E. E. HEDGES.

BOAT.
APPLICATION men JAN. 15. 1916.

1 02,? 1 3. Patented Oct. 24,1916.

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 ' TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
EDWARD E. HEDGES, OF WELLESLEY HILLS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN
SUBMARINE BOAT DESTROYER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.
BOAT.

Speci?cation of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

1,202,713.
Application ?led January 15, 1916. Serial No. 72,306.

To all whom it may concern: . More speci?cally, my invention consists

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. Hnnons, 1n forming the bottom of a boat with de
a citizen of the United States, residing at pending bilge-portions, between which is
IVellesley Hills, in the county of Norfolk the keel, whereby solid columns of water
and State of Massachusetts, have invented are presented to the propeller blades, the 60
certain new and useful Improvements in forward and rear bilge portions being re
Boats; and I do hereby declare the follow duced, curved and merged into the prow
ing to be a full, clear, .and exact description and stern of the hull, so as to cause little or
of the invention, such as will enable others no ripple at the sides of the boat when it is
10 skilled in the art to which it appertains to drlven at great speed through the water. 65
make and use the same, reference being had My invention is illustrated in the accom
to the accompanying drawings, and to the panying drawings, in which :
letters and ?gures of reference marked Figure l is a side elevation of a boat con
thereon, which form a part of this speci? structed in accordance with my invention.
15 cation. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the boat. 70
This invention relates to new and useful F lgs. 3, Ll, 5 and 6 are transverse sections
improvements in boats and particularly to taken on the lines 38, 4-4:, 55 and 66
the construction of the hull of the boat, of F 1. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the
whereby the resistance of the water against boat, and Fig. 8 is a rear view of the boat.
20 the sides and bottom thereof, while moving Reference now being had to the details of 75
through the water, is reduced to a minimum. the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the
In the ordinary construction of boats of hull of a boat constructed in accordance
various shapes, the hulls have a tendency as with my invention, which may be con
they are driven forward to draw down into structed of any suitable material adapted to
25 the water, thus increasing the displacement thepurpose and may be of any desired size 80
and throwing the water from the immediate or, in general outline, any of the well known
' locality of the propellers. forms. The boat is provided with a keel
In the present invention, my aim is to 2 which I have shown in the drawings as of
produce a boat having a peculiarly con rocker form, being of the greatest depth at
30 structed hull, whereby the boat is caused to its longitudinal center and extending from 85
glide over the surface of the water without the bow to a point adjacent to the stern of
displacing it to any appreciable extent, and the boat. Said keel extends along the longi~
having a tendency to be raised, rather than tudinal center, curving upward slightly
to be drawn down as the speed of the boat toward the prow where it merges into the
35 is increased. stem 3. Upon either side of the keel 2 at 90
Another and essential feature of the in equal distances therefrom are provided bilge
vention resides in? the construction of the sections 4L, 4, the said bilges extending par
hull of a boat in such a manner that solid, allel with and upon opposite sides of the
una'gitated columns of water will be pre keel and tapered at locations slightly in ad
40 sented to the propeller blades on either sidevance of the longitudinal center of the boat,
of the keel, thus forming a better hold for each bilge at, 4 gradually decreasing in size
the blades of the propeller. from this point fore and aft, the ends of the
An essential object of the invention re bilges curving upward and merging into the
sides in the construction of a boat hull em body of the boat at points adjacent to its
45 bracing the advantages mentioned and in bow and stern. The forward ends of the 100
addition thereto the provision of a keel ex bilging portions merge into the prow at a
tending a considerable distance below the short distance back of the stem and adiacent
bottom of the hull, which keel may be con to the load water line of the boat, while the
structed of steel or other suitable material portions of the bilges extending toward the
50 adapted to the purpose, the keel being of stern, from their lowest dip, rise gradually 105
rocker shape and designed especially for above the keel and merge into the stern at
use in the destruction of submarines, the a point adjacent to the propeller.
cantaliver construction of the hull being The keel 2 extends a material distance be
such as to render the keel rigid and pe low the lowermost points of the bilges, as
55 culiarly adapted to this purpose. seen in the different views. By the pro 110
 2 1,202,713

vision of these bilge portions, constructed as provided with turrets 7, 7 of su?icient

shown and described, channels 5, 5 are pro height to render the same available for ob
vided upon opposite sides of the keel, as servation purposes as well as for carrying
will be clearly seen upon reference to the suitable guns. 8 is a hatchway providing
bottom plan view of the boat shown in Fig, entrance to the interior of the boat. 70
2 and the cross sectional views shown in It will. be at once evident that torpedo
Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. tubes or other attachments adapted to the
It will be noted that, when the boat is use to which the boat is intended can be in
loaded and in trim for sailing, the water cluded but such construction forms no part
10 line should be in a plane coincident, or sub of the present invention. It will be at once 75
stantially coincident, with the upper mar evident also that, in case the boat is designed
gins of said channels 5, so that, when the for a pleasure boat or other uses than that
boat is in motion, it will have a tendency to of a submarine destroyer, the upper works
ride upon, glide or skip over the water with shown may be dispensed with and any form
15 out displacing a large weight of water as of cabin or deckage may be used if desired, 80
is common in boats of ordinary construction. the essential objects of the invention resid~
As the boat glides forward over the sur ing in the construction of the hull with its
face of the water, the water is not broken, bilges and keel so interposed between the
very few ripples being formed, as two solid bilges as to conduct solid channels of water
20 parallel columns of water are presented to directly to the blades of the propeller. In 85
the blades of the propeller, these columns case the boat is built for pleasure purposes,
having been displaced by the sides of the the form of the keel may be modi?ed to
boat and the space within the bilges may be adapt the boat to the particular use for
utilized for coal bunkers, ballast or other which it is intended.
25 material. It will be noted that, by the con vWhat I claim to be new is :~ 90
struction which I have described, the paral 1. A boat having drop bilges extending
lel bilge portions extending substantially longitudinally thereof and a keel intermedi
the length of the hull provide a construc ate said bilges to form channels extending
tion which materially strengthens the boat substantially the entire length of the boat
30 and renders it particularly adapted for each at the water line, said keel extending a ma 95
of the special uses for which it is designed. terial distance below said bilges throughout
It will be noted that the drop keel, dis the length thereof and to the upper margin
posed as it is between the strengthening of said channels, said upper margin being
bilge portions, will be rigidly and ?rmly designed to be substantially in a plane coin~
35 held in position and, while it serves to ren cident with the surface of the water. 100
der the boat far more staunch than it other 2. A boat having a rocker keel and drop
wise would be, the keel itself may be sub bilges upon opposite sides thereof, said keel
jected to violent contact with objects with extending along the longitudinal center
which it encounters below the surface of the below said bilges from stem to stern and
40 water without injury to itself or to the boat curving upwardly toward the prow, each 105
to which it is attached. ' bilge gradually decreasing in size from the
It will be noted that the keel extends a center of the boat toward each end.
considerable distance below the bottom line 3. A boat having a rocker keel and drop
of the bilges, thus presenting a formidable bilges upon opposite sides thereof, said keel
45 weapon when the boat is used for destroy extending along the longitudinal center be 110
ing submarine vessels. This will be at low said bilges from stem to stern and curv
once apparent when it is understood that the ing upwardly toward the prow, each bilge
construction of a submarine is necessarily gradually decreasing in size from the center
such as to render it peculiarly subject to in of the boat toward each end, the ends of
jury which might be sustained by contact said bilges curving upwardly and merging 115
with other moving objects. The rocker form into the body of the boat at points adjacent
of the keel, as well as its being disposed be the bow and stern.
tween the strengthening bilge portions of 4:. A boat having a rocker keel and drop
the boat upon opposite sides, serves to cause bilges upon opposite sides thereof, said keel
55 the cutting narrow bottom of the keel to extending along the longitudinal center and 120
impart to the submarine with which it con curving upwardly toward the prow, each
tacts an oblique cutting motion which would bilge gradually decreasing in size from the
not be imparted were it not for the peculiar center of the boat toward each end, the ends
form of the keel and it will be at once evi of said bilges curving upwardly and merg~
60 dent that an impact of this character would ing into the body of the boat at points adja
be far more destructive to the object with cent the bow and stern, said keel extending
which it is moved into contact than would materially below the bottom edges of said
a direct impact. bilges from stem to stern.
In the accompanying drawings, I have 5. A boat having a rocker keel and drop
65 shown a boat which is entirely inclosed and bilges upon opposite sides thereof, said keel 130
Li?ggc mama; , ~17 :1 Mil its???

1,202,713 3

extending along the longitudinal center point rising gradually above the keel and 10
from stem to stern and curving upwardly merging into the stern at a point adjacent
toward the prow, each bilge gradually de- the rear end of the boat.
creasing in size from the center of the boat In testimony whereof I hereunto a?ix my
5 toward each end, the ends of said bilges signature in presence of two witnesses. '
curving upwardly and merging into the EDWARD E. HEDGES.
body of the boat at points adjacent the bow Witnesses:
and stern, the portions of the bilges extend- FRANKLIN H. HOUGH,
ing toward the stern from their lowest A. R. FOWLER.
Copies of this patent may be obtained for ?ve cents each, by addressing the commissioner of l'atentl,
Washington, D. G.