Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-07-27
A Ship Brake.

astcrS caused by the COLLISION OF vessels
in rivers, channels, and at sea.
The construction of the device il
very simple and consists of pair of
iron shutters or " fms" hinged one on
each side OF the stern post of vessel
and shutting close 10 its sides from the
stern post forward. The fins =" are
kept tightly closed by a simple appara-
tus on deck. which j. connected with
the pilot house, and when "let 90"
the stays connected with the " fins
allow them TO open nj right angles with
the ship. bringing il az once TO stand
still. and holding il fast as if anchored
The area of the fins is in direct
ratio with the size of the ship, and the
immediate stoppagc OF the vessel when
they are suddenly opened is "a certainty.
Fins - much larger than ara needed
may be fitted 20 all vessels without
looking out OF proportion to the size of
the ship. For example, a vessel re-
quiring fins with superficial area of
100 square feet to stop II could be sup
piled with fins OF an area of 500 feet.
and ther would not look large or dis
proportiuuate tn the ship When the
fins are released the experiment proves
that no iarring or shock is experienced,
such as i felt on railroad when the
brakes are applied. The water being a
yielding body, acts n, a spring or cils1-
ion. For foggy weather or darkness
self-aciing guard is rugged out at the
bow OF the vessel, and should il meet
with any rigid body in the path of the
ship when touched, il at once releases
the iius and stops the vessel before
Il can reach the obstruction. without
any movement or direction on the part
of the pilot or navigating officer When
closed the Tins follow the outline of the
ship. and, being flush with lis sides.
can in no way diminish its speed. The
inventors first experiment was made
with a 31l foot fast steam yacht. to
which was attached pair of - fins -
feet long by p feet WIDE This power
proved tc be at least twice rs much rs
was needed TO stop the vessel instantly
when at full speed. \ second trial
demonstrated this fac; when only one
fin WAS used. The space travelled after
The brake Was applied was so small that
ii could not be diScerned by persons
watching the experiment; from the
shore
To ascertain what sized fins would be
required 10 stop a certain steamship OF
fourteen hundred tons measurement a
a raft or float was constructed 10 carry
4 pair Of fms in position without fixing
them Il a vessel The float and fins
were lowed ont by Il powerful tugboai,
being attached thereto by "A new six
inch manila hawscr. When the tug
boat was going AZ full speed with full
steam ON the iius We're released and the
effect was 10 snap the hawser like a
piece of thread, making report like a
cannon. The fins remained firm. The
breaking strain OF a six-inch hawser is
said TO be twenty-seven thousand
pounds. The fins used on this occasion
Were each 5xS feet. or together an area
of IA square feet When they were
tried with the fourteen hundred-ton
vessel they proved ahundanty large.
stopping the ship instantly and holding
her fast against her power within less |
distance than i've feet.
In the opinion of the inventor a col !
lision like that of the Stonington and |
Narragansctt could have been averted if |
the steamers had been provided with |
the brakes. The Stonington-ih col !
Hiding veSSei-had several minutes in
which 80 stop. The same number of
seconds would have been sufficient with
the brake to bring her 10 a slandstill
Another case III point was the loss of the !
steamship Bohemian, which was
wrecked on the southern point Of Miz-
zen Head 10y collision with rocks. Out of
iiiiy-seyen persons ON board thirty-iive |
persisted, including the officers. One
of the survivors stated in evidence that
he was on the lookout and gave warn
ing Of breakers ahead ten minutes
before the steamer struck. N J. !
Z