New or Improved Method and Apparatus for Minimising the Effects of Collision Between Ships or Vessels.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 16th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
New or Improved Method and Apparatus for Minimising the Effects
of Collision Between Ships or Vessels.
We, THOMAS HENRY RUSHITON, of 442 Victoria Street, Grimsby in the County
of Lincoln, Electroplate and Fountain Manufacturer, and GEORGE AUSTIN
FRUSHER of 472 Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby as aforesaid, Master Mariner, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the effects produced by
one ship or vessel running into or colliding with another may be reduced to a
minimum, and is more especially adapted for use in dark, thick, or foggy weather.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings illustrate in side elevation and
plan respectively, and in a more or less diagrammatic manner, the application of
our invention to a ship or vessel. At any convenient point on the fore part of the
ship or vessel A and above the water line, we attach, by means of strong binge
joints B, the arms or wings C carrying at their outer ends the fenders D. These
fenders consist of rollers as shewn mounted in brackets or carriages E, which
are adapted to move to a limited extent on joints F as shewn clearly in Figure 1.
The arms or wings A, which may be of any suitable construction but preferably
of lattice work as shewn, are adapted to be folded back against the sides of the
ship or vessel in clear and fine weather in the position shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 2, being held in place by the links or connectors G, the ends of which
pass over bosses or pins H on the bulwarks for example. When the arms or
wings C are opened out as shewn in full lines, the free ends of the links or
connectors G are passed over the boss or pin J and serve to steady the said
arms or wings. These links or connectors G may be rigid or may be provided
with springs which shall allow a certain amount of movement in the arms or
wings C, and instead of their free ends being connected to the boss or pin J,
they may, in cases where the arms or wings C are placed well forward, be
connected to the bowsprit, or may be simply connected to each other, according to
circumstances.
It will be understood that in thick or foggy weather, the arins or wings C are
opened into the position shewn in full lines, and in the event of the ship or
vessel running into another "head on "both of the fenders D strike the vessel at
the same time, instead of the sharp end of the bow of the vessel. The force
of the blow is thereby distributed, and the rollers of the fenders D being free to
revolve on their axes D 1, the carriages E turning on their pivots F, and the
arms or wings C being free to move to a certain extent on their hinge joints B
against the resistance of the springs of the links or connectors G, the damage to
the vessel run into is considerably reduced. Should the ship or vessel A strike
the colliding vessel sideways, one only of the fenders D will come into action.
We prefer to strengthen the sides of the ship or vessel A at those points which
would receive the force of a collision through the arms or wings C, in any suitable
or convenient manner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is —
First. The new or improved method of minimising the effects of collisions at sea,
which consists in applying to a ship or vessel hinged arms or wings the front or
free ends of which project beyond the bow of the ship or vessel, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Second. The apparatus for minimising the effects of collisions at sea, which
consists of the hinged arms or wings C provided with revolving and oscillating
fenders D, and links or connectors G, substantially as hereinbefore described, and
illustrated in the drawings.
1000.
T. H. RUSHTON,
G. A. FRUSHER,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.