Improvements in Collision Mats and Repairing Gear for Preventing Vessels from Foundering.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Collision Mats and Repairing Gear for Preventing
Vessels from Foundering.
I, JAMES DONALD, of the City of Auckland, in the Provincial District of
Auckland, and Colony of New Zealand, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
This collision mat and repairing gear is intended to provide means ready to
hand for preventing foundering by covering over and stopping holes made in
vessels through collisions at sea or through running on rocks or ashore.
The mat or mats, as there may be more than one in use, are made out of heavy
double canvas or such like stiffened with cane or other suitable material sewn in
between the plies, weighted, and shaped according to dimensions and build of
vessel so that they can be either fastened on broadside, or end on, fore or aft. The
repairing gear consists of sets of timber comprised of boards which are fitted
on to the outside and inside of the holes made in the vessel, these boards are fitted
with ring and hook bolts which hook to one another and thus secure and keep
the boards in position so that the mats can be removed.
On the accompanying drawing there are four figures of which Figure 1 is a
side view of a bow mat, Figure 2 a side view of a broadside mat, Figure 3 is an
end view of the outer and inner repairing boards or planking hooked to one
another and Figure 4 represents strengthening bar and key for holding same while
it is being screwed up.
The mat A as shown on the drawing in Figures 1 and 2 is made of double
canvas or such like weighted with flat pieces B of metal or other suitable heavy
substance, it has a stiff piece of cane or such like on its top which is called a top
spreader C to keep it extended while crawfoot ropes D are attached to the top of
the mat at spreader C for the purpose of holding it on its upper part to and over
the hole in the vessel and on the bottom of the broadside mat as shown in
Figure 2 craw foot lines D¹ are attached for the same purpose while on the
inner side of the bow mat and on both sides of the broadside mats crawfoot lines E
are attached also for the same purpose. Frayed edges F are shown on the bottom
and sides of both mats as they help to make the mats hold closer to the side, bow,
or stern of the vessel. The cringle G is provided so that the lower part of the bow
mat may be passed over the bow especially in the case of a man-of-war having a
ram shaped bow and for this purpose the cringle can be engaged with any form
P 71

page_text: of rigid or jointed pole and therewith placed in position or a block and tackle or
other suitable means may be used. Clamps H are used on the outerside or edge
of the bow mat and they take the place of the side craw foot line E showing on
the outer side of the broadside mat, when the clamps grip the edge of the bow the
inner craw foot lines E are drawn tight by any suitable means and so keep the mat
in position. Additional pieces of strong canvas J are strongly sewn or otherwise
secured to the tops, bottoms, and sides of the mats so that the crawfoot lines 1), D³,
and E may have a firmer hold of the mats where connected to them. Spreaders K
of stiff cane or other suitable material having some degree of elasticity or
pliability are sewn on to or between the canvas so as to keep the mats spread out
to their full width. In Figure 3 the dotted lines I are meant to represent the
thickness of the vessel's side where the hole or breach has been made, while the
ends of the outer boards M are shown rabbetted together and having the inner
plates or boards N secured to the ring bolts P therein by hooks R, these hooks R
are screwed to the inner boards N by nuts. Strengthening bars T of iron or other
suitable metal or substance shaped quadrangular in their centres for the key S to
fit on are placed between the boards N, the ends of these bars T pass through
cradles, bolted or otherwise fastened on to the inside of the vessel in any suitable
position, and, being screw threaded are screwed up tight with nuts so as to
stiffen the vessel. The key S is to fit over, the bar T on its quadrangular part
so as to hold it steady while its ends are being screwed up.
In the drawing two kinds of mats only are shown but other shapes can be
provided to suit the build of the vessel and especially to go round the stern
and around the bow; that for the bow shown in Figure 1 being intended to cover
a hole made near the bow.
When the mat A is fitted over the hole the outer boards M are placed outside the
hole in the vessel and inside the mat, one at a time, and tarred felt or other
similar substance is fitted on the rabbet edge so that when the next board is
fitted the joint will be watertight and the outside of the hole will in this way
be covered with boards, each board M has one or more ring bolts P secured
to it. The boards M may be laid over the hole either horizontally or diagonally as
may be most suitable to the shape of the vessel where the breach occurs. When
the hole or breach is completely covered by the outside boards M the inner
boards N are then laid over the inside of the hole but not close together like the
outer boards M, each inner board N has one or more hooks R screwed into it which
when the board is being fitted is placed in the ring bolt opposite and the
outer and inner boards are thereby connected and screwed tight by means of a
nut on the inner side of the inside board. When the boards M, N, are thus secured,
the strengthening bars T are placed between the inner boards N, and their screw-
threaded ends are placed as aforesaid within cradles fastened to the inside of the
vessel, either above and below the hole or to the side of the hole according as
the boards are fitted horizontally vertically or diagonally, and are screwed up
tightly by means of nuts, and, while being so screwed, are held in position by the
key S.
After repairing gear including the outer and inner boards, the ring bolts
and hooks, and the strengthening bars, have all been secured to the side of the
vessel so as to cover the hole or breach and so as to keep the water from coming
through, the mat A can be removed and should the vessel strain so much as to
loosen the repairing gear the mat can again be placed over the hole and the gear
can be re-adjusted and further tightened up.
This covering with mãt and repairing can be done at sea as well as while the
vessel is stranded.
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:
First. A collision mat made of heavy double canvas or such like weighted with

page_text: flat pieces of metal, stiffened with cane or similar substance, and having crawfoot
lines attached to the canvas strengthened at the connections by additional pieces
of canvas sewn thereto for the purposes set forth as herein described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
Second. A collision mat made of heavy double canvas or such like weighted
with flat pieces of metal, stiffened with cane or similar substance, and having
crawfoot lines attached to the canvas strengthened at the connections by additional
pieces of canvas sewn thereto, a cringle to engage pole, and clamps to grip bow
of vessel for the purposes set forth as herein described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawing.
Third. Repairing gear consisting of outer boards with rabbetted edges having
ring bolts inserted therein, inner boards with hooks screwed into them and nuts
on outer part of threaded. end of hook, strengthening bars and keys to hold same
when nuts are being screwed on to their ends for the purposes set forth as herein
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
Dated this Elavonth day of t 1900