AN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING INJURY TO VESSELS IN COLLISION AT SEA
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David de Lara, of Suffolk Place, Pall Mall, and
Henry Thomas Sewell, of Gerrard Street, Soho, both in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING
INJURY TO VESSELS IN COLLISION AT SEA."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David de Lara and
Henry Thomas Sewell at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 24th September 1874.
We, DAVID DE LARA, of Suffolk Place, Pall Mall, and HENRY
THOMAS SEWELL, of Gerrard Street, Soho, both in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING INJURY TO VESSELS IN COLLISION AT SEA,"
to be as follows:-

page_text: prevent injury thereto in case they come into collision with other ships,
vessels, rocks, or other objects. For this purpose rollers (or other
rotating frictional surfaces) are mounted, one at the front of the bow
and one on each side thereof, and others if necessary at the stern or
other parts of a vessel which it is desired to protect in case of collision.
These rollers are mounted on axes of great strength, either applied to
the bow of existing vessels, or fixed thereto when the vessel is being
prevent injury thereto in case miey com
1000
vessels, rocks, or other objects. For this purpose rollers (or other
rotating frictional surfaces) are mounted, one at the front of the bow
and one on each side thereof, and others if necessary at the stern or
other parts of a vessel which it is desired to protect in case of collision.
These rollers are mounted on axes of great strength, either applied to
the bow of existing vessels, or fixed thereto when the vessel is being
constructed.
The surfaces of the rollers may be covered with india-rubber, hemp,
or other slightly elastic or yielding material, in order to break the 1
shock in striking a vessel or other resisting object.
In striking a vessel or other object the rollers are caused to revolve,.
and thus throw off or glide past the vessel or object struck, thereby
preventing injury to the vessels.
We propose to employ spheres mounted in sockets in lieu of the 1
rollers previously described, if desired.
In addition we also propose to introduce elastic or yielding materials
between the apparatus and the bow of the vessel to deaden the
shock.
The shape of the rollers may be varied according to circumstances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David de Lara and Henry Thomas Sewell in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th March 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DAVID
DE LARA, of Suffolk Place, Pall Mall, and HENRY THOMAS SEWELL, 2
of Gerrard Street, Soho, both in the County of Middlesex, send.
greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of September,

page_text: course of construction, and may be applied to vessels of every 2
description, being applicable to boats, barges, and other floating craft
used for navigating rivers and canels.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of
performing or carrying the same into practice, what we claim is, the
application of rollers a, a, or rotating surfaces to the bows or other 3
parts of ships or vessels for the purpose of preventing or lessening the
injury arising from collisions at sea or elsewhere, substantially in the

page_text: manner herein-before described and represented in the Drawings here-
unto annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said David de Lara and Henry Thomas
Sewell, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-third
day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
0
EDWARD BLAKE,
DAVID DE LARA.
(L.S.)
HENRY THOMAS SEWELL. (L.S.)
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
London, W.C.