Improvements in or appertaining to Walls, Partitions, Bulkheads or the like in Ships, Warehouses, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Walls, Partitions, Bulkheads
or the like in Ships, Warehouses, and the like.
1, WILLIAM BAZING BRAGG, of 77, Malvern Terrace, Merton Road, Bootle,
in the County of Lancaster, Master Shipwright, 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 (inter alia) to the construction of fire or waterproof walls,
partitions, bulkheads, or the like.
Hitherto the watertight bulkheads of maritime vessels have generally been made
of a single thickness of metal which has sometimes been found to be of insufficient
strength to resist the abnormal pressure and strain to which they are subjected
when one of the compartments is filled with water, or in the case of fire or other
unforeseen emergency.
By my invention I propose to construct bulkheads with double walls or plates,
placed a suitable distance from one another, but so constructed as to prevent
warping or twisting. The space between the walls may be filled with alum, saw-
dust, water, or soil constantly saturated with water, or other material, and as in
case of fire when the heat may become so strong as to generate steam, a discharge
pipe is preferably provided, which enables the steam so generated to escape.
Valves or openings on the deck of the vessel or elsewhere or syphons may be
provided to enable a continuous supply of cold air or water to be admitted into
the bulkheads.
In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention:
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a maritime vessel provided with bulkheads
constructed with double walls or plates.
Figure 2 a sectional plan of the vessel.
Figure 3 a cross section through the vessel on an enlarged scale showing the
arrangement for admitting water from the sea to the holds or compartments in case
of fire or other emergency.
Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views showing my method of constructing the
bulkheads with double walls.
Figure 6 is a sectional view showing the manner of converting the ordinary
bulkheads with the single plates into the bulkheads with double plates.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of alternative arrangement for emptying the
holds when they have been filled with water.
Figure 8 is a sectional elevation of a warehouse.
Figure 9 a sectional plan of a corner of same.
Figure 10 a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the warehouse.
In Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the bulkheads are shown constructed with double
walls or plates A A, placed at a convenient distance from one another, and running
up to the deck of the vessel. My bulkheads are preferably constructed in sections
as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, each length having flanges at the ends. The
surface of each flange is preferably faced to make them quite flat, and the respective
sections are then firmly bolted together, the bottom section being secured to the
bottom of the ship. The bottom section shown in Figure 4 is made with a bottom
or an inwardly turned flange and in some cases this will facilitate fastening the
section to the bottom of the ship and make a tight joint. In Figure 5 the bottom
section is secured by angle iron to the bottom of the ship. The hollow bulkheads
can be used for the storage of fresh water if desired. They may be suitably
stayed and braced to prevent warping or twisting.
B B are pipes running almost the entire length of the vessel, having supply

page_text: cocks C through which sea water can be admitted. The said pipe is also provided
with cocks D, designed to inject water into the holds of the vessel. These cocks
are operated from the deck of the vessel by means of box spanners d, or if desired
their spindles d' may be carried up to the deck and provided with a hand wheel at
the top. The supply cock, in addition to being operated from the deck, can be
operated in the engine room by means of a handle c. E are escape pipes for steam,
which, in case of fire, when the heat becomes so strong as to generate steam,
enable the steam so generated to escape. Fare pipes to run the water out of
each hold, and pumps are provided in the engine room connected with the pipes F
for pumping the holds dry. The said pipes are provided with cocks in the middle
or engine compartment, and all the said cocks, being located near together, can be
.controlled by the man in charge.
Figure 6 shows my method of converting a single bulkhead into a double bulk-
head with hollow space between, the plate E being built up in a similar manner to
the plates shown in Figures 4 and 5. By this means, single bulkheads can be
utilised to form double bulkheads.
In Figure 7, another arrangement is shown for emptying the holds after they
have been filled with water, the cocks G being, in this case, located in each com-
partment, instead of being located all together in the middle compartment or
engine room, and they are separately operated from the deck by means of box
spanners, and the pipes F connected with pumps to draw off the water.
The mode of action is as follows
1-
In the case of fire, the supply valve and those of the valves D in the hold or
holds where the fire occurs may be opened and water poured through the injection
nozzles on to the flames. The compartments or holds may thus be quickly filled
with water, and; when the fire is extinguished, the water is pumped out by the
pipes F (Figures 5 ‘and 7).
The bulkheads, when constructed in the way described, are quite sufficient to
resist the abnormal pressure of the water or heat of the fire, and their peculiar
construction keeps the adjacent compartiments comparatively cool, and isolates the
fire, preventing it from spreading into the other compartment. The bulkheads
may, of course, be constructed of three or more walls or plates, and I do not limit
my invention to constructing them of two walls or plates. Supply and ejection
valves may be provided for admitting water between the double walls of the bulk-
head and discharging it, when necessary, whereby the contents of adjacent com-
partment can be kept cool, or openings a may be provided on the deck of the
vessel for enabling a continuous supply of cold air or water to be admitted into
the bulkheads. Syphons may, if desired, be used instead of, or in conjunction with,
the holes a.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 show the application of my invention to warehouses.
H represents the double walls or bulkheads faced with brick or the like and having
holes or tubes with flaring or bell-mouthed openings, through which a hose
pipe can be inserted to extinguish a fire. As is well known, it is very difficult to
get the hose into a building on fire, and I believe these holes will effect the
desired purpose, as the hose can, by means of the bell-mouthed openings, be
directed in almost any desired direction, and the water sent right at the fire.
I are the respective floors of the warehouse, i an orifice for admitting air into
the hollow walls, g a fan or chimney cowl adapted to produce a current of air
between the double walls, and K a damper or plug adapted to fill up the holes /
when not required for use. In Figure 8, the tubes or holes and bell-mouthed
openings are shown adapted to solid walls H.
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. The hereindescribed improvements in walls, partitions, bulkheads or the like
in shins. warehouses and the like whereby their strength is greatly increased

page_text: and facilities are offered for the extinguishing or preventing of fire and the
keeping cool of the contents in the adjacent compartments, substantially as set
forth.
2. The hereindescribed arrangement of pipes and valves for filling any desired
compartment of a vessel with water, in combination with the arrangement of pipes
and valves for drawing off the same, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1891.
WILLIAM BAZING BRAGG.