IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED BRUSH AND SCRAPER FOR REMOVING BARNACLES AND CLEANING THE HULLS OF VESSELS ON A VOYAGE AT SEA
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
I, CHARLES GEORGE CROSS, of 10 Clitheroe Street, Slade Lane, Longsight,
Manchester, England, Sea Captain, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED BRUSH AND SCRAPER FOR REMOVING BARNACLES
AND CLEANING THE HULLS OF VESSELS ON A VOYAGE AT SEA" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in brush and scraper for removing
barnacles and cleaning the hulls of vessels while on a voyage at sea.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a ship showing the mode of arranging my improved
combined brush and scraper when in the act of scraping the hull.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation.
Fig. 3, a plan view.
Fig. 4, a longitudinal section, and
Fig. 5, a perspective view of my improved "combined brush and scraper"
showing the construction and general arrangement of the same.
The following is the construction of the same I generally form the frame A of
wood, and in the centre longitudinally I place the metallic cross-bar B to which
I attach the metal standard C. In the centre to this metal standard C I attach
the upper cross-bar D and rivet the pressure board E to the same. I attach the
clevis F to the turtle-back or pressure board E and to the frame A under the.
longitudinal central frame piece G which is framed into the forward rail of the
wooden frame A and extends back to the central cross-bar B. where it is joined to
the cross-bar B and the central standard C. I form the propelling guide fins H
and I of sheet metal and connect them by the upper connecting rods J'and the
lower connecting rods K and the vertical end pivot-bars L and by the central
pivot-bars Me which are attached to the guide fins H and I about in the centre
with journals at the top in the upper cross-bar N and at the bottom to the central
cross-bar B. I attach the brushes O and P to the side rails of the frame A by
means of screws so as to be taken off when it is required.
I construct the brushes of bamboo or metal or any other suitable material.
I attach the metal scrapers Q to a heavy india-rubber strip Y which I attach to

page_text: the body or wooden back of the brush by means of sorews; first placing a heavy
Bole leather strip R and a thin metal plate S (to serve as a washer-strip) under the
screw-heads.
In order to show clearly the operation of my combined brush and scraper, I have
shown Fig. 1 a side elevation of a ship with a wire S passed out through the
hawse-pipe and down under the ship for the purpose of carrying the bulls-eye T to
serve as a guide for the guy U which is attached to the clevis F. I attach the
regulating and directing wires V in the eyes or staples W. The water line is
indicated by the line X.
The combined scraper and brush is let down by the, regulating and directing
wires V. As soon as it enters the water, the turtle-back or pressure plate E,
standing at an angle and being carried swiftly through the water is borne closely
to the hull of the vessel so that the scrapers and brushes touch the same. The
rear wire V is then raised and the forward wire lowered and the action of the
water upon the guide fins H and I carries the same down with great force and the
scrapers take off the barnacles and other accumulations from the hull and the
brushes complete the process of cleaning. By this arrangement, the bottom is
readily reached and thus every portion of the hull is cleaned.
When the scrapers and brushes have been let down as far as it is desired to
clean at one operation, then the rear regulating and directing wire V is lowered
while the forward one is drawn up thus reversing the angle of the guide fins H
and I, and the action of the water forces the scraper upward.
I generally construct the "combined scraper and brush" about four feet in
length and I let it back about two feet at each motion up and down the hull.
Thus every part is gone over twice-once in an upward and once in a downward
direction. The scrapers Q being attached by means of the india-rubber strip Y,
give back when met by an unyielding. substance the brushes allowing them to
incline to an angle that will allow them to pass over the edge of an iron plate or
other part of the structure.
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 frame A and G in combination with the subsidiary frame composed
of the central cross-bar B, the central standard C, the upper cross-bar D, the turtle-
back or pressure-board E and the clevis F for the purpose of holding the scrapers
and brushes O and P against the hull of the ship when moving through the water,
constructed and operated substantially as and for the purpose-set forth:
Second. The guide fins H and I pivoted at Mand M and having the eye's W
for attaching the regulating and directing wires V and being connected by the
rods J and K in combination with the turtle-back or pressure-board E for the
purpose of holding the combined brush and scraper against the vessel and carrying
the same up and down as described, constructed and operated substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Third. The scrapers Q, attached by means of the india-rubber strip Y, to render
them flexible, in combination with the brushes O and P for the purpose of scraping
and cleaning the hulls of ships, constructed and operated substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.

page_text: I, CHARLES GEORGE CROSS, of 10 Clitheroe Street, Slade Lane, Longsight
Manchester, England, Sea Captain, seek leave to amend the specification of
Application for Letters Patent, No. 4982 of 1885, as shown in red ink in the
copy of the original specification hereunto annexed:-
My reasons for making this Amendment are as follows:-
To more clearly define the nature of my Invention and the points of novelty of

page_text: I hereby grant leave to the said Charles George Cross to amend the said Speci-
fication in the manner proposed, with the following exceptions which cannot be
allowed, viz.
1. The proposed additional Claims.
4
"
2. The clause "namely by arranging the brushes at or near the sides or edges
"of the apparatus and the operating device within or above such brushes in ]
the paragraph proposed to be inserted after line 22 of page 5 of the Queen's
Printers' Copy of the Specification.

page_text: :
1
Improvements in Combined Brush and Scraper Apparatus for
Removing Barnacles and Cleaning the Hulls of Vessels on a
Voyage at Sea.
I, CHARLES GEORGE CROSS, of 10 Clitheroe Street, Slade Lane, Longsight,
Manchester, England, Sea Captain, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED BRUSH-AND-SCRAPER APPARATUS FOR REMOVING
BARNACLES AND CLEANING THE HULLS OF VESSELS ON A. VOYAGE AT SEA
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
"
and
My invention relates to improvements in brush-and-seraper apparatus for
removing barnacles and cleaning the hulls of vessels while on a voyage at sea.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a ship showing the mode of arranging my improved
combined brush-and-seruper improvements when in the act of scraping the bull.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation.
Fig. 3, a plan view.
Fig. 4, a longitudinal section, and
Fig. 5, a perspective view of my improved combined brush--and--scraper.”
apparatus showing the construction and general arrangement of the same.
The following is the construction of the same I generally form the frame A of
wood, and in the centre longitudinally I place the metallic cross-bar, B to which
I attach the metal standard C. In the centre to this metal standard C I attach
the upper cross-bar D and rivet the pressure board E to the same. I attach the
clevis F to the turtle-back or pressure board E and to the frame A under the
longitudinal central frame piece G which is framed into the forward rail of the
wooden frame A and extends back to the central cross-bar B where it is joined to
the cross-bar B and the centrál standard C. I form the propelling guide fios H
and I of sheet metal and connect them by the upper connecting rods J and the
lower connecting rods K and the vertical end pivot-bars Li and by the central
pivot-bars M which are attached to the guide fins H. and I about in the centre
with journals at the top in the upper cross-bar N and at the bottom to the central
cross-bar B. I. attach. the brushes O and P to the side rails of the frame A by
means of screws so as to be taken off when it is required.
I construct the brushes of bamboo or metal or any other suitable material.
I attach the metal scrapers Q to a heavy india-rubber strip Y which I attach to
the body or wooden back of the brush by means of screws; first placing a heavy
sole leather strip R and a thin metal plate S (to serve as a washer-strip) under the
screw-heads.
In order to show clearly the operation of my combined brush and scraper, I have
shown Fig. 1 a side elevation of a ship with a wire S passed out through the
hawse-pipe and down under the ship for the purpose of carrying the bulls-eye T to
serve as a guide for the guy U which is attached to the clevis F. I attach the
regulating and directing wires V in the eyes or staples W. The water line is
indicated by the line X.

page_text: The combined-scraper and brush apparatus is let down by the regulating and
directing wires V. As soon as it enters the water, the turtle-back or pressure
plate E, standing at an angle and being carried swiftly through the water is borne
closely to the hull of the vessel so that the scrapers and brushes touch the same.
The rear wire V is then raised and the forward wire lowered and the action of the
water upon the guide fins H and I carries the same down with great force and
the scrapers take off the barnacles and other accumulations from the hull and
the brushes complete the process of cleaning. By this arrangement, the bottom is
readily reached and thus every portion of the hull is cleaned.
When the scrapers and brushes have been let down as far as it is desired to
clean at one operation, then the rear regulating and directing wire V is lowered
while the forward one is drawn up thus reversing the angle of the guide fins H
and I, and the action of the water forces the scraper upward.
By the construction and arrangement of parts above set forth, the portions of
the hull near the keel of the vessel can be cleaned, which heretofore could not be
effected with apparatus of the type herein described.
I generally construct the "combined scraper and-brush" apparatus about four
feet in length and I let it back about two feet at each motion up and down the
hull. Thus every part is gone over twice-once in an upward and once in a down-
ward direction. The scrapers Q being attached by means of the india-rubber
strip Y, give back when met by an unyielding substance—the brushes allowing
them to incline to an angle that will allow them to pass over the edge of an iron
plate or other part of the structure.
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 frame A and G in combination with the subsidiary frame composed
of the central cross-bar B, the central standard C, the upper cross-bar D, the turtle-
back or pressure-board E and the clevis F for the purpose of holding the scrapers Q
and brushes O and P against the hull of the ship when moving through the water,
constructed and operated substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The guide fins H and I pivoted at M and M and having the eyes W
for attaching the regulating and directing wires V and being connected by the
rods J and K in combination with the turtle-back or pressure-board E for the
purpose of holding the combined brush and scraper against the vessel and carrying
the same up and down as described, constructed and operated substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Third. The scrapers Q, attached by means of the india-rubber strip Y, to render
them flexible, in combination with the brushes O and P for the purpose of scraping.
and cleaning the bulls of ships, constructed and operated substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.