OR IMPROVED MARINE BUFFERS FOR STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS FOR PREVENTING LOSS OF - AD NATT&G "
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Smith and William Allan, of Greenwich,
in the County of Kent, and Samuel Johnson, of Stainsby Road, in
the County of Essex, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED
MARINE BUFFERS FOR STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS FOR PREVENTING LOSS OF
-
AD
NATT&G "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Smith, William
Allan, and Samuel Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 2nd October 1875.
We, JOHN SMITH and WILLIAM ALLAN, of Greenwich, in the County
of Kent, and SAMUEL JOHNSON, of Stainsby Road, in the County of
Essex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "New
OB IMPROVED MARINE BUFFERS FOR STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS FOR PREVENTING
Loss OF LIFE AND PROPERTY BY COLLISIONS AT SEA OR IN NAVIGABLE WATERS," to
be as follows :-
Buffers constructed according to our Invention will resist the greatest

page_text: each buffer consists of four or any convenient number of iron pipes
placed in the bows of the ship, two (when four is the number) at each
side of the stem, fitted with stuffing boxes inside. These pipes act as
guides for four or more round iron shafts covered with gun metal, and
connected with a large square iron plate, at back of which is placed
steel or other springs, then plates of india-rubber, compressed cotton, or
other elastic substance, an iron plate being interposed as found con-
venient. The first effects of a shock is taken up by the steel or other
springs, then conveyed to the india-rubber or other elastic substance,
when the ship is gradually stopped without making an indent in her
sister's side.
Outside of the ship and connected to the four (or other number)
iron bars is a head shaped as a fender; this is also composed of an iron
plate covered with wood and rubber, and can be unshipped at will, and
also put in place again in a short time simply by letting it drop into the
dovetails cut in the ends of the four bars to receive it.
The entire apparatus can be run out to 10, 12, or 14 feet from the
stem of the ship by means of a small capstan placed on deck, suitable
wheels and screws for running it in and out being placed below the
deck.
The bars, cross plates, springs, and all running parts work insido iron
girders, which are connected to the ship's stem plates above the water
line. These girders will carry all the strain of the springs, having no
connection to the ship below the water line.
When the apparatus is run out it is kept out by large cutters going
right through the girders. When required to draw in the cutter is taken
out and the capstan worked the reverse way. When the whole is
screwed back it will lie snug against the ship's stem, and offer no
obstruction, as everything is above the water. It requires no attention,
as the most ignorant sailor can run it out and back by turning the
capstan.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Smith, William Allan, and Samuel Johnson,
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
SMITH and WILLIAM ALLAN, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent,
and SAMUEL JOHNSON, of Stainsby Road, in the County of Essex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John Smith, William Allan, and
Samuel Johnson, Her special licence that we, the said John Smith,
William Allan, and Samuel Johnson, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Smith, William Allan,
and Samuel Johnson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED MARINE BUFFERS FOR
STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS FOR PREVENTING Loss OF LIFE AND PROPERTY BY
COLLISIONS AT SEA OR IN NAVIGABLE WATERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said John Smith, William Allan, and Samuel
Johnson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Smith, William Allan,
and Samuel Johnson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
Buffers constructed according to our Invention will resist great blows
without making a hole or leak in the ship which they strike, and such a

page_text: buffer consists of four or any convenient number of iron pipes placed in
the bows of the ship, two (when four is the total number) at each side
of the stern, fitted with stuffing boxes inside. These pipes act as guides
for four or more round iron shafts (which may be covered with gun metal)
and connected with a large square iron plate, at back of which are
placed steel or other springs, then plates of india-rubber, compressed
cotton, or other elastic substance, an iron plate being interposed as found
convenient. The shock being taken up by the steel or other springs is
then conveyed to the india-rubber or other elastic substance, when the
ship is gradually stopped without making an indent in her sister's
side.
Outside of the ship and connected to the four or other number of
iron bars is a head shaped as a fender; this is also composed of an
iron plate covered with wood and rubber and can be unshipped at will,
and also put in place again in a short time simply by letting it drop into
the dovetails cut in the ends of the four bars to receive it.
The entire apparatus can be run out to ten, twelve, or fourteen feet
from the stem of the ship by means of a small capstan placed on deck,
suitable wheels and screws for running it in and out being placed
below the deck.
The bars, cross plates, springs, and all running parts work inside iron
girders or case, which are connected to the ship's stem plates above the
water line. These girders or case will carry all the strain of the springs,
having no connection to the ship below the water line.
When the apparatus is run out it can be kept out by large cutters
going right through the girders. When required to draw in the cutter
is taken out and the capstan worked the reverse way. When the whole
is screwed back it will lie snug against the ship's stem and offer no
obstruction, as everything is above the water. It requires no attention,
as the most ignorant sailor can run it out and back by turning the
capstan.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and intimated generally in what manner the same is to be per-
formed or carried out in practice, we will now, aided by the accom-
panying Drawings, proceed to further and particularly describe and
ascertain in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, that is to say :-

page_text: a hole left in the plate D. The chain then passes round pulleys / to the
barrel N of winch, actuated by capstan K by bevel gearing, and thence
over pulleys n, n, to the other end of rod M, to which it is secured in
same manner as at other end.
The buffers may be applied at the sides as well as at the bows of the
ship.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice, we hereby declare that we claim
the Invention of "New or Improved Marine Buffers for Steam and
other Vessels for Preventing Loss of Life and Property by Collisions at
Sea or in Navigable Waters," substantially as the same is herein-before
set forth and described, and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Smith, William Allan, and
Samuel Johnson, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this
Thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
JOHN SMITH.
W. ALLAN.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)
SAMUEL JOHNSON. (L.S.)