or vessels and other cover
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 20th Apr., 1889
or vessels and other cover
A communication from STEPHEN BOND, of Constantinople, Turkey, Engineer.
1 ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In carrying out this invention which relates to improvements in means for securing
the hatches of steam or sailing vessels and other kinds of coverings, I prefer to rigidly
secure around the outside of the combings of the said hatches a number of brackets
of cast steel or other suitable metal. These brackets under one arrangement are each
drilled to admit of a screw sliding (not screwing) freely through it, the said screw
being provided with a handle or other suitable means for turning it and being secured
to the combings or to the brackets by chains or their equivalents to prevent them
from being misplaced. The inner end of the screw is adapted to screw into a nut
or boss formed on a plate which is provided with two lugs, one at each end.
of these lugs slides between two lugs formed on another plate (constituting the
gripping plate) parallel with the first mentioned plate but is prevented from
entirely slipping out from between them by a slot which works over a pin secured
to one or other of the plates. The gripping plate is faced with india rubber or
other suitable material to prevent it from slipping when tightened against the
hatch bar, and the end of the screw bears against the back of it.
Each
For securing a hatch by a number of the beforementioned arrangements, the grip
plates are screwed tightly up against the hatch bars by the points of the screws
bearing at the back of them and the first named or sliding plates will then have
threaded outwards from the combings and jammed up against the inner side of the
brackets and thus constitute lock nuts.

page_text: In the second arrangement before referred to a similar screw is provided but this in
place of slipping through the hole in the bracket threads or screws through it and
on the part projecting through the inner side of said bracket is provided with an
ordinary lock nut. The inner end of the screw is connected to the grip plate so that
it can rotate but not move longitudinally within it.
When by a number of the last mentioned arrangements it is desired to fasten down
a hatch the screws are turned so that the grip plates are forced tightly against the
hatch bars and the lock nuts are then jammed against the inner side of the bracket
this being effected by the aid of a spanner or other suitable tool.
Dated this 18th day of June 1888.

page_text: I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the sanie
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
In carrying out this invention which relates to improvements in means for
securing the hatches of steam or sailing vessels and other kinds of coverings, I prefer
to rigidly secure around the outside of the combings of the said hatches a number of
brackets of cast steel or other suitable metal. These brackets under one arrangement
are each drilled to admit of a screw sliding (not screwing) freely through it the said
screw being provided with a handle or other suitable means for turning it and being
secured to the combings or to the brackets by chains or their equivalents to prevent
them from being misplaced. The inner end of the screw is adapted to screw into a
nut or boss formed on a plate which is provided with two lugs, one at each end.
Each of these lugs slides between two lugs formed on another plate (constituting the
gripping plate) parallel with the first mentioned plate but is prevented from entirely
slipping out from between them by a slot which works over a pin secured to one or
other of the plates. The gripping plate is faced with india-rubber or other suitable
material to prevent it from slipping when tightened against the hatch bar, and the
end of the screw bears against the back of it.
For securing a hatch by a number of the before-mentioned arrangements; the
grip plates are screwed tightly up against the hatch bars by the points of the screws
bearing at the back of them and the first named or sliding plates will then have
threaded outwards from the combings and jammed up against the inner side of the
brackets and thus constitute lock nuts.
In the second arrangement before referred to a similar screw is provided but this in
place of slipping through the hole in the bracket threads or screws through it and on
the part projecting through the inner side of said bracket is provided with an
ordinary lock nut. The inner end of the screw is connected to the grip plate so that
it can rotate but not move longitudinally within it.
When by a number of the last mentioned arrangements it is desired to fasten down
a hatch the screws are turned so that the grip plates are forced tightly against the
hatch bars and the lock nuts are then jammed against the inner side of the bracket
this being effected by the aid of a spanner or other suitable tool.
In the accompanying drawings ;-
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a front and a side elevation of one form of apparatus
constructed according to this invention, Fig. 3 being a plan of the sliding and gripping
plates thereof; Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to figs. 1 and 2 of a modified form of
the apparatus the gripping plate of which is represented in plan in figure 6.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

page_text: A is one of the brackets secured preferably by rivets A¹ to the outside of the
hatch combing B. This bracket A as shown by dotted lines in figure 2 is drilled so
as to admit of the screw C sliding freely through its upper part. The screw C for
convenience is hereinafter referred to as the bolt. C₁ is the loop handle formed on
the outer end of the bolt C and C2 is the chain by which the said bolt is secured to the
bracket A or combing B or it may be to the gripping plate D as shown in the
drawings. E is the nut or boss of the plate E¹ into which the inner end of the bolt C
is adapted to screw. E shown most clearly in figure 3 are the two lugs formed
one on each end of the plate E¹ and each of which lugs is provided with a slot E³.
D' are the lugs formed one pair at each end of the before-mentioned gripping
plate D and between each pair of which is one of the slotted lugs E. The lugs D'are
perforated to receive the pins D2 each of which passes through one of the slots E³ so as to
allow the plate E¹ to be moved independently of the plate D but only to the extent
provided for by the length of such slots. D³ figure 2, is the facing of biting or non-
slipping material such as india-rubber, leather, canvas or wood which is advantageously
applied to the plate D to prevent it from slipping when it is tightened against the
hatch bar F. D* is a perforated lug which may be formed on the plate D for fastening
to it the end of the chain (2.
In fastening down a hatch by means of apparatus such as that before described the
tarpauling covering is laid in position in the usual manner so that its edges hang down
over the combings B. The hatch bars F are then also placed in position and the bolts C
-inserted in the brackets A and the end of each screwed into one of the bosses E.
Upon screwing the bolt C farther through the boss E the point or end of the said
bolt presses against the back of the plate D which is thereby moved up against the
hatch bar F at which stage the further screwing motion will cause the plate E¹ to
move outwards away from the plate D until the said plate E' jams against the
bracket A and thus locks the plate D tightly against the hatch bar F. In the reverse
manner when it is desired to uncover the hatch the screw (will be slacked by turning
in the opposite direction which would have the effect of loosening all the parts so that
the hatch bar F may then be removed.
In the arrangement shown in figures 4 and 5 of the drawings the bolt (is provided
with a hexagonal head 03 after the manner of an ordinary bolt and the bracket A
instead of being drilled with a hole through which the bolt C may slide freely as
as in the preceding example is provided with a screw threaded hole into which the
bolt screws: G is an ordinary lock nut threaded on the bolt C and which by being
jammed against the bracket A may secure the bolt C in any desired position. The
inner end of the bolt C as shown in figure 4 is shouldered down so as to fit into
a recess in the boss 14 on the gripping plate D in which boss it is retained by the
pin D which as indicated in dotted lines in figure 5 engages with an annular recess
formed on the reduced end of the bolt in such manner as will admit of its being
rotated freely therein but will prevent its withdrawal from the plate D. The face
of the plate D in this example is recessed in the manner shown most clearly in figure 5
so as to leave rims or flanges De at the edges for the purpose of preventing the
hatch bar F from falling out of position; other means may however be employed for
securing the said hatch bar against falling away from the plate D.
In fastening down a hatch by means of the last described apparatus the bolt C is
turned so as to force the plate D tightly against the batch bar Fand the nut G is then
screwed outwards so as to jam against the bracket A and thereby lock the bolt C.
When requiring to uncover the hatch the nut G is screwed away from the bracket A
and the bolts C screwed outwards so as to withdraw the plate D from the hatch
bar F which may then be removed.
may
If desired most of the exposed parts of the before described apparatus may be
galvanised or otherwise coated or treated so as to prevent oxidation and further to
secure against the probable setting fast of the bolts C in the brackets A I bush
the holes through which the bolts C pass in the said brackets A with brass or other
suitable material. It will be understood that any of the parts of this apparatus may
be made of any suitable material, but preferably of iron, steel, or brass.

page_text: I am aware that it is not new to use a bolt passing through a bracket secured to the
hatch combings for securing down the hatches of ships but in such former applications
of the said apparatus the bolts have been arranged to bear directly upon the hatch
bars which by reason of their independent construction of the said bolts have often
proved unsatisfactory in so far as the bolts may at one time bear against the centre and
at another time close to the edge of the hatch bars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In apparatus such as described the insertion between the bolt and the hatch bar
of a plate loosely secured against separation from the bolt and provided with means
such as a recessed face into which the hatch bar enters or equivalent means for
preventing the falling away of the hatch bar sustantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. In apparatus such as described the combination with a bracket A of a bolt such
as C capable of sliding freely through it a plate such as E¹ threaded on such bolt and
connected to a plate such as D by means of pins D3 passing through slots E³
substantially as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus such as described the combination with a plate such as D of a plate
such as E movably connected to it substantially as herein described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus such as described the combination with a bracket A of a bolt
screwed through it and upon the end of which is directly secured a plate such as D in
such manner that the end of the bolt may revolve in but not become detached
from it substantially as herein described and illustrated in figure 5 of the accom-
panying drawings.
5. In apparatus such as described the employment of a plate such as D with a
facing D³ of india-rubber leather or other biting or non-slipping material substantially
as and for the purpose herein described.
6. In apparatus such as described the employment of a plate such as D provided
with means such as a recessed face into which the hatch bar enters or equivalent
means for preventing the falling away of the hatch bar substantially as herein
described.
Dated this 18th day of March 1880