AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE ADJUSTMENT OF MATS, SAILS, OR THE LIKE, FOR COVERING HOLES OR FRACTURES CAUSED BY COLLISIONS OR OTHERWISE IN SHIPS' BOTTOMS, WHICH APPARATUS MAY ALSO BE USED AS A RAFT
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Studdy, of Waddeton Court, in the County of
Devon, Gentleman, Commodore, Royal Dart Yacht Club, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE ADJUSTMENT OF MATS,
SAILS, OR THE LIKE, FOR COVERING HOLES OR FRACTURES CAUSED BY
COLLISIONS OR OTHERWISE IN SHIPS' BOTTOMS, WHICH APPARATUS MAY ALSO
BE USED AS A RAFT."
Sealed the 14th December 1877, and dated the 19th June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Studdy at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1877.
HENRY STUDDY, of Waddeton Court, in the County of Devon, Gentleman,
Commodore, Royal Dart Yacht Club. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING.
THE ADJUSTMENT OF MATS, SAILS, OR THE LIKE, FOR COVERING HOLES OR FRACTURES
CAUSED BY COLLISIONS OR OTHERWISE IN SHIPS' BOTTOMS, WHICH APPARATUS MAY
ALSO BE USED AS A RAFT."
This Invention relates to a frame principally designed to facilitate the use of
mats, sails, slicets, or other articles or objects for stopping leaks in ships below the.
water-line caused by collisions, running on shore or on rocks, or by other accidents..
It is well known that mats and other similar articles or objects are now. used for
this purpose, and are very effectual when they can be brought to the spot where
the injury exists with sufficient quickness; but it is found in practice, particularly
in rough seas, that there is considerable difficulty in getting the mat or other object
exactly into the position to effectually cover the fractured part of the vessel. My
Invention is designed to obviate this difficulty, and to provide means whereby the
mat, sheet, or other article or object to be used may be affixed quickly and with
certainty to any part of the ship's bottom, that is to say, any part of the surface of
the ship, below the water-line, however rough the sea may be at the time of the
collision or other accident.
'

page_text: The said frame is constructed of three or more pieces of light wood or other
material of suitable length and thickness; the said pieces are firmly strapped
together, diagonally or otherwise; with metal bars or with wire, rope, or other
suitable material to give strength- and stability to the said frame. Between the
said pieces I provide rollers, so that in cases where the frame has not been at first
put into the exact position required it can be easily drawn along the sides or
bottom of the ship until it has reached the damaged part. In some cases these
rollers may be dispensed with.
I attach to the said frame by means of short lengths of rope a collision mat, sail,
sheet, or other suitable object; or the same may be drawn down to the frame by
moans of pulleys and ropes after the said frame is in position.
When a leakage has been caused the aforesaid frame may be thrown overboard
immediately from any part of the vessel, and, when necessary, may be carried down
by ballast of any suitable material, to which is to be attached any convenient
releasing apparatus. When overboard the said frame may be drawn down by
means of a rope provided for the purpose and weighted with lead, this rope being
passed around the bottom and up the opposite side of the vessel. By these ineans
the mat, sheet, sail, or other object attached to the said frame can be adjusted
speedily to the injured part of the vessel, wherever that may be situated, and the
leakage is thus effectually stopped in a very short time.
When not in use this frame may be stowed away in a convenient part of the
vessel, occupying but little space.
With but slight and obvious modifications the said frame may be used as a life-
saving raft.
In some instances it may be desirable to use in conjunction with the said frame,
when employed for the latter purposes, the cleaning apparatus described in my
former Specification, No. 1170, filed 24th March, 1877.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Studdy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th December
1877.
HENRY STUDDY, of Waddeton Court, in the County of Devon, Gentleman,
Commodore, Royal Dart Yacht Club. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING
THE ADJUSTMENT OF MATS, SAILS, OR THE LIKE, FOR COVERING HOLES OR FRACTURES
CAUSED BY COLLISIONS OR OTHERWISE IN SHIPS' BOTTOMS, WHICH APPARATUS MAY
ALSO BE USED AS A RAFT.”
This Invention relates to apparatus principally designed to facilitate the use of
mats, sails, sheets, or other articles or objects for stopping leaks in ships below the
water-line caused by collision, running-on shore or on rocks, or by other accidents.
It is well known that mats and other similar articles or objects are now used for
this purpose, and are very effectual when they can be brought to the spot where
the injury exists with sufficient quickness; but it is found in practice, particularly
in rough seas, that there is considerable difficulty in getting the mat or other object
exactly into the position to effectually cover the fractured part of the vessel. My
3
3
4

page_text: Invention is designed to obviate this difficulty, and to provide means whereby the
mat, sheet, or other article or object to be used may be affixed quickly and with
certainty to any part of the ship's bottom, that is to say, any part of the surface of
the ship, below the water-line, however rough the sea may be at the time of the
collision or other accident.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 is a side view of a frame constructed according to this Invention, and
forming part of the apparatus herein-after described.
Figure 2 shows on an enlarged scale another part of the said apparatus.
Figure 3 illustrates the manner of using the same on a ship.
Like letters indicate the saine parts throughout the Drawing.
I prefer to construct the frame a of three or more pieces a¹ of light wood or other
material of suitable length and thickness; the said pieces are firmly strapped
together transversely, diagonally, or otherwise with metal bars and blocks at a², or
with wire, rope, or other suitable material to give strength and stability to the
frame a
Between the said pieces I provide rollers b, so that in cases where the
frame has not been at first put into the exact position required it can be easily
drawn along the sides or bottom of the ship until it has reached the damaged part.
In some cases these rollers may be dispensed with.
I attach to the said frame by means of short lengths of rope a collision mat, sail,
sheet, or other suitable object, as shown at c; or the same may be drawn down to
the frame by means of pulleys & and ropes e after the said frame is in position.
When a hole has been made in the ship's side or bottom the aforesaid frame may
be thrown overboard immediately from any part of the vessel, and, when necessary,
may be carried down by a weight for ballast of any suitable material, to which is
to be attached any convenient tripping or releasing apparatus. When overboard
the said frame may be drawn down by means of a rope or ropes 9 provided for the
purpose, and weighted with lead, this rope being passed around the bottom and up
the opposite side of the vessel; or I may use the apparatus shown in Figure 2, in
which case I dispense with any other weight.
I prefer that the said apparatus should be so arranged that the ropes to which
the said frame or cradle a is attached should, when first thrown overboard, hang in
the position shewn in dotted lines in Figure 3, as when suspended in this position
the mat, sail, or sheet can, by hauling the ropes on the opposite side of the vessel,
be readily drawn to any position, either above or below the bilge-pieces, that is to
say, to any part of the sides or bottom.
The carriage h, shewn in Figure 2, is designed to facilitate the working of the
apparatus, and to prevent the friction and chafing of the ropes on the sides of the
ship. The said carriage h has two wheels i mounted on an axle. On this axle is
fitted a sleeve or collar j, from which project two arms k. The ropes are attached
to these arms, and the latter being free to oscillate or rock on the said axle while
the carriage moves over the surface of the ship will cause the ropes to work very
easily. By these means the mat, sheet, sail, or other object attached to the said
frame a can be adjusted readily to the injured part of the vessel, wherever that
may be situated, and the leakage is thus effectually stopped in a very short time.
When not in use the frame a may be stowed away in a convenient part of the
vessel, occupying but little space.
With but slight and obvious modification the said frame may be used as a life-
Baving raft in case of shipwreck or in other emergencies.
In some instances it may be desirable to use in conjunction with the said frame,
when employed as first above described, the cleaning apparatus described in the
Specification of my former Letters Patent, dated 24th March, 1877, No. 1170.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practise, I wish it understood that I
claim the apparatus consisting of the aforesaid frame, ropes, and other parts, and
constructed and arranged as described, and so adapted for use on board a ship or
vessel that it may be operated to carry a mat, sail, sheet, or other suitable article or

page_text: object, and apply it on or over a hole or fracture in the ship's side or bottom, and
tightly close and stop or prevent leakage through the same, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Studdy, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventeenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
TENDY STUDDY
HENRY STUDDY. (L.S.)