Improvements in Apparatus for Ejecting Oil on Troubled Waters from Ships or other Floating Structures.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 21st July,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Ejecting Oil on Troubled Waters
from Ships or other Floating Structures.
•
ROBERT BAIRD, Engineer, 134 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, JOHN
COCHRANE Junr. Engineer 23 Richmond Street do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
In our improved apparatus, for reducing waves of the sea, by the use of oil
from on board ship, we employ a tank placed in any convenient part of the ship,
above the water line, and near the bow or stern. The lower portion of the tank
is used for storing oil, and the upper part for the storage of compressed air, the
compressed air being in contact, and bringing a pressure on the oil.
Our invention relates principally to the method by which we obtain the air
pressure.
We niake a connection between the air reservoir, and below the surface of the
water, at a depth as near the bottom of the ship as may be found suitable. This
connection may be a tube, open at the bottom end, and containing a column of
water equal to the distance it is submerged. In the air space of the tube, above
the water, we place an air inlet valve. Inside of the air chamber, above the oil,
we have an air outlet valve.
When the column of water in the tube is increased, the air is driven from the
tube into the air reservoir, by the outlet valve, and when the column is shortened
by the rise of the ship, air is admitted to the tube, by the inlet valve.
The vertical movement of the ship, and corresponding alteration of the water
column in the tube, makes it act as an air pump for the receiver, and gets up a
pressure which is communicated to the oil, when it can be spread by means of
suitable tubes, and nozzles, some distance from the part of the ship where the
ejection is made on the broken water, thus having more effect in stilling the waves,
than if the oil was allowed to ooze out without pressure from any other apparatus.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1893.
K. BAIRD.
JOHN COCHRANE, JUNR.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Ejecting Oil on Troubled Waters
from Ships or other Floating Structures.
ROBERT BAIRD, Engineer, 134 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, JOHN
COCHRANE Junr., Engineer, 23 Richmond Street, Glasgow, 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 invention relates to an improved method by which oil is sent under pressure,
from a ship or other floating structure, on to sea waves, for the purpose of calming
the same, and reducing the danger and difficulties of navigation.
The main feature of our improvements, consists of using a portion of the force,
which causes a ship to rise and fall when in a sea way, and is accomplished as
follows,
A tank or other suitable vessel is placed preferably near the bow or stern,
above the water level. A connection is made between this tank and the
Bea,
and

page_text: near the bottom of the ship, by means of a tube. A portion of the tank is used
as a receptacle for storing oil, and another part for compressed air. When a
variation takes place in the length of the column of water in the tube, which at
all times is the same, and equal to the draught of water, where the connection is
made between the ship and the tank, air is ejected into the air space in the tank,
and is checked from returning by a valve. Another valve placed outside of the
tank, admits air to the tube again, when the column of water in the tube is
shortened by the rise of the ship. Thus the rise, and corresponding dip makes
the connecting tube, between the ships bottom and the tank, act as an air pump.
The plunge ejecting the air from the tube to the tank, past the return check valve,
and the rise refilling the tube with air by the inlet check valve. By this means a
pressure is got up in the tank, on the surface of the oil, which will eject it with a
pressure equal to the difference of weight between the minimum, and maximum
column of water in the connecting tube, between the bottom of the ship, and the
tank. The oil is sent to the sea from the tank, by means of suitable pipes, leading
to one or more parts of the vessel, and passing through the shell, at or near the
surface of the water. It may also be sent by any other means over the ships side,
or at the bow or stern.
So that the improved apparatus may be better understood, we refer to
Figs. I. II. III. on accompanying drawings.
Fig. I is a sectional elevation of tank, showing that portion of the tube
connection, between the bottom of the ship, and the tank that has the return
check valves attached. The liquid markings show the oil space. Above is the
space for compressed air. 6 is the tube by which air is passed into the air space.
dis the check valve by which air is allowed to pass from the tube to the air space;
when the ship dips, and an air pressure is created in the connecting tube b, but
which closes when the pressure in the tube is less than that in the air space of
the tank. E is a valve by which air is admitted to tube 6 when the atmospheric
pressure exceeds that in the tube, but which closes when the pressures are equal.
Thus by the arrangement, and action of the valves d and E as shown on Fig. 1
any sudden variation of the column of water in tube b will create an air pressure
in the space, above the liquid marking, that will eject oil or any other liquid,
suitable for calming the waves of the sea.
Fig. II is a section of the fore part of a ship. Under the forecastle head and
above the water level, showing tank A. with two tubes C C connected with the oil
space of tank A and the sea on each side below the surface, also water tube b
showing complete connection between the sea near the buttom of the ship, and the
tank A.
Fig. III is a plan of the forecastle of a ship, showing tank A with oil
distributing tubes C C bent to extend nearer midships, and down to below sea
level.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
1st. The use of a variable column of water, got from the movement of a ship
for the purpose of compressing air in a receiver, which can be used for ejecting oil
on to waves of the sea, thereby reducing the danger and difficulties of navigation,
substantially as described and illustrated.
2nd. Retaining air pressure in a tank by means of a return check valve substan-
tially as described and illustrated.
R. BAIRD.
JOHN COCHRANE, JUNB.