Apparatus for Avoiding or Lessening the Destructive Effects of Collisions at Sea.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1897
Complete Specification. Left, 23rd May, 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
[Communicated from abroad by EVAN COURCOUMELY, of Kertch, Russia, Captain,
Russian Steamship Navigation Company,]
Apparatus for Avoiding or Lessening the Destructive Effects of
Collisions at Sea.
I, ARSENIUS SVORONO, of 321, High Holborn, London, Student, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:.
-
This invention relates to anti-collision apparatus applicable to ships and
vessels.
The less the surface of impact of a ship or vessel as a striking body on a ship
or vessel with which it may come in collision, the greater the damage likely to
occur to the latter ship or vessel, consequently, the most dangerous blow a ship
can give can be dealt with its stem where the surface of impact is the least and
behind which the weight and striking energy of the ship is concentrated.
The present invention is designed to avoid or materially lessen the disastrous
results which usually result consequent on a vessel running into, and, as it were,
ramming another vessel, and which is usually resultant in cutting into the struck
vessel to such an extent as to jeopardize its floatibility, and to effect such object'
by applying to the stem of the vessel means by which the energy of its impact
may be distributed over a relatively large area as compared with that of the stem of
the ship, whereby the destructive effect of the blow will be correspondingly lessened
and the liability of the ship struck being cut into or seriously damaged will be corre-
spondingly reduced, so or to such an extent that either no material damage will be
done thereto or the injury inflicted will be so small as not to put the ship in danger
of sinking.
a
To this end, the invention consists in the application to the bow or stem end of
a ship or vessel of the following parts in co-operative relation, viz.: an adjustable
platform pivotally attached at its fore end to the fore end of the vessel and ex-
tending rearwardly over the deck; means of lowering and raising the platform
about its pivotal end as a centre, so as to lower and maintain it on a level with the
deck and out of operative position, or to raise and maintain it in a forwardly
declined and operative position when the apparatus is required to be used;
connected series of elastic fenders adapted to fit about the stem end of the vessel,
use, both when
and to rest on the platform, in position for immediate
it is raised to
the latter is laying level with the deck and when
its inclined position;
means for maintaining or arresting the
fenders in position on the platform, whether when the latter is lying
flat or is inclined, until the desired moment for releasing the fenders, and
of then releasing them; and means of again hauling up the fenders onto the
platform after use; the whole being so combined that, when the vessel is at
anchor, the platform can be lowered to the deck, but, when it is at sea, the plat-
form is raised to and maintained in its sloping position, so as to maintain the
and

page_text: fenders in position for immediate action in the case of an impending collision,
requiring only the means detaining them being released, whereupon, they auto-
matically slide down the platform in front of and so as to cover and surround
the stem, and offer their extended and cushioning surface to the vessel with
which the collision is made.
The apparatus may conveniently be constructed as follows:-The platform
may be constructed of side rails, each of which consists of a pair of bars between
which a series of antifriction rollers are pivotted and serve to support the fenders.
The fore end of the platform is hinged to the stem of the ship and its rear end
is connected to a fork which engages with a screw set in a socket on the deck,
and by the turning of which screw the platform can be raised and lowered as
may be required.
The fender may be made of a parti-cylindrical or sectional formation with the
inner ends bent outwardly to keep in position elastic sectoral rings or bands
which are secured externally of the parti-cylindrical parts above mentioned at
suitable distances apart so as to enlarge their area of impact and correspondingly
diminish the force of the blow. These sectoral bands can be applied in several
rows and covered with hemp, matting or other suitable material serving to render
the impact of the fenders elastic and to aid in minimising the force of the blow.
Wooden cushions shaped to the stem of the ship are fitted to the inner sides
of the fenders, and which aid in distributing the blow and also serve to maintain
the position of the fenders against and around the ship's stem.
Any suitable number of such fenders may be used according to the size of the
vessel to which they are applied, and are kept together by flat chains resting on
the said anti-friction rollers of the platform, the rear end of the chains being
connected to another chain which passes to the drum of a windlass fixed on deck
and which can work the fenders both down and up the platform, into and out of.
operative position.
When not in operation, the fenders are detained by a catch which is pivotted
to the platform, and is normally held in position by a detent, which can instantly
be released, so as to release the catch and the fenders, by a cord from the bridge
or elsewhere convenient.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Apparatus for Avoiding or Lessening the Destructive Effects of
Collisions at Sea.
I, ARSENIUS SVORONO, of 321, High Holborn, in the County of London, Student,
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 anti-collision. apparatus applicable to ships and
vessels.
It may be premised that the less the surface of impact of a ship or vessel as a
striking body on another ship or vessel with which it may come in collision, the
greater the damage likely to occur to the latter ship or vessel; and that, conse-

page_text: quently, the most dangerous blow a ship can give can be dealt by its stem where
the surface of impact is the least and behind which the weight and striking
energy of the ship is concentrated.
The present invention is designed to avoid or to materially lessen the disastrous
results which usually result consequent on a vessel running into and, as it were,
ramming another vessel, and which is usually resultant in cutting into the struck
vessel to such an extent as to jeopardize its floatibility, and to effect such object
by applying to the stem of the vessel means by which the energy of its impact
may be distributed over a relatively large area as compared with that of the stem,
whereby the destructive effect of the blow will be correspondingly lessened and
the liability of the ship struck being cut into or seriously damaged will be corre-
spondingly reduced, so or to such extent that either no material damage will be
done thereto or the injury inflicted will be so small as not to put the ship in danger
of sinking.
To this end, the invention consists in the application to the bow or stem end of
a ship or vessel of the following parts in co-operative relation, viz.: an adjustable
platform pivotally attached at its fore end to the fore end of the vessel and ex-
tending rearwardly over the deck; means of lowering and raising the platform
about its pivotal end as a centre so as to lower and maintain it level with the
deck out of operative position, and to raise and maintain it in a forwardly
declined and operative position when the apparatus is required to be used; a
connected series of elastic fenders adapted to rest on the platform when the
latter is lowered to the deck, in position for immediate use when the platform is
raised to its inclined position, and to fit about the ship's stem when in action;
means for maintaining or arresting the fenders in position on the platform,
whether the latter is lowered or is inclined, until the desired moment for releasing
them, and of then releasing them; and means for hauling up the fenders onto
the platform after use; the whole being so combined that, when the vessel is at
anchor, the platform can be lowered to the deck, but when it is at sea, the plat-
form is or can be raised and maintained in its sloping position, so as to maintain
the fenders in position for immediate action in the case of an impending collision,
requiring only the means detaining them to be released, whereupon they will
automatically slide down the platform in front of and so as to cover and surround
the ship's stem, and offer their extended and cushioning surface to the vessel
with which the collision is made.
The apparatus may conveniently be constructed as hereinafter described with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Fig. 1, represents an elevation, showing the fenders, in full lines, as supported
on the platform in position for being lowered into action, and, in dotted lines,
as lowered into position for action;
Fig. 2, represents a plan, showing the fenders in position for action; and
Fig. 3, represents a section on A-B, Fig. 1.
a represents the platform which may be constructed of side rails each con-
sisting of a pair of bars between which a series of antifriction rollers, a¹, are
mounted and serve to support the fenders, b. The fore end of the platform is
pivotally connected at c, to the ship's stem, c', and its rear end is connected at d,
to a fork, d, which engages with a screw,, set in a socket, ³, on the ship's
deck, c, and by the turning of which screw the platform can be raised or lowered
as required.
The fenders, b, may each be made with an iron or other suitable metal parti-
cylindrical or sectoral lining, (vide Fig. 3,) having its ends, 62, bent outwardly
to locate elastic sectoral rings or bands, 63, which are secured to and externally
of the lining, 61, and serve to enlarge the area of impact and to correspondingly
diminish the force of the blow. These sectoral bands can be applied to the
fenders in several rows or thicknesses, and can be formed of or covered with hemp,
matting or other suitable material serving to render the impact of the fenders
elastic and to aid in diminishing the force of the blow. Wooden cushions, 6*,

page_text: shaped to the ship's stem are fitted to the inner side of the lining, 61, and aid in
distributing the blow and also serve to maintain the position of the fenders
against and around the ship's stem.
Any required number of such fenders may be used according to the size of the
vessel to which they are applied, the fenders being connected together by flat
chains, 65, adapted to rest on the platform anti-friction rollers, a¹, and the rear
ends of the chains being connected to other chains, e, which pass to the drum, e¹,
of a windlass, e², fixed on the ship's deck and by which the fenders can be lowered
into and raised out of operative position.
The fenders are normally detained by a catch, f, which is pivotted at f¹, to
the platform, u, and is normally held in position by a detent, f, which, by a
cord, f, from the bridge or elsewhere convenient, can instantly be released, so
as to release the catch and the fenders.
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:
-
In anti-collision apparatus for ships and vessels:
In combination; an adjustable platform pivotally attached at its fore end to
the stem of the vessel and extending rearwardly over the deck; means of lowering
and raising the platform about its pivotal end as a centre so as to lower and
maintain it level with the deck out of operative position, and, to raise and main-
tain it in a forwardly declined and operative position when the apparatus
is required to be used; a connected series of elastic fenders adapted to rest on
the platform when the latter is lowered to the deck, in position for immediate
use when the platform is raised to its inclined position, and to fit about the ship's
stem when in action; means for maintaining or arresting the fenders in position
on the platform; until the desired moment for releasing them, and of then releas-
ing them; and means for hauling up the fenders onto the platform after use;
the whole being adapted to co-operate as set forth.
1000
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.