IMPROVED APPLIANCES AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING THE RUSH OF WATER INTO A SHIP WHEN THE EXTERIOR SKIN BECOMES FRACTURED, WHETHER IT BE OF WOOD, IRON, OR STEEL, AND THE SAID FRACTURE IS CAUSED BY COLLISION, OR BY BEING PIERCED WITH SHOT FROM AN ENEMY, OR BY RUST, OR FRITTERING AWAY BY STRIKING ON A ROCK, OR FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Nichols, of Kingsand, in the Parish of Maker,
in the County of Cornwall, Shipwright, for an Invention of "IMPROVED
APPLIANCES AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING THE RUSH OF WATER INTO A
SHIP WHEN THE EXTERIOR SKIN BECOMES FRACTURED, WHETHER IT BE OF
WOOD, IRON, OR STEEL, AND THE SAID FRACTURE IS CAUSED BY COLLISION,
OR BY BEING PIERCED WITH SHOT FROM AN ENEMY, OR BY RUST, OR
FRITTERING AWAY BY STRIKING ON A ROCK, OR FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE"
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Nichols at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th April 1880.
CHRISTOPHER NICHOLS, of Kingsand, in the Parish of Maker, in the County of
Cornwall, Shipwright. "IMPROVED APPLIANCES AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING
THE RUSH OF WATER INTO A SHIP WHEN THE EXTERIOR SKIN BECOMES FRACTURED,
WHETHER IT BE OF WOOD, IRON, OR STEEL, AND THE SAID FRACTURE IS CAUSED
BY COLLISION, OR BY BEING PIERCED WITH SHOT FROM AN ENEMY, OR BY RUST,
OR FRITTERING AWAY BY STRIKING ON A ROCK, OR FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE."
1st. I introduce an iron "frame span and clutch" with necessary pins and chains,
forelocks, screw eye bolts, crutch bolts, and nuts, &c.
Also a "frame extension span" or spans of angle iron of "various lengths," in
order that it might be held securely by clutchos attached to frames the fore side
and aft side of the fracture.
2nd. I also introduce a shot plug made of cork and india rubber or soft leather,
held between two metal plates with a nut and screw shaft attached, which when
wanted for usc must be connected to the "frame span" and acted upon by the out
and fly, shewn in the Drawing, which when the force is put on it will be pressed
tightly into the fracture and stop the water from rushing into the ship.
The object of the said "plug" is to stop the vessel from sinking by holes, which
have been pierced in her by shot fron an enemy, or otherwise.
3rd. To the same kind of nut and screw shaft is fixed an iron plate, its length
being the breadth of one "frame space," which will press against some pliable
fibrous wood, such as "Canada elm," or the best "English elm," not to be more
than 5/8 in. thick, and planed on both sides in order that it might bend freely when
pressure from the "nut and fly" is brought to bear upon it.
4th. I also introduce matting to be the breadth of one "frame space," and about
six feet long, to be made of cork with a backing of india rubber or canvas, or both,
to be sewn together with strong hemp twine. This matting to be applied on the
inside of the ship, cork side to fracture, thin Canada elm to be placed on the
matting, the iron plate with nut and screw shaft against the Canada elm, and
the frame span and clutches fixed to the ship's "frames" in order to work the nut

page_text: and fly, which upon being hove taught will press the matting to the injured part,
and thereby retard the influx of water and eventually stop it, so that the ship
will be enabled to proceed for the nearest port or harbour where she could be
thoroughly repaired. The mats can be stowed at each bulkhead between the
stiffners.
5th. The same kind of matting with eyelet holes worked at each edge of the
canvas for lacing it together if necessary to stop a large hole in the ship from
the outside. The mats to be strengthened with rope binds sewed with strong hemp
twine to the matting, beckets or loops to be formed in the rope in order that long
ropes can be made fast for lowering it over the ship's side into the water, and
under the bottom of the ship. Lead weights to be attached to the lower end of
the matting for sinkers, and also to take it below the indraught at the fracture.
This matting can be used in conjunction with the inside system or separately if
preferred, and can be stowed in boxes or lockers. A box 6 ft. x 2 ft. x 2 ft., will
stow 12 mats which will cover a fracture 12 feet by 8 feet.
6th. The clutch and extension span can be applied to water tight doors by
riveting two angle irons reversed, or Z iron to the bulkhead cach sido of the
doorway which will be stiffners to the bulkhead also.
The door can be made of wood with a continuous sunken groove to receive cork,
the door to be lined on the inside to overlap the cork and keep it in the groove,
which," when pressure is brought on it by the nut and screw will bo impervious
to water.
This same arrangement can be applied to all hatchways in the various decks,
stern windows, broadside ports, or bow ports, should any of these fittings be washed
away or burst in by the force of the sen
1
7th.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
No. 1. Half section of ship in elevation showing shot plug and screw shaft, also
"frame span and clutch" with their mode of application.
No. 2. Plan of extension span and its mode of being applied to the ship's frames;
also, cork matting pressed out to a fractured plate, the ship having struck on a rock
or been in collision.
No. 3. Cork matting and its appliances for outside of ship.
No. 4. Watertight door to opening through bulkhead between decks; also,
hatchway on weather deck with watertight cover, angle iron, spans, clutches, screw
shafts, nuts, and flys, &c., showing the whole secured as it should be in a
"hurricane" to prevent the water from rushing below if the deck is flooded.
No. 5. Transverse section of ship in elevation showing cork matting applied
outside and itside of the ship at fractured plate, with the fittings for holding and
permanently securing it to the fracture.
Also, sectional view of a hatchway on the weather deck showing watertight
cover and its mode of application.
Sth.
I would recommend that when an accident occurs there should be four men
ordered to get the mats on deck close as possible to the fracture, and lace so many
mats together as will be required; while this is doing, six men must be ordered the
opposite side of the ship with two small lines long enough to go around the bow
and stern outside and under all the gear, that it may have free course to go under
the keel and their ends meet at the matting. The deep sea lead line would be
handy for one, and the log line for the other, the object of which is to make fast 6
two ropes to the ends of these lines, and haul them up on the opposite side of the
ship, the other ends of these ropes to be made fast to the lower part of matting in
order that it might be placed under the ship's bottom and direct to the fracture.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Christopher Nichols at the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
October 1880.
CHRISTOPHER NICHOLS, Shipwright, of Kingsand, in the Parish of Maker, in the
County of Cornwall. STOPPING THE RUSH OF WATER INTO A SHIP WHEN THE
EXTERIOR SKIN BECOMES FRACTURED, WHETHER IT BE OF WOOD, IRON, OR STEEL,
AND THE SAID FRACTURE IS CAUSED BY COLLISION, OR BY BEING PIERCED BY
SHOT FROM AN ENEMY, OR BY RUST, OR FRITTERING AWAY BY STRIKING ON
A ROCK, OR FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE."
This Invention is particularly designed to prevent loss of life and property at
sea. Having read of so many precious lives being lost through collision, the
frittering away of the iron plates, and the ship sinking with all on board, and from
various other causes, induced me to try and devise some means whereby to prevent
if possible those frightful disasters.
First. I introduce an iron "frame span and clutch" with necessary pins, chains,
forclocks, screw eyo bolts, crutches bolts, nuts, etc., also a frame extension span or
spans of angle iron to be of various lengths, which must be held securely to the
ship's frames by clutches made of iron, which can be casily attached when required
in case of collision, or being pierced with shot, or accident of any kind.
Second. A crutch is attached to the span which holds the nut and fly, and
forms resistance to the pressure brought on the screw shaft.
Third. An iron shaft screwed the greatest portion of its length, or that part
which drops into the crutch for the purpose of being acted upon by the nut and
fly while it is turned by the hand, to work the screw shaft in and out at pleasure.
This shaft when used for matting is fixed to an iron plate, whose length is one
frame space of the ship.
Fourth. The nut and fly and screw shaft is similar in its action to copying
presses used in printers' and lawyers' offices.
Fifth. A plug of conical form made of cork and covered with india rubber or
soft leather with a hole passing through its centre to admit a bolt or shaft at each
end of the cone, must be an iron plate with a hole in the centre to admit tho bolt to
pass through it, and heave up with a nut at the small end. The object of this
plug is to stop the vessel from sinking when she has been pierced with shot from
an enemy.
Sixth. Some pliable fibrous wood, such as Canada elm or the best English elm,
to be the breadth of one frame space, and about six feet lengths for convenience of
stowage, and not less than 5%, of an inch thick, to be planed on both sides in order
that it might bend freely when pressure is brought to bear on it by the nut and
screw shaft.
Seventh. Collision matting to be the breadth of one frame space and six or
seven feet long, to be made of cork with a backing of india rubber or canvas, or
both, to be sewn together with strong hemp twine, this matting to be applied on
the inside of the ship, cork side to fracture, thin Canada elm to be placed on the
matting, the iron plate with nut and screw shaft against the Canada elm, and the
frame spans and clutches fixed to the ship's frames in order to work the nut and
fly, which when hove taut will press the matting to the injured part, and thereby
retard the influx of water and eventually stop it, so that the ship will be able to
proceed for the nearest port or harbour where she could be thoroughly repaired.
The mats can be stowed at the bulkheads between the stiffners, which can be
placed one or two frame spaces apart at discretion in order to stow the mate. I
would here remark that when a collision occurs every person on board should bo
united, and use every effort to get at the injured part, whatever, cargo is in the

page_text: way, throw it overboard as quickly as possible, and use every endeavour to stop
the leak, for there has already been too many valuable lives lost for the want of
some necessary precaution.
Eighth. The same kind of matting with eyelet holes worked at each edge of the
canvas for lacing it together if necessary to stop a large hole from the outside of
ship, the mats to be strengthened with rope binds at the canvas backing, to be sewn
to the mats with strong hemp twine, beckets or loops to be formed in the rope for
securing the mats together with lanyards in order to ease the strain from the
lacing, and also that long ropes may be made fast for lowering it over the ship's
side into the water and under the bottom of the ship, lead weights to be attached
to the lower end of the matting for sinkers, and also to take it below the indraught
at the fracture. I would recommend that when an accident occurs there should
be four men ordered to get the mats on deck close as possible over the fracture,
and lace so many mats together as will be required; while this is doing six men
must go to the other side of ship with two small. lines long enough to go around
the bow and stem outside and under all the gear, that it may have free course to
go under the keel and their ends meet at the matting, a strong rope made fast to
the end of each line, which must be drawn under the keel and up on the other side,
whilst the other ends of these ropes must be made fast to lower part of matting in
order that it might be placed under the ship's bottom and direct to the fracture,
other separate ropes must be made fast to upper part of matting.
Ninth. The clutch and extension span arrangement can be applied to water tight
doors at the various bulkheads, each side of the doorway Z iron can be reveted as
stiffners, which will form a holding for the clutches, the watertight door can be
'made of wood with a continuous sunken groove to receive cork to overlap the
edges of the doorway in the bulkhead, the door to be lined on the inside to overlap
the cork and keep it in the groove, which when pressure is being brought on by
the nut and screw shaft will be impervious to water. This can also be applied to
all hatchways in the various decks, stern windows, broadside ports or bow ports,
should any of those fittings be washed away or burst in by the firce of the
sea,

page_text: door made of wood showing continuous groove to receive cork.
NUMBER 5.
Transverse section of ship in elevation showing cork matting applied outsido
and inside of ship at fractured plate with the fittings for holding and permanently
securing it to tho fracture; also sectional view of a hatchway on the weather deck
showing watertight cover and its mode of application.
A, ship's frame in elevation; B, beam across ship riveted to frame; C, pillar
supporting beam at centre; D, hatchway showing Z iron riveted to coaming for
holding clutch; E, angle iron span across hatchway held by clutch; F, watertight
hatch sunken groove to take cork; C, frame clutch; H, screw shaft and plate;
I, nut and fly; J, crutch and clutch; K, cork matting inside and outside of ship;
L, rope bind to matting; M, rope made fast to matting for lowering over ship's
side and hence to the fracture, the other ends being made fast to cleats inside
ship; N, ship's rail; O, bilgeways; P, deck planks and fastenings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Nichols, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the First day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness to the signature of the said
Christopher Nichols,
JAMES GILBARD,
Solicitor,
19, St. Aubyn Street,
Devonport.
CHRISTOPHER NICHOLS. (L.S.)