Improved Means for Increasing the Stability of Navigable Vessels when Under Canvas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Increasing the Stability of Navigable Vessels
when Under Canvas.
I, LEONARD OWEN SMITH, of 621 Market Street, Philadelphia, County of
Philadelphia State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Manufacturer,
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 :-
My invention relates to an improvement in navigable vessels, particularly of the
class adapted to be propelled by the use of sails, and consists in the mechanical
construction of the same hereinafter fully described.
The object of my invention is to provide in a navigable vessel a means whereby
the tendency of the same to careen or heel out of the perpendicular by the pressure
of wind against the sails, may be compensated to a material degree so as to cause
the vessel to maintain a position more nearly vertical than would be permitted
by the use of the ordinary means, such as inside or outside ballast alone.
My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sailing vessel provided with my improved
mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a modification of the same.
Fig. 3 is a view of the vessel illustrated in Fig. 1, looking toward the bow of
said vessel.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a modification, and
Fig. 5 is a similar view of the modification shown in Fig. 4, the position of the
parts being changed.
Similar letters, refer to similar parts.
A is the hull of a vessel. B is a plate hinged to the lower portion of the hull A,
the said line upon which the plate B is hinged being oblique with respect to the
water line indicated by the dotted line. Projecting upwardly from the said
hinged plate B and through the hull of the vessel into a suitable water-tight
compartment D, is a lever E. This lever is fixedly connected to the said plate B
so that by swinging said lever laterally out of the perpendiculur it will cause said
plate B to assume an incline, as indicated clearly in Fig. 3. A suitable rack may
be provided in or adjacent to the compartment D whereby the lever E may be
retained in any desired position, thereby holding the said plate B at an incline
corresponding to the incline of the said fever as before stated. Iuasmuch as the
line upon which the plate B is hung is oblique with respect to the water line of the
boat, when the said plate is swung out of the perpendicular and at an angle, for
instance as illustrated in Fig. 3, the said plate will assume a pitch so that, as the
boat advances, the water through which it moves will cause a pressure on said
plate below the center of gravity. As the sails are placed above the said center
of gravity, it is obviously necessary that the pressure should be applied to said
plate below the water line and upon the same side of the vessel that the pressure
on the sails is applied, in order that the said sail pressure may be compensated.
It is obvious that as the wind increases and propels the boat through the water at
a faster pace, the tendency of the said plate to bring the boat into an upright

page_text: position will be correspondingly increased. In Figs. 1 and 2 the incline upon
which the plate B is hung is forward and downward. In the modification shown
in Fig. 2, the line upon which the plate B is binged is exactly opposite, being:
rearward and downward, and when the said plate B' is operated to counter-
balance the pressure of wind upon the sails, it must be held in exactly the opposite
position from that necessary where the incline is forward and downward.
I am aware that heretofore navigable vessels have been provided with pendulous
plates attached at or near the bottom of the boat, but in all such oases the line
upon which the said pendulous plates have been hinged has been parallel with
respect to the water line.
From the above it will be observed that the important feature of my invention
is hinging the plate to the vessel below the center of gravity, upon a line oblique
with respect to the normal water line, and providing said plate with means to hold
it at any desired angle to the perpendicular. It should be noted that the words
"normal water line mean the line around the vessel as determined by the level
of the water when the vessel is in its normal trim.
In a light breeze the tendency of the pressure on the sails to careen the boat may
be compensated by swinging the plate only slightly out of the perpendicular, and
inasmuch as the boat is provided with means to hold the lever E in any desired
position in the arc in which it swings, the pressure of air upon the sails above
the center of gravity may be compensated to a nicety by varying the angle of
the plate.
In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the hull of the vessel is indicated as
careening at an angle with respect to the water line, and Fig. 4 illustrates the
position. of the keel in a boat not provided with my improved means for righting
the vessel. In Fig. 5 the plate B' is swung out at an angle into a position in
which the pressure upon the sail above the center of gravity will be compensated
as the boat.moves through the water.
Various means may be devised whereby the said hinged plate may be operated,
the direct acting lever E being illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, while in Fig. 4 a
lever E is provided with a segmental gear E at its lower end meshing with a
pinion F, which in turn meshes with a segmental gear B fixed to the plate B.
By moving the lever E laterally, movement is transmitted to the plate B³ through
the medium of the said segmental gears B E and the said intermediate pinion F.
It is obvious that many different means for varying the angle of the hinged plate
may be substituted in place of those described.
The illustrations as shown in the drawings picture the plate B. as hung
substantially midway in the length of the hull, and as extending only partially the
length of the keel, projecting outwardly from said hull. It is clear that the longth,
shape and position of the plate B may be varied as desired, the one importaut and
necessary feature being that the same be hung in the manner described. It is
also clear that there may be provided one or more of the said plates.
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 1
claim is :
1. An improvement in sailing vessels, comprising a plate hinged to the hull
at a point below the center of gravity and oblique with respect to the fixed
light water line, as determined by the normal trim of the vessel, substantially as
described.
2. An improvement in sailing vessels, comprising a plate hinged to the hull
below the center of gravity and on a line oblique with. respect to the normal
fixed light water line, and means for holding said plate at any desired angle,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. An improvement in sailing vessels, comprising A plate hinged to the hull,
upon a line oblique with respect to the normal or fight water line, a lever fixedly

page_text: connected to said plate, a transverse water-tight compartment in said hull, said.
lever projecting upwardly through said compartment, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of March 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,.
Agents for the Applicant.