An Apparatus for Coupling Vessels (in order to guard them reciprocally from great oscillations, and to enable them, in case of necessity, immediately to assist each other).
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1890-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Coupling Vessels (in order to guard them
reciprocally from great oscillations, and to enable them, in
case of necessity, immediately to assist each other).
GUSTAV HERRMANN STEINBACH, Designer, Lichtenstein, Saxony, Germany, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
:-
The object of the invention are the means, by which vessels on sea may be coupled
in order to prevent them reciprocally from great oscillations and by which, in case of
necessity, they may be separated in the shortest time, so that the good vessel may
immediately assist the vessel in danger.
The separation is effected by means of a lever that draws a winding-post, to which
all the pegs, maintaining the mutual connection, are fastened, whereby the pegs are
instantly removed. At the same time the rope fastened at the winding-post for the
purpose of a tight connection with the fellow vessel, is cut by some sharp instrument
and each ship gets free.
Dated Nineteenth day of October 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Coupling Vessels (in order to guard them
reciprocally from great oscillations, and to enable them, in
case of necessity, immediately to assist each other).
I, GUSTAV HERRMANN STEINBACH, Lichtenstein, Saxony, Germany, 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:
This invention relates to means by which vessels on sea may be coupled in order to
guard them reciprocally from great oscillations, and by which, in case of necessity,
they may be separated in the shortest time, so that the good vessel may immediately
assist the vessel in danger.
The separation is effected by means of a lever that draws a winding-post to which
all the pegs maintaining the mutual connection are fastened, whereby the pegs are
instantly removed. At the same time the rope fastened at the winding-post for the
purpose of a light connection with the fellow ship is cut by a sharp instrument and
each vessel gets free.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which similar letters are used to indicate corresponding parts
throughout.
Figure 1 is a view from above of two vessels coupled in the manner I invented;
Figure 2 is a side view of a vessel furnished with one part of my invention;
Figure 3 is a vertical section of two coupled vessels (line X X in Figure 1);
Figure 4 is that part of the invention which reciprocally guards the vessel from
reeling;
Figure 5 is a view seen from above of a part outside of the body, as shown in
Figure 2, destined to hold Figure 6 ;
Figure 6 is a view of the broad-side of that part which must be adapted to the joints
of Figure 5, and holds with its adjoined pieces the connecting beains B B¹ with the
supports E E' (see Figure 4).
Figure 7 is a view of the same part on the flat side with the adjoined pieces V,
1
the

page_text: ears O, the wheels R, the screw S, the pegs P, and of the chain D. L in Figure 6
denotes the screw-nuts and the screw S (see Figure 7) by which the parts W and M
must be duly screwed. The deeper or higher drawing of the two vessels having been
regulated by proper loading and after screwing the said screw, the end of the chain
on which the pegs Pare fixed, is connected with the draw-beam in the manner described
below. All the parts, with the exception of T T¹ are made of metal. A and A' denote
the carcasses of two vessels whose sides must be high though they need not be exactly
equal. On deck of each vessel there is on one side in the couches C the draw-beam Z
which is connected with the knee-shaped lever H in the block J by the joint N.
In case the two coupled vessels, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 are to be separated,
the end of the lever H is lifted, whereby the draw-beam is drawn back and the pegs P
sticking in the holes K and holding the framework shewn in Figure 4, are drawn out
by means of the chains D which connect the pegs of the draw-beam Z in such a way
that the chain in those places, where it runs over the wheel R and under the wheel U,
is composed of appropriate links. At the same time, in drawing back the draw-beam,
that cable T T which holds the fellow vessel at an equal distance, is cut by a sharp
instrument, fastened on the draw-beam. The said cables have on their ends, where
they hang on the hooks G a ring, so that the cable which is not cut, may when the
vessel moves on, glide down with its ring from the hook of the fellow vessel, for the
lever is only to be lifted on that vessel which is in danger, to run against another
ship. Figure 4 remains attached to that vessel which is not in danger and lies down
flat to the side of the vessel; it can therefore come quite near the endangered vessel,
so as to render assistance if required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1) The coupling of two vessels by means of the plates W fastened to the outsides
of the vessels, provided with a furrow on both sides to hold the plates M. with the adjoined
pieces V. The latter hold by means of the pegs the cross-beams B with the supports F,
substantially as and for the pur herein before set forth and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings
(2) The total separati
with pulleys which ar
shewn.
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coupled vessels by means of a draw-beam, connected
wn by actuating a lever substantially as described and
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"Invention" Off
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CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
54, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.