IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPLYING SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS WITH WATER, AIR, OR BALLAST
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthias Edward Boura, of Crayford, in the
County of Kent, India-rubber Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPLYING SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS WITH
WATER, AIR, OR BALLAST."
Sealed the 18th January 1854, and dated the 2nd August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthias Edward
Boura at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd August 1858.
I, MATHIAS EDWARD BOWRA, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPLYING SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS
WITH WATER, AIR, OR BALLAST," to be as follows:-
I prepare bags of any air and water proof elastic material, and of
any suitable form; these I range in the hold of a ship or other vessel
on each side of the kelson or false keel. When not required for use
these bags lie flat to the bottom of the vessel, taking up little or no
room. From a perforation in the side of the vessel (carefully secured)
I obtain water at pleasure. On the inside of the vessel I have a screw
threaded ring, to which is attached (in the usual manner) a hose

page_text: leading to one of the bags before mentioned. I should here remark
that these bags are connected together in such manner that the filling
of one is the filling of all, whether by air or water. When the cargo
is discharged from the ship I turn on the water which filling the bags
ballasts the ship, and she may proceed on her way without delay.
Another hose is fitted in a similar manner to the bag or bags nearest
the pump heels, and communicating therewith, by which the water can
be drawn out of the bags at pleasure; in the same way the bilge water
is pumped out. (If air be employed, as in some cases it may, as in
chasing slavers, &c.,) to make the vessel more boyant, it must be
pumped in and out of the bags by an air pump. The bags occupying
when full that part of a vessel which is comparatively useless do not
interfere with stowage of cargo. In docks, and where it can be had,
fresh water for use during the voyage may be taken in the bags.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Matthias Edward Boura in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 2nd February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
MATTHIAS EDWARD BOURA, of Crayford, in the County of Kent, India
Rubber Manufacturer, send greeting.
year
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing late the Second day of August, in the of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant to me, the said Matthias Edward Boura, Her
special licence that I, the said Matthias Edward Boura, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Matthias
Edward Boura, 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 and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPLYING SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS

page_text: WITH WATER, AIR, OR BALLAST," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Matthias Edward Boura, by au instrument in writing
under my hand and scal, 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 Matthias Edward Boura, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the annexed
Drawing:
The objects of my Invention are, as the title of the Letters Patent
granted to me imports, the ballasting or supporting ships or other
vessels, and these I effect as follows:-I introduce into a ship's hold a
suflicient quantity of water to compensate the absence of cargo, and
such water may be introduced gradually by the use of my Invention
while the cargo is being discharged on to the wharf or into lighters ;
also ballasting life boats; or, in case of shipwreck, the bags can be
removed from the hold, or wherever else they may be stowed away,
and being filled with water, and attached to the timbers or spars of
which a raft is composed, form a means of keeping the raft steady. In
cases where the vessel, boat, or raft requires to be lightened or sup-
ported, the bags made according to my Invention are filled with air,
and so placed as to effect such purposes; as, for example, in passing the
bar of a river the ship having the bags placed first below the water
mark, and filled with air by means of an ordinary air pump, will cause
the vessel to draw less water; and further, such ship will not pitch so
much in going over the bar as one not arranged or supplied with my
Invention, and thus with a level or comparatively level keel will pass
over where a pitching vessel of the same draught of water would
strike. The bags filled with air affixed to life boats will insure greater
safety, and their use also filled with air for rafts will be found most
serviceable, as they will keep the raft bouyant under a pressure of
weight that would subnierge it if only formed of the usual spars or

page_text: timbers. The bags may be used to carry fresh water as ballast instead
of salt water, and may be filled with the latter as the former is con-
sumed on the voyage, or they may be used instead of tubs or barrels to
hold fresh water, and for this purpose they possess the advantage of
being easily stowed away when empty, occupying little room and
always at hand to be refilled upon occasion serving. It is obvious
that these bags when emptied of water and refilled with air would keep
the vessel afloat if water-logged. The bags will also answer for life
buoys or ordinary buoys. To make the bags for the purposes of my
Invention I take canvass or other suitable fabric, and saturate it with
a solution of india-rubber, or with a solution of gutta-percha, or any
other elastic gunis in solution; I then cut them into such shapes or
forms as may be required; I then place between such pieces of cloth
a layer or layers of sheet india-rubber or gutta-percha, or the two
combined, or I attach them together with a solution of india-rubber
or gutta-percha; having thus prepared the material, I form them into
bags or vessels of the required size, capacity, or substance for ballasting
of ships, or for the other purposes before mentioned. When used for
ballasting ships the bags or vessels are to have a valve for water, and
one or more for air, properly fitted for the purpose, so that a hose or
pipes may be fitted to such valve or valves with facility and security.
Bags so made, when filled with water, will contain a sufficient quantity
to ballast a ship such bags of any size or burthen, when not required
for ballast, can be stowed away in any convenient part of the ship;
when the ship is water-logged on any part of the coast or banks the
same bags can be filled with air by means of an air pump, and being
lashed under or to the sides of the ship will lift or completely take the
whole weight of the ship, so that it will form a perfect life boat or
buoy the same plan may be adopted in assisting ships in shallow
water or over bars of rivers. The same bags, when lashed or fastened
together, will form a raft either alone or combined with spars or tim-
bers in case of shipwreck. The mode of filling such bags with water
for ballast as follows an aperture is made in the ship's side below
water mark with an air and water tight valve, so that when the ship is
unloading the ballast can be running in, and when the ship is un-
i

page_text: loaded it will have sufficient ballast to enable her immediately to
proceed on her voyage. This operation will be effected with little
labour and expense, and economize both to time and expense. The
emptying of such ballast is effected with equal expedition, and without
extra hands or expense. The bags are to be made of every size and
form that may be required; they do not injure by heats or colds, grease
or oils, or by being folded, or in water; neither do they attract any
description of vermin, but rather repel, and consequently with ordinary
care will last for many years. The diameter, length, or other propor-
tion of these water-tight receivers can be varied according to the nature
of the requirements as regards the amount of ballast that may have to
be used in each particular case. In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1, represents an elevation, principally in longitudinal section,
for the purpose of showing the arrangement of transverse series of the
air and ballast bags; and Figure 2, a transverse section, shewing a
longitudinal range of the same; in both these Figures similar letters
denote similar parts. a, a, apertures made in the ship's side below
high water mark b, b, with an air and water tight valve c, c, so placed
that during the process of the unloading of the ship the ballast can be
allowed to enter the hold, and that when the ship is unloaded it will
have received sufficient ballast to enable it to proceed to sea. This is
effected by means of bags or water and air receivers made of collapsing
or elastic materials as described. One series of these is shewn at d, d, d,
in the Drawing; the loops e, e, c, round the bags are appended for
the purpose of fastening or lashing them together, and cords can be
fastened round them to strengthen them when arranged within the
hold. By using the best description of hemp cord the bags when
filled with water or air will bear great weight of pressure. f, shews the
tube by which the communication is effected, and 9, 9, 9, the valves of
the receivers or bags.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the means
by which it is carried into practical effect, I desire to state that I lay
no claim to any of the articles or substances mentioned for making my
air and water proof bags, or for the parts or portions of mechanism or
tubing or otherwise for adjusting or fitting up my Invention, when such

page_text: parts, portions, or fittings are taken or used seperately. But I claim
the combination of parts forming bags or other resceptacles for water
or air to be used for the purposes herein-before mentioned and set
forth, that is to say, for my Invention of "Improvements in Supplying
Ships or other Vessels with Water, Air, or Ballast."
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthias Edward Boura, have
here-before aflixed my hand and scal, this Second day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hun-
dred and fifty-four.
M. E. BOURA. (L.S.)
Witness, JOHN GEDGE,
Patent Agent,
4, Wellington Strect, Strand,
London.