US 4,214,332 A · Method of constructing welded metal skin boat hulls and hulls made thereby

Abstract

A method of constructing a welded metal skin boat hull includes forming a framework from transverse and transom frames connected to a margin plate and to a keel and stem assembly, and adjustably bolting to the frames and connecting together, as appropriate, longitudinal and transom stringers, outer surfaces of which are spaced outwardly from frame outer surfaces. Spacing of the longitudinal stringers on the frames divides the hull exterior into narrow longitudinal, non-compound curved regions, corresponding longitudinal hull skin panels being formed from flat sheets to bridge adjacent stringer pairs. Skin panel edges are clamped to corresponding stringers by external fairings adjustably bolted to the stringers, the bottom fairings being shaped as liftstrakes. A transom plate is tackwelded or clamped to the transom stringers. Frames, skin panels and fairings, are adjusted to realign the hull to specifications before welding. After tightening all such adjustable connections, longitudinal fairing-skin panel intersections are externally fillet welded and abutting skin panels and transom edges are welded together. An epoxy-aluminum compound smooths the fairing-skin panel intersection welds. To complete construction of a basic hull, the skin panels are welded to the stringers and the stringers to the frames from inside the hull. A corresponding welded metal skin boat hull is provided.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of constructing a welded metal skin boat hull of specified configuration, which comprises the steps of:

(a) interconnecting a plurality of transverse hull frames with hull members to fix the frames in a longitudinally spaced apart relationship defining approximately a specified hull configuration;
(b) connecting a plurality of elongated continuous stringers in longitudinal extending and spaced apart relationship to the transverse frames so as to form a hull framework;
(c) positioning elongated metal hull skin panels longitudinally on the framework, with each of the panels being shaped to span and overlap a selected pair of the longitudinal stringers;
(d) positioning a plurality of elongated skin panel bridging fairings to overlap marginal edges of adjacent skin panels over at least substantial lengths thereof, and adjustably attaching the fairings to corresponding ones of the longitudinal stringers so as to clamp the skin panels to the longitudinal stringers;
(e) realigning the hull to the specified hull configuration by unclamping, adjusting and reclamping the skin panels as necessary;
and
(f) permanently welding the fairings to the skin panels along external longitudinal intersections therebetween to form watertight weld seams.

4 more elements

A method of constructing a welded metal skin boat hull, which comprises the steps of:

(a) interconnecting a plurality of transverse hull frames with hull members to fix the frames in a longitudinally spaced apart relationship to define approximately a specified hull configuration;
(b) adjustably connecting a plurality of elongated, continuous longitudinal stringers, in a spaced apart relationship, to the transverse frames to form a hull framework;
(c) forming a plurality of longitudinal metal hull skin panels to cover at least portions of the hull framework, each of the panels being shaped to span and overlap a selected pair of the longitudinal stringers;
(d) positioning the skin panels on the framework, positioning a plurality of elongate longitudinal skin panel bridging fairings to overlap marginal edges of adjacent skin panels and attaching the fairings to corresponding ones of the longitudinal stringers, thereby adjustably clamping the skin panels to the longitudinal stringers;
(e) realigning the hull to the specified hull configuration by adjusting the transverse frames relative to the longitudinal stringers and by unclamping, adjusting and reclamping the skin panels as necessary;
and
(f) permanently welding the fairings to the skin panels along external longitudinal intersections thereof to form watertight weld seams.

4 more elements

A method of constructing a welded metal skin boat hull, which comprises the steps of:

(a) interconnecting a plurality of transverse hull frames by hull members to fix the frames in longitudinally spaced apart relationship approximating a specified hull configuration;
(b) adjustably connecting a plurality of elongated, continuous longitudinal stringers, in a spaced apart relationship, to the frames by fasteners to form a hull framework, and to enable positional adjustment of the frames relative to the stringers;
(c) forming a plurality of longitudinal metal hull skin panels, each of the panels being formed to span and overlap a selected pair of the longitudinal stringers;
(d) adjustably connecting, with fasteners, a plurality of external, longitudinal skin panel bridging fairings to the longitudinal stringers, with marginal edges of adjacent skin panels disposed beneath corresponding fairings, thereby clamping the skin panels, in side by side relationship, to the stringers, to form at least portions of the hull exterior;
(e) aligning the hull to the specified hull configuration by adjusting the position of the frames relative to the stringers and by unclamping the skin panels and adjusting the positions thereof as necessary;
(f) locking the stringers and frames together by tightening the stringer to frame fasteners and locking the fairings and skin panels to the stringers by tightening the fairing to stringer fasteners;
and
(g) externally welding the fairings to the skin panels along longitudinal weld seams to form permanent, watertight weld seams.

5 more elements

A metal skin boat hull, which comprises:

(a) a hull framework including a plurality of transverse frames spaced apart along the length of the hull, a plurality of elongated, continuous longitudinal stringers, and means connecting the stringers to the frames, all to define a specified hull frame configuration;
(b) a plurality of longitudinal metal hull skin panels installed on the framework to form an exterior hull surface, each of the skin panels having longitudinal marginal side edges configured to cause the panel to bridge a selected pair of the longitudinal stringers;
(c) a plurality of elongated longitudinal extending external continuous fairings, each of the fairings being mounted to externally bridge at least substantial portions of adjacent longitudinal extending marginal side edges of a corresponding adjacent pair of skin panels;
(d) means connecting the fairings to associated ones of the longitudinal stringers, with the edges of the skin panels being thereby clamped between the fairings and the stringers;
(e) means forming permanent longitudinal, watertight welds between the intersections of the fairings with the corresponding adjacent pairs of skin panels associated therewith;
and
(f) welds disposed internally of the hull permanently connecting the skin panels to said longitudinal stringers.

4 more elements

A welded metal skin boat hull, which comprises:

(a) a hull framework, including a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart transverse frames defining a specified hull configuration, a number of longitudinal elongated, continuous stringers and first connecting means connecting the stringers to the frames;
(b) a plurality of longitudinal metal hull skin panels, each of the panels being formed to bridge a selected pair of the longitudinal stringers;
and
(c) means mounting the skin panels to the longitudinal stringers in a side by side relationship to form at least portions of the hull exterior;
said skin panel mounting means including a plurality of longitudinal, elongated exterior structural fairings, second connecting means connecting the fairings to corresponding ones of the longitudinal stringers with the fairings mounted over adjacent marginal edges of adjacent skin panels, permanent, longitudinal exterior welds connecting the fairings to the skin panels and means connecting the skin panels to the stringers,
said second connecting means clamping the skin panels between the fairings and the stringers.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of constructing welded metal skin boat hulls and hulls made thereby

Life of this patent

Method of constructing welded metal skin boat hulls and hulls made thereby

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22