Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Cleaning the Bottoms and Sides of Navigable Vessels when Afloat.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1890-Accepted, 23th June, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Cleaning the
Bottoms and Sides of Navigable Vessels when Afloat.
I, EDWARD PAINE, of 22, Crooked Lane, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
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 :-
My present Invention relates to certain Improvements upon former inventions for
cleaning the bottoms and sides of navigable vessels when afloat, for which I obtained
Her Majesty's Letters Patent No. 570 of 1863 and 2348 of 1876.
In my former Inventions there is provided a float, mats of coir fibre, or brushes, to
cover the said float, and a scraper; the float and mats being used to scrub grass, slime,
and small shell fish away, and the float and scraper being used to remove barnacles,
and other shell fish, which are too hard and fast on to the shell of the vessel to be
removed by the scrubber without injuring it. The mats were constructed to fit onto the
float or over the scraper, and the scraper consisted of a float sheathed with wood and
afterwards fitted with a series of longitudinal metal bars arranged on the float in a
manner similar to a spoke shave iron, and when the mats were used with the scraper
they were applied outside thereof.
My present invention consists of an improved manufacture of float, an improved
construction of mat, and an improved form of scraper made to fit over the mat, and an
improvement in the davit used to fit on the ship's rail to lead the lines for working the
scrubber or scraper.
That my Invention and improvements may be clearly understood, I will describe
the same in detail, and for that purpose I have hereto annexed three sheets of
Drawings thoroughly explaining the nature of my present improvements. In the
drawings like letters and figures denote the same or corresponding parts throughout
the various views.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a float constructed according to my present
improvements.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the float.
Figure 3 is a plan of the mat.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 is an end view of a
scraper constructed according to my present improvements.
Figure 7 is a plan shewing the combined float, mat, and scraper.
Figure 8 is a sectional end view of the combined float, mat, and scraper, taken
at XX Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of the davit for the hauling gear, provided with my
improvements.
With reference in the first place to Figures 1 and 2, I construct the float as follows:-
the body a consists of a single plate of iron or steel, bent to the required form, the
side edges of the plate being then rivetted together. At the centre of the float there
is provided a tube b, which passes through the float, the ends of the tube being flanged
over the shell of the float at 6' and fastened with solder; the ends c c¹ of the float aro
each made of a plate of iron or steel, bent to the shape shewn, the edges of the plate
being rivetted together and soldered. The ends c c are formed to ship over the body
at al, and are provided with covers rivetted thereto. The inside of the body a is
provided with strengthening plates d, two of which, d' d', are watertight. is a bar
with end eye-nuts f, which passes through the body a and its plates d d¹ and is bent

page_text: at f' to clear the tube b. Through the tube b there is bar g also provided with end
eyes; this bar is provided with a plate washer e and a leather or other like washer e
at each end, and one of the end eyes g' forms a nut. Before connecting together the
metal parts forming the float they are all thoroughly galvanized, after which the
centre bar is placed in the body a, and the plates d d, which are dished and cor-
respond with the inside diameter of the body, are placed inside the body and firmly
soldered to the shell thereof. Where the bar passes through the plates d¹ d¹ a
washer is provided and a boss ¹ is formed by banking up with solder. Thus the
bar is firmly secured to the body a. The ends c c are then placed on the body a
and are firmly soldered thereto at a', the ends of the bar f projecting through the
covers c where another washer, i, is provided and secured to the cover c by solder,
and the rod is secured to the washer and the cover c² by a boss of solder .
Outside the covers there are provided discs of wood k for the ends of the mat to
abutt against.
The above construction of float provides great strength and durability, inasmuch
as all the parts are well stayed together and the float is thoroughly water tight
and not likely to get strained by usage, and through the parts being all galvanized
before putting together they will not rust or get out of order.
The mats m with which the float a is covered, to form the scrubber, are made
by preference of coir fibre, but instead of forming them in two parts and then
lacing them on the float on both sides as in my former inventions, have found
it is better to make them in one, that is, joined by a strong piece of canvas or
equivalent material m³, a rope n being provided all round the inat for the purpose
of receiving the lacing which holds the sides and ends of the mat together on
the float.
The scrapers are made in the form of a cage of flat steel bars p, see Figures 4, 5
and 6. This cage is made in halves which are joined together by the bars 9. These
bars are made with a series of holes so that the halves of the cage can be adjusted
to suit the diameter of the scrubber, the said bars q being held together by bolts and
nuts. The bars of which the cage is made are provided with filling pieces p' so that
a perfectly smooth surface is offered when scraping the ships sides and bottoms.
In applying the scraper over the scrubber I first parcel the scrubber over with canvas
or bagging (see Figure 8) to prevent the mat m being damaged to coming in con-
tact with barnacles and the like, the part m¹ of the mat m coming at the top or bottom
of the float a, and the sides of the mat being laced together by a lacing n¹ passed
round the rope n at each side of the mat.
2"
By making the scrapers in the form of a cage with rounded ends, as shewn at
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, it fits over the scrubber and the scrubber forms an
elastic lining which allows the edges of the bars of the scraper to come close to the
ship's shell when scraping off barnacles and the like and at the same time the parcelling
of canvas protects the mat m from being damaged.
Instead of placing the scraper over the mat m, the float a may be parcelled or
packed with old rope or the like, until of sufficient size for the cage or scraper to fit,
and by means of the bars g and the bolts and nuts, the scraper can be adjusted to the
exact size required. The bars q also provide a means for adjusting the scraper to fit
the scrubber when the latter wears down.
The davit shewn in Figure 9 is made so that it will fit and grip different sizes and
shapes of rails of ships. To this end the clamp s which grips the rail t is provided
with a set screw which takes onto the rail t on the outside in addition to the screw
for adjusting the clamp on the inside.
The method of working my improved apparatus is the same as that provided for
in my former Patented Inventions before mentioned, namely, the apparatus is worked
by means of lines from the ship's deck and an anti-friction chain under the keel
of the ship, the lines being hauled over davits, such as that described, fixed on the
ship's rail.
'

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for cleaning the bottoms and sides of navigable vessels when
afloat, the improved manufacture of float, consisting in forming the body, a, of iron
or steel plate, bent and rivetted to the required form, said body being provided with a
centre tube b, ends c c', strengthening division plates d d', a bar f having end eye
nuts and being firmly secured to the plates d' d', and to the end covers e³,
a bar g having end eyes g gl; the parts being constructed, galvanized, and put
together, in the manner set forth and as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings at
Figures 1, 2 and 3.
2. In apparatus of the type herein described, the improved construction and
arrangement of mat set forth with reference to Figure 3 of the Drawings.
3. In apparatus of the type herein described, the improved construction and
arrangement of scraper set forth with reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6, of the
Drawings.
4. The float, mat, and scraper, combined and constructed as herein described and
set forth with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the Drawings.
5. In apparatus of the type herein described, the improved construction and
arrangement of davit set forth with reference to Figure 9 of the Drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1800
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.