A Means for Preventing the Fouling of Ships' Bottoms and Improving the Speed of Ships.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 181
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
A Means for Preventing the Fouling of Ships' Bottoms and
Improving the Speed of Ships.
I, WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, of The Lodge Silverdale Eastbourne,
General in Her Majesty's Army, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :―
The hindrance to speed of ships resulting from skin friction and growth of
vegetation with barnacles on their bottoms, is well known. The object of the
present invention is to provide the bottoms of ships of many classes, whether built
of wood, or metal, with a constantly renewed coating of oil, thus making them
glide the more easily through the water. The oil is forced through numerous.
holes in pipes, fixed nearly vertically close to the sides of the ship. The pipes are
greatly flattened with the object of diminishing opposition to progress. The holes,
which are on the after part of the pipes, lead the oil into immediate contact with
the sides of the ship. One pipe is fixed centrically at the bow and discharges
oil on both of its sides.
Instead of regular pipes, somewhat slightly longitudinally arched strips of metal
might be attached to the side of the ship oil tight, except at spots left open for
the oil to escape. With but little exercise of steam or mechanical power, the oil,
drawn from the supply-casks, is driven into the pipes much as water is furnished
to the hoses directed against a fire..
As the ship progresses the oil that is ejected through the holes meeting the
water, spreads over the bottom and much of the sides. Indented horizontal lines
might aid the passage of the oil, and ships may possibly, some day, be built with
depressed grooves for receiving the oil, in order to dispense with pipes which more
or less break the smooth surface of the ship's sides.
The slipperiness and shifting of the coat of oil greatly prevent the attachment
and growth of weeds and barnacles. This evil is further prevented by selecting
for use an oil inimical, or chemically made inimical to such growth. The said oil,
in harbours free from strong tides, constantly rising upwards from two pipes fixed
nearly horizontally, one on each side of the keel, would arrest the formation of
weeds.
In a strong tide, on the ship swinging to her anchor, the oil discharged from the
vertical pipes would spread over her bottom and sides as effectually as if she was
under steam at sea.
Dated this 27th day of July 1891.
W. N. HUTCHINSON, GENERAL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Means for Preventing the Fouling of Ships' Bottoms and
Improving the Speed of Ships.
I, WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON of The Lodge, Silverdale, Eastbourne,
Sussex General in Her Majesty's Army 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 :-
The hindrance to speed of ships resulting from skin-friction and the growth of
vegetation with barnacles on their bottoms, is well known. The object of the
present invention is to provide the bottoms of ships of many classes, whether built
D
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page_text: of wood or metal, with a constantly renewed coating of oil, thus making them
glide easily through water.
The oil is forced through numerous holes in flanged pipes fixed nearly vertically
close to the sides of the ship. The pipes are greatly flattened with the object of
diminishing opposition to progress. The holes, which are on the after part of the
pipes, lead the oil into instant contact with the sides of the ship. One pipe is fixed
centrically at the bow and discharges oil on both of its sides.
. Instead of regular pipes, somewhat slightly longitudinally arched strips of
metal might be attached to the sides of the 'ship oil-tight, except at spots left
open for the oil to escape. With but little exercise of steam or mechanical power,
the oil, drawn from the supply-casks, is driven into and from the pipes, much as
water is furnished to the hoses directed against a fire. As the ship progresses
the oil that is ejected through the holes, on meeting the water, spreads over the
bottom and sides. Indented horizontal lines might aid the passage of the oil.
Ships may possibly some day be built with depressed grooves for receiving the oil,
in order to dispense with pipes which more or less break the even surface of the
sides of the ship.
Slipperiness and shifting of the coat of oil greatly prevent the attachment and
growth of weeds and barnacles. This evil is further prevented by selecting for use
an oil inimical or chemically made inimical to such growth. The said oil, in
harbours free from strong tides, constantly rising upwards from two pipes fixed
nearly horizontally on each side of the keel, would arrest the formation of weeds.
In strong tides, the ship swinging to her anchor, the oil discharged from the
vertical pipes would spread over her bottom and sides as effectually as if she was
under steam at sea.
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:
The means of preventing the fouling of the bottoms of ships and vessels and
improving their speed, by keeping their bottoms and some part of their sides,
covered with a coating of oil, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of July 1891.
W. N. HUTCHINSON, GENERAL.