Caused by Collision or otherwise.
Year: 1886

page_text: Caused by Collision or otherwise.
:
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by John Speirs (Blacksmith) of Jersey City in the County of
Hudson, and State of New Jersey United States of America), 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 practical means whereby a breach or
opening in a vessel's hull caused by collision at sea or otherwise may be closed from
the inside or the outside of the vessel to prevent the inflow of water and the
sinking of the vessel.
The first part of this Invention relates to closing the aperture from the outside
of the hull, the closing plate or frame being lowered from the deck over the
aperture and secured to the brace bar, or other firm object, inside of the vessel.
The second part of this Invention relates to closing an aperture in the side or
the bottom of the hull from the inside of the vessel, the device for this purpose
consisting principally of a brace bar provided with a screw and combined with
means for connecting the brace bar at its ends with the angle irons used in bracing
the frame of the hull, so that the screw may be used for holding the closing plate
firmly over the break or aperture in the hull.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification in which Figure 1. is a broken plan view of part of a vessel showing
the application of the Invention to the outside of the hull for closing the break
in the hull; Figure 2 is a broken-front view of a vessel showing a break in the
side, and also in the bottom of the hull, closed from the inside of the vessel;
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken on the line x-x Figure 2;

page_text: Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the line y-y Figure 2; Figure 5 is a
perspective view of the brace bar and its connections for use at the bottom of the
hull. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the plate or frame used at the outside of
the vessel; Figure 7 is an elevation showing the inner surface of the same;
Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line - Figure 7. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A represents a plate or frame for closing a breach or aperture in the sides of a
vessel's hull from the outside of the vessel. This plate or frame may be made of
any appropriate size, of metal or of wood weighted to sink in water. To one
surface of the plate A at or near its edges are secured the wooden strips B B which
have secured to them the packing strips or cushions C C of India rubber or other
suitable material. These cushions are for causing water tight joints to be formed
with the hull when the plate is lowered from the deck by ropes D D attached to
the eye-bolts d d or otherwise over the opening in the hull. The plate A being
thus lowered over the aperture, the pressure of water against the outer surface of
the plate will cause it to hug the hull so that it will effectually prevent all, or
nearly all, inflow of water to the vessel. The inner surface of the plate A is
provided with several bolts E by which the plate when lowered over the opening
may be secured in place from the inside of. the vessel, by passing ropes or other
stays through the bolts and making the ropes fast to a brace bar F (hereinafter
described) or to any other convenient firm and stationary object. In case the
breach or aperture in the hull is to be closed from the inside of the vessel, and said
opening is at the side of the hull, I employ the brace bar F which is provided in
the centre with the screw G and is formed at one end with a hook a and at the
other end with, a jaw b to embrace the inner flanges of the angle irons H H
for holding the brace bar stationary so that the screw G can be screwed against
the plate I placed over the opening to close the same. If the opening is at the
bottom of the hull, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, the brace bar F will be provided
at one end with a detachable hook J and at the other with an angle plate K to the
upper extremity e of which is bolted another angle plate K₁ which with the
horizontal portion g of the plate K forms a hook to embrace the angle iron S at
the bottom of the vessel as shown clearly in Figure 4. The hook J is adapted to
embrace the adjacent angle iron S of the bottom of the hull, as shown also clearly
in Figure 4, so that the parts J, K, and K¹ when thus. applied hold firmly the
angle bar F so that the screw G may be screwed down upon the plate M placed
over the opening and cause said plate to effectually close the breach and prevent
the inflow of water. The bar K K' is adapted to be reversed in the brace bar F, as
shown in Figure 4, to adapt it to be applied to a reverse flange of the angle-iron S if
necessity required it; and the hook J is attached to the brace bar A preferably by
means of a claw f made at the end of the bar A so that it can be applied to the
bar with despatch and reversed when necessary; and the hook J and bar K are
shown in said Figure 5 as made each in two parts lapped and bolted together, one
part of each bar having a series of holes formed in it so that by removing the
bolt the bars may be adjusted as to length to suit any depth of space between the
hull and the angle irons L.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what
I claim is
1. The device herein shown and described for closing apertures in the hulls of
vessels which consists of a plate or frame provided with eye-bolts or other
fastenings for securing the device to the outside of the vessel, substantially as
described.
2. The outside closing plate having eye bolts or other fastenings combined with
a brace bar constructed to be applied to the angle irons substantially as described..
3. The outside closing plate provided with edge cushions substantially as
described.

page_text: 4. The outside closing plate provided with edge cushions and eye bolts upon the
inner surface, and with attachments d for lowering the plate substantially as
described.
5. The brace bar F provided with a screw and with means for attaching it to
the angle-irons of a vessel, substantially as described.
6. The brace bar F provided with a screw in combination with reversible hooks
for attaching it to angle irons at the bottom of a vessel, substantially as described.
7. The brace bar F provided with a screw and adjustable hooks at its ends
substantially as described.
8. The brace bar F provided with a screw and with means for attaching it to
the angle irons in combination with a plate for closing the aperture substantially
as described.