Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th Feb., 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by CLINTON WILEY, Sea Captain, and HENRY CLAY
ROOME, Electrician, both of Jersey, New Jersey, United States of America.]
HOTUS
ՆԵ Hus Ops.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:--
This invention relates to a covering designed to stop a breach or hole in the hull of
a vessel from the outside.
The said covering comprises a piece of strong close fabric preferably canvas, to
which is secured netting, either wire or rope, or any similar material such, for
instance, as perforated metal, the whole being flexible. The netting is secured to the
canvas at the edges, and preferably also, by guy or stay ropes in any convenient
manner. I prefer that the netting shall be in two sections, hinged together by means
of rings, or otherwise at their inner edges, so that the covering will fold at about its
middle, whereby it will fit closely about the bow of a vessel and a number of them
may be packed in a small space. To the covering I fasten, in any suitable manner or
position, securing ropes some of which, when the covering has been lowered into
position over a breach or hole, are passed under the hull of the vessel and brought up
and secured on deck, the others being secured directly upon deck.
The covering and the securing ropes are preferably weighted to facilitate their
sinking in the water, and the edges of the covering may be advantageously provided
with rings or grommets by which two or more of the coverings may be joined
together.
The covering may be of any suitable shape and size, and, if desirable, may be used
to cover small boats on the deck of a vessel."
This covering is exceedingly strong and will not be forced through a breach, or
torn by the weight or force of the water, as is the case where canvas alone is used. It
may be quickly and easily placed in position, and when so placed, is firmly secured
against displacement.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Means for Preventing the Ingress of Water through
Holes in the Hulls of Ships.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London 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:-
This invention relates to a covering designed to stop a breech or hole in the hull of
a vessel from the outside.
The said covering comprises a piece of strong close fabric preferably canvas, to
which is secured netting, either wire or rope, or any similar material such for instance
as perforated metal, the whole being flexible. The netting is secured to the canvas
about the edges, and preferably also, by guy or stay ropes, in any convenient manner.
I prefer that the netting shall be in two sections, hinged together by means of rings,
or otherwise at their inner edges, so that the covering will fold at about its middle,
whereby it will fit closely about the bow of a vessel and a number of them may be
packed in a small space. To the covering I fasten in any suitable manner or position
securing ropes, which, when the covering has been lowered into position over a breach
or hole, may pass, certain of them under the hull of the vessel and be brought up and
secured on deck, and certain others directly up on deck where they may be secured.
Preferably the covering and the securing ropes will be weighted to facilitate their
sinking in the water, and the edges of the covering may be advantageously provided
with rings or grommets by which two or more of the coverings may be joined or
marled together.
The covering may be of any suitable shape and size, and if desirable may be used
as boat covers for small boats on the deck of a vessel.
This covering is exceedingly strong, and will not be forced through a breach, or
torn by the weight or force of the water, as is the case where canvas alone is used.
It may be quickly and easily placed in position and when so placed is firmly secured
against displacement.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a face view of one of my coverings a
portion being broken away to show more clearly the structure thereof and a portion
of another covering being shown in dotted lines joined or marled thereto. Figure 2
is a view of a portion of a vessel's hull showing one of my coverings in the act of
being applied to a breach in the hull and another covering arranged over the bow.
Figure 3 shows one of my coverings applied to the bow of a vessel. Similar letters
of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures:

page_text: material.
A designates a strong close fabric preferably canvas. B. designates netting or like
I prefer that the material B shall be either of wire or rope so that it
may be strong and yet flexible in all directions. Any like material such, for
instance as perforated metal might however be employed to advantage. As shown
in Figure 1 the netting B is composed of two sections a b. which sections are hinged
together along their inner edges. They are preferably so hinged by metal rings
whereby a flexible joint is formed between the two sections which admits of the
covering being readily folded at about its middle in one direction. This fold is
advantageous because it admits of the covering fitting closely about the bow of a
vessel, and also in that the coverings may be stored in a more compact space. Each
of the sections ab is secured around its entire edge to the canvas A by sewing or
otherwise. They are also preferably secured to the canvas by guy or stay ropes c
which may be of any desired number and arranged in any suitable manner.
About the edges of the covering I arrange weights d. Such weights may consist
of a chain, or isolated pieces of lead or other metal, or even bags of shot or similar
material may be used. These weights are secured firmly to the edges of the covering
by sewing or otherwise in such manner that the edges of the covering shall remain
flexible. They therefore constitute in effect a flexible weight upon each edge of the
covering. These weights aid in sinking the covering in the water when desired.
I prefer also to provide the edges of the covering with rings or grommets e by
which two or more of the coverings may be joined or marled together. I have shown
such an arrangement in dotted outline in Figure 1 in which y represents the joining
or marling rope.
C designates securing ropes, of which I have shown four, but of which there may
be any desired number. I have shown one of these ropes secured to each corner of
the covering. At intervals along these ropes, weights are disposed which aid in
sinking the ropes without interfering with their flexibility.
In Figures 2 and 3 I have illustrated the methods of applying my covering where
a breach or leak occurs in the bow of a vessel, the covering is lowered over the
breach until it occupies the position shown in Figure 3, and also the position shown
at the left end of Figure 2. The two lower securing ropes are allowed to drop under
the hull and are brought up and secured on deck in any convenient manner.
Figure 2, also illustrates a mode of applying the covering to a breach in the side of
the vessel, the covering being allowed to descend until it covers the breach as before
and the ropes being similarly disposed. To adapt it for use in this position it is not
essential that the netting B should be hinged as described.
Any number of the coverings may be joined or marled together as shown in
Figure and of course as many may be placed one outside the other as may be
required.
The coverings may be of any suitable shape and size, and if desired may be used as
boat covers for small boats on the deck of a vessel.
By my improvement I succeed in constructing a covering for a breach in a vessel's
hull which is exceedingly strong and which will not be forced inwards or torn by the
weight or force of the water, as is the case where canvas alone is used. It may be
quickly and easily placed in position and when so placed is firmly secured against
displacement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A covering for a breach or leak in a vessel's hull comprising canvas or similar
material, netting secured to the canvas or similar material, and securing ropes, said
covering being Hexible in all directions substantially as specified.

page_text: 2. A flexible covering for a breach or leak in a vessel's hull comprising a con-
tinuous piece of canvas or similar material, and netting made in sections, said sections
being hinged together and secured to the canvas or similar material substantially as
specified.
3. A flexible covering for a breach or leak in a vessel's hull comprising canvas or
similar material, netting secured to the canvas or like material, flexible weights secured
to the covering near the edges of the latter and securing ropes, substantially as
specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.