IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION OF SEA-GOING VESSELS SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT OR LESSEN SEA SICKNESS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eugene Armand Roy, of Lady Margaret Road, Kentish
Town, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTION OF SEA-GOING VESSELS SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT OR
LESSEN SEA SICKNESS."
Sealed the 6th April 1877, and dated the 18th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eugene Armand Roy at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th October 1876.
[6
EUGENE ARMAND ROY, of Lady Margaret Road, Kentish Town, in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEA-GOING VESSELS
SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT OR LESSEN SEA SICKNESS."
In my improved vessel the portion intended for carrying purposes, instead of
being made to itself float in contact with the water, is supported some distance
above the surface of the water on slender pillars, rods, or supports sustained by two
or more floating longitudinal buoyant bodies of cylindrical shape with tapering ends.
These longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant bodies are arranged horizontally parallel
to each other and to the sides of the carrying portion of the vessel, and are situate
intermediately between the carrying portion of the vessel and a submerged steadying
platform, the ends of which are bevilled so as to present a sharp edge to the water
at the head and stern. This submerged platform is rigidly connected to the
longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant bodies, which connection may be by means of the
pillars, rods, or supports already mentioned, which may have their bases in or on
the said submerged platform. The platform is oblong in shape and about equal in
area to the space between the outer sides of the londitudinal cylindrical buoyant
bodies. It may be either heavier than water, or buoyant, according to the weight
to be supported, and as it is intended to be constantly under water, the distance
between it and the upper or carrying portion of the vessel should be greater than
the height from trough to crest of the highest waves observed during rough weather
at the station at which the vessel would have to ply.
It will be evident that the longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant bodies and submerged
steadying platform in a vessel built on this plan would meet with little resistance
when travelling through smooth water, and that in rough weather some parts of the
longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant bodies would be out of water while other parts

page_text: would be submerged, but the waves would have little hold upon the cylinders and
would naturally become divided against them, while any tendency of the waves to
raise or depress the cylinders would be powerfully counteracted by the resistance
the platform would oppose to any force acting in a direction perpendicular to its
surface. A vessel constructed as I have described would therefore be little liable
to roll or pitch and would make but little lee-way.
The upper or carrying portion of the vessel should be as light as possible, and,
since it would not come into contact with the water, strength would only be required
in the framework. Its sides should present an angle to the horizon in order that
as little resistance as possible should be offered to the air. The propulsion may be
by steam or by sails, or the vessel may be towed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the Conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Eugene Armand Roy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th April
1877.
EUGENE ARMAND ROY, of Lady Margaret Road, Kentish Town, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEA-GOING VESSELS
SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT OR LESSEN SEA SICKNESS."
My Invention is designed to produce vessels of great stability, applicable
especially to the conveyance of persons subject to sea sickness.
A vessel built on the plan I propose would consist of three principal parts, viz.,
a carrying part, a steadying part, and a buoyant part. The portion intended for
carrying purposes, instead of being made to itself float in contact with the water,
is supported some distance above the surface of the water on slender pillars, rods, or
supports sustained by two or more floating longitudinal buoyant bodies of
cylindrical shape with tapering ends. These longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant
bodies are arranged horizontally, parallel to each other and to the sides of the
carrying portion of the vessel and are situate intermediately between the carrying
portion of the vessel and a submerged steadying platform, the ends of which are
bevilled so as to present a sharp edge to the water at the head and stern. This
submerged platform is rigidly connected to the longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant
bodies, which connection may be by means of the pillars, rods, or supports, already
mentioned, which may have their bases in or on the said submerged platform. The
platform is oblong in shape and about equal in area to the space between the outer
sides of the longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant bodies. It may be either heavier
than water, or buoyant, according to the weight to be supported, and as it is
intended to be constantly under water, the distance between it and the upper or
carrying portion of the vessel should be greater than the height from trough to
crest of the highest waves observed during rough weather at the station at which
the vessel would have to ply.
It will be evident that the longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant bodies, and submerged
steadying platform, in a vessel built on this plan would meet with little resistance
when travelling through smooth water, and that in rough weather some parts of
the longitudinal, cylindrical, buoyant bodies would be out of water, while other
parts would be submerged, but the waves would have little hold upon the cylinders
and would naturally become divided against them, while any tendency of the
waves to raise or depress the cylinders would be powerfully counteracted by the
resistance the platform would oppose to any force acting in a direction perpendicular
to its surface. A vessel constructed as I have described would therefore be little
liable to roll or pitch, and would make but little lee way.
The upper or carrying portion of the vessel should be as light as possible, and
since it would not come into contact with the water, strength would only be required
in the framework. Its sides should present an angle to the horizon in order that as

page_text: little resistance as possible should be offered to the air. The propulsion may be
by steam, or by sails, or the vessel may be towed.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 shews, in side elevation, a vessel
according to my Invention; Fig. 2 is a plan; Fig. 3 is an end view.
A is the carrying part fitted up with suitable cabins, etc., for passengers, it is
intended to be constantly above the water, and should for that reason be as light as
is consistent with the requisite strength to support the load it would have to
contain, but bearing in mind that it would not have to resist the force of water.
In order that it should meet with as little resistance as possible from the wind, its
sides should present an angle to the horizon, as shewn in the Drawing. It is
supported on each side by rods a, preferably of steel, which rods after passing
through and being firmly attached to the cylindrical, buoyant bodies B are fixed to
the steadying part C. This steadying part C may be described as a rectangular
floor or platform, about equal in area to the space contained within the edges of the
carrying part A. Its upper and lower surfaces should be flat and parallel to each
other, or, where necessary for strength or otherwise, very slightly convex, except at
the ends, which should be bevilled to a sharp edge. This platform is intended to be
constantly under water, as herein-after described.
The cylindrical, buoyant bodies B, constituting the main buoyant portions of the
vessel, arc arranged parallel to each other midway between the lower surface of the
carrying part of the vessel and the upper surface of the platform. The cylindrical,
buoyant bodies B may be made of sheet mictal, timber, or other suitable material,
and should possess the utmost buoyancy consistent with the requisite strength, and
each should terminate in a point at each end for the purpose of passing through
water with as little resistance as possible. The rods a may be attached to the
various parts in any convenient manner, and the whole structure may be stayed by
diagonal or other ties, as desired.
A vessel of the nature I have described should be constructed to sink when
loaded to about as far as the axes of the cylindrical buoyant bodies B.
The lower surface of the carrying part and the upper surface of the platform
would then be at equal distances from and parallel to the mean surface of the
water. In this condition it is obvious that the platform and cylindrical buoyant
bodies from their shape would in still water obey with case any force tending to
make them pass through the water in the direction of their extremities, that is to
say, horizontally.
In a rough sea the vessel would also move easily in the same direction, and if we
assume, as we may, according to good authority, that the motion of water
diminishes with great rapidity below the troughs of waves, and ceases at a very
short depth, the water would exert very little, if any, force against the platform.
The only force therefore that could tend to cause unsteadiness in the vessel would
be exerted against the cylindrical buoyant bodies; but as these, from their shape,
would offer comparatively but little resistance to the action of water, the waves
would divide themselves against them, and whatever tendency the action of the
waves on the cylindrical buoyant bodies might have to raise or depress the vessel
would be most powerfully counteracted by the great resistance which the platform
would oppose to any force acting in a direction perpendicular to its upper and lower
Burfaces.
The demensions of any particular vessel should be regulated by the nature of the
sea such vessel would have to navigate, the principle to be observed being that the
distance between the carrying part of the vessel and the platform should be greater
than the height from trough to crest of the highest waves observed during rough
weather at the station at which the vessel would have to ply.
In vessels of certain width or beam the platform might be made lighter than
water, and so assist the cylindrical buoyant bodies B in supporting the upper
portion of the vessel; and the greater the distance between the cylindrical buoyant
bodies B of any vessel the more might the buoyancy of the platform be increased.
Greater buoyancy in the platform again would allow of the diameter of the

page_text: cylindrical buoyant bodies B being deminished, by which a vessel would gain in
steadiness and speed.
I do not claim any particular mode of propulsion for such a vessel as I have
described. The propulsion might be effected by twin screws operated by an
engine placed on the platform and worked by compressed air, a supply of which
sufficient for short voyages, such as crossing the English Channel, could easily
be stored in various parts of the vessel.
According to my calculations a vessel built according to the demensions given in
the accompanying Drawings (which are made to the scale of about 16 of an inch to
the foot) would draw about 12 feet of water, and would be steady against waves
of about 18 feet from trough to crest.
Having described the nature of my said Invention for improvements in the
construction of sea-going vessels specially designed to prevent or lessen sea sick-
ness, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into practical effect,
I would have it understood that I do not intend to claim any of the parts of the
vessel herein-before shewn and described, when taken separately and apart from the
combination or application thereof in manner and for the purposes herein de-
scribed, but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part receired Letters Patent, is
the construction of vessels in which carrying part A is combined with longitu-
dinal, cylindrical, buoyant bodies B and a steadying platform C intended to
be constantly submerged, all substantially as herein-above described and shewn
in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eugene Armand Roy, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.