Improved Method of Constructing Buoyant. Cables and Netting.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improved Method of Constructing Buoyant. Cables and Netting.
I, ANNIE MATILDA WOOD, of 13 Delahay Street, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex and Firs Cottage, East Sheen, in the County of Surrey, Gentlewoman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to a means of rendering wire rope, cables, steel hawsers, chains
or rope or netting buoyant and sometimes serve as conductors of electricity, so that
the same may be made to float either on the water or partially or wholly submerged,
and applicable for many purposes amongst which may be mentioned floating anti
torpedo cables for protection against the approach of torpedo or other boats, or in fact
any vessel.
A buoyant cable for marking out the position of submarine mines torpedoes or
other obstructions or may be used as a drift line for floating or drifting down to a
hostile ship a torpedo or mine and that the flow of the tide may be utilised for drifting
mines, torpedoes or fire ships. It may also be usefully employed in floating a cable
ashore in case of shipwreck or for life buoys, for electric cables and for marking out
the passage between mines or obstructions portions of the buoyant cable may also be
cut off and used as buoys when required. When not in use the cable can be stored
in coffer-dams or compartments of a ship, and will in the event of collision or injury
to the ship by shot, shell or ram-afford a large measure of buoyancy by reason of the
large displacement of water, and being of a convenient form, it can be readily payed
into or forced into any compartment to prevent the influx of water and can be made
non-inflammable. The means and manner by which I construct or form my buoyant
cables or netting are as follows: I take the steel hawser, rope chain or wire or other
rope which I desire to render buoyant and having ascertained the displacement
necessary to float the same, and the reserve or excess of buoyancy I desire to obtain I
cover the bawser or cable with a surrounding of whalebone shavings, Alva Horse hair,
cocoa fibre, Cane or Bamboo shavings, or other light flexible and buoyant material,
and either sew up or tape the same very loosely so as to increase the circumference of
the same, for this purpose 1 use either hessian, silk, cotton, linen, canvas, muslin,
mackintosh, according to circumstances, and then tape or cover the same with

page_text: "
"Woodite
or rubber sheeting—or equivalent compounds, and then carefully vulcanise
the same either in moulds or open cure, this will seal up the cable and its contents
from the air and water or it can be prepared with waterproof paint or compound over
the canvas or covering. For additional protection and security 1 sometimes tie up
and secure in the same or similar way-short divisions or lengths of the cable either
before or after. I put on the final covering. I also sometimes, waterproof all the
material used, by any of the well known methods-before applying them to the cable,
so that they shall be waterproof and non-absorbent.
I do not confine myself to any one of the foregoing examples, but apply such as may
be most suitable according to the purpose for which it is required.
A cordon of my buoyant or floating cable can also be placed to form a cordon round
the fleet when at anchor. If the wire hawser or cable has one or more copper strands
properly placed therein and in connection with suitable battery or batteries any
breakage of the cable will at once break the circuit and communicate to the vessel in
charge of the cordon that a hostile vessel has crossed the obstruction, this short
circuiting may be made the means of exploding signals mines or torpedoes, so that the
same may act automatically.
Dated this 15th day of March 1000

page_text: Improved Method of Constructing Buoyant Cables and Netting.
I ANNIE MATILDA WOOD of 13 Delahay Street Westminster in the County of
Middlesex and Firs Cottage East Sheen in the County of Surrey, Gentlewoman, 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:
My invention relates to a means of rendering wire rope, cables, steel hawsers, chains,
rope or netting buoyant, (and sometimes serve as conductors of electricity) so that the
same may be made to float, either on the water or partially or wholly submerged and
applicable for many purposes among which may be mentioned, Floating anti torpedo
cables for protection against the approach of torpedoes or other boats or in fact any
vessel. A buoyant cable for marking out the position of submarine mines, torpedoes
or other obstructions or one to be used as a drift line for floating or drifting down to
a hostile ship, torpedo mine, landing stage etc. so that the flow of the tide may be
utilized for drifting mines, torpedoes or fire ships.
It may also be usefully employed in floating a cable ashore in case of shipwreck or
for life buoys, for electric cables and for marking out the passage between mines or
obstructions.
life or other
Portions of the buoyant cable may also be cut off and used as
buoys when required. When not in use the cable may be stored in coffer dams
or compartments of a ship and will, in event of collision or injury to the vessel
by shot, shell or ram, afford a large measure of buoyancy by reason of the great
displacement of water and being of a convenient form it can be readily payed
into or forced into any compartment to prevent the influx of water.
The means and manner by which I construct or form my buoyant cables or netting
are as follows. 1 take the steel hawser, rope, chain, or wire or other rope or netting
which I desire to render buoyant and having ascertained the displacement necessary
to float the same and the reserve or excess of buoyancy I desire to obtain I tightly
cover the hawser or cable with a mixture containing whalebone in the shape of shavings,
powder, or shreds, alva horse hair, cocoa fibre, cane or like fibrous matter, with cork or
like buoyant material, pitch, tar, bitumen or like gum, and lastly rubber crumb or
the substance made by me as described in the specification of Letters Patent
"Woodite" and
No. 6875 of 1887 or No. 967 of 1888 and now generally known as
Catechu.
Sufficient proportions of these materials are taken to make a buoyant mixture. For
example
12 lbs. finely cut Cork.
"
Whalebone Shavings.
3
1
do.
Powder.
دو
3
Marine Glue.
"
12
Bitumen.
"
Pitch.
"
Tar.
"
"
4 "Woodite or Rubber crumb.

page_text: I melt the marine glue, pitch tar or bitumen then mix the above ingredients into a
mass.
The mixture may be formed into blocks surrounding the cable at suitable distances
apart according to their size and floating power or preferably the mixture is spread
evenly along the cable surrounding the latter equally and sewed up or taped with
suitable textile material such as, silk, cotton, linen, canvas, muslin or mackintosh
according to circumstances and then, taped or covered with "Woodite" or rubber
sheeting or equivalent compounds, and then carefully vulcanized either in moulds or
open cure or otherwise; this will hermetically seal up the cable and its contents, it
can however be prepared with waterproof paint, or compound, over the canvas or
covering for additional protection and security. I sometimes tie up and secure in the
same and similar way short divisions or lengths of the cable or blocks either before or
after I put on the final covering.
I also sometimes waterproof all the material used, by any of the well known
methods before applying them to the cable so that they shall be waterproof and non-
absorbent.
Should I require to make it partially imcombustible or wholly so I can apply any
of the formulae mentioned for that purpose in the specification of my Patent No. 6875
of 1887.
I do not confine myself to any one of the foregoing examples but apply such as may
be most suitable according to the purpose for which it is required
If the wire hawser has one or more copper strands properly placed therein and in
connection with a suitable battery or batteries any breakage of the cable will at once
break the circuit and communicate to the vessel in charge of the cordon that a
hostile vessel has crossed the obstruction; this short circuiting may be made the
means of exploding. signals, mines or torpedoes so that the same may act
automatically.
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 method of constructing a buoyant cable or netting substantially as herein
described.
2. The composition or mixture of materials hereinbefore specified substantially in
the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 18th day of December 1888.