improvements in Protecting Ships' Ventilators against the Entrance of Water in Stormy Weather.
Year: 1885

page_text: improvements in Protecting Ships' Ventilators against the
Entrance of Water in Stormy Weather.
I, ROBERT YARROW of 22 Union Street Jarrow in the County of Durham Iron
worker do hereby declare the nature of said invention to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists in fitting to any form of ventilator an appliance which
I call a "storm-cap" placed over mouth of "cowl " or in the air shaft or it may.
be in both by which water, tending to enter the ventilator, as when a sea is shipped,
is repelled and discharged on deck while the free passage of air down the ventilator
is still permitted.
As applied to mouth of cowl the appliance consists of a disc of the size and shape
of the mouth the upper portion of which is perforated with holes or other apertures
the lower portion being blank. On back of this disc is a diaphragm or "baffle-
plate" extending downward from top to about half the depth with a space between
it and the disc fully equal to the area of the apertures-Behind this diaphragın is
another extending upward from bottom of disc to a line a little above the termina-
tion of first diaphragm-In the lower part of disc is fitted a self acting flap or
other form of door to discharge the water which enters through the holes-The
action is as follows: The "storm-cap" being placed in mouth of ventilator and
secured by simple clasp or other fittings-the air has free access through the holes
and passes under the lower edge of first diaphragm or "baffle-plate" then upward
and over the upper edge of second diaphragm and down the ventilator shaft, but
should a sea strike the face the water which enters through the holes is met by the
first diaphragm or "baffle-plate" against which it strikes and falls down into the
space between disc and second diaphragm whence it flows out of the self acting
door onto deck.
When the "storm-cap" is placed in the air shaft, a conical lining a little smaller
than the main air shaft is constructed in it near the deck line having a space
between them closed at bottom end where a flap door (or doors) is arranged. In
stormy weather a conical casing forming the "storm-cap" fits over the top end of
this lining the upper part of which is protected by a domed cover between which
and the top of casing is space sufficient to admit an ample supply of air, while any
water entering strikes the domed cover and is thrown into the space between the
air shaft and the conical lining and discharged at door or doors onto deck.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention and the manner in which
I propose to carry the principle into practical application though I do not restrict
myself to the plans here shewn which may be modified to suit circumstances.
Figure 1-shews a face view of a ships ventilator "cowl" of the ordinary
construction fitted with my "storm-cap" and Figure 2 a section of same.
A is the disc fitting into and screwed in mouth of cowl by catches-B, B, B, are
holes provided in the upper portion of disc for the entry of the air which passing
through them finds its way under bottom edge of diaphragm or "baffle plate" C,
then up over the top edge of the second diaphragm D, and so down the shaft its
course being indicated by the dotted arrows. When water enters through the
holes it strikes the face of the "buffle plate" C, and falling down into the space
between the disc A and second diaphragm D flows out through door E on to deck
its course being indicated by the full line arrows.
Figure 3 shews a section of a ventilator fitted with "storm-cap" within the air
shaft in the part called the "Coaming," F is the conical lining fixed in main
shaft, G is the conical casing with domed cover or "storm-cap "H fitting on top
with an air space between, through which the air passes as indicated by the dotted
arrows, but when water enters the ventilator it falls upon the domed cover H is
diverted into the space between main shaft and conical casing G and flows out by
the door or doors Jon to deck.
The 16
storm-cap" in either form will be preferably made of thin sheet iron
galvanised, as light and portable as possible and when not in use will be kept
in some easily accessible place on board the ship.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The application to the ventilators of ships of appliances which will automatically
-without valves or other mechanism-exclude the passage of water but allow free
access for an ample supply of air in stormy weather when the mouths of the
ventilators would otherwise have to be entirely closed the said appliances being
constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated or any more
modification of same.
Date
Tmber 1002