IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE BOTTOMS OF IRON AND OTHER SHIPS AND NAVIGABLE . VESSELS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Doyne Dwyer, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR CLEANING THE BOTTOMS OF IRON AND OTHER SHIPS AND NAVIGABLE
. VESSELS."
Sealed the 8th November 1864, and dated the 12th May 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Doyne Dwyer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th May 1864.
;
I, ROBERT DOYNE DWYER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE BOTTOMS OF IRON AND OTHER SHIPS AND
NAVIGABLE VESSELS," to be as follows:-
My. Invention relates to cleaning the bottoms of iron and other ships and
vessels either when afloat or in dock by apparatus worked from the deck,
substantially in the manner set forth in the Specification of an Invention for
which I obtained-Letters Patent bearing date the Eighteenth day of Septem-
ber, A.D. 1863, No. 2292. The short stroke, reciprocating or alternating
motion, causing different parts of the apparatus to travel or rub over and clean
in vertical lines, or nearly vertical lines, part of one or both sides of a ship
from the keel to the load water mark.
The apparatus consists of one, two, or more flexible ropes, chains, bands, or
webs with scrapers, brushes, or cleaners attached thereto or thereon at short

page_text: distances apart, and such apparatus is made sufficiently long to reach from
the keel to the load water line on one or both sides of a ship. The modifica-
tion which I prefer to use at the present time is intended to clean both sides
of a ship in lines as above mentioned at the same time. The apparatus is
made to travel from stem to stern, or vice versa, by ropes attached to the said
apparatus and operated or "hauled in" on deck. Two ropes are placed
parallel to each other at distances apart varying from six to twenty-four
inches according to the size of the ship to be cleaned, and at distances
apart, varying from twelve to thirty-six inches, there are secured thereto boards
or plates, say, of timber, to serve as foundations for the scrapers and brushes.
To one of the flat sides of each of the boards or plates there is attached a
metal scraper presenting its edge to the side of the ship, and having both of its
ends bent and bevilled off so that when in use it will ride over the plates' lap
joints both in the up and down motions. On the other sides of the said
boards or plates brushes made of coir or other fibre are attached.
By this arrangement either the scrapers or brushes can be used. To pre-
vent friction at the keel a breech or keel piece with rollers therein may be
used, but I have found that two block pieces, one at each side of the keel,
with chains or ropes attached to the lowest parts thereof, so that they do not
touch the keel, answer the purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Doyne Dwyer in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th November 1864.
TO. ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
DOYNE DWYER, of Liverpool, in, the County of Lancaster, Engineer,. send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by. Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the. Twelfth day, of, May, in, the year. of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and; sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert. Doyne Dwyer, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Doyne Dwyer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Robert Doyne. Dwyer, my executors, administrators, and assigns
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times.thereafter during the term. therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend; within the United Kingdom of Great Britain

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE BOTTOMS OF IRON AND OTHER
SHIPS AND NAVIGABLE VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Robert Doyne Dwyer, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Doyne Dwyer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :—
My Invention relates to cleaning the bottoms of iron and other ships and
vessels either when afloat or in dock, by apparatus worked from the deck,
substantially in the manner set forth in the Specification of an Invention for
which I obtained Letters Patent bearing date the Eighteenth day of Septem-
ber, A.D. 1863, No. 2292. The short stroke, reciprocating or alternating
motion, causing different parts of the apparatus to travel or rub over and clean
in vertical lines, or nearly vertical lines, part of one or both sides of a ship
from the keel to the load water mark.
. The apparatus consists of one, two, or more flexible ropes, chains, bands, or
webs with scrapers; brushes, or cleaners attached thereto or thereon at short
distances apart, and such apparatus is made sufficiently long to reach from
the keel to the load water line on one or both sides of a ship. The modifica-
tion which I prefer to use is intended to clean both sides of a ship in lines
as above mentioned at the same time. The apparatus is made to travel from
stem to stern, or vice versa, by ropes attached to the said apparatus and
operated or hauled in on deck. Two ropes are placed parallel to each other
at distances apart varying from six to twenty-four inches according to the
size of the ship to be cleaned, and at distances apart, varying from twelve to
thirty-six inches, there are secured thereto boards or plates, say of timber, to
serve as foundations for the scrapers and brushes. To one of the flat sides of
each of the boards or plates there is attached a metal scraper presenting its
edge to the side of the ship, and having both of its ends bent and bevelled off,
so that when in use it will ride over the plates' lap joints both in the up and
down motions. On the other sides of the said boards or plates brushes made
of coir or other fibre are attached. By this arrangement either the scrapers
or brushes can be used. To prevent friction at the keel a breech or keel

page_text: piece with rollers therein may be used, but I have found that two block
pieces one at each side of the keel with chains or ropes attached to the
lowest parts thereof, so that they do not touch the keel, answer the purpose.
That my Invention may be clearly seen and understood I have attached
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of that modification which I have
found to answer well and which I prefer.
Fig. 1 represents a transverse section of a ship with my apparatus in
working position; Fig. 2 a longitudinal elevation of part of a ship with my
apparatus in like position; Fig. 3 a back; Fig. 4 a side, and Fig. 5 an end
view, all of apparatus with scraper on one side and brush on. the other. In
all these views like letters designate the same parts.
a, denotes the ship; b, the keel pieces, made deep enough to keep the con-
necting chains c from rubbing on the bottom of the keel; d, the ropes hooked
on or connected to the keel pieces so that the face of either the scrapers or
brushes may be used. Two are shewn, to which the scrapers e and brushes f
are connected and secured. The said ropes d being made to pass through
grooves formed in the foundation board or plate 9, and the back of the brush
for either of them, before these parts are fastened together by the wood
screws h. The scrapers e, which are shewn made of metal, although hard
india-rubber and other substances might be used, are let into a "saw draught"
in the board or plate g, and have their ends turned in opposite directions and
bevelled off so that they may the more easily ride over and clean the lap joints
of an iron ship. The brushes can be made of whalebone, coir fibre, piassava,
or other substance capable of withstanding rough usage. i are triangular
pieces to prevent the ropes from twisting; ;, ropes led on to the deck over the
taffrail riders with pullies l. These ropes are joined together so that the
sailors or workmen may pull together alternately from side to side so as to
cause the apparatus to rub over the skin of the ship from the keel to the
water line. Steam or other power working a crank or lever might be used to
give the necessary stroke, the length of which would be determined by the
length of the chains c which connect the keel pieces b. m are guy or guide
ropes, preferably four in number, one from each end of the keel pieces, two of
which are carried on to the deck by way of the bow, and two by the stern, so
as to permit the apparatus to travel when a ship is moving through the water
only at a speed sufficient to scrape or brush every part of the skin. When
the apparatus is used in dock, or in still water, the guide ropes may be dis-
pensed with, the simple movement of the taffrail riders being sufficient to cause
the submerged parts to move the desired distance.
Figs. 6, 7, and 8 which are respectively back, side, and end views, illustrate

page_text: another form of scraper combined with a brush. This form of scraper,
marked n, can be conveniently cast in one piece and fastened on the back of
the brush o by screws p. The ends are shaped so as to ride over the joints of
a ship's skin both in the up and down motions, the ropes pass through grooves
marked q, and are secured to the scraper and brush by the screws pl.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and particularized
the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
details shewn and described as many modifications may be made without
departing from the features which distinguish my said Invention. What I
claim is, apparatus with scrapers or cleaners and brushes, or either of them,
worked by reciprocating motion, and arranged substantially as herein de-
scribed and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Doyne Dwyer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
JOHN THOMSON KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
ROBERT DOYNE DWYER. (L.S.)