Improvements in Means for Securing the Covers on Ships' Hatchways.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1893—Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Securing the Covers on Ships'
Hatchways.
JOHN WILSON SCOTT Foreman Shipwright 17 Barrett Street Stockton on Tees
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is for improvements on the usual means employed for securing the
covers on ships hatchways, by tarpaulins, dispensing altogether with the use of
cleets.
In the hatchway coombing, at suitable distances from the upper edge thereof,
and from each other longitudinally, I fix a number of bolts, by screwing them
through the coombing from the inside of the hatchway; these bolts are sufficiently
long to project through the coombing outside; and when in position, will form a
row of screwed ends projecting outside the coombing, all round the hatchway.
I employ a batten for each of the four sides of the hatchway, of special section
(preferably of iron or steel) and having holes formed through it, corresponding to
the position of the screwed bolt ends already refered to, but slightly larger in
diameter, than is necessary for the bolts or screwed ends to pass through.
In section I prefer to make the batten convex on the outside, and concave on the
inside.
Each of the bolts or screwed ends is provided with a nut which may be formed
with a lever attached to it, or made so that it can be turned by, either an ordinary
screw key, or a bar of iron.
•
The sections forming the hatchway cover, being put in the places provided for
them within the hatchway coombing, the tarpaulin passed over them, and down the
side of the coombing, between it and the batten, and the nuts on the bolts or
screwed ends tightened up against the batten, the tarpaulin is firmly gripped,
between the batten and the coombing, and the cover is held securely fixed on the
hatchway.
The holes in the batten having sufficient clearance in them for the bolts or
screwed ends, causes the batten (when pressed tight against the tarpaulin) to be
also pressed close up to the coombing at the bottom edge.
Dated this Tenth day of May 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Securing the Covers on Ships'
Hatchways.
JOHN WILSON SCOTT Foreman Shipwright 17 Barrett Street Stockton on Tees
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:-
My invention is for improvements on the usual means employed for securing the
covers on ships hatchways by tarpaulins, dispensing altogether with the use of
cleats.
In the hatchway combing, at suitable distances from the upper edge thereof, and
from each other longitudinally, I fix a number of bolts, by screwing them through
the combing from the inside of the hatchway, these bolts are sufficiently long to
.

page_text: project through the combing outside, and when in position, will form a row of
screwed ends projecting outside the combing, all round the hatchway.
I employ a batten for each of the four sides of the hatchway, of special section
(preferably of iron or steel) and having holes formed through it, corresponding to
the position of the screwed bolt ends already referred to, but slightly larger in
diameter than is necessary for the bolts, or screwed ends to pass through.
In section, I prefer to make the batten convex on the outside and concave on the
inside.
Each of the bolts or screwed ends, is provided with a nut, which may be formed
with a lever attached to it, or, made so that it can be turned by, either an ordinary
screw key, or a bar of iron.
The sections forming the hatchway cover being put in the places provided for
them, within the hatchway combing, the tarpaulin passed over them, and down the
side of the combing between it and the batten, and the nuts on the bolts, or screwed
ends tightened up against the batten, the tarpaulin is firmly gripped between the
batten and the combing, and the cover is held securely fixed on the hatchway.
The holes in the batten having sufficient clearance in them for the bolts or
screwed ends, causes the batten (when pressed tight against the tarpaulin) to be
also pressed close up to the combing at the bottom edge.
With a view to the nature of my invention being distinctly understood, I will,
with the aid of the accompanying drawings proceed to describe it.
Fig. 1 shows a section of a portion of a ships hatchway, with part of the
tarpaulin firmly secured.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding view, but showing the tarpaulin released.
Fig. 3 represents a front elevation of a portion of a batten, and the nut for
securing it.
Figs. 4 and 5 shows a similar section to Figures 1 and 2, but with a somewhat
different arrangement of bolt, and section of batten; also elevation of part of a
batten and nut.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout:
A represents a portion of a ship's hatchway cover, which is usually supported on
angle irons B fixed to the combing C. D is one of a number of bolts, which are,
at suitable distances apart, secured to the combing C, by preference in one, or
other of the ways shown in Figures 1. 2 and 4; these bolts are fixed in line on the
combing C.
The batten E may be of other section than is represented, so long as it performs
the functions to be alluded to; a number of holes are formed in it, at distances
apart corresponding to the distances apart of the bolts D, and when put into its
place on the bolts D it is not necessary to again remove it.
The bolts D are each provided with nuts F, which, when put on the bolts, are
prevented from being removed or working off by clinching the ends of the bolts, or
other well known means.
It will be seen that, when once the battens E are put into their places on the
bolts D that they become practically fixtures; in no other arrangement for securing
the covers on ships' hatchways is such a provision made, so far as I am aware, and
its importance must be at once apparent.
The cover or covers A of the hatchway being put on, the tarpaulin G is spread
over them, its ends and sides being passed round the beading H and between the
batten E and the combing C, (it may be inserted in more than a single thickness
if desired as there is abundance of room when the batten E is, as represented in
Fig. 2) the nuts F are then screwed up against the batten E and the cover A is
held securely.
At the same time that the upper edge of the batten E is being pressed against
the cover G, its lower edge is being pressed firmly against the combing C; this is
of great importance and renders it impossible for a heavy sea to get between the
cover G and the combing C, as is often the case with existing arrangements.

page_text: 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. So arranging the parts, or apparatus for securing the covers on ships' hatchways,
that, it is not necessary to detach from the hatchways combing any portion of the
parts or apparatus so employed.
2. The use of a batten for the purpose of securing the covers on ships' hatchways,
of such a section, that when in the position for holding the tarpaulin securely on
the covers, it shall effectually prevent the possibility of a heavy sea having any
effect on, or getting access to the tarpaulin edges, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of October 1893.
J. W. SCOTT.