US1128886A - Sea-going canal-boat. - Google Patents

Description

A. & A. M. IVIGDOUGALL.

SBA GOING CANAL BOAT;

' APPLICATION FILED 0011.10, 1913.

1 12mm Patented Feb.16, 1915.

but an it open.

ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL AND ALEXANDER IVE. MODOUGALL, 0F DULUTH, MINNEEaOTA.

SEA-GOING CANAL- BOAT.

Specification of lietters Patent.

Patented Feb. l d, llWl-fi.

Application filed October 10, 1913. Serial No-7 9tfl52.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ALEXANDER McDon- GALL and ALEXANDER M. McDoUcALL, citizens of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sea-Going Canal- Boats, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

Our invention relates to improvements in sea-going canal boats.

ur present invention consists of certain improvements in vessels and relates particularlyto a vessel adapted to both sea and canal navigation.

The object is to produce a vessel of this character of the cheapest possible construction and of a form to utilize the greatest capacity possible within canals and locks and also the maximum carrying capacity at sea in relation to the size of the vessel.

In canal construction, as is obvious, limitations must be made, as, for instance, in one canal now buildingr in the United States, and connecting the reat Lakes with the ocean costing some one hundred million dollars or more, the total length is approximately three hundred and fifty miles, with thirty five locks, each three hundred and twenty eight feet long and. forty-five feet wide, with only twelve feet of water and having more than two hundred fixed span bridges crossing it.

Our object is to provide a vessel easily, safely and economically navigable within such limitations and still be a seaworthy, practical sea-going vessel.

lln the canal referred to the distance between the under side of the many fixed bridges and the water below is approximately only twelve feet, which would prohibit the use of superstructures upon any considerable size of vessel and especially upon a vessel sufiiciently large for sea navigation.

Thus a further object of our present invention is to produce a vessel having the superstructures, et cetera, adapted to seagoing, and practical means for dispensing with such superstructures when navigating restricted canals.

Still another object is to provide a vessel admirably adapted to withstand the abuse incident to navigating a canal having many restricted locks and abrupt walls, as are common.

Referring now to the accompanying draw ings, forming part of this specification;

igure 1 is a side elevation of our improved vessel as equipped for seagoing navigation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with superstructure unshipped and ready for canal navigation. Fig. 3 is a stern elevation with lines indicating the form of the vessel at sections aa, Z2a, and ca Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a midship sectional view. Fig. 5 is a bow elevation with lines indicating the form of the vessel at sections a-a and b-a, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a canal lock with our improved vessel therein. Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional midship View showing the fore and aft tramways. Fig. 8 is a sectional detailed view of the means for fastening the hatches to the deck.

The hull of the vessel, comprising the sides 1-l, bottom 2 and deck 3 is preferably substantially rectangular in cross-section approximately three quarters of its length, from the bow aft, and only that part of the under side of the stern portion cut away and of regular ship form as to insure easy passage leaving the water, and of good steering form. Thus the major portion of the ship may be constructed of forms and shapes substantially as they come from the mill, without bending or shaping, which greatly oheapens the construction. For the framing of the vessel we prefer to use channel bars riveted back to back at their ends, resulting in the simplest and strongest construction possible.

r llt is understood that the length across the deck and bottom, channels will admit of the few inches of camber for the deck and necessary convex of bottom without heating or bending by machinery. .The rounded form or ship-shape of sea going vessel hulls rs difiicult in design and construction, it originating when wood was the only material available for that purpose, and the form has continued into metal construction, where as i ' ters Patent is:-'- \y in vertical line to jointly resist the bumping against the vertical stone walls ofthe approaches and locks.

Our vessel, in order to be available for canal navigation must, of necessity, have a very low freeboard. In order to overcome the natural disadvantage of this arrangement we have provided a sectional elevated footbridge 5 to allow of communication between the-forward part of the vessel and the after part, while navigating at sea. There is also provided a railroad or tramway 6 on each side of the deck and alongside the hatches 7, on which move one or more traveling cranes 8 which are designated to operate and handle the hatches and cargo and also to lift and lower into the holdthe superstructures 9 and 10 and all other movable parts,

' including themselves, when it is desired to do so for canal navigation, and to replace.

the same for sea-going navigation.

The superstructures 9 and 10, of our vesselmay be-of any desired style, according 'to the business for which the vessel is intended. However, it is advisable that both forward and after cabins be of relatively small sectional construction and that the vessel be provided with a sectional stack 11 and sectional bulwarks 12, all of t which parts, as well as'the sectional footbridge 5 are designed to be securely bolted to the deck, but in such manner as to be readily unshipped and carried within the hull of the vessel for canal navigation, as above described. It is also preferable that the hatch covers of our vessel'be composed of heavy steel plates bolted securely to the deck, to retain the strengthlost by the openings and to allow of the free wash of the deck while navigating at sea. Itis further to be supposed that the draft of our vessel would fluctuate considerably, owing to the possible variations in the weight of the cargo available, necessitating the carryin of more or less water to assist in settling t e vessel suficiently to allow of free passageunder the bridges. For this purpose and to afiord greater longitudinal strength there is provided a central fore and aft bulkhead 13 through the cargo portion of the hull on top of the water bottom. This, with the usual cross bulkheads 14 will allow the carrying of water in or on top of the water bottom as desired, which subdivision will prevent the water flowing to eitherside of the vessel While in the canal or at sea. When there is cargo both ways the center bulkhead may be dispensed with by adding more longitudinal strength to the sides, or by the use of a shorter vessel.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Let- 1. A vessel comprising ahull sectional movable superstructures and having raildeck,

1,1ae,ese

road tracks and traveling crane or cranes on deck for removing superstructures to the hull, to allow passing under fixed spans or bridges when navigating canal, or to remove-them to deck when going to sea.

2. A canal or sea-going vessel of low freeboard comprising ahull having heavy plate hatch covers bolted tightly to deck to rethe deck-when going to sea, as desired.

3. A canal and sea-going vessel of low free-board, comprising a hull having hatch covers bolted tightly to the deck, and allowing the wash ofthe seas to wash thereover, sectional movable bulwarks on the bow to keep waves 0d, movable sectional superstructures upon the deck'of the vessel, a removable bridge or elevated walk intermediate the superstructures, and means for removing said superstructures, bridge and bulwarks when navigating a canal, and again replacing them when going to sea.

4. A canal and sea-going vessel of low free-board, comprising a hull having hatch covers bolted tightly to the deck in a manner to retain strength lost by such openin s and allow: the wash of seas to cross the dec r, sectional movable bulwarks on the bow to keep waves oif, removable sectional superstructures upon the deck of the vessel, a removable bridge or elevated walk intermediate the superstructures and communicating therewith, and portable means upon the deck of the vessel for removing the movable parts thereupon preparatory to navigating a canal and again restoring them to their original position preparatory to going to sea.

5. A canal and sea-going vessel of low free-board, comprising a hull having hatch covers bolted tightly to the deck in a inanner to retain strength lost by such openings and to allow the wash of seas to cross the sectional movable superstructures upon the deck of the vessel, removable portable means upon the deck for manipulation of the movable parts and also the cargo of the vessel.

6. A canal and sea-going vessel of low free-board, rectangular in cross section in the forward end, regular ship-shape in after end, a continuous central girder or bulkhead within the cargo space and extending from keel to deck to control the wash of water ballast when admitted into the car 0 space for passing under bridges or w e deck intermediate the superstructures and ALEXANDER Mc-DOUGALL. communicating: therewith, and portable ,re- 7 ALEXANDER M. MQDOUGALL.

meeeee m;

at sea. removable sectional superstructures In testimony whereof We hereunto affix deslgned to be bolted to the (leek 0f the vesour slgnatures 1n the presence of two W1t-10 sel, a removable walk or budge upon the nesses.

mev ahle means upon the deck of the vessel Witnesses: 4 for remmn'lg or replacmg the movable A. C. DUNN, structures earned by the vessel. S. GEO. STEVENS.

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