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Introduction - Titanic’s
steelwork was nearly complete by the time she was launched and towed to the outfitting
wharf. Provisions had been made within the nearly completed deck spaces and casings for
shipping the engines, boilers, and other machinery that would be hoisted aboard using
Harland & Wolff’s huge floating crane. Steel decking and beams in certain areas
were designed to be “portable” (i.e., removable) to allow openings of sufficient
size to permit the passage of the machinery to be fitted. Many of the transverse beams and
plating that would otherwise have obstructed these openings had been trial-fitted but left
uninstalled; more crucial members were temporarily bolted into place to provide strength
to the hull during the launch . . . (continued) |
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Image above, Batten Cleat - Details of a common form of batten
cleat used on ships of the era. Author’s
collection |
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Machinery casings - The
reciprocating engine casing was located between the Nos. 3 and 4 Funnels, just forward of
the after 1st Class staircase. The casing above the Reciprocating Engine Room, like the
shafts formed by the other machinery casings, was designated as “light and air”
space. Ladders within these casings provided the engineers with a direct route to the
higher decks. On the roof of the surrounding deckhouse, a skylight was constructed over
the 24-long, 20'-wide shaft to admit light and assist ventilation of the space below. The
skylight contained eight large rectangular hatches - four per side - each fitted with a
hinged weather-tight cover having four brass-framed bull’s-eye lights. These covers
could be manually raised or lowered as needed, and were actuated from beneath by hand
cranks just as were the other skylights aboard the ship. At the level of E Deck, where the
casing descended into the upper levels of the engine room, it was extended further out
towards the sides of the ship, and also aft to the bulkhead separating the Reciprocating
Engine Room from the Turbine Engine Room. Due to the height of the engines, the additional
space afforded was necessary in order to provide space above the cylinders for lifting of
the cylinder covers and pistons . . . (continued) |
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Cargo hatches - Titanic had
six holds that were accessed through seven hatchways. The hatchways were constructed with
corners having a 12-inch radius where not affected by trunking, as these were found to be
far less prone to fatigue and fractures than sharp corners. The hatch coamings on the
weather decks were peaked longitudinally except for the No. 1 Hatch on the Forecastle
Deck, which had a rounded steel cover, and the two No. 4 Hatches at the after end of the
Bridge Deck (B). By regulations, the minimum permitted height for hatch coamings on
unenclosed decks was 24 inches when within one-fourth of the length vessel from the bow,
and a minimum of 18 inches high aft of this. In order to strengthen the hatch coamings
against the forces of seas shipped in heavy weather, a number of temporary ties were
inserted to join the port and starboard coamings together. Located inside the coamings of
each hatch were portable web beams; these extended the full width of the opening and were
lightened with holes to reduce the effort necessary to move them in and out of position .
. . (continued) |
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Other topics in this chapter include:
Boiler casings; ventilation and fidley trunks - Weather deck hatch coverings -
Trunk hatchways - Firemen’s Tunnel - plus dimensions and specifications for all
individual hatches |
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