IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING OIL UPON WATER, FROM A SHIP, TO PROTECT THE SAME
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake, & Co, Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING OIL UPON
WATER, FROM A SHIP, TO PROTECT THE SAME" and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention has for its object to provide a vessel with a simple and convenient
apparatus for automatically distributing oil upon the surface of the surrounding
water to prevent heavy seas from breaking over her decks, thereby protecting her
from injury or preventing her from foundering in severe storms.
In some cases a canvas bag punctured with small holes and containing oil has
been hung over the side of a vessel, the oil dripping therefrom on to the water;
but this method is a crude and inconvenient one and does not distribute the oil in
as perfect and effective a manner as is desirable.
My invention consists in providing an automatic oil-distributing apparatus for
vessels, composed of one or more oil-reservoirs communicating with a distributing-
pipe extending wholly or partially around the vessel, and provided with a series of
discharge or outlet pipes having suitable valves to regulate the flow or escape
of the oil, which can, by this means, be uniformly distributed from various points
at the same time in a much more effective manner than heretofore.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan of a vessel having my improved oil-discharging apparatus
applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, and
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line a x of Figure 1 drawn to an
enlarged scale.
A indicates the hull of a vessel, and B the deck.
C indicates the bulwarks, within, or close to, which, at suitable distances apart,
are secured a series of reservoirs D for containing a supply of oil. Theso reservoirs D

page_text: communicate through short pipes with a distributing-pipe G which extends
entirely around the vessel, as seen in Figure 1, and is preferably located
immediately above the plank-sheer b, which thus sorves as a fender and protects
it from being crushed or injured by the contact of the side of the vessel with a pier
or other object. If desired, the pipe a may extend only partially around the
vessel;
but I prefer to extend it wholly around the vessel, as shown, and instead
of a series of oil-reservoirs D a single reservoir may be employed, if desired.
The distributing-pipe G is provided at suitable intervals in its length with a
series of discharge or outlet pipes c, each of which is furnished with a valve or
stop-cock d, to regulate the flow or escape of the oil therefrom onto the surface of
the water below, and by this means the oil can be evenly and uniformly distributed
in the exact quantities desired from a great number of different points simul-
tanequsly; or, if desired, a portion only of the valves & may be opened, to cause
the oil to be discharged from the bow, stern, or either side of the vessel, according
to the requirements of the case. The distributing-pipe G is always intended to be
entirely filled with oil, which ensures a constant and proper discharge of the oil
from all the outlet-pipes c, without regard to the pitching or rolling of the
vessel.
The above described apparatus is of simple construction and is at all times ready
for immediate use in severo storms or heavy weather, it being only necessary to
open the valves d, when the flow of the oil will at once prevent the breakage of
heavy seas over the deck and the disastrous results incident thereto, which
oftentimes cause the loss of a vessel or great injury thereto, which might be
avoided if convenient means for distributing oil were at hand.
I am aware that it is not new to distribute oil upon the water to prevent the
breaking of heavy seas over the deck of a vessel, and I do not claim this as my
invention.
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 =
The oil-reservoirs D arranged within the bulwarks C, in combination with tho
oil-distributing pipe G communicating therewith and extending around the vessel,
and the discharge or outlet pipes c with their regulating-valves d, all constructed
and arranged to operate substantially in the manner, and for the purpose,
described.
Dated this 10th day of October 1884