APPLIANCES FOR STOPPING HOLES MADE BY COLLISION OR OTHER CAUSES IN SHIPS OR SIMILAR VESSELS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Richardson of North Shields in the County of
Northumberland Salvage Diver and Contractor for an Invention of
APPLIANCES FOR STOPPING HOLES MADE BY COLLISION OR OTHER CAUSES IN
SHIPS OR SIMILAR VESSELS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Richardson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th September 1883.
JOSEPH RICHARDSON of North Shields in the County of Northumberland,
Salvage Diver and Contractor, " APPLIANCES FOR STOPPING HOLES MADE BY
COLLISION OR OTHER CAUSES IN SHIPS OR SIMILAR VESSELS"
This
Upon
I construct a sheet " pad of such dimension in width to cover, with ample
margin, any hole likely to be made and of sufficient length to extend from above
the water line round the bilge and to the keel of the ship, if necessary.
"pad" may be of any suitable flexible and strong material, but I
it of a sheet or sheets of india rubber next the side of ship with one, two or
to make
propose
more plies of strong canvas outside and, either between the india rubber sheet
and the first ply of canvas, or between the plies of canvas, a border piece projecting
round the sides and the bottom of the "
pad of thin india rubber sheet.
the outer surface of the "pad" I fix, either by rivetting through the canvas plies
and through the india rubber sheet or otherwise, a number of stiffening bars,
across the "pad," at intervals, over its length, which I prefer to make of half tubes,
with edges next "pad," of steel or iron flattened at the ends where rivetted to
"pad." The upper end of this "pad" is fitted with hand ropes by which it may
be lowered over the side from the deck and secured when in proper position and a
rope is attached to the bottom corners which may be taken under the keel and
round the ship to prevent the "pad" from shifting. When thus secured over the
hole in ship the projecting border piece serves to close any open space which may
exist between the "pad" and skin of ship caused by indentation or bulging of the
plates round edges of the hole. The "pad" is carried rolled up with the india
rubber sheets outwards and the hand ropes coiled around it, and takes up very
D

page_text: little
space.
When required for use two or three hands lift it over the bulwarks
(over the position of leak) and let it unroll itself when the inrush of the water
forces it close up to the skin of ship (its flexibility adapting it to any curve of the
bilge or other part) and when once in close contact it is held by the pressure of
the water. The operation of conveying the rolled "pad" to any part of the deck,
unrolling it and lowering it over the hole so as to stop any serious inflow, will not
occupy more than a minute or two and the further securing can be proceeded with
at leisure. For all ordinary cases the leak is now effectually closed to save the
ship, but it may be considered desirable to further secure the "pad" by ropes,
When the leak has been
passed from the deck over it and round the ship.
effectually closed and it is desired to continue the voyage to some port convenient
for repairing the damage I propose to apply outside the "pad" a strengthening
"shield" to protect it from the force of the waves constructed of one or more
plies of strong canvas of rather greater width than the "pad" and of the same
length, and having its edges bound with rope. Across the canvas, at intervals
corresponding with the spaces between the bars on pad, are cross bars (preferably
of hard wood) properly secured to the canvas by rivets or bolts and having their
This "shield" is fitted with
edges and ends rounded to avoid cutting the canvas.
ropes to secure it in position and with guide lines, and being unrolled over the
pad" the cross bars adjust themselves to the spaces between those on "pad" the
rope binding pressing on the flexible bordering and the "shield" being made fast
by ropes from bulwarks may be hauled tight against the "pad" by a rope passing
under the keel and round the other side of ship and there secured. As a further
security against the fore and aft movement ropes may be passed down over each
side of the "shield" (which is provided with studs to guide and keep the ropes in
position) and passed round the ship and the "pad" is now so effectually protected
that the ship may proceed on her voyage,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Richardson in the Patent Office on the 24th March 1884.
JOSEPH RICHARDSON of North Shields in the County of Northumberland
Salvage Diver and Contractor APPLIANCES FOR STOPPING HOLES MADE BY
COLLISION OR OTHER CAUSES IN SHIPS OR SIMILAR VESSELS
"
I construct a sheet "pad of such dimension in width as to cover, with ample
margin, any hole likely to be made and of sufficient length to extend from above
the water line round the bilge and to the keel of the ship if necessary. This
"pad" may be of any suitable flexible and strong material, but I propose to make
it of two or more plies of strong canvas next the side of ship and between the
plies of canvas, a border piece, projecting round the sides and the bottom of the
pad," of thin india rubber sheet. Upon the outer surface of the "pad" I fix
either by rivetting through the canvas plies and through the india rubber sheet
or otherwise, a number of stiffening bars across the "pad" at intervals over its
length which I prefer to make of half tubes with edges next "pad" of steel or iron
flattened at the ends where rivetted to "pad" The upper end of this "pad" is
fitted with band ropes by which it may be lowered over the side from the deck
6

page_text: "
"
and secured when in proper position and a rope is attached to the bottom corners
which may be taken under the keel and round the ship to prevent the "pad" from
shifting. When thus secured over the hole in ship the projecting border piece of
thin India rubber serves to close any open space which may exist between the
"pad" and skin of ship caused by indentation or bulging of the plates round edges
of the hole. The "pad" is carried rolled up and the hand ropes coiled around it,
and takes up very little space.
When required for use two or three hands lift it
over the bulwarks (over the position of leak) and let it unroll itself when the
inrush of the water forces it close up to the skin of ship (its flexibility adapting
it to any curve of the bilge or other part) and when once in close contact it is
held by the pressure of the water. The operation of conveying the rolled " pad
to any part of the deck unrolling it and lowering it over the hole so as to stop any
serious inflow, will not occupy more than a minute or two and the further securing
can be proceeded with at leisure. For all ordinary cases the leak is now effectually
closed to save the ship but it may be considered desirable to further secure the
pad" by ropes, passed from the deck over it and round the ship. When the leak
has been effectually closed and it is desired to continue the voyage to some port
convenient for repairing the damage, I propose to apply outside the "pad
a strengthening "shield" to protect it from the force of the waves constructed
of one or more plies of strong canvas of rather greater width than the "pad" and
of the same length and having its edges bound with rope. Across the canvas at
intervals corresponding with the spaces between the bars on pad, are cross bars
formed of half round tubes of steel or iron with their open sides outward properly
secured to the canvas by rivets or bolts their edges being slightly turned so as to
avoid cutting the canvas. This shield is fitted with ropes to secure it in position
and with guide lines, and being unrolled over the pad the cross bars adjust
themselves to the spaces between. those on pad the rope binding pressing on the
flexible bordering and the shield being made fast by ropes from bulwarks may be
hauled tight against the "pad" by a rope passing under the keel and round the
other side of the ship and there secured. As a further security against the fore
and aft movement ropes may be passed down over each side of the shield (which
is provided with eyelet studs to guide and keep the ropes in position) and passed
round the ship and the " pad is now so effectually protected that the ship may
proceed on her voweve
"
"
Figures 1 and 2 show the pad P unrolled as it appears when in contact with
side of ship looking on back, the projecting border showing the thin india-rubber
which adapts itself to any inequalities of skin of ship round the hole; at the
top the guiding and securing guy ropes are shown, and at bottom the tail rope
to be carried by a messenger under the keel and secured at opposite side of
ship.
Figures 3 and 4 show the shield S unrolled as it appears when applied over the
pad P looking on back, with guy ropes at top and tail ropes at bottom, the former
being made fast to bulwarks and the latter taken round the ship by a messenger
and made fast at opposite side. These ropes are attached to eyelets formed at
corners by the rope which binds the canvas of the Shield and additional guy
or stay ropes are attached at intermediate points to further secure the shield.
Through each of the transverse half tubes a a hooked stud b projects for the
purpose of receiving and keeping in position the binding ropes, which are passed
over the shield and round the ship for further securing the shield permanently
Figure 5 shows a perspective sectional view of a ship's side cut into by collision
from the bulwarks downward, with the pad P handled by two sailors ready for
unrolling, which is effected by a slip line c (which fastens the strap 8) being pulled
when the weight of the pad at once unrolls it, the slip line being held by one of
the hands as shown

page_text: Figure 6 shows the pad P completely unrolled, and the top guy ropes made fast
to bulwark. The hole is now covered by the pad, the flexibility of which causes
it to be pressed against the ship round the hole, and any very serious inrush
of water is stopped. While this has been in progress a messenger line has
been passed over bow of ship and worked aft, and is now ready to be attached to
the tail rope and to carry it round ship to be secured. The shield S is now applied
by passing the top corner rope of the pad through each of the eyelet loops of the
shield before it is unrolled, by which means it unrolls so that the cross half tubes a
come in between the transverse stays X on back of pad
Figure 7 shows both pad and shield in position over hole, and both completely
secured by guy ropes to bulwarks, tail ropes from pad and shield round ship, and
binding ropes from bulwark over shield (guided by the hook studs b) and round
the ship to opposite side and there secured
Figure 8 shows the pad and shield fixed over a hole made in or near the bilge
of ship on a reef or other hidden danger
Figure 9 shows the pad and shield applied to stop a hole made in stem of ship
by collision. In this case the pad and shield are both kept in position vertically
by a rope over stem of ship, the top and bottom ropes being taken away well aft,
and made fast to bulwarks at each side,
In cases of vessels stranded or sunk and to be floated the Pad can be easily
applied over the fractured part and secured in position when the water can be
pumped out
Having now fully described my invention and illustrated the modes in which
it may be practically applied in different cases I declare what I consider novel and
claim as my invention secured to me by Letters Patent to be,
1 The construction of a pad" of flexible material strengthened by cross bars
and made water-tight at ends and sides by a border piece of India rubber; and
the mode of application of the same for the purposes set forth substantially as
shewn and described
2nd The construction and mode of application of a protecting "Shield" to be used
in conjunction with and auxiliary to a watertight "pad" for the purposes set forth
substantially as shewn and described
In witness whereof I the said Joseph Richardson have hereunto set iny hand
and seal this twenty second day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four
Witness:
T. J. DANSON F Inst P. Agents.
Consulting Engineer
Newcastle upon Tyne
JOSEPH MICHARDSUN (L.B.)