The Third Improvement

Consists in constructing and fastening the frames of vessels in a different manner from what is customary.

In my system of framing, the timbers will not be subject to be split in driving the bolts and tree-nails, the poulticing plan of bevelling chocks at the butts of the timbers will be got rid of, and the frame to the end of the ship's existence will be infinitely stronger than the usual mode of building.

For vessels of about 200 tuns burthen, each of my frames, which is to be understood embraces the frame on both sides of the vessel, will be generally composed of five pieces of timber - namely, the floor timber, two middle timbers, which I call middlers, being one on each side of the vessel, and two toptimbers, being one on each side of the vessel.

The heads and heels of all those five timbers are cut off square, and I unite every heel and head together by a hard wood dowell, fixed between every head and heel, so that the five timbers are in a continuous line with each other, from the plankshear on one side of the vessel down to the keel, and up to the plankshear on the other side of the vessel.

Hence, there are no foothooks in those frames, and consequently there are no foothooks by the side of either the floor timbers or top timbers.

The squared heel of the top timber butts upon the squared head of the middler, and the squared heel of the middler butts upon the squared head of the floor timber.

. . .


Shipwreck and Collisions at Sea greatly prevented by Christophers' Patent Improvements in Naval Archtecture. With four plates.
London: J. Olliver, 59, Pall Mall; P. Richardson, 23, Cornhill. Liverpool: Deighton & Laughton. M.DCCC.L. 8vo, (4), 112 p, 4 pl.

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius


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Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius