Improved Means of Distributing Oil upon Water from a Ship or Boat to Protect the same.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 189,
I NOVIDIUNAL OF FUIFICATION.
Improved Means of Distributing Oil upon Water from a Ship or
Boat to Protect the same.
I, METHUSELAH BROOKS of Billington, near Whalley, in the County of
Lancaster, Artist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The use of oil for smoothing the waves of a rough or angry sea is well known.
The calming effect is said to be produced by the viscosity or adhesiveness of the
oil, which forms into a skin or thin film, and spreading over the more unstable
surface of the water, restrains or checks it from breaking into a spray, the danger
to ships or boats in consequence of the waves breaking being thereby averted.
Hitherto, the oil has been distributed upon the surface of the water by means of
bags containing oakum or other absorbent material soaked or saturated with oil
and pierced with holes, which bags are hauled down the side of the vessel, the oil
gradually exuding therefrom on the surface of the water.
This is a very crude and cumbersome process, and the object of the present
invention is to improve upon this not altogether efficient process, and provide an
arrangement of apparatus, whereby I am enabled to spread or distribute oil from
any particular part or from all sides of the vessel at pleasure in a speedy and
efficient manner not hitherto accomplished.
In carrying out my invention, I construct a tank in the hold or bottom of the
vessel filled with oil, and if desired divided into any number of compartments by
partitions (one compartment however communicating with another) so that the
centre of gravity will not be affected by the rolling of the vessel; or instead, a
series of tanks may be employed as thought expedient. From this tank or
tanks may proceed one or more side tubes provided with stop cocks, and com-
municating with a discharge or outlet tube or spray producer carried all round
the sides of the vessel, and pierced with a number of holes at any desired
distance apart; or tubes may proceed from the tank and be carried to any
convenient part of the vessel, from which may extend side tubes, with sprinklers
or spray producers fixed at their extremity, which come just outside the vessel,
and may be protected from damage by any suitable means. These sprinklers or
spray producers and tubes like the preceding are fitted with stop cocks, so that any
one of them or any number of them can be brought into operation as desired.
The oil cistern or tank at the bottom of the vessel may serve as a ballast tank.
The oil may be forced therefrom through the tubes and sprinklers or spray
producers by means of hydraulic, steam or air pressure or other power, or it may
depend solely upon natural gravitation for its egress.
In very small boats the seat may form the oil tank or cisteru, from which the oil
may be ejected through pierced tubes or sprinklers by means of a small air pump
or other appliance.
The discharge pipes or sprinklers may be filled with an absorbent to permit of
the gradual discharge of the oil on the surface of the water.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1802.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.

page_text: Improved Means of Distributing Oil upon Water from a Ship or
Boat to Protect the same.
1, METHUSELAH BROOKS of Billington, near Whalley, in the County of
Lancaster, Artist, 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 use of oil for smoothing the waves of a rough sea is well known. The
calming effect is said to be produced by the viscosity or adhesiveness of the oil,
which forms into a skin or thin film, and spreading over the more unstable surface
of the water restrains or checks it from breaking into a spray, the danger to ships
or boats in consequence of the waves breaking being thereby averted. Hitherto,
the oil has been distributed upon the surface of the water by means of bags
containing oakum or other absorbent material soaked or saturated with oil and
pierced with holes, which bags are hauled down the side of the vessel the oil
gradually exuding therefrom on the surface of the water.
This is a very crude and cumbersome process, and the object of the present
invention is to improve upon this not altogether efficient process, and provide an
arrangement of apparatus, whereby I am enabled to spread or distribute oil from
any particular part or from all sides of the vessel at will in a speedy and efficient
manner not hitherto accomplished.
In carrying out my invention, I construct a tank in the hold or bottom of the
vessel, filled with oil, and if desired divided into any number of compartments by
partitions (one compartment however communicating with another) so that the
centre of gravity will not be affected by the rolling of the vessel; or instead, a
series of tanks may be employed as thought expedient. From this tank or tanks
may proceed one or more side tubes provided with stop-cocks, and communicating
with a discharge or outlet tube or spray producer. carried all round the sides of the
vessel, and pierced with a number of holes at any desired distance apart; or tubes
may proceed from the tank and be carried to any convenient part of the vessel,
from which may extend side tubes, with sprinklers or spray producers fixed at
their extremity, which come just outside the vessel, and may be protected from
damage by any suitable means. These sprinklers or spray producers and tubes
like the preceding are fitted with stop-cocks, so that any one of them, or any
number of them can be brought into operation as desired.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a plan view, and
Fig. 2 a side elevation of a ship provided with apparatus for distributing oil
constructed in accordance with my invention.
A is the tank in the hold or bottom of the vessel containing oil. The said tank
is preferably divided into compartments-six are shewn in Fig. 1 by diaphragms or
partitions B, each compartment having a passage C leading into the one adjoining,
so that the oil may flow from one compartment to another, and yet the centre of
gravity will remain unaffected by the rolling of the vessel. It will be evident that
instead of dividing the tank A into compartments by partitions as described, a
From the
series of tanks may be employed, one communicating with another.
tank A are carried tubes C₁, one at each side, which are brought forward through
the forecastle on to the upper deck, and lead into the side tubes D fixed all round
the sides of the vessel. These latter tubes D are pierced with holes E at any
desired distance apart, by means of which the oil is gradually distributed on the
surface of the water, when and as required. Stop cocks or valves F regulate the
flow of oil so that it may be distributed from any particular part or from all sides
of the vessel at will.

page_text: In the fore-part of the vessel are also additional supply tubes G, which feed the
sprinklers, spreaders or oil distributors H, through the medium of side tubes I
provided with stop cocks or valves F, whereby any particular spreader or oil
distributor or any number of them may be brought into requisition or their supply
cut off. The oil cistern or tank at the bottom of the vessel may serve as a ballast
tank. The oil may be forced therefrom through the tubes and sprinklers or
spreaders by means of hydraulic, steam or air pressure or other power, or it may
depend solely upon natural gravitation for its egress.
In very small boats, the seat may form the oil tank or cistern, from which the
oil may be ejected through pierced tubes or sprinklers by means of a small pump or
other appliance.
The discharge pipes and sprinklers may be filled with an absorbent to permit of
the gradual discharge of the oil on the surface of the water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The improved means of and apparatus for distributing oil from a ship or boat
to protect the same, substantially as described, and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.
2. Tank or tanks A either with or without partitions B, tubes C, D and H
(provided with stop cocks or valves) and spreaders or oil distributors I, and means
for forcing the oil through the said tubes and spreaders, substantially as shewn and
described.
Dated this 28th day of February 1894.
F. RICHMOND,
79, St. James Street, Burnley, Agent for the Applicant.