer a portion of the strain
from the two deck beams or timbers f, f, to some of those behind, such as
at h, h, horizontal wooden or metal stays i, i, are placed angularly at the
back of the timbers f, f, as seen in the Drawing; and in order still further to
prevent the beams f, f, and h, h, from being pulled asunder and out of their
places by the tension of the inclined braces e, e, long, horizontal tension
rods j, j, of wrought iron are passed through these timbers or beams, and one
end of the rods being furnished with a screw and nut, they may be screwed up
as tight as is necessary, and whenever it may be required. The horizontal
deck beams or timbers f; f, are supported vertically by cast iron or wooden
pillars k, k, which are firmly secured below to the kelson and at top to the
under side of the deck timbers f, f, as seen in Fig. 1. By this means an equal
strain is distributed throughout the entire length of the kelson, which is'
effectually prevented from "hogging" or bending in the middle.
.
Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a steam vessel with my
improved strengthening braces applied thereto, and Fig. 4 is a similar view
of a large sailing vessel. In these views double braces are employed, and
others may, if necessary, be applied to the sleepers under the engine, but
they are constructed in precisely the same manner as those above described,
with the exception of the employment of an additional tension rod j*, j*,
to assist in supporting the additional weight of the engine and boiler; and
as similar letters of reference are placed upon corresponding parts in all

page_text: the Figures, a more detailed and minute explanation will not be necessary
further than to say, that by employing double braces or two sets, as shewn
in the Drawing, and also horizontal stays extending from the fore to the
after part of the deck, to prevent these parts from collapsing or being drawn
together by the tension of the braces, a double acting brace is produced
which will have a double effect.
My improved apparatus for ascertaining and indicating the leeway made by
a ship when sailing with a side wind or lying-to is shewn in Fig. 1. It consists
of a vane or tail jointed to the end of a rod which is lowered down through a
hole made in the garboard streak or keel for that purpose. 1 is the vane or
tail, which consists of two flat thin and straight blades or pieces of wood or
hollow copper vessels connected to the lower end of the vertical rod m, m, by
means of a square or stop joint, which will allow the blades of the tail to
stand out horizontally and at right angles to the rod m, as seen in the Figure.
The blades should be made either of wood or of some light material which will
float in water, so that when the vane or tail and lower end of the rod m is lowered
down below the keel, the buoyancy of the water will cause the tail to rise up
into the position shewn in the Drawing, and at right angles to the rod m,
which is enclosed in a water-tight tube or casing extending from the keel or
garboard streak up to the deck, and therefore prevents any water from entering
the vessel through the hole which is made in the keel or garboard streak to
permit the rod m to pass through. The rod m carries two double collars n, n,
one of which is shewn by dots in the Figure, for the purpose of making it
work or move steadily in the tube, and the collars n, n, are furnished with
small antifriction rollers to prevent them from rubbing against the sides or
sticking in the tube. At the upper end of the tube, and on the deck of the
vessel, a graduated dial plate or compass card o, o, (see the detached view,
Fig. 5), is fixed. The rod m carries an index p at its upper end; and as it
moves round with the rod m, the index points to the graduations on the compass
plate o. When the apparatus is not in use the rod m is drawn up so as to
draw up the vane or tail 7 into the tube, or it may be entirely removed, which
can easily be done, as the blades of the vane or tail are, as before mentioned,
jointed to the rod m, and will therefore admit of being folded back into a line
with the rod m, as shewn by dots in Fig. 1. When, on the contrary, the
apparatus is to be used, the fan or tail is lowered into the water, which will,
as above mentioned, float the light blades which form the vane or tail l, and
the current of water under the ship will act upon them precisely in the same
manner as the wind acts upon an ordinary weathercock, and will turn the
vane or tail round until it is in a perfect line with the course of the ship;

page_text: then by examining the graduated indicator above, the observer will be able at
once, and with great exactness, to see whether the ship is making any lee-
way, and the observer will at one view be able to ascertain the number of
points or degrees of leeway the ship makes, and correct her course accordingly.
In Fig. 5 the tail or vanel is represented in the position it would assume
when the ship is running her proper course, and making no leeway; but
immediately she begins drifting to leeward, the tail or vane will instantly
indicate it by moving round in obedience to the current, and assuming some
such position as is shewn by dots at * in the Figure.
My third improvement consists in constructing and working ships' pumps
in such a manner that they may be made to pump from water from the hold
or well of a ship without the assistance of manual labour and simply by the
power of the wind. This part of my improvements is also shewn in Fig. 1,
in which q, q, represents the barrel and trunk of a ship's pump, the lower end
of which is open to the well of the ship. The internal arrangement of the
parts is nearly the same as is generally employed in constructing pumps of
this description, the principal improvement relating simply to the mode of
working the pump. r is the pump rod, to the lower end of which the piston
is attached as usual, and the upper end of the rod r is connected to the crank
of a horizontal shaft t, which turns in bearings made in the bracket piece u, u.
The outer end of the shaft t carries a fan v, consisting of four blades or sails
which, when acted upon by the wind, will be made to revolve and work the
crank at the opposite end of the shaft t. In order that the wind may be
made to actuate the fan or windmill from whatever direction it blows, the
bracket u, u, is connected to a moveable ring or circular piece of metal w,
which surrounds the upper part of the barrel or trunk of the pump; and as
the ring w is made moveable so that it may be turned round, the bracket
piece u, with the fan and horizontal shaft t, may all be moved round the
pump rod r as the centre, according to the direction of the wind, and brought
into the required position. The ring w is then properly secured and prevented
from moving by means of a wedge s, as shewn in the Drawing. For the
convenience of stowage, the blades or sails v, v, are made moveable, so
that they may be taken out of the boss and removed when not required for
use.
The fourth part of my Invention, namely, improvements in ships' wind-
lasses, is shewn in Figs. 6 and 7, of which Fig. 6 represents a transverse
vertical section, and Fig. 7 a plan or bird's-eye view, as seen from above.
The improvement consists in mounting a toothed wheel s on the barrel of the
windlass contiguous to the ordinary ratchet wheel, and working the said

page_text: wheels by means of palls or short levers x, x, connected at their opposite
ends to a large bent double hand lever y, y, which has its centre of motion
at 1. The ordinary ratchet wheel is seen at 2, and 2, 2, are the clicks or palls
which prevent the same from turning in the wrong direction, as is well under-
stood. As one of the short levers is on one side of the centre 1 of the double
lever y, and the other lever x on the opposite side, it will be evident that
whenever either end of the double hand lever y is depressed, it will drive
round the toothed wheel s two teeth, and that by alternately raising and
depressing the said double hand lever, a continuous rotary motion will be
communicated to the barrel of the windlass.
The last part of my Invention consists of an improved mode of heaving in.
and out the bowsprit of a vessel, and is shewn in Figs. 8 and 9 of the accom-
panying Drawings. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal elevation of part of a mounted
bowsprit with my improvements adapted thereto, and Fig. 9 is a transverse
section of Fig. 8, shewing an end view of my improvements, which consist
merely in the adaptation or application of an iron rack to the upper or
under side of the inner end of a bowsprit, and the employment of a strong
pinion z, which is made to gear into the rack. The axle or shaft of the
pinion z is furnished with cranks or winch handles, by means of which the
pinion is actuated when it is required to heave the bowsprit in or out. In
order to prevent too great a strain from being thrown on to the pinion when
the bowsprit is out, I have placed two small antifriction rollers 3, 3, on the
axle of the pinion, which, by running on the top of the bowsprit and on each
side of the rack, prevent the teeth of the pinion from being strained or worn
unequally.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that although I have described in the
foregoing Specification the best means with which I am at present acquainted
of carrying the same into effect, I do not intend to confine myself rigidly to
the precise arrangement or construction of parts herein set forth and described,
nor do I intend to claim, as constituting part of my Invention, any parts above
shewn which may have been heretofore used for similar purposes. But I claim,
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent,-
First, the method herein shewn and described of strengthening ships or s
vessels.
Secondly, I claim the employment of an apparatus as above shewn, or any
modification thereof, for ascertaining and indicating the amount of leeway
made by a ship under certain circumstances.

page_text: Thirdly, I claim the method above described of constructing a self-acting
ship's pump by the application to a ship's pump of a fan or sails acted upon, by
the wind.
Fourthly, the improved mode of constructing and working windlasses as
above described; and,
Lastly, I claim heaving in or out the running bowsprits of cutters, yachts,
and other vessels by means of a rack and pinion motion, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Spenceley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.