AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR CLEANING STEAM OR SAILING SHIPS' BOTTOMS AT SEA "
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHRISTOPHER WHITE of Hawskor near Whitby in the County of York,
Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for AUTOMATIC
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING STEAM OR SAILING SHIPS' BOTTOMS AT SEA
" to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of a series of scrapers (or brushes) arranged in a jointed
chain extending, preferably, from the water line of the vessel to the keel and
continuing up the opposite side to the water line. Each section of such chain
carries a spiral formed upon, or attached to, and revolving with a spindle working
in a "swivel" bearing (preferably "bushed") These spindles each form an angle to
the chain, such that the scraper or brush, on one spiral, will overlap at one end the
opposite end of the next, thus leaving no portion of the skin of ship between them
untouched as they revolve, such angular position also facilitating the escape of the
substances removed by their operation. Each spiral is hollow, so as to float of itself,
but additional buoyancy may be given when required by floats. The spirals work
at opposite angles and in contrary directions on opposite sides of ship and a "keel
slide" is provided which keeps the apparatus in position vertically and guides it in
fore and aft direction.
Hand guide ropes are attached to the chain at each end, to secure it in position
vertically and fore and aft "guy" ropes are, attached at lower end, near keel, and
at top end, near water line, passing over the bow and stern respectively, to move
it along the ships side and bottom and secure it in working position. The scrapers
are either formed on, or attached to the outer face of the spirals and when brushes
are required they are formed with dove tailed backs so as to slip over or into,
corresponding dovetails on the face of the spiral, which latter may be formed by
the scrapers themselves, in which case the brushes can be fitted without removing
the scrapers. Upon the "keel slide" may also be formed, or fitted, scrapers to
clean close up to keel, where inaccessible to the revolving action. The apparatus is
applied by passing one end of the jointed chain of spirals round the vessel's bows
until the keel slide" takes the stein of the vessel, it is then lowered or sunk by
weight attached until the "keel slide" takes the fore part of the keel the vessel's
way through the water keeping the apparatus close to the bow and in position.
"
The fore "guy" ropes are now hauled "taut" and the sinking weight detached
by means of a "lanyard" and slip hook, the spirals now revolve and by the way
the chains are jointed the spirals are caused to fit themselves to the shape of any
vessel's bows.

page_text: "
The cleaning process commences forward and, as the operation goes on, the fore
"guys are slackened away. slowly until the apparatus has reached the vessel's
propeller, if a steamer, or the rudder, if a sailing vessel.
The whole of the vessels bottom will then have been cleaned except tho "after
run " and under the "counter."
The after "guy" ropes are then to be hauled "taut" over the stern and the
vessel made to go astern when the construction of the apparatus will cause the
spirals to fit themselves to the shape of any vessels "run " and "counter" cleaning
every part that had not been cleaned while going ahead the after "guys" being
slowly slackened away while cleaning after part.
When the cleaning operation is finished, if a steamer she must be backed astern
until the apparatus floats under the bows then hauled inboard by one end. If a
sailing vessel the apparatus may be hauled in over the stern.
The advantages which I consider this apparatus possesses are:-
(1) That it is simple in construction and, when well fitted, works with little
friction.
(2nd) That the scrapers are readily replaced by brushes.
(3) That it is such as to be easily understood and handled by sailors and, when
not in use, it can be taken to pieces and stowed away in little space in any safe
place on deck where it is always open to inspection.
(4th) That when in position it will clean one portion of ship from water line to
keel completely, only requiring to be moved forward or aft to operate on a fresh
portion.
(5th) That it is applicable to clean the stern portion of a ship in the “run” and
indon the "ountan

page_text: I CHRISTOPHER WHITE of Hawsker near Whitby in the County of York,
Master Mariner do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for AUTOMATIC
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING STEAM OR SAILING SHIPS' BOTTOMS AT SEA, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention consists of a series of scrapers (or brushes) arranged in a jointed
chain, extending preferably from the water line of the vessel to the keel, and
continuing from the keel up to the water line on the opposite side of the vessel;
Each section of such chain carries a spiral formed upon, or attached to and
revolving with a spindle working in "swivel" bearings (preferably bushed) or the
spirals may be fitted so us to revolve upon the spindles which will be fixed at their
ends to the jointed chain, and the spirals may be bushed with any suitable material
to diminish friction and wear. These spindles cach form an angle to the chain such
that the scraper or brush on one spiral will overlap at one end the opposite end of
the next, thus leaving no portion of the skin of the ship between them untouched
as they revolve such angular position also facilitating the escape of the substanco
removed by their operation.
Each spiral is made hollow (if of sheet iron or other metal) so as to float of itself
or the spirals may be made of wood and additional buoyancy may be given when
required by floats. The spirals work at opposite angles and in contrary directions
on opposite sides of ship and a keel-slide is provided which keeps the apparatus in
position vertically and guides it in fore and aft direction, and guide ropes are
attached to the chain at each end to secure it in position vertically and fore and aft
guy ropes are attached at lower end near keel and at top end near water lino
passing over the bows and stern respectively to move it along the ship's sides and
bottom and secure it in working position.
The scrapers are either formed on or attached to the outer face of the spirals and
when brushes are required they are preferably formed with "dove tailed " backs so
as to ship over or into corresponding "dove tails" on the faces of the spirals, which
latter may be formed by the scrapers themselves, in which case the brushes can be
fitted without removing the scrapers. Upon the keel slide may also be formed or
fitted scrapers to clean close up to keel where inaccessable to the revolving action.
The apparatus is applied by passing one end of the jointed chain of spirals over
and round the vessels bows until the keel slide takes the stem of the vessel, it is
then lowered or sunk by weights attached to keel slide by a shackle until the keel
slide takes the fore part of the vessel's keel, the vessel's "way" through the water
keeping the apparatus close to the bow and in position The fore guy ropes are
now hauled "taut" and the sinking weight detached by means of lanyard and slip
hook.
The spirals by their buoyancy, and the way the chains are jointed, fit themselves
to the shape of the vessel's bows and revolve (either with or upon their spindles)
by the ship's motion through the water.
The cleaning process commences forward and as the operation goes on the fore
guys are slackened away slowly until the apparatus has reached the vessel's
propeller if a steamer, or the rudder if a sailing vessel, the whole of the vessels sides
and bottom will then have been cleaned except the "after run
and under the
" counter."
"

page_text: On the accompanying sheet of drawings, I have shewn the manner in which
I propose to construct the apparatus and apply it in practical operation, but I do not
restrict myself to details of construction which may be varied to suit varying
conditions.
Figure 1 shews an end view of the apparatus in working position over the bows
or fore quarters of a vessel.
Figure 2 aliews a side view and Figure 3 a portion of the apparatus in plan on
each side of vessel's keel.
A. A. are the chains formed of a number of sections B. B. linked together cach
section carrying an inclined spindle C. C. upon which or with which the spirals D. D.
revolve by the motion of the ship through the water. The peripheries of these
spirals carry scrapers E or brushes E¹ which revolve with them in contact with the
skin of ship (as shewn on Figures 1) from water line to keel. The lower ends of
the chains A. A. are attached to the keel slide F. F., which fits over the keel of ship
and the upper ends of chains are secured over the bulwarks by ropes G. G.
and G. G. are guy ropes attached to chain at water line and at keel by means of
which and the deck ropes G. G.; the apparatus is lowered and guided into position
and which being then made fast forward and aft keep it fixed, or by which it is
removed from one portion of skin of ship to the next to be cleaned. H. H. are
scrapers fixed to the keel slide for the purpose of cleaning the extreme lower
portion next keel where the spirals cannot reach. K. is a long shackle (attached to
keel slide F.) into the loop of which the trigger catch L., of the sinking weight M.
(Figures 4 and 5) slips to sink the apparatus into position the weight being then
released by pulling the lanyard N. which sets it free of loop of K. and it is then
hauled up by a rope O. It will be seen that the angular position of the spindles on
chain, causes the lower end of one spiral to overlap the upper end of the next, and
vice-versa, so that no portion of skin of ship, from water line to keel can escape
their scraping or brushing operation and a strip corresponding to their breadth
having been cleaned, the apparatus is moved to such an extent aft or forward as to
cause them to operate on a fresh portion. The chains when operating on such
parts as the hollow curves of the bows, in the after run or under the counter, are
kept sufficiently slack to allow the spirals, by their buoyancy, to bring the scrapers
or brushes into contact with their curved surfaces.
:

page_text: Having now fully described my invention and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings the manner in which it may be carried into practical operation I declare
that what I claim as my invention is:
Firstly. In an apparatus for cleaning ships' bottoms the application of spirals
revolved by the motion through the water, and so disposed, in relation to each other,
that the brushes or scrapers carried by them will clean every portion of the ship
from keel to water line substantially as shewn and described.
Secondly. The apparatus as a whole combining the several parts for the purposes
setforth, constructed and operating substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this twentieth day of October one thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
Witness:
CHRISTOPHER WHITE.
W. Lloyd Wise,
Per F. J. Brougham,
Applicant's Agent.
T. J. DANSON, F. Inst. P.A.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Newcastle upon Tyne.