US148655A

US148655A - Improvement in the construction of ships

Info

Publication number: US148655A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1874-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 1891-03-17

Description

A. 1. BELL.

Ganstruction of Ships. No 148,655 Patented March17f1874.

IMP/loffl-UTHOGMP/l/O Call. X MSEOIWE'S macsss) Nrrnn STATES A. JOHN BELL, OF ASHLAND, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CGNSTRUCTION 0F SHIPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,655, dated March 17, 1874; application filed January 96, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. JOHN BELL, of Ash= land, in the county of Boyd and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ships and Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to furnish a safe and reliable means for saving life in case of shipwreck by collision or other accidents; and to this end the nature of my invention consists in providing a vessel with a-detachable upper deck,with suitable bulwarks around it, which shall be easily detached and float upon the water when the hull of the vessel sinks, or is otherwise destroyed. It also consists in forming the greater portion of the lower deck or decks of a vessel having more than one deck of one double air-tight piece that can be launched and float upon the water, forming a life-raft. My invention further consists in a clamp for uniting the sections of the masts above the upper deck, so that the portions of the masts above the same can be easily and quickly detached firom the part remaining in the hull, and thus allow the upper deck to be detached and float off when the hull sinks, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a two-deck vessel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hull after the upper deck and main part of the lower deck are removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view, part in sec-' tion, of the detachable part of the lower deck. A represents the hull of a vessel, built in any of the known and usual waysg'and provided with suitable bulk-heads,B B, for sup? porting the lower deck. The lower deck is made in three parts, 0, D, and E, the part 0 at the bow and the part E at the stern being built in with and permanently attached to the hull, while the main or central part D is made separate, in the form of a double air-tight casing, which rests upon the bulk-heads B B, and fills the space between the parts 0 and E, and also braces the sides of the hull. G rep resents the upper deck,provided with suitable bulwarks, H, entirely around it. This deck two or more sections,the lower section I being inserted in a socket, a, in the bottom of the hold of the vessel, and extends up through aperturesb b in the decks, said apertures being of larger diameter than the mast, so that there will be no obstruction for the decks to pass over the upper end of said section. The next section I of the mast is secured on top of the lower section I by means of clamp formed of two semi-tubular jaws,J J, connected together by means of a screw, d, in the center. In the adjoining ends of the two sections I I are grooves, made to fit over the screw (1, for the purpose of allowing the upper section to rest firmly upon the lower.

In case of shipwreck, by collision or otherwise, the upper portion of the mast is detached from the lower section I by loosening the clamp J, for, otherwise, when the hull sinks, the spars and rigging would inevitably drag the deck down also but by loosening the clamp, the upper part I of the mast may be thrown down to either side, and afterward the rigging cut loose at leisure. The fastenings of the upper deck Gr are then loosened or opened, and the deck by suitable means detached from the hull, so that when the hull sinks the deckwill float upon the water, carrying the-passengers and crew with it, and thus 'saving their lives. It must, of course, be understood that the joint between the hull and the upper deck should, in all cases, be above the water-line when the vesselis loaded; andthis joint shouldbe packed water-tight to prevent the ingress of water into the interior of the vessel. The part D of the lower deck, being air-tight, as above 2 mast- 5 described, will also float upon the water and form a life-raft for the saving of any persons who may be between the decks at the time of the sinking of the hull. i

This invention is applicable to all steamers and sailing-"essels, both on the ocean as well as on inland lakes and rivers. Suitable rules and regulations for the manipulation of the various parts should be conspicuously posted in different parts of the vessel, so that all may know beforehand what is to be done in case of shipwreck. The advantage of thisinvention lies in the almost absolute certainty of saving the lives of all on board the vessel, by having such a large part thereof prevented from sinking when the hull goes down.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A ship or vessel having its lower deck made in three parts, 0 D E, the middle one resting upon the bulk-heads B B B, bracing the sides of the hullA, and made buoyant and removable, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the sectional mast I I, clamp J J, and connecting-screw d, all constructed substantially as and for the pur- A. JOHN BELL.

poses herein set forth.