Improvements in Devices for Preventing the Sinking or Capsizing of Ships.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov.,
1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Preventing the Sinking or Capsizing
of Ships.
I, HERMANN CARL WERNER, of 33 Beseler Allee, Kiel, in the Empire of Germany,
Mason, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel device for preventing the sinking or capsizing of
ships and consists in the provision of bags, tubes or the like connected with the body
of the vessel, such bags being filled with air or gas of lighter specific gravity than
water in times of danger.
For this purpose a recess is formed in the hull of the vessel along each of its sides,
each recess serving for the reception of a water and air-tight bag, tube or the like in
a folded condition. This recess is closed by a flap or door.
A pipe passes into each recess and its bag, proceeding from an air or gas holder.
Each of these pipes is provided with a valve, which valves may be actuated from the
bridge of the vessel, or some other convenient spot by means of suitable gear, which
may, for example, consist of a hand wheel, a cylinder, a chain wheel and chains.
When the valves are opened the air or gas, stored in the holders (steel cylinders
for example) under high pressure, passes into and inflates the bags, whereupon, the
flaps or doors being raised, the bags expand beyond the recesses. In their inflated
condition they are supported by means of cables or chains which are stretched at
certain intervals from one another between the hull of the vessel and the doors.
Each of the pipes is in addition provided with a non-return valve for preventing
the air or gas from returning from the bags to the holders. The deflation of the bags
is effected by means of valves or cocks.
The holders are filled by means of air pumps driven by the engines of the vessel.
Where this arrangement is impracticable or inconvenient, a small wind-mill, such as
is generally used on sailing vessels for pumping water, may be employed.
A pressure gauge which is connected with the holders by pipes, indicates the pressure
therein, and safety valves permit of the escape of any excess of pressure.
By means of the device or arrangement above described it is possible to cause the
safety bags or buoys to assume their operative position should danger arise without
its being necessary, to effect any other operation than a quickly and readily effected
actuation of the mechanism everything else being prepared in advance.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & CO.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant,

page_text: ans
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Improvements in Devices for Preventing the Sinking or Capsizing
of Ships.
I, HERMANN CARL WERNER, of 33 Beseler Allee, Kiel, in the German Empire, Mason,
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 to a novel device for preventing the sinking or capsizing of
ships and consists in the provision of bags, tubes and the like made of flexible, air or
gas-tight material and connected with the body of the vessel by suitable means, such
bags being filled in time of danger with air or gas of lighter specific gravity than
water.
**-**
att
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a transverse section through a ship provided with my improved safety
device;
Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating a modification in the use of the said
improved safety device.
"
A recess a is formed in the hull of the vessel along each of its sides, each recess
serving for the reception of a water and air-tight bag or camel b in a folded condition;
see left side of Figure 1. Each air-tight bag b may be constructed in one piece or
composed of a plurality of such air-tight structures as it may be required...
When the bags b are not in use that is to say when they are folded together into.
their recesses a the latter may be closed by suitable flaps or hinged doors c adapted
to secure to the hull a flush or even outer surface.
The bag or the bags b of each side are carried or supported by a suitable longitudinal
rod or bar 6¹. This rod b¹ is attached to an endless rope or chain s passing along in
a suitable groove provided in or on the outer wall of the hull and leading over guide..
rollers s¹ and a winding drum w on board of the ship. By means of this rope-gear
the bag bis ordinarily held back in its recess a (see Figure 1) but by operating the
winding druin.w in the proper direction the said bag 6 may be drawn out of its
recess and brought into or nearly into the position shewn by Figure 2, as will be
described later on.
b
A pipe d (Figure 1) provided if required with a flexible hose (Fig. 2) passes into
each recess and its bag, proceeding from an air or gas reservoir e in the interior of the
ship. Each of these pipes or hoses is provided with a valve d¹ which valves may
be actuated from the bridge of the vessel, or some other convenient place, by means
of a suitable gear which may, for example, consist of a hand wheel ƒ, a shaft f¹, a.
chain wheelf, guide pulleys and chains ƒ³.
When the valves d' are opened the air or gas stored in the reservoirs e (steel
cylinders for example) under high pressure, passes into and inflates the bags b, where-
upon, the doors c previously set free being raised, the bags expand beyond the
recesses; see right hand side of Figure 1. In their inflated condition the bags are
supported by means of cables or chains g which are arranged at certain intervals from
one another between the hull of the vessel and the doors c. These supporting cables
or chains g rest when not in use or when loosened from the doors in separate
channels g (Figures 1 and 2), within the skin of the hull. Each of the pipes à is in
addition provided with a suitable check valve for preventing the air or gas from
returning from the bags to the reservoirs e. The deflation of the bags is effected by
means of suitable valves or cocks h preferably attached to the pipes d.
nta
The reservoirse are filled by means of air pumps driven by the engines of the
vessel. Where this arrangement is impracticable or impossible, a small wind-mill,

page_text: such as is generally used on sailing vessels for pumping water, may be employed.
Suitable pressure gauges connected with the reservoirs, indicate the pressure therein,
and safety valves permit of the escape of any excess of pressure.
By means of the device or arrangement.above described it is possible to cause the
safety bags or camels to assume their operative position should danger arise without
its being necessary, to effect any other operation but an opening of the valves d¹
which may be done readily and quickly by actuating the hand wheel f of the valve
operating gear; everything else being prepared in advance.
When a vessel has run aground my improved safety device may be used in the
following manner in order to get the vessel again afloat. The doors c are opened and
lifted up into the position shown by Figure 2 by means of tackles z or the like, the
supporting cables g are separated or loosened from the doors and stowed away in the
respective channels g1, and connecting hoses of suitable length are placed between
the pipes d and the bags 6 if such connecting hoses were not already provided
permanently. Upon this the bags b, still in folded condition, are drawn out of the
recesses a and brought down into the position shown in Figure 2 by means of the
endless ropes & operated by the windlass or drum w. If now the submerged bags b
are inflated they will raise, in consequence of their buoyancy, the said vessel in the
water so that the vessel may be floated back to deeper water or assisted in its passage
over a shoal or bar or enabled to be navigated in shoal-water.
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 :-
An improved device for preventing the sinking or capsizing of ships and for raising
the latter in the water consisting of air-and water-tight bags or the like adapted to
be stowed away when not in use in suitable recesses of the hull of the vessel, and to
be inflated in times of danger with air or gas from suitable reservoirs in the interior
of the vessel, the said bags being carried by endless ropes, chains &c., passed over
suitable guides and operated by a windlass or the like in order to bold the said bags
reliably in the recesses of the hull or to draw them out of the latter in a position
more adapted to raise the whole vessel in the water, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of Santambar 1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.