Improvements in Salvage and Collision Mats.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Salvage and Collision Mats.
I, JOHN HENRY CHARD LEUTY, of 39, Navarino Road, Dalston, Middlesex,
Master Mariner, Marine Expert and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in mats for stopping or checking the
inflow of water through the damaged part of any sunken or injured ship or other
vessel, pontoon, caisson, cofferdam, floating bridge, floating dock, dock gate, or
which may be employed in any other similar situation where required; and
which, while more particularly intended for use in salvage operations, may also
be employed as a collision mat or for closing holes caused by shot or shell.
According to my invention I lay upon one side of a sheet of wire netting of
the requisite size and shape, a layer preferably of specially prepared rubber cloth
consisting of layers of rubber having sheets of wire netting interposed between
them, or of canvas, rubber or other suitable substance or material; I then place
upon this layer of material another sheet of netting of coarser wire and of larger
mesh than the first mentioned wire sheet, and upon this coarser wire sheet I
place another layer of specially prepared rubber cloth, couvas, rubber or other
suitable substance or material.
I. preferably join the various layers, forming the mat, together, by means of
flat headed screw-bolts and nuts. The screw threaded ends of these bolts being
sharpened to facilitate their passage through the mat, and being cut off flush
with the nuts after the latter are screwed up. Or I may unite the various layers
of which the mat is composed, in any other convenient manner.
To the other side of the first mentioned sheet of wire netting and at a distance
of about 1 foot or thereabouts from the edges thereof, I attach flexible tubing
of suitable diameter to enable the mat to lie in a water tight manner against
the uneven side of the ship or other structure to which said mat applied; or
if preferred the said tubing may be attached to the opposite side of the mat.
I furnish the mat along one or more of its edges or at other required points,
with suitable beckets, rings, eyelets, or similar devices for receiving ropes, or
weights.
The mat by means of its flexible nature can be normally kept rolled up and when
required for use can be lowered from the vessel and in its descent unwind itself
so as to cover the damaged part of the vessel. It is supported and held in place
by ropes or chains attached to the aforesaid beckets eyelets or similar devices at
its edges; the aforesaid tubing coming into contact with the vessel and, by virtue
of the external pressure of the water against the mat, fitting any small irregularities
on the surface of the vessel and effecting a sufficiently tight joint to prevent or
stop the inrush of water, when the pumps are set working to pump out the water
from the portion of the vessel where the damaged part exists.
If required these mats may be stiffened by means of inserting rods or bars of
iron, wood or other suitable substance or lengths of wire rope, between the layers
thereof

page_text: These mats may be made of any required size; or large mats may be made and
adapted to be severed along certain lines if necessary, so that the whole mat or
only a section thereof may be used as required; and it is obvious that the num-
ber and size of the layers of which the mat is composed may be varied.
Dated this 17th day of June 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
gate, or which may be employed in any other similar situation where required; and
which, while more particularly intended for use in salvage operations, may also
be employed as a collision mat or for closing holes caused by shot or shell.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood I have caused to
be attached hereto, one sheet of drawings in which similar letters refer to similar
parts.
Fig. 1 is a general drawing of one form of mat.
Fig. 2 is a section through same.
Fig. 3 shows a form of mat adapted for covering the bows of a ship.
Fig. 4 shows a type of becket which may be used for attaching ropes or weights
to the mat.
-
Figs. 5 and 6 show a form of wire loop which may be used for joining up two
pieces of wire netting in such a manner as to allow of the netting being folded
up.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A and B are sheets, preferably of specially pre-
pared rubber cloth consisting of layers of rubber or other suitable water proof
material with fine non-corrodible wire netting interposed between them, but sheets
of ordinary canvas covered with a waterproof solution; sail cloth or any water
proof material may be employed. The outer sheet A is preferably wider all
round than sheet B. Between the sheets A and B is placed a layer of strong
wire netting C of large mesh and on the other side of sheet B is placed another
sheet of wire netting D) of finer mesh both sheets being composed of any suitable
material, preferably non-corrodible and having double twisted wire edges through-
out. In the case of collision mats formed of several pieces joined together, the
joints in the sheet of wire netting C should be opposite the joints in the sheet
of wire netting D so that the mat can be folded up at the joints. In order to
facilitate this being done I prefer to connect the edges of netting together with
wire loops, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 5 shows a single wire loop, Fig. 6
shews two loops interlocked and with their ends twisted round the wires forming
edge of netting. It will be readily understood that this arrangement forms a
flexible joint or hinge which permits the various layers of canvas and netting
to be closely folded up or rolled.

page_text: Another method of joining the pieces of netting together is shown in Fig. 1
where a continuous wire J. is looped round the two edges of netting.
Preferably the various layers forming the 'mat are joined together by means
of flatheaded sharp-pointed bolts or screws K and large flat nuts composed of
non-corrodible metal and when screwed up the ends of the screws may be cut
off flush and clinched, or the various layers may be sewn together with wire,
flax or hemp twine or any other kind of material, or any kind of glue or other
adhesive substance may be employed to hold the layers together.
The relative positions of the separate layers forming the mat as previously
described may be varied or the number of the layers increased to meet any special
requirements.
One or more flexible rubber tubes E are placed on the inside of the small
mesh wire netting at a suitable distance from the edge of the mat all round, in
order to form a water-tight joint between the ship and the mat, the said tubes
being attached in any suitable manner. The mat is furnished along its edges
and at other required points, with suitable rings, beckets, eyelets or similar
devices for attaching ropes, chains, metal or wood, stiffening bars and the like.
One form of becket is shown at F, Figs. 1 and 4 attached to the mat by bolts K;
an ordinary eyelet is shown at L.
A weight G preferably consisting of a round lead pipe with an iron bar fitted
inside is attached to the bottom of the collision mat, on the outside, and is
intended to stiffen the bottom of the mat and make it quickly unroll and fall
into place. The mat can be further stiffened as required by means of metal or
wood stiffening bars as at H.
The mat by means of its flexible nature can be normally kept rolled or folded
up and held together by two slip lines, so that when the mat is placed where
required, the lines can be slipped and the mat unrolled over the damaged part,
it is then secured in place by ropes or chains attached to the rings or eyelets
or similar devices at the edge of the mat.
The aforesaid flexible rubber tube coming into contact with the vessel and by
virtue of the external pressure of water against the mai, a sufficiently water-
tight joint is made, enabling the pumps to clear the ship of water. It will be
readily understood that the mat may then be secured to ship on the inside and
stiffened as required.
'
The mats can be made of any required strength size or shape. For instance,
in the cases where a vessel's bows are damaged and she is kept afloat by her
bulkheads in a non-tidal locality and away from any dry dock accommodation,
the holes can be stopped by means of a mat shaped as in Fig. 3, the water
pumped out and the damage temporarily repaired from the inside and the ship
made sufficiently seaworthy to proceed to a place where she can be docked.
In case of loss of propeller, tailshaft, or damage to stern-tube, stern frame and
the like under the aforesaid conditions a caisson could be constructed by aid of
this invention and the work be done whilst the ship is afloat.
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. Mats for temporarily closing holes in vessels, cofferdams and the like as and
for the purposes herein described.
Dated this Savontoonth day of September 1898.