Improvements in Oil Distributing Apparatus for Calming Waves.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Communicated from abroad by HORACE SEE, Engineer, and GODFREY LYNET
CARDEN, Lieutenant in the United States Revenue Marine, both of No. 1,
Broadway, New York, United States of America.]
Improvements in Oil Distributing Apparatus for Calming Waves.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 invention consists of a device for protecting vessels or other structures
(fixed or floating) in harbours, roadways, or other bodies of water adjacent to land
from the effects of waves. The said device consists substantially of a stationary
source of oil supply, and communicating therewith and conducting the oil therefrom
to the desired point or points, a submarine pipe or pipes provided with flexible
branch pipes for the escape of the oil.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and section showing an arrangement of our device
where a single distributing pipe with numerous branch pipes is used.
Fig. 2 is a similar view in which the oil pipe from the reservoir is shown
connected to a number of branch pipes.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.
A is an oil reservoir preferably placed on shore and at such elevation as to
force the oil by gravity through the distributing pipe or pipes. Instead of such a
tank we may use a force-pump leading from any suitable source of oil supply.
B is a pipe leading from the tank along the bottom of the water-way to the
The flow of oil in said
extreme point at which it is desired to quiet the waves.
pipe is controlled by a regulating valve, H. The pipe is secured by anchors,
preferably of mushroom form, as shown at C. Communicating with the pipe B at
intervals along its length are flexible branch pipes, which may be constructed as
shown at E and F. The pipe F consists of a flexible tube communicating with
the pipe B and supported by a buoy, G. The oil is delivered from this pipe
through an opening situated just below the bottom of the buoy G, so that the oil
escapes nearly at the surface of the water. In order to prevent the strain of the
buoy coming upon the flexible pipe F, we provide one or more chains, L, which
connect the buoy to the anchor C and which are shorter in length than the pipe F.
Another form of flexible pipe is shown at E. This pipe consists of several sections
jointed together and connected to the buoy G and the anchor C by any suitable
form of universal joint. A single chain, L, may here be employed to moor the
buoy to the anchor, and said chain may, if desired, pass through a ring at O on
the pipe E to hold it in line. In localities where there is much floating ice, the
arrangement of flexible pipes shown in Fig. 2 is desirable. Here, from the bottom
of the buoy G projects a rigid pipe, M, to the lower end of which the flexible
pipes E and F are connected. The chains L are attached, as before, to the
anchor C and also to arms at the lower end of the pipe M. The pipe M is made
long enough to reach below any floating ice, and in this way the flexible pipes are
kept out of the path of such ice.
Referring more particularly now to Fig. 2, here the pipe P, which leads from
the oil-tank, communicates with several branch pipes, as B, B". These pipes may
be of unequal length, and each may be provided with a valve, Q, so that the supply

page_text: of oil to each pipe may be regulated at will. As shown in Fig. 2, the branch
pipes E and F are connected to the pipes B and B at the ends of the latter; but
we may arrange many branch pipes on each pipe B1, B¹¹, &c.
The applications of this invention are very numerous. The distributing pipe
from the source of oil supply may be carried along the edge of a reef or bar to
prevent the formation of breakers or surf; or along a breakwater or seawall to
quiet the waves which might injure the structure or render the landing of boats
thereat difficult; or along the bottom of channels to prevent the formation of high
seas therein; or across the mouths of harbours to prevent heavy gales rendering the
water therein rough and dangerous to boats at anchor; or the oil-tank may be
arranged on any moored, floating structure and carried around a coffer dam,
lighthouse foundation, or any other marine building which it is desired to protect
during the process of construction from the effects of the waves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
The device for protecting vessels, structures, shores, banks, or the like, from the
effects of waves hereinbefore described and consisting of a stationary source of oil
supply and a main submarine distributing pipe or pipes leading therefrom, and
flexible branch pipes having oil outlets and supported by buoys or floats.
Dated this 16th day of October 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.