An Improved Apparatus for Speedily Arresting the Progress of Ships or other Vessels, and, in the case of Unavoidable Collision, to Lessen the Result of same.
Year: 1884

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Speedily Arresting the Progress of
Ships or other Vessels, and, in the case of Unavoidable
Collision, to Lessen the Result of same.
LEONARD APPLETON 18 Brecknock Crescent Camden Road London N.W.,
Commercial Clerk do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SPEEDILY ARRESTING THE PROGRESS OF SHIPS OR OTHER
VESSELS, AND IN THE CASE OF UNAVOIDABLE COLLISION TO LESSEN THE RESULT
OF SAME, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby Ships or other Vessels,
even when under full headway, may be quickly stopped to avoid collision or other
disaster, and in the case of unavoidable collision to mitigate the result of the
concussion.
The invention consists of a shield, or brake of Iron, Steel, or any other suitable
material, made in the same shape as the upper bow part of the bull of the Ship, or
Vessel, from about the water-line to the top of deck, or thereabouts, pivoted at
about the waterline. When not required to be put in action it accomodates itself
closely against the two sides of the hull; when in use, the shield, or brake, is made
to fall, turning on the pivot and falling in an inverted position, presenting a reverse
frontage, and offering great resistance to the progress of the Ship or Vessel, and
enabling the speed to be instantly checked and the vessel stopped in a very short
distance.
The shield, or brake need not be in one piece, but may be made to expand and
offer still greater resistance, by constructing it in the form of a hinge, or a series of
hinges, which are prevented from opening too far by chains, braces, catches, or stays.
In the case of anchor holes' being very near the 'cutwater' or front of vessel,
partly corresponding openings can be made in the shield or brake, with flaps which
will fall and cover the said openings when under water. The shield, or brake can
be let down and pulled up by chains, but I prefer a cylinder with springs fastened
on the deck, or in any part of the bow between that and the waterline, the spring
causing the cylinder to jut beyond the front of the ship or vessel, this cylinder
also serves the purpose of a buffer, as by increasing the number of springs and
consequently the strength, a very heavy shock might be broken, this cylinder or
D

page_text: buffer I use for the purpose of pushing forward the shield or brake, which then falls,
and takes its position by its own weight, and the impetus given by the buffer. The
appliances for raising and lowering the shield, or brake, are chains, ropes, or cables,
fastened to a windlass, with a ratchet arrangement, the chain, rope, or cable passing
along, or through the buffer, and communicating with the shield or brake, which is
drawn up by turning the windlass, this pulls it up as far as the buffer, and the
windlass kept turning pulls the buffer, and the shield or brake flush, or nearly flush
with the hull. To the pawl of the windlass is fixed a smaller chain, or other suitable
connection communicating with the 'bridge,' 'pilot house,' or any other suitable
"look out" position on the vessel, this upon being pulled releases the ratchet, and
the buffer, and shield or brake take their positions at once. Although I have used
the word springs, for pushing out the cylinder I do not wish to confine myself to
any special kind of buffer, it may be worked by air, water, spring, indiarubber, or
any of the well known kinds of buffers. The shield or brake may be made quite
plain and painted same as ship, or may take the form of a figure head, or any other
design, provided arrangement can be made for the catches and stays to keep shield
or brake in position.

page_text: I, LEONARD APPLETON, of 18 Brecknock Crescent, Camden Road, London, N.W.,
Commercial Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SPEEDILY ARRESTING THE PROGRESS OF SHIPS OR OTHER
VESSELS AND, IN THE CASE OF UNAVOIDABLE COLLISION TO LESSEN THE RESULT
"
OF SAME and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby ships or vessels, even
when under full headway, may be quickly stopped to avoid collision, or other
disaster, and in the case of unavoidable collision to lessen the result of the
concussion.
The invention consists of a shield or brake of iron, steel, or other suitable
material made of a similar shape to the upper part of the bow of the ship or vessel
and extending from about the waterline to the top of the deck or sides of the vessel
or thereabouts and pivoted to the bow at about the waterline; when not required
to be put in action it fits closely against the two sides of the hull; when in use
however the shield or brake is caused to turn on the said pivot and fall in an
inverted position and present its reverse side to the front and thereby offer great
resistance to the progress of the ship or vessel and enable the speed to be instantly
checked and the vessel to be stopped in a very short distance.
The shield or brake may be made in one piece or it may be made to expand or
open out and offer still greater resistance by constructing it in two parts provided.
with a hinge or a series of hinges the said parts being prevented from opening out
too far by means of chains, braces, catches or stays.
In the case of the lawse holes being very near the "cutwater" or front of the
vessel corresponding openings can be made in the shield or brake with flaps which
will fall and cover the said openings when the shield or brake is under water.
a
The shield can be let down and pulled up by chains but I prefer employing a
cylinder with springs attached thereto and fastened to the deck or to any part of
the bow between the bow and the waterline, the springs operating in such a
manner as to cause the cylinder to project beyond the front of the ship or vessel
when they are released so as to force forward the shield or brake which then falls.
and takes its position by its own weight and the impetus given by the cylinder.
The means for raising and lowering the shield or brake consist of a chain or
chains, ropes or cables fastened to a windlass provided with a ratchet and pawl
arrangement; the said chain, rope, or cable passes along or through the cylinder
and is attached to the shield or brake which is drawn up by operating the windlass
until it meets the cylinder when by continuing to operate the windlass the cylinder
will be drawn inwards the springs will be in tension and the shield or brake be
brought flush or nearly flush with the hull of the vessel. To the pawl of the.
windlass is fixed a chain or the like communicating with the “bridge," "pilot.

page_text: house or other suitable "look out" position on the vessel; by pulling the said
chain or the like the ratchet will be released and the cylinder and shield or brake
take their positions at once.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to
describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1, is
a plan of a vessel with my improved apparatus for arresting the progress of the
vessel and lessening the effects of a collision applied thereto; figure 2, is an elevation,
figure 3, an elevation partly in section and figure 4, a front view of the same the
shield or brake being shewn in its raised position; figure 5 is a similar view to
figure 4, but shewing the shield or brake in its lowered position. Similar letters
in all the figures represent similar parts.
a, is the shield or brake of iron, steel or other suitable material inade as shewn
in figure 1, in two parts and of a similar shape to the upper part of the bow of the
vessel and extending from about the water line to the top of the sides of the vessel;
b, is the pivot on the bow at about the water line on which the shield or brake is
turned when required for use; c, are the hinges on which the two parts of the
shield or brake move when being expanded or opened out when required for use;
the dotted line at d, d, in figure 5, represents the chain or the like attached to the
two parts of the shield or brake at e, e, for preventing the said parts from opening
out too far as they meet the resistance of the water when lowered for use as in
figure 5. ff, are the openings in the shield or brake corresponding with the hawse
holes g, g, of the vessel and h, h, are the flaps pivotted at i, i, in such a manner as
to leave the bawse holes open when the shield or brake is embracing the bow of
the vessel as shewn in figures 2, and 4, but which will fall into position to cover
the openings f. f, in the shield or brake when the latter is under water or in its
lowered position as in figured 5; j, is the cylinder sliding within another cylinder j',
for projecting forward the shield or brake and k, k, are the springs one end of each
of which is attached thereto for that purpose at 1, 1, the other ends being attached
at m, m, to the outer cylinder (or the ends m, of the springs k, can be attached
to any other suitable part of the bow of the vessel); n, is the chain or the like for
raising the shield or brake out of the water, the said chain is attached to the
windlass o, and passes through the cylinder j, and is attached at a', to the shield or
brake a; p, is the ratchet upon the windlass; q,.is the pawl engaging with the
ratchet pr, is the chain or the like attached to the pawl q, and communicating
with any suitable part of the vessel such as the bridge, pilot house, or other "look
out" position and serving to release the windlass when required to lower the shield
or brake; b¹, b¹, are chains forming stays for ensuring the two parts of the shield
or brake being kept in position when in the water.
To make use of an apparatus of this construction in case of approaching danger
the parts of the apparatus being in the position shewn in figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, in
order to arrest the progress of the vessel it is merely necessary for the officer on the
"look out," or other person, to pull the chain r, or the like so as to release the
pawl q, from the ratchet p, when the springs k, being thereby released from tension
will recoil and project the cylinder j, forward so as to force the shield or brake to
take such an angle to the bow of the vessel as that it will fall by its own weight
into the water and assume the position shewn in figure 5, and in dotted lines in
figures 1, and 2, the resistance of the water immediately opening the two parts of
the shield or brake to the full extent allowed by the chain d, or the like; it will
thus be seen that a considerable extent of surface will be presented by the shield or
brake a, which will form such a resistance to the water as to speedily arrest the
progress of the vessel; the shield or brake is then again drawn up into its raised
position by operating the windlass o, which will then haul in the chain n, at the
same time putting the springs k, again in tension. The cylinder j, may also be
made to serve the purpose of a buffer in case of unavoidable collision by increasing
the number and strength of the springs h, whereby a very severe shock could be
broken as will be well understood.

page_text: Although I have described the use of springs for forcing forward the cylinder j,
I do not confine myself to any special means for operating the cylinder or buffer j,
as it is obvious that it may be operated by means of air, water, spring india rubber
or any suitable known moans employed in the construction of buffers.
The shield or brake a, can be made quite plain and be painted similarly to the
vessel or it can be made in the form of a figure head or of other design provided
proper provision be made for the chains, catches, stays, or the like to keep the
shield or brake a, in position.
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 construction and application to the bows of ships or vessels of a shield
or brake for arresting the progress of the same the said shield or brake being
adapted to closely embrace the sides thereof when not in use and to be automatically
lowered into the water by releasing the same by any suitable means when required
to arrest the progress of the vessel substantially as hereinbefore described.
(2.) In apparatus for arresting the progress of ships or vessels the combination
with a pivotted shield or brake constructed as described of a cylinder operated by
springs or the like for forcing forward the shield or brake and held in tension by a
chain or its equivalent substantially as and for the purposes herein before described
and represented in the accompanying drawing.
(3.) The improved apparatus for arresting the progress of ships or other vessels
and for breaking the shock caused by collision as heroinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 19th day of January 1885,
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.