IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE SPEED OF SHIPS LIKEWISE TO ASSIST IN STEERING THEM
Year: 1885

page_text: I, FREDERIC BARNETT of No 106 Queen Victoria Street City, London Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR CHECKING THE SPEED OF SHIPS LIKEWISE TO ASSIST IN STEERING THEM, to
be as follows :—
That hitherto it has been found almost impossible to overcome promptly the
momentum of large floating bodies when moving at high speed, but which by my
improved apparatus can be done by the following means.
On both sides of the ships there will be one or more Water Brakes constructed
of iron or other suitable material which will be attached to the ships sides above
the water line, but so disposed to work freely by means of a strong metal arm, to
the end of which will be moveably attached to what I term a Water Brake, an
oblong or other suitably shaped strong panel of dimensions and strength in
proportion to the freeboard of the ship's side.
The Panel working on suitable hinges will shut close to the ship's side when not
in use out of the water, but being suspended by a chain or chains will when
released for service fall by its own gravity, becoming at pleasure more or less
submerged and by the same action open (meeting the opposing water) at right
angles to the ship's side and be so held by a chain duly fastened to the ship below
the water line and nearer the stem of the vessel than the Water Brake itself.
The arm to which the Brake is attached will work in a guide up and down to
prevent its deviation.
The relative action by the Brake with regard to the lower chain maintaining the
Brake from opening too wide, will be slightly eccentric and by such means will
while allowing the Brake when submerged to open at right angles to the ship's
side will when lifted out of the water, close the brake to the ship's side in its
normal position because the radius then being longer the retaining chain will strain
it close.
As the chain supporting the Brake or Brakes will extend from the foremost,
nearest the stem of the vessel the length of the ship towards the stern running on
and supported at intervals by wheels about midway between the Brakes. This
main chain when released by suitable gear will as required more or less submerge
the whole of the Brakes on one or both sides of the ship simultaneously.

page_text: The main chain will open and shut the foremost brake, but those behind will
require auxiliary chains attached at required distances to work the other brakes
behind the foremost.
When the action of the Brakes is needed no longer, they will be raised out of
the water by windlasses, capstans, manual, steam or other sufficient power by one
movement of the main chain or chains.
The result of the Brakes when simultaneously used on both sides of a ship will
present so much resistance to opposing water that in an incredibly short space of
time the momentum of the ship will be neutralized and greatly tend to diminish
the casualties caused by collisions.
For aiding in steering vessels whose rudders are fouled, injured or lost there
would be similarly arranged as above described, one brake on each side the ship
near the stern, which would close on one side when the other was opened governed
by ordinary steering tackle: these steering Brakes would when required act
independently of all the other Brakes, and when not needed be both closed to the
ship's sides above the water line.

page_text: COMPLEIE
SPECIFICATION.
I FREDERIC BARNETT of No 106 Queen Victoria Street City, London Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR CHECKING THE SPEED OF SHIPS LIKEWISE TO ASSIST IN STEERING THEM and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
That hitherto it has been found almost impossible to overcome promptly the
momentum of large floating bodies when moving at high speed, but which by my
improved apparatus can be done by the following means.
On both sides of the ships there will be one or more Water Brakes constructed
of iron or other suitable material which will be attached to the ship's sides above
the water line, but so disposed as to work freely by means of a strong metal arm,
to the end of which will be moveably attached what I term a Water Brake an
oblong or other suitably shaped strong Panel of dimensions and strength in
proportion to the freeboard of the ship's side.
The panels working on suitable hinges will shut close to the ships sides when
not in use: but being suspended by a chain or chains out of the water, will
when released for service full by their own gravity becoming at pleasure more
or less submerged and being by the same operation opened will meet the opposing
water at right angles to the ship's side and be so held by chains duly fastened to
the ship's below the water line and nearer the stem of the vessel than the Water
Brake itself.
The arm to which the Brake is attached will work up and down in a guide to
prevent its deviation.
The relative action by the Brake with regard to the lower chain maintaining
the Brake from opening too much will be slightly eccentric and by such means
while allowing the Brake when submerged to open at right angles to the ship's
side will when lifted out of the water close the Brake to the ship's side in its
normal position because the radius there being longer the chain will become taut
and strain the Brake close to the ship's side in its proper berth.
As the main chains supporting the Brake or Brakes will extend from the fore-
most Brakes nearest the stem of the vessel the length of the ship towards the
stern running on and supported at intervals by wheels or pullies about midway
between the Brakes these chains when released by suitable gear will as required
suffer the whole of the Brakes on the one or both sides of the ship to be
simultaneously more or less submerged.
The main chain alone will open or shut the foremost Brake but all behind it
will require an auxiliary chain attached at the required distance to the main chain
to work the other Brakes behind the foremost Brake.
When the action of the Brakes is no longer necessary they will all be raised out
of the water by windlasses capstans manual steam or other sufficient power by one
movement of the main chain or chains,

page_text: The effect of the Brakes when simultaneously employed on both sides of a ship
will present so much resistance to the opposing water that in an incredibly short
space of time the momentum of the ship will be neutralized and by such circum-
stance materially assist in avoiding casualties by collissions.
For aiding in steering the ships when the rudder is fouled, injured or lost, the
stern Brakes one on each side of the ship similarly suspended as the stopping
Brakes but acting independently of all the others could be manoeuvered by ordinary
steering tackle opening and shutting either one or the other at will and submerging
them more or less and again suspending them out of the water close to the
ship's side.
In order that my above described invention may be fully understood I hereby
describe the drawings herewith annexed.
Figure. 1. The letters A. A¹. A" are the pivots on which the sustaining
arms B. B. B work, C. C. C. are the Brakes closed to the ship's side. D. D'. D
are the retaining guides in which the arms B. B¹. B work up and down. E. E. E.
are the chains by which the Brakes are strained close to the ship's side. F. F'. are
the subsidiary chains acted on by the main chain G in lowering or raising the
Brakes C. C and H. H. the wheels or pulleys on which the chains work.
Figure. 2. The open Brakes are represented at I. I. I. as in action submerged
at right angles to the ship's side, in full opposition to the water, E. E¹. E" the
chains fully strained in retaining Brakes in opposition to the water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First The principle of improved Water Brakes to check the speed of ships
with the object of preventing collisions with other ships or with other bodies
floating or otherwise.
Secondly The employment of the same principle for assisting in steering ships.
Thirdly Any modification in form or material to attain the result by the
modus operandi above described.