An Improved Apparatus for the Purpose of Stopping Ships or other Vessels.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 6th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for the Purpose of Stopping Ships or
other Vessels.
WINDSOR HENRY DAVIES 24 Beaconsfield Road Tranmere, Ship's Steward,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved apparatus to be applied to ships
which will act as a brake and bring the vessel to a standstill when required.
In carrying out my invention, I employ two large doors or plates of steel or other
suitable material hinged one to each side of the vessel near the stern and opening
outwards towards the stern. Chains are attached to one side of these doors and
pass through the sides of the vessel to a device hereinafter described, these serving
to hold the doors or plates, which should follow the contour of the ship and fit
closely to the sides, in their closed position. One or more small channels or grooves
are formed in the sides, leading behind the doors, so that, when the chains are
released, the pressure of water will cause the doors to be opened immediately.
Each chain passes over pulleys and is connected to one end of a vertically pivotted
bar, both bars being preferably situated below the bridge, and having chains
fastened to the other side of the bars passing over suitable pulleys to a drum
having connected to it a hand wheel or in the case of a large vessel, a steam winch.
This serves to draw in the doors to the side of the vessel, as when the drum is
turned the bars are drawn together pulling in the chain. Suitable stops are used
to prevent the bars turning outwards more than required, thus limiting the motion
of the doors or brake.
In order that the brake may be safely retained in its off position, catches are
provided having notches into which take the pivotted bars above mentioned when
in their closed position. Each catch consists of a pivotted piece, to the free end
of which a wire or cord is fastened leading to the bridge so that when the brake
is required these cords are pulled, raising the catches and freeing the bars.
Dated this 24th day of June 1892.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for the Purpose of Stopping Ships or
other Vessels.
I, WINDSOR HENRY DAVIES of 24 Beaconsfield Road, Tranmere, in the
County of Chester, Ship's Steward, 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 has for its object a method of rapidly controlling a ship in an
emergency and bringing the vessel to a standstill when required.
It is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which―
Figure 1 is an elevation of a part of a ship;

page_text: In these-
A A are a pair of doors hinged to the side of the ship at B, C are two shallow
channels arranged in the skin of the ship so as to quickly bring a pressure behind
the doors for the purpose of opening them, D D are chains passing up through
hawse-holes from the said doors, E E guide pulleys for the chains, F levers pivoted
at G to which the chains are attached, I buffers to take off the strain when the
levers fly back, I catches set forth more clearly in Figure 6, holding the said
levers Fin position but supplied with ropes or chains .J connected with handles on
the bridge or other position, whereby, by pulling either of them as shown in the
case of the left hand one in Figure 6, the lever is released and allowed to fly back,
KK, winches on the bridge or other convenient place from which a rope or chain L
passes round guide pulleys M to the levers F.
The mode of action is as follows→
An obstruction being directly ahead and it be desirable to stop the steamer with.
great rapidity, both levers gl are moved, liberating the catches I. The levers F
are thus released, and there being a constant pressure in the channels C, the doors
open, catch the water and then fly fully open until stopped through the levers F
coming in contact with the buffer H. These two wings standing out nearly at right
angles, form a great impediment to the continued forward motion of the ship, and
it soon comes to a standstill. If, however, it be desired, instead of stopping the
ship, to turn it hard-a-port or hard-a-starboard, the port or starboard door, as
the case may be, alone is let loose. When the ship has come to a standstill,
the windlass K is worked till the levers F pass under the notches in catches 1,
and are caught by them, the doors are now in their closed position ready for
another emergency.
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 combination of doors A placed near the stern of the ship, and ordinarily
closed against the side of the ship or in a slight embayment in the side with chains
or their equivalent D, catching devices and windlass mechanism, whereby either or
both of them can be let loose and afterwards brought back into their closed condition,
whenever they have been freed, and a stopping or buffering device H, whereby
they are stopped or held when at or near at right angles to the ship without
severe shock.
2. In mechanism as and for the purpose described in the title, catches such as I
connected with a handle or pull on deck, and forming with a lever connected with a
hauling mechanism, a retaining device, whereby the doors are held closed in the
closed position until freed by a pull on deck.
3. The channels C substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. The apparatus for arresting or rapidly altering the course of a vessel in
an emergency taken as a whole, substantially as and for the purposes herein
described.
Date : 1013
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.