Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 5th Jan., 1889
omplete Specification Accepted, 12th Feb. 1889
by Collision.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., the General
Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the county of Middlesex, Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from abroad
by James Holmes, of Devonport Auckland New Zealand, Shipwright and Shipbuilder)
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved means for temporarily closing holes formed in
the hulls of ships by collision or otherwise.
According to my said invention I provide what I term an apron, which apron
preferably comprises several layers or thicknesses of canvas which are fluted or
provided with a series of longitudinal pockets into which strips of wood or other
material are inserted in order to support the apron against the pressure of water when
stretched over a hole in a ship's hull. It is also advisable in some cases to place a
sheeting of wood between the ship and the apron to prevent the latter from being
forced through the hole or aperture.
The apron
is also preferably lined with india-rubber to prevent the canvas from
being worn by friction and to ensure an even and close contact with the ship's sido.
In order to be enabled to secure the apron over an opening I provide what I terin
grippers which are in the form of long ruds shaped at one end so as to enable them to
engage with or be attached to the vessel near the hole. The said grippers when fixed
are a short distance from the hull throughout the greater portion of the length to
allow the apron to be passed between them and the hull, the said grippers serving as
guides. The lower edge of the apron is provided with small grippers by means of
which it may be held in place.
the
When the apron is placed in position chains are passed around the hull and over
upron to hold the latter in place.
one apron is too small to cover a hole two aprons may be united together by
lacing, a flap being provided on the edge of one apron to cover the joint.
Dated the 17th day of March 1888.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: by Collision.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN; of the firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., the General
Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from abroad
by James Holmes of Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand, Shipwright and Shipbuilder)
and in what manner the saine is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to improved means for temporarily closing holes formed in
the hulls of ships by collision or otherwise.
According to the said invention, I provide what I terin an apron, which npron
preferably comprises several layers or thicknesses of canvas which are fluted or
provided with a series of longitudinal pockets into which strips of wood or other
material are inserted in order to support the apron against the pressure of water when
stretched over a hole in a ship's bull. It is also advisable in some cases to place a
sheeting of wood between the ship 'and 'the apron to prevent the latter from being
forced through the hole or aperture.
The apron is also preferably lined with india rubber to prevent the canvas from
being worn by friction and to ensure an oven and close contact with the ship's side.
In order to be enabled to secure the apron over an opening, I provide what I term
grippers which are in the form of long rods shaped at one end, so as to enable them
to engage with or be attached to the vessel near the hole. The said grippers when
fixed are a short distance from the hull throughout the greater portion of their length
to allow the apron to be passed between them and the hull, the said grippers serving
as guides. The lower edge of the apron is provided with small grippers by means of
which it may be held in place. Chains are passed around the hull and attached to
the apron so as to fix and hold the latter in place.
When one apron is too small to cover a hole two aprons may be united together by-
lacing, a flap being provided on the edge of one apron to cover the joint.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood, I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figures 1 and 2 are an elevation and edge view respectively of an apron constructed a
according to my invention for temporarily closing holes formed in the sides of the
hulls of ships by collision.
.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the same drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figures 4 and 5.are an elevation and edge view respectively of the ends of two of
the said aprous, shewing the method of joining them together when required.
Figures 6 and 7 are a side and rear elevation respectively of one of the
grippers, and
Figure 8 is a view of the lower end of a modification of the same.

page_text: Figure 9 is an elevation of a modified form of the apron shown in figure 1.
Figures 10 and 11 are an elevation and edge view respectively of an apron to be
applied for closing holes formed in the bottoms of ships.
Figure 12 is a side elevation of the hull of an iron ship showing the application of
the aprong shown in figures I and 2.
Figure 13 is a transverse section of the same but drawn to an enlarged scale.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to figures 1, 2 and 3
a is the apron which consists of two layers (or more) of canvas, as shewn in
figure 3; b, b are the longitudinal pockets, and c, c are the strips of wood or other
material which are inserted in the said pockets in order to support the apron against
the pressure of water when stretched over a hole in a ship's hull, as shown in figures 12
and 13; is the lining of india-rubber, as shewn in figure 3, to prevent the
canvas being worn by friction and to ensure an even and close contact with the
ship's side.
a¹ are bands of canvas which form loops a² so as to enable the apron a to be
fastened to the inside of the ship when in the position shown in figures 12
and 13.
d', dare chains and guys or stays attached to the ends and sides of the apron
respectively for the purpose of fixing it in place as hereinafter described.
e, e figures 6 and 7, are the grippers which are in the form of long rods and shaped
at the lower end, as shewn in the said figures so as to enable them to be knocked
into the sides of a wooden vessel. In figures 8, 12 and 13 the lower ends of the
said rods are shewn of a shape to enable them to grip or bear against the lower
edge of any of the plates of the sides of an iron vessel, as shewn clearly in figure 13.
The grippers e, e when fixed as shewn in figure 13 are a short distance from the hull
throughout the greater portion of their length, to allow the apron a to be passed
between them and the hull, the said grippers sorving as guides.
el, e are handles on the upper part of the said grippers to allow of their being
operated from the deck of the ship, clips e, e² being also provided so that ropes can
be attached for the same purpose.
ffare the small grippers which are placed at the lower edge of the apron a, as
shewn in figures 1, 2, 12 and 13, for the purpose of gripping the sides of the ship in
a similar manner to the grippers e, e.
9, 9, as shown by the dotted lines in figures 12 and 13, are the chains which are
passed round the hull of the ship and attached to the apron a so as to fix and hold the
latter in place as horeinafter described.
The operation of fixing the apron a is as follows, that is to say, presuming a hole A
to have been formed in the side of a ship by collision or otherwise, as shewn in
figure 12, the bights or bends of the chains 9, 9 which are normally suspended at
the bows of the ship, as shown by the dotted lines in the same figure, are let go
thereby allowing the said chains to swing under the keel, the ends of the said chains
which are arranged on each side of the vessel being moved till the chains are over
the hole A. The two ends of the chains 9, 9, which are at the side of the vessel
where the leak is situate are then attached to the chains d' at the lower end of
the apron a and the chains d' at the upper end of the said apron are fastened
temporarily on the deck of the ship. The guys or stays d², d² are then attached to
the sides of the apron a, as shewn, and the ends of the same also fixed temporarily fore
and aft of the ship, the grippers e, e being also fixed in the position shewn. Tho
apron a is then lowered over the side of the ship between the same and the grippers e, e
until it covers the hole A the pressure of water against the portion of the apron
covering the said hole sufficing to hold the apron in position while the chains d³ and
the guys or stays d² are operated so as to securely fix the said apron. For the purpose
of joining two aprons together when one is not large enough to cover the hole in a
ship's hull I form them at one end, as shewn in figures 4 and 5, with oyelets i, i so that
they can be laced together with a lace j, flaps k, k being also formed which overlap
one another so as to form a tight joint.

page_text: l
I sometimes provide the apron a with the rope arranged as represented in figure 9.
In this case when using the apron, I dispense with the grippers e, e and, and form
the apron into a roll which is unrolled from the part of the deck above the hole in
the hull of the vessel, the said rope allowing it to be gradually unrolled over the
said hole.
For stopping holes formed in the bottoms of ships, I provide the apron shewn in
figures 10, 11 and 13. This apron is formed substantially the same as that represented
by figure 1, except that the part of the same which fits the keel of the ship is
provided with metal bridge pieces m, m which fit under the keel and allow the
apron to make a joint round the same." The bridge pieces m, m are provided with
swivel eye bolts n, n to which are attached the chains g, y for holding the apron in
placo.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
(1). The improved means herein before described for closing holes in the hulls of
ships, the said means comprising an apron provided with a series of pockets adapted
to receive battens or strips of wood for supporting the said apron against the pressure
of water when stretched over a hole, in combination with the bars or grippers for
guiding the apron and holding it in place, substantially as described.
(2). The application to the apron constructed as hereinbefore described, of a
band or bands forming a series of Joops on the inner side of the apron, substantially
as, and for the purpose, set forth.
(3). The method of applying the apron by means of the chains g. 9 and the ropes or
chains d', d².
(4). The modified form of apron adapted to fit the bottom of a vessel, substant 1
as described with reference to figures 10, 11, and 13.
(5). The improved apron and the means for applying the same, substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 5th day of January 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.