Improvements in Apparatus for Stopping Leaks in Ships and Boats.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Stopping Leaks in Ships
and Boats.
ROBERT ABRAM LEE 76 High Holborn London Middlesex Consulting Engineer
(a communication from Neil McEachran Stevenson Douglas, of Upper Burmah)
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention consists of the following apparatus. A tube made of metal, or
other suitable material, having attached to it at one end, a series of ribs like an
umbrella frame inverted & a rod passing through the tube, on this rod there is a
conical collar fitting loosely and the top end of the rod is enlarged to prevent this
collar coming off; the lower end of the rod terminates in a knob or handle & for
about one third of its length the rod is screwed with a quick pitch thread. The
tube-thro' which this rod passes-is furnished with a hinged segmental nut so
arranged that it springs on to the screw thread; or can be held away from this
thread for rapid movement of the rod.
A lever nut is provided to lock the rod in any desired position.
The ribs are covered with india-rubber or other waterproof material & each rib
has attached to it a wire, which passes thro' the tube to its lower end.
The loose collar is prevented from going out to the ends of the ribs by one or
more wires attached to it & the tube. On the outside of the tube there is a
sliding beam capable of being fixed in any position by a set screw & at either end
of this beam there is a ball ended bar, sliding in a hole & fixed in position by a
set screw. A foot rule scale is marked on the tube, so that the apparatus can be
set to suit any thickness of planking or plate of a ship. A cap or cover, with
holes perforated in the end, is placed over the covered ribs, & this cap is knocked
off, by the rod, after it has been passed thro' the hole in the ship, the rod is then
quickly drawn back causing the conical collar to expand the ribs & fill up the hole,
a turn or two of the rod by means of the screw draws the ribs tightly into &
against the hole & the bar lock nut retains it there. The wires attached to the
ribs are for drawing any one into a dent or irregularity; and by a modification 1
make the apparatus with one or more ribs to open out square, triangular, or oblong
to stop irregular shaped holes.
Dated this 21st day of April 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Stopping Leaks in Ships
and Boats.
1, ROBERT ABRAM LEE of 76 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, (a communication from Neil McEachran Stevenson Douglas
Engineer-in-chief of H.M.S. "Patrick," Mandalay, Upper Burmah,) 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 is designed to provide a handy and effective contrivance for
stopping holes or rents in the bottom or side of a ship or boat.
It consists of a folding waterproof cover strengthened with steel ribs, and
folding, umbrella fashion, or if preferred folding outwards like an inverted
umbrella. Through the centre of this cover passes a metal rod fitted with conical
Price 8d.1

page_text: metal washers and india-rubber disk or disks, and secured outside by a nut so as to
ensure a strong watertight joint.
This cover may be of any preferred outline or dimensions, and can thus be
adapted to cover round holes or long rents.
I will now describe my improved leak stoppers with reference to the accom-
panying drawings in which
Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of my mushroom leak stopper opened ready for
use with part of the waterproof cover broken away so as to shew the ribs and
showing a wooden casing for the rod b.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of my long rent leak stopper with part of waterproof
cover broken away to shew ribs.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the sliding arm c.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the conical cap e as seen from the bottom of Fig. 5.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the conical cap e.
Fig. 6 is a cross section shewing an improved method of fastening the metal
rod b to the cover d and shewing a metal casing for the rod b.
Fig. 7 shews a general cross section of my apparatus as applied to a hole in the
side of a ship or boat and also shews an alternative method of opening and shutting
the cover d'by means of wire rods fand also shews a different form of sliding
arm c.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of my apparatus with casing a removed and shewing
wire compressors, and another method of opening and shutting cover d.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a section of the cover d shewing a ring and flange
of indiarubber or other suitable material j, j', applied to the ends of the ribs d'
thus forming a sucker.
Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross section through line 1,-2, of Fig. 9.
a is a metal barrel or wooden casing sliding along the metal rod 6 and helping
to keep the cover d open and may be formed with or without a tapering end.
a is a slot formed round the casing a into which the small thumbscrew c¹ on the
sliding arm c can be screwed and so fasten the arm c.
> is the metal rod running through the centre of the whole apparatus and
supporting same. 6² is a lever nut on the rod b which serves to keep the casing a
in position. b is a small washer. 68 is a disk or washer on the rod 6 formed of
indiarubber or other suitable material.
6 is a conical metal washer on the rod b and helps to hold the cover d in
position. 6 is a nut for keeping the conical washer and indiarubber washer in
position. 6 is a handle formed on the inner end of the rod b. b' is a hook formed
on the rod b.
d is the
This could be used in the case of a metal barrel a. 68 is an eyed bolt and nut
for holding the hook "'. c is a sliding arm for opening the cover d-and may be of
either shape as shewn. c' is a small thumbscrew for securing the arm cat any
desired spot on the casing a. is a small circular chamber as shewn in Fig. 3
formed in the centre of the arme through which works the casing a.
folding waterproof cover. dare the ribs for supporting same. dare metal tags
for bolting the cover to the ship's side if requisite. e shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is a
conical cap which is loosely fastened on to the outer end of the metal rod 6 for
resisting the pressure of the water. e' are holes formed in the side of the conical
is the hole through which the rod 6 passes. f is an alternative arrange-
ment of wire rods by which the cover d can be opened and shut and work in slots
in the casing a fare handles for operating the rods f. 9 is a small pawl.
cap e.
When the handle 6" is pulled up the end of the pawl slips into the screw thread
formed on the rod b and keeps the rod from dropping down till the lever nut 61
engages with the screw thread. is the side of the ship or boat. ; is a rim or
ring of indiarubber or of any other suitable material formed at the outer ends of
the ribs d' and is called a sucker. is a flange of indiarubber formed on the outer
edge of j.
To work my apparatus. The cover d is folded back like an inverted umbrella.

page_text: The conical cap e being fitted on to the end of the rod b as shewn in Fig. 7. The
whole is then pushed through the hole in the ship or boat. The force of the water
at once opens the cover d and sucks it flat to the side of the vessel. The sliding
arm c then slides up the casing a till it reaches the inside of the ship and is
secured by screw_c¹.
In the case of my long rent leak stopper the oblong cover can be turned any
way as shewn in Fig. 6 so as to lie flat with the casing a, is pushed through
the hole in the boat and turned again at right angles with rod b and so fits
over the opening. If one leak stopper is not large enough two or more may be
used, lapping one over the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a leak stopper for ships and boats the folding waterproof ribbed cover d,
with or without a marginal cushion or flauge j, j as herein described and set
forth.
2. In a leak stopper for ships and boats the combination of the folding ribbed
cover d, with the rod b, conical cap e, conical nut 6 indiarubber disk 6, sliding
tube
lever nut and screw b¹ adjustable cross bar c and pawl g as herein described
a,
and set forth.
3. In a leak stopper for ships and boats the folding cover d in combination
with the eyed bolt and nut hooked rud b' metal tube a with or without the stem b
and wire compressor fas herein described and set forth.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for the Inventor.