Improved Appliances and Fittings Connected with the Bilge and Main Water Spaces and Pumps of Ships and other Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1886:
Complete Left, 1st Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 1st. Feb., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Appliances and Fittings Connected with the Bilge and
Main Water Spaces and Pumps of Ships and other Vessels.
1, WILLIAM STEPHENSON, of 8 Mount Street West, in the city and county of
Aberdeen, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to the construction and arrangement of certain new or
improved appliances and fittings to the main and bilge water spaces, between the
fraines and under the floors of steam and other ships or vessels and near the space
from which the pumps draw the water; the object of my improvements being to
separate from the water small coal, ashes, and all other dirt or heavy materials, as also
chips of wood or other floating or moving matters. At present these heavy obstructing
matters roll about in the said water spaces across the lower part of the ship between
the frames and the lighter matters float about in the water until, by the rolling and
pitching of the ship and the motion of the water, they find their way to the suction
pipe of the pumps, with the result that during rough weather these pipes become
choked and the pumps unworkable at the very time they are most required.
The nature and novelty of my invention consist, first, in securing within the said
transverse water spaces between the frames of the ship under the Hoors, (near to or
on each side of the spaces from which the pumps draw the water), short division plates
or partitions in the longitudinal direction, preferably some little distance from the
beginning of the bilge curves on opposite sides. These division plates would
preferably be angled inwards at the top towards midship on opposite sides, and they
would have deep broad hanging flat or flap valves or shutters in them, jointed near the
top and reaching down to the bottom of the water space, or other equivalents which
would open out automatically by the rolling or listing of the ship on the lee or deeply
immersed side, and allow the said moving heavy matters to pass through into a
receiving and collecting space beyond the valves, which would always shut by the
rising and righting of the ship and retain the said heavy obstructing matters in these
side collecting chambers, until removed by hand through manholes, hatches, or lids for
the purpose in the floors or inner lining over the water-ways. Perforations would be
formed through the said automatically acting valves or through the sides of the

page_text: collecting chambers to allow of the free passage or return of the water over the heavier
materials trapped in them into the water-ways or compartments at the side of the
receiving chambers and their cross water-ways. These side water-ways or chambers
would be closed-off and would lead the water clear of the obstructing matters direct
to the pipes of the pumps. The main cross water-ways between the trapping chambers
would thus retain and collect all the water clear of the obstructing matters and lead it
freely to the said cross water ways or chambers to the pump pipes through perforated
side divisions or vertical slide doors, which would retain all wood chips or floating
matters and prevent them passing with the water into the pumps. In an emergency
these perforated divisions or slide doors could be raised by hand screws or levers on
the inside when desired.
A second improvement of my invention consists in closing-in a central compartment
in the cross water-way leading to the suction end of the pump pipes, by cross divisions
or plates, and in fitting in these plates hanging flap or equivalent valves, which would
open inwards to this compartment and to the pump pipe automatically by the action of
the water flowing to the pump and by the rolling of the ship on the rising side, and
shut on the lower side, and so trap all the water in this division chamber from the side
bilges or wings, and thus pump the ship dry while it was rolling in rough weather or
had a list to one side, as well as when sailing steady on an even keel.

page_text: Improved Appliances and Fittings Connected with the Bilge and
Main Water Spaces and Pumps of Ships and other Vessels.
I, WILLIAM STEPHENSON, of 8 Mount Street West, in the City and County of
Aberdeen,, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described, and ascertained in,
and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention has reference to the construction and arrangement of certain new
or improved appliances and fittings for application to the main and bilge water spaces,
between the frames and under the floors of steam and other ships or vessels, and near
the space from which the suction pumps draw the water, the object of my improve-.
ments being to separate from the water small coal, ashes, and all other dirt or heavy
materials, as also chips of wood or other floating or moving matters. At present the
heavy obstructing matters roll about in the said water spaces across the lower part of
the ship between the frames, and the lighter matters float about in the water until, by
the rolling and pitching of the ship and the motion of the water, they find their way
to the suction pipe of the pumps, with the result that during rough weather thesc
pipes become choked and the pumps unworkable at the very time they are most
required.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended an
explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown.
-
Figure 1, is a transverse section on the irregular line 1 1 of Figure 2, of
sufficient of the under part of the keel A, frames and floor B, B1, of a ship or vessel,
to show my improved appliances and fittings connected with the bilge and main water
and
spaces pumps. Figure 2, is a partial plan corresponding to Figure 1, but with
the floor plates removed to show the valves and division chambers below; and
Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 2- 2 on Figure 2, looking
towards the keelson.
---
Referring to these Drawings, the nature and novelty of my said Invention consist,
first, in securing within the transverse water spaces C, C, between the frames B of the
ship under the Hoor B¹ (near to or on each side of the spaces C¹ from which the pumps
draw the water), short division plates or partitions D in the longitudinal direction,
preferably some distance from the beginning of the bilge curves on opposite sides, or
it might be nearer the centre keelson. These division plates D are preferably angled
inwards at the top towards midship on opposite sides, and they have deep broad
hanging flat or flap valves or shutters D' on them, hinged or jointed near the top and
reaching down to the bottom of the water recess or space in the division plates D,-
other equivalents might be used which would open out automatically by the rolling or
listing of the ship on the lee or deeply immersed side,-to allow the said moving heavy
matters to pass through into a receiving and collecting space C² beyond the valves D,
which would always shut by the rising and righting of the ship and retain the said
-ог

page_text: heavy obstructing matters in these side collecting chambers C², until removed by hand
through manholes, hatches, or lids for the purpose in the floors or inner lining B, B¹,
over the water-ways. Perforations d are formed through the said automatically acting
separating valves D', (or it might be through the sides or divisions D or frames B of
the collecting chambers (2) to allow of the free passage or return of the water over
the heavier materials trapped in them, into the water-ways or compartments C, C¹, at
the side of the receiving chambers of their cross water-ways D next to the keelson.
These central water-ways or chambers C are closed-off and lead the water clear of the
obstructing matters direct to the divisions C₁ leading to the pipes of the pumps in the
main central chamber E at the keelson. The main cross water-ways C, C, between the
trapping chambers (and valves D1, would thus retain and collect all the water clear
of the obstructing matters and lead it freely from the said cross water-ways or
chambers C, C to the transverse divisions C and pump pipes, through perforated side
divisions or vertical slide doors b, in the frames B, leading to the water-ways C¹, and
which would retain all wood chips or floating matters and provent them passing-with
the water into the pump divisions C, E, the latter being fitted with close valves E
opening inwards without perforations for retaining the clear water thus separated to
supply the pipes F leading to the pumps, indicated by dotted lines. In an emergency
these perforated divisions or slide doors could be raised by hand screws or levers on
the inside when desired.
A second improvement of my Invention consists in closing-in the central compart-
ment E in the cross water-ways 0, 0, leading to the suction end of the pump pipes F,
by cross divisions or plates E and in fitting in these plates hanging flap or equivalent
close valves E2, angled in the opposite direction to the valves D and D', and which
would open inwards to this compartment F and to the pump pipes F, automatically by
the action of the water flowing to the pump, and by the rolling of the ship on the
rising side, and shut on the lower side, and so trap all the water in this division
chamber E from the side bilges or wings C, C, and thus pump the ship dry while it
was rolling in rough weather, or had a list to one side, as well as when sailing steady
on an even keel.
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 :-
First. In ships or other vessels, the fitting to the bilge and main water spaces in the
floor frames, longitudinal division plates or partitions, with hanging flap or equivalent
valves, having perforated divisions for the passage of water, so as to form chambers
for collecting or trapping small coal, wood chips, or other debris, and leading the
water through separate divisions to the pumps, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In ships or other vessels, the forming of main cross water-ways C¹, C,
between the trapping chambers C, C2, for leading the water to the pump pipes through
perforated side divisions or vertical slide doors b, substantially as herein described,
in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In ships or other vessels, the forming and fitting of a close valve
chamber E, E, with valves E2, for collecting the water to the pump pipes F, near the
centre keelson in the transverse divisions C', C, between the fcor frames B, for
drawing off the water from the separating chambers C3, C2, all substantially as herein
described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.