OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF HARBOURS AND OTHER PLACES, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Shields, of Perth, in the County of Perth, North
Britain, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF HARBOURS AND OTHER PLACES, AND FOR
OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 20th February 1880, and dated the 30th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Shields at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1879.
* NEW OR
JOHN SHIELDS, of Perth, in the County of Perth, North Britain.
IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF
HARBOURS AND OTHER PLACES, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
The said Invention relates to new or improved means or apparatus to be employed
for the protection of harbours and other places, and for other similar purposes, by
the use of which apparatus or means the stilling or calming effect of oil upon the
sea is utilized in an advantageous and practical inanner.
The said means or apparatus consists as follows:-Beneath the surface of the
water, in or at the entrance to the harbour or other place to be protected, are laid
tubes or their equivalents provided with roses or perforated nozzles. These tubes,
or others or their equivalents in communication therewith, are led to the land and
are continued upwards sufficiently far to give a head for the oil, which, when the
apparatus is in use in rough weather, is poured into the tubes, when the greater
column of the oil will displace the water which may have entered the apparatus, and
the said oil will issue from the roses or nozzles and ascend to the surface of the
water and produce a calming effect by reason of the oil at the place where it is dis-
charged forming a barrier which prevents the breaking of waves over this part, and
consequently renders calm, or comparatively so, the water in the harbour or other
place, that is to say for instance, between the place where the oil is discharged and
the shore.
In cases where it is inconvenient to have a sufficient column of oil .to force the
water from the apparatus a force pump or its equivalent may be employed for this
purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Shields in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th February
1880.
JOHN SHIELDS, of Perth, in the County of Perth, North Britain.
"NEW OR
IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF
HARBOURS AND OTHER PLACES, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
My said Invention relates to new or improved means or apparatus to be employed
for the protection of harbours and other places, and for other similar purposes, by
the use of which apparatus, or means the stilling or calming effect of oil upon the
sea is utilized in an advantageous and practical manner.
The said means or apparatus consist as follows:-Beneath the surface of the
water, in or at the entrance to the harbour or other place to be protected, are laid
tubes or their equivalents provided with roses or perforated nozzles, or other equiva-
lent exits for the oil, as hereinafter described. These tubes, or others or their
equivalents in communication with the first mentioned tubes, are led to the land
and are continued upwards sufficiently far to give a head for the oil sufficient to
displace the water which enters the tubes, and so that when the oil is poured into
the tubes the greater head of oil-displacing the water from the apparatus the said
oil will issue from the roses or perforated nozzles, and ascend to the surface of the
water and produce a calming effect by reason of the oil forming at the part of the
surface of the water to which it ascends a barrier which prevents the breaking of
waves over this part, and consequently renders calm, or comparatively calm, the
water in the harbour or other place, that is to say for instance, between the place
where the oil is discharged and the shore.
In the accompanying diagrams I have shewn in plan in Figure 1, and in vertical
section in Figure 2, a harbour to which my Invention is applied. The tube A is
.laid beneath the surface of the water at the entrance to the harbour, and with this
.tube communicates the tube B led to the land, where it is led up to a sufficient
distance to give a head for the oil, as aforesaid. The tube A is provided with roses
or perforated nozzles a. Any suitable means are provided for supporting the
elevated land end of the tube B, and for giving access to its mouth for the supply of
oil; for instance, the said end of the tube may be supported in a tower built for its
reception, and the oil may be supplied from a reservoir supported by the said tower
above the mouth of the tube. On oil being poured into the mouth at the land end
of the tube B the said oil-will issue from the roses a, as indicated at, and ascending
to the surface there create a barrier preventing the breaking of the waves into the
harbour, and consequently producing the calming effect, as herein-before described.
There may be any number of the tubes A and B or their equivalents, as may be
convenient, the tubes A being placed in any convenient part of the harbour or place
to be protected, and the tubes B being led to any part or parts of the land which
will be most convenient.
In cases where it is inconvenient to have a sufficient column of oil to force the
water from the apparatus a force pump or its equivalent may be employed to pump
the oil into the tubes or their equivalents.
Although I have described my Invention with reference principally to the pro-
tection of a harbour, yet it may be used for other purposes, such as the protection
of light-ships and light-houses, and generally for the protection of portions of water
from the force of waves in cases where it is or may be applicable.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I

page_text: consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
The herein-before described means or apparatus for the protection of harbours
and other places, or for similar purposes, that is to say, an apparatus for conveying
oil to the surface of the water to create a barrier at the entrance of a harbour or
other like place, or at or around light-ships, light-houses, or other like places, or at
other portions of water, to protect such place or portion of water from the force of
waves, essentially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Shields, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty third day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN SHIELDS. (L.S.)