IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND BOATS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Robert Whitgreave, of Bruges, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, and temporarily of the Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND BOATS."
"
Sealed the 27th January 1874, and dated the 31st July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Robert Whit-
greave at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 81st July 1878.
I, JOSEPH ROBERT WHITGREAVE, of Bruges, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, and temporarily of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND BOATS," to be as follows :—
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of steam
and sailing ships or vessels in which speed is of paramount importance,
to be employed exclusively for the conveyance of passengers and
mails.

page_text: "
My Invention is also applicable to gun boats, sailing boats, rowing
boats, and canal boats, for which latter it is especially adapted owing to
the absence of all wash liable to damage the banks.
According to my Invention I provide a longitudinal waterway (or
waterways) beneath the hull. The hull proper is constructed much the
same as usual in midship section, except that it is broader of beam and
somewhat flat bottomed. The waterway is formed by a second hull-like
structure beneath the hull proper, open at stem and stern for the free
passage of the water therethrough, which water with the ordinary form
of bow resists the progress of the vessel.
The waterway is constructed with hollow sides or walls into which
compressed air may be forced to increase the buoyancy of the vessel, and
enable the sides (which I contemplate making of boiler plate) to with-
stand the pressure of the water, and prevent their collapsing. The said
waterway is provided with an internal longitudinal division or rib, some-
what like an ordinary keelson to-check-any-lateral motion of the water
in the waterway, and thus almost entirely prevent any rolling motion of
the vessel. The said waterway also serves to fill up the partial vacuum
formed at the stern of the vessel on her progress through the water.
The bow and stern of the hull proper are made fuller and more pro-
minent or projecting than usual, being in form somewhat like the bowl
of a spoon,. and owing to the great buoyancy of the vessel the bow is but
slightly immersed and projects over the surface of the water to a con-
siderable extent. The effect of this when the vessel is driven at a high
speed is to cause the vessel to float or scud upon the surface of the :
water.
When steam is used for propulsion, air passages are provided leading
from the waterway up the sides of the vessel above the water line to
allow of the escape of any air which may enter the waterway when the
vessel pitches, and prevent the air passing along to the screw or other g
propeller, of which any suitable form may be used. The propeller would
be placed in the waterway so as to act on the dense body of water
conveyed to it through this passage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, ·
filed by the said Joseph Robert Whitgreave in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 31st January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ROBERT WHITGREAVE, of Bruges, in the Kingdom of Belgium, and
temporarily of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Robert Whitgreave, Her
special licence that I, the said Joseph Robert Whitgreave, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Robert.
Whitgreave, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND
BOATS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Robert Whitgreave, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Robert Whitgreave, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say);-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of steam
and sailing ships or vessels intended to be employed for the conveyance
of passengers and mails to the exclusion of cargo, in which vessels the

page_text: qualities of speed and the absence of rolling and pitching motions are
consequently of primary importance.
My Invention is also applicable to gun boats, sailing boats, rowing
boats, and canal boats, for which latter it is especially adapted owing to
the absence of all wash liable to damage the banks.
My Invention is illustrated by way of example in outline, merely to
show the form of hull, in the accompanying Drawing in which Figure 1
represents a longitudinal side elevation of the vessel, and Figure 2 is an
end view.
According to my Invention I provide one or more longitudinal water- 1
ways beneath the hull proper A, A, which is constructed much the same
as usual in midship section, except that it is broader in beam and some-
what flat bottomed.
The waterway B is formed by a second hull like structure C, C,
beneath the hull proper A, open throughout for the free passage there-
through of the water, which with the ordinary form of hull opposes the
progress of the vessel. In other words instead of the vessel's bow
cleaving the water the latter is engulphed so to speak in the water
passage B, and passes direct out at the stern, where it fills up the void
created by the progress of the vessel through the water.
The sides C may be constructed by carrying down extensions of the
framing of the hull proper A. or in any other suitable manner as will be
readily understood. The sides O are to be made hollow and filled with
air compressed or not as may be found most expedient to increase the
buoyancy of the vessel if necessary, and enable the sides C to withstand
the pressure of the water and prevent them collapsing. Or they may be
filled with water to ballast the vessel if required. In either case the
sides C are prolonged at C¹ and tapered off as shown, the outer surface
alone being bevelled, the inner surface being in a line with the water
passage. The lower edge is flat and curved to correspond to the curve
of the bow, whilst the upper edge is bevelled to offer less resistance to
the lifting of the vessel. The waterway B may be divided by one or
more longitudinal vertical divisions into two or more distinct passages,
according to the breadth of beam of the vessel. Thus a vessel of only
12 feet beam would probably require no such division, a vessel of 20 or
25 feet beam would have one central division, and so on in proportion.
This division or divisions serves to check any lateral motion of the water

page_text: contained in the waterway B, and thus almost entirely prevent any
rolling motion of the vessel. Large openings however may be provided
in this partition or partitions to afford a sufficiently free passage for the
water from one waterway to another to ensure the proper trim of the
ship.
The bow and stern of the vessel, which are somewhat alike in form, are
made fuller and more prominent or projecting than usual, being in form
somewhat like the bowl of a spoon. Owing to the great buoyancy of the
vessel (which not being intended to carry any cargo is constructed
relatively of great lightness), the bow is but slightly immersed and pro-
jects over the surface of the water to a considerable extent. The effect
of this is that the vessel when driven at a high speed is propelled over
the surface water, the bow gliding upwards over the waves instead of
being forced to cleave a passage for the vessel through the lower and
denser water.
In steam ships the propeller whether paddle or screw would preferably
be placed in the waterway B so as to act on the body of dense water
conveyed to it through this passage (but external side wheels may also
be used if preferred).
In the Drawing a pair of paddle wheels are shown in dotted lines at D,
and a screw at E to illustrate the disposition of both forms of propeller.
The paddles D, D, are carried on a shaft supported in bearings some
little distance above the floor of the hull A and consequently just at or
above the level of the load line of the ship. The paddles may be of any
suitable construction, but I prefer that the blades should be made con-
cave like scoops to obtain a better hold of the water. The blades dip
down into the waterway to within a short distance of the bottom, and
work close against each of the sidės C, C, so as to leave a clear passage
in the middle of the waterway for the water, the paddles being protected
by fenders suitably disposed. The paddles work in paddle boxes F rising
through the bottom of hull A, the paddle wheel shaft passing through
suitable stuffing boxes.
If a screw be employed it is disposed and driven much in the usual
manner except that it is mounted on an inclined shaft, as shown at E,
passing obliquely through the bottom of hull A to avoid as much as
possible the obstruction of the waterway B by shafting and gearing.

page_text: To ensure a sufficiently rapid flow of water to the propellers there may
be a number of valves in the bottom of the waterway B through which
the water will enter, if the propeller should discharge the water from the
stern faster than it can enter at the bow.
The vessel may be steered by one or more rudders disposed either in
the centre line of the vessel or at the extremities of sides C, as found
most convenient. If placed in the centre line there would be one at bow
as well as at 'stern, the ship being adapted to steam in either direction.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the con-
struction of a ship or boat with a longitudinal water passage or passages
and full projecting bow and stern, substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth, the propellers in the case of a steam ship being disposed
to work in said water passage as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Robert Whitgreave, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of January in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.