Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Ships' Bottoms.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cleaning Ships' Bottoms.
I, BRADFORD SHELDON MILES, of Gray's Summit, Franklin, County and State
of Missouri, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning ship's bottoms without beaching
or docking the vessel or removing her from the water, and the object of the same
is to provide mechanism adapted to be submerged and held in contact with the
ship's bottom and including scrapers which are adjustable to vary their elevation
without adjusting the supporting frame or device therefor and to have said
scrapers gradually worked or moved from the bow towards the stern by the water
pressure exerted against portions of the apparatus when the ship is moving for-
wardly and acting to hold the scrapers in close contact with the portion of the
ship being cleaned, and also to have the supporting frame or other device so
arranged that it may be easily swung up out of the water when not in use or
entirely disconnected from the ship's side.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the subjoined description,
and the novelty clearly expressed in the appended claims, a preferred embodiment
of the improved apparatus being shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein :
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a ship showing the improved
apparatus in several positions thereon in full and in dotted lines.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improved apparatus on a larger scale and
shown broken through at different points.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a ship's side and track for the
improved apparatus, and the latter in end elevation broken through in parts and
showing in dotted lines the angular adjustment of which the scrapers are capable.
Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in
the several views.
The numeral 1 designates reversely arranged track rails which are secured to
opposite sides of a ship at a suitable elevation and reversely arranged, as clearly
shown by Fig. 3. These rails are open at their front ends, as clearly shown in
Figure 1, to permit the disconnection therefrom or mounting thereon of the
improved apparatus, and at their rear terminals the said rails will be closed, so as
to prevent the apparatus from moving rearwardly beyond a predetermined extent
and avoid disconnection thereof.
The improved apparatus comprises a frame 2, composed of upper and lower
sections 3 and 4, the said upper section having vertical bars 5 with upper inturned
angular extremities 6 having grooved track wheels 7 on their free ends which are
held between the track rails 1, the vertical bars 5 are connected by a cross tie 8
near their lower extremities, which has on the upper central portion thereof a
fulcrum seat 9, for a purpose which will be presently set forth. Inwardly extend-
ing angular braces 10 are attached at their upper ends in part to the vertical
bars 5 and the inturned angular extremities G, said braces standing inward some

page_text: distance from the bars 5 at their lower terminations and attached to the latter by
transverse ties 11 which are horizontally disposed. The braces 10 are reinforced
by counter-braces 12, which are attached to the bars 5, and said braces 10, and
have a reverse angle to the latter. The lower inner terminals of the braces 10
and the ties 11, are turned downwardly, as at 13, and said braces are supplied
with suitable bearings on which are mounted anti-frictional brace rollers 14
adapted to bear against the ship's side and hold the frame steady and prevent
strain on the parts thereof, particularly the track wheel 7, and also ease the move-
ment of the entire device. It will be observed, that the inward inclination of the
braces 10 provides means for holding the apparatus in a constant position at a
predetermined extent from the ship's side and also affords sufficient space for the
manipulation of movable parts, as will be hereinafter explained. One of the
advantages of the arrangement of the said braces 10 is that they provide means
for supporting inwardly extending horizontally disposed arms 15, on which a
windlass 16 has rotative support and is provided with ratchet mechanism 17 for
obvious reasons and also a crank handle 18. The lower ends of the bars 5 are
broadened, as at 19, and mortised to movably and separately receive the upper
terminals 20, of the side bars 21, of the lower section 4 which have a similar
construction, the two sets of terminals being connected by removable pivot pins 22.
The terminals of the bars 5 and 21 are so united that they may be made to easily
break joint to accommodate a swinging adjustment of the section 4 of the frame
in withdrawing the scraping devices from the water for the purpose of manipula-
tion or correction of defect, or at a time when their use is not further required.
The bars 21 are connected adjacent their upper terminals by a cross tie 23, to the
center of which is movably secured a pivot link 24 which also has inseparable
bearing on the fulcrum seat 9 of the tie S, heretofore referred to. By releasing
the pins 22, the section 4 of the frame will be freely suspended by the link 24 and
can be swung up to clear the devices carried thereby from water, and for this
purpose a rope or cable is attached to the lower extremity of one of the bars 21
and adapted to be fastened in a convenient manner on the deck of the ship or
at any other point where it can be easily reached. This rope or cable 25 will
be long enough to permit the apparatus to run its full length or travel entirely
over the side of the ship.
The bars 21 of the section 4 are strengthened at regular intervals by cross-
braces 26 and also at the lower extremities by a transverse brace 27. This gives
the section a light formation of a strong and durable nature, and to the foremost
of the bars 21, considered relatively to the bow of the ship to which the apparatus
is applied, a deflector plate 28 is fastened and has an outward inclination gradually
from the front to the rear in the form of a wing and acts to force the section 4
inwardly towards the ship's side as the water pressure is brought to bear thereon
during the movement of the ship.
To the lower terminals of the bars 21 a scraper frame 29 is hinged and com-
prises opposite inwardly extending parallel bars 30 with bearings 31 at their
inner extremities in which a scraper rod 32 has free movement and supports a
pair of scrapers 33 of the form shown. The scrapers 33 have elongated scraping
elges 34 which are adapted to be brought squarely against the portion of the
ship's side on which they are arranged to operate. One, two or more, of these
scrapers may be used and they preferably have, in each instance, an integral
transversely extending sleeve 35, into which extends a set screw at 36, the scraper
rod 32, passing through the sleeve, and the screw at 36 used to secure the adjust-
ment of the scraper and prevent it turning on the rod. The one end of the
rod 32 is screw threaded and provided with a removable nut, as at 37, so that
said rod may be removed and rearranged at will for the purpose of disconnecting
and resetting the scrapers and also varying the number of the same. If more than
one scraper is used, the edges of all the scrapers will be preferably arranged
parallel and at an angle best adapted to serve the purpose for which they are
intended and also to conform to the inclination of the ship's side over which they

page_text: are arranged to move. As shown by Figure 3, the scrapers 32, together with
the frame 29 supporting the same, are adapted to be unitedly adjusted to elevate
or depress the same at varying angles above a horizontal plane so as to cause the
said scrapers to operate on a large area of the ship's side. To facilitate this
adjustment, the bars 30 of the frame 29 have eyes 38 therein to which are movably
attached the terminals of a bail 39 and to the connecting members 40 of said hail,
the lower end of a chain or other similar device 41 is secured and is adapted to
be wound on and unwound from the windlass 16. By letting out the chain or
other device 41, the frame 29 will be permitted to depress and carry the
scrapers 33 therewith, the said parts being heavy enough to overcome the buoyant
effort of the water and will remain in such adjusted position without variation.
Conversely by winding the chain or other device 41 on the windlass, the frame 29
and scrapers 33 may be elevated, all of which is clearly shown by Figure 3. On
the forward bar 30 of the frame 29 an impelling vane 42 is secured and vertically
disposed and thereagainst the water impacts when the vessel is moving forwardly
and propels or moves the entire apparatus for the bow end to the stern of the
ship. As before stated the main function of the deflector 28 is to hold the section 4,
and consequently the scraper frame and scrapers, inwardly towards the ship's
side to make contact of the scrapers certain and invariable, but it will be under-
stood that the said deflector to a considerable extent also serves in an auxiliary
capacity of assisting in moving the apparatus on the ship's side and thereby takes
part of the strain of such work from the vane 42, and allows the latter to exert
its impulsion directly on the scraper frame 29 close to the scrapers 33 or at the
point of greatest resistance created by the sedimentary deposit or sea growth on
the ship's side.
When the apparatus has run its full length of the ship's side within the limit
of the track rails 1, the section 4 of the frame is elevated as shown in dotted lines
in Figure 1, through the medium of the cable or other device 25, and at times
it may be possible to pull the apparatus, when thus clear of the water, forwardly
towards the bow end of the ship without any other means, but it is preferred that
it he so operated by a rope or cable 43 which moves preferably over a direction
pulley 44 and from thence to a drum or windlass 45 which may be manually
operated or supplied with motive power. Through this rope or cable 43 the entire
apparatus may also be run out from connection with the track rails 1 at the bow
end of the ship and be hoisted on deck by suitable means or stored in any other
preferred manner. When the apparatus is drawn forwardly, the angle of the
scrapers may be varied as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 by operating the
windlass 16, and by changing the position of said scrapers, a large surface of
the ship's side may be effectively cleaned in a substantially automatic manner
without requiring the ship to be docked, or at least making such operation
necessary only at long intervals. The speed of the ship when moving forwardly
will govern the rapidity of movement of the apparatus as will be readily under-
stood, and though the operation of the apparatus might institute an impediment to
the speed of the ship, the delay is of small moment as compared to the time
required in docking and cleaning a ship under the present methods. Further-
more, the ship may be at a point or station remote from a dock, and the uncleanly
condition of her sides and bottom may be such as to materially obstruct her rapid
progress. The use of the improved apparatus at such a time will relieve the ship
of such obstruction and permit an increased speed. Furthermore, a frequent
use of the improved apparatus and a removal thereby from the ship's side or
bottom of a deposit or growth before it has obtained a firm fastening, will result
with less injury to the sheathing or the hull covering, and in the operating of
the device, the pressure of the scrapers against the ship's side or bottom will
be normally tempered to such a degree as to avoid injury.
In some uses of the device, it may be necessary to use one or more additional
scraper frames on the supporting frame above the one set forth. In this obvious
duplicate arrangement, only one scraper frame and set of scrapers will be used

page_text: at one time, and those not in use will be permitted to hang down in such manner
as not to touch the side of the ship.
To suit various applications, changes in the form, proportions and minor details.
may be resorted to without in the least departing from the nature of the spirit
of the 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:
1. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a support,
and a vertically adjustable scraper, substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a support,
means for swinging the said support upwardly clear of the water, and a scraper
adjustably carried by the said support, substantially as set forth.
3. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a movable
support, a deflector thereon and a scraper connected to said support and adapted
to be held inward close to a ship's side by the pressure of water against the said
deflector.
4. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a movable
support, a deflector attached to said support, an adjustable scraper frame con-
nected to said support and carrving a scraper and a vane on the scraper frame,
the said deflector and vane being adapted to receive the impact of water there-
against to hold the scraper inwardly towards the ship's side and propel the same
over the latter.
5. In an apparatus of the character set forth. the combination of a support
comprising an upper section having track wheels connected thereto adapted to
move on a track on a ship's side and the lower section movably connected to the
upper section and adapted to be swung upwardly clear of the water, and a scraper
adjustably connected to the lower section of the support.
6. In an apparatus of the character set forth the combination of a movable
support, a frame movably connected to the lower extremity of said support and
having an inward direction towards a ship's side to which the apparatus may be
applied, a scraper movably carried by the said frame, and means for adjusting
the said frame to vary the angle of the scraper relatively to the ship's side.
7. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a support,
a scraper movably carried by said support, and means for propelling the said
devices.
8. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a support
having a movable attachment a scraper frame movably connected to said support,
an automatically adjustable scraper carried by said frame and means for adjusting
the said frame.