An Improved Method of and Means for Clearing Ships of Water.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Clearing Ships of Water.
I, EMPSON EDWARD MIDDLETON of "Cosy Nook," Eastwood, Rochford, in the
County of Essex, Gentleman, an Officer retired from Her Majesty's Service, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention comprises a method of controlling and collecting water, such as
leakage from collisions, or heavy shipments of water below decks in ships, by means
of special conducting conduits and water-ways, and also of discharging such collected
water outward, by means of pumps, screw propellers, or paddle wheel floats working
at the same time or separately as required, and further, and more especially by
means of self discharging pipes. In this latter event the water when collected some
fifteen feet deep in the main conduit, will run down a steep discharge pipe, outward,
through opened sluices, or valves, whilst the speed of the vessel is expected to assist
in discharging the water, and in preventing any serious return of water up the
discharge pipe.
This invention comprises conduits throughout the full length of the ship's lower
hold or thereabouts. One or more of these conduits, will be carried in the direction
of the keel more or less, as far as the requirements of the vessel permit. In a battle-
ship, as at present built, two conduits will be better than one and these can be
carried one on each side of the keel or one in the double bottom, and one on the
deck above it. This main conduit or these main conduits, may be open along the
top from forward throughout such length of the vessel as shall be deemed advisable,
also they must be fitted with water-ways, so as to allow the water to enter the
conduit. In addition conduits of suitable and somewhat similar depth, will be
placed athwart the stern of the ship. The above-mentioned conduits may be
cylindrical structures, or rectangular cases as shall be deemed advisable, whilst a
depth of say fifteen feet aft-and nine feet forward may be suitable in a first class
ironclad. The forward end of this conduit should be so placed, as to cause the
water to run aft. Smaller conduits or one smaller.conduit, will be carried through-
out the full length of the vessel or thereabouts, and for the purpose of draining
water-tight compartments, by means of connecting pipes or cylinders, leading from
the water-tight compartments. to the conduits. This smaller conduit or these smaller
conduits may be say about three feet in diameter forward, and will empty into the
large conduits athwart the stern of the ship. The conduits across the stern of the
ship, must be fitted with water-ways to be opened or shut as required.
Discharge pipes will be led from the main conduits, outboard, and the connection
between these pipes, and the conduit can be shut or opened as required.
The discharge pipe or pipes seaward can be closed when not in actual use by somė
suitable contrivance, such as a water tight sluice or a plug or other valve. If after
a collision, the vessel can be kept going ahead even slowly, its speed or motion
ahead, and the action of the propellers are expected to prevent any influx of water
up the discharge pipe, whilst the water taken on board will have a tendency to run
aft down the conduits and the ship will trim all the more correctly and safely.
There still remains the possibility of driving the water, above the water-line and
there discharging it by means of successive pumps.
:
The manner in which the main conduits may be used, is as follows;-Say that a
collision occurs, and the main conduit fills fifteen feet deep at the aftermost end: then

page_text: the top sluices several feet in diameter would be opened and the water would rush
down a steep discharge pipe to a water tight sluice valve. This valve must then be
opened and deliver the water outboard, the vessel then going ahead. The second
lower pipe or sluice could then be opened, on which the water would again rush down
through a steep discharge pipe. As the water fell in this main conduit, and in
those across the stern, the water in the hull of the vessel would flow into the conduits,
through water-ways opened by trained and skilled men, in ordered and suitable
positions, and thus an otherwise fatal amount of water could be effectually drained in
a very short space of time.
Finally, pumps could be used to dry out the vessel if necessary.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Method of and Means for Clearing Ships of Water.
I, EMPSON EDWARD MIDDLETON, late of "Cosy Nook," Eastwood, Rochford, in
the County of Essex, now of Park Home, Brookvale Road, Portswood, Southampton,
Gentleman, an Officer retired from Her Majesty's Service, 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 comprises a method of controlling and collecting water, such as
would result from leakage produced by collisions, or from heavy shipments of water
below deck in ships, by means of special conducting conduits and water-ways, and
also of discharging such collected water outboard by means of a discharge pipe or
pipes, any return of the water up or through the discharge pipe or pipes being
prevented to any damaging extent.
Briefly stated the invention consists in the application to a ship of a number
of water-ways or collecting pipes leading, from the decks or compartments to be
drained of water, to one or more inspection chambers or to enlarged and raised wells
guarded by non-return valves and opening into conduits or perforated discharge
pipes carried outside of the vessel. In a battleship, two lines of conduits or discharge
pipes will be better than one and these can be carried one on each side of the keel.
For a battleship of about 500 feet outside length there might be about 700 collecting
and discharging pipes or cases used to drain the vessel.
Preferably the invention should be applied to vessels built so that the water
will run aft of itself and in addition the vessel should be trimmed so that the water
will run aft of itself.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is part of a transverse section of a large ship with my invention fitted
thereto showing by way of example the manner of draining three of the decks or
compartments thereof;
Figs. 2 and 3 are details of construction, and
Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a modification of the water-way or
pipe for collecting the water from the decks or compartments of the ship.
Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings; 1 represents the collecting pipe for draining
off the water from the upper deck or compartment, 2 the contracted continuation
thereof, and 3 the flanges and bolts by which the various sections of the collecting
pipes are secured together. 1ª represents the collecting pipe for draining the lower
or keelson deck, 5, 5 a. double strainer at the upper end of said pipe 10, 6 a hinged
or otherwise detachable cover or guard to the outer strainer and having ports or

page_text: water-ways therein, and 7 the keelson deck. 1 represents the collecting pipe for
draining the false bottom of the ship, and 11 and 12 the strainers to said pipe 1°.
9, 9, 9, 9 and 9d are non-return valves, all self closing either by their own weight
or by the aid of counterweights as shown at 9 and 9, and allowing the water
collected in the pipes 1, 1 and 1, to flow to the well or inspection chamber 10,
but preventing its return; 15 represents ribs or planking fitted on the outside of
the ship's bottom to protect the conduits or discharge pipes 13 and 13. An ordinary
non-return valve will be fitted below the inspection well or chamber 10, and delivers
into the conduit or discharge pipe 18 which is fitted with a close-ended section 13*
with perforated sides, shown separately in Figure 2. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section
of a different shape of close-ended section 13". This perforated section may be fitted
in a vertical position to the bottom of a chamber or well and may also be fitted
vertically and direct to a collecting pipe such as is shown in Fig. 4, in which latter
case a double convex metal plate may be fitted beneath the perforated section to
prevent the outside water from being driven up through the perforations in the
close-ended section 13" and can be secured to the timber.
In the modification of collecting pipe or case shown in Fig. 4, A and B are the
strainers, and the removeable ported cover C is situated between them. E is the
collecting pipe and D is an outer or protecting case to same. P is the keelson deck,
O the ironwork thereof; R is the deck plating, V the non-return valves which in this
case are closed inwards by means of the springs S. 1 represents the screwed joints
to the outer casing D, and 2 the screwed joints of the collecting pipe E. T is the
outlet in the deck and U is a water tight man-hole door.
The decks of the ship at or below the water line will be fitted with collecting pipes
or cases which with several smaller pipes, and all protected by strainers such as is
shown at 5 and 6 in Figure 1, may deliver into inspection chambers or wells 10
leading to conduits or discharge pipes 13 outside the vessel, as in the arrangement
shown in Fig. 1, or each collecting pipe or case may deliver into a separate
inspection chamber or raised well, or if found desirable, direct into an outside
conduit or discharge pipe, of which latter there may be any suitable number,
preferably situated adjacent to the keel and each terminating in a perforated
close-ended section 13ª.
The perforated section 13" is closed at its outer end in order that if the ship go
astern no water will be driven up the discharge pipe with any damaging force such
as to injure a valve. The perforations are at right angles to the axis of the
section 13, and serve to break the force of the outside water, which latter is
constantly in motion and will strike the pipe at right angles to its axis.
These perforated sections 13" will allow the water drained by the collecting pipes
from the decks or compartments of the vessel, to be delivered or discharged through
the perforations in said perforated sections. It will be understood that the perforated
sections 13 break the force of the outside water thereby reducing the pressure on the
non-return valves inside the collecting and discharge pipes thus allowing them to act
and the water to leave the ship.
The strainers on the inner ends of the collecting pipes are for the purpose of
preventing the passage of stones or other solid particles which would interfere with
the proper action of the non-return valves and block up the perforations in sections 13".
The hinged or other removeable covers are provided to allow of the strainers being
swept out or otherwise cleansed when required, and the pipes 13 can be flushed by
means of the ship's pumps, and thus kept cleah.
All cylinders, pipes and conduits should be painted with three coats of paint, and
then coated with three coats of an anti-fouling compound.
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. Means such as herein described for clearing ships of water consisting of one or
a number of collecting pipes fitted with strainers and non-return valves and leading

page_text: from the decks or compartments to be drained to one or more inspection chambers or
wells in open communication with a non-return valve and a discharge pipe or pipes
situated outside the ship and fitted with a perforated close-ended section substantially
as described.
2. Means such as herein described for clearing ships of water consisting of one or a
number of collecting pipes or cases fitted with strainers and non-return valves and
leading from the decks or compartments to be drained direct to a discharge pipe or
pipes fitted with a non-return valve and perforated close-ended section substantially as
described.
3. In means for clearing ships of water of the kind indicated in the preceding claim,
a perforated close-ended section fitted to the discharge pipe for the purpose of reducing
the pressure on the non-return valves substantially as described.
4. In means for clearing ships of water of the kind indicated in Claim 2 hereof, an
enlarged well or chamber to allow the collected water to pass from the collecting pipes
to the discharge pipes and fitted with strainers substantially as described.
5. The herein described method of and means for clearing ships of water arranged
to operate substantially in the manner hereinbefore set forth and illustrated by way of
example in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of February 1897
F. W. Golby,
36 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.