Improvements in and relating to Collision Mats.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Collision Mats.
I, CHARLES MACKINTOSH, 159, Euston Road, London, from Nairn, County Nairn,
North Britain, Agent for Iron Foundry and Engineering Works, 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 relates to an improved collision mat, with an improved method of
fixing the same over a hole or fracture in the side of a steamer or other marine
vessel, caused by collision with another vessel or otherwise and so preventing or
largely stopping the influx of water and reducing to a minimum the disastrous
result of the vessel foundering.
2
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one side
of a vessel when at sea with the appliance for fixing the mat ready, but not in use.
The other side of the vessel will be similar. A is a line which surrounds the vessel
from stem to stern and made up of sections along the sides of convenient lengths
say of 20 to 30 feet connected with snap hooks or the most improved connections, and
suspended conveniently below the rail, being held in position by suitable catches.
This line to be a specially prepared rope about an inch in diameter and with snap-
hooks or connections altogether to be as little over the specific gravity of the water
as possible so as to reduce the weight of haulage. It can be fixed in various ways
at the bow and stern in keeping with the build of the vessel, but in such a manner
that, it can on a sudden emergency be thrown off these parts and pass underneath
the keel free of obstruction. The snap hooks may be at the catches ƒ Figure 1
but the position is immaterial.
B are what will be known and described hereinafter as the guiding arms
Figures 1, 2, 3, 3 and Figures 4 and 5 enlarged views of the same with their
catches C. They are wrought iron or steel tubes as being best for strength and
lightness combined; in length diameter and thickness of tube according to the
size of the vessel; and each terminating at one end with a strong revolving pulley
fitted on an iron collar V surrounding a groove on the end of the tube, so that it
will revolve easly to right and left (shown best in the enlarged views Figures 4
& 5); the guide or shield (a) of the pulley wheels being the extreme end and in
line with the tube; and at the other end a short distance in they are fitted with
the best metal bushes b.
They are placed on both sides of the vessel fore and aft some way back from the
stem and stern, their bushes being fitted on pivots or axles at a convenient distance
above the water line and on which they will turn round freely as shown centre of
bushes 6 Figures 1, 2, 3, 34, the axles being fitted with suitable caps; and they
are held and controlled by the lines W from the deck.
When not in use they extend upwards on án incline from their axles towards
the bow and stern, until their pulley ends are in contact with the line A, which
is disconnected at the most convenient snap hooks and the ends passed inside the
shields and over the wheels of the pulleys and then reconnected; see a, at fore
and aft Figure 1; and part of line inside the shields and over the wheels Figures 4

page_text: and 5. C are metal catches which the ends of the guiding arms next the axles
enter as the pulley ends passes down into the water in getting into position, and
by this means they are made tight and fast, and able to resist a great strain.
Two guiding arms are shown in Figure 3 as locked in catches Cone in Figure 3^,
& Figure 5 is locked in the catch C the pulley end being down.
Figure 2 the vessel with the collission mat placed in position over a hole or
fracture with lines attached to the bottom bar K passing underneath the keel. The
guiding arms on this side are free of the line A but fixed in their usual position,
as on the fractured side the line has always to be disconnected and reconnected
free of the guiding arms.
Figure 3 the guiding arms are shown as down with their upper ends entered
and locked in their catches C and at the other ends the lines coming from under-
neath the keel from the bottom bar of the mat as described in Figure 2; and
passing through between the shields and wheels of the pulleys see, a, Figures 4
and 5 (which by their collars turning on the grooves will always come in line with
the pull) are continued up the side of the vessel and their ends connected on board
with high speed capstans or other suitable appliances which will haul the slack
in with great speed and the bottom bar of the mat Figure 2 pulled tight.
Figure 3 a modern cruiser with the mat about to be lowered over a hole or
fracture while the slack is being hauled in. One guiding arm is shown as down
with its upper end locked, the other being out of view.
Figure 8 is a view of the mat rolled up and ready as it is placed in a convenient
part on board say amidship.
Figure 9 the mat when unwound and placed over a hole or fracture. It can be
made of heavy canvas or other suitable material specially prepared to be pliant as
well as strong to resist great pressure inwards. I) is the suspending bar, to which
the mat is attached and is fitted along the top with several strong iron loops h
which can be quickly hooked on to a suitable appliance for fastening to the side
rail or where most convenient. The roller Figure 10 is first a length of close
link chain or suitable flexible material (it might be a steel spiral) strongly con-
nected at both ends with about 2 feet of metal tube M, which terminate each in
solid grooved metal ends or spools N, the whole being several inches longer than
the breadth of the mat. This Figure 10 being wound with one or more rounds of
the bottom of the mat and bound up in it, forms as it were, a flexible roller, O,
Figure 9, with the grooved ends extending outwards from contact with the mat 2
or 3 inches on each side. Over this flexible roller the whole length to the breadth
of the mat will be placed a half metal tube Figure 11 which will form the roller
proper with the flexible roller placed in its cavity, Figure 12.
The mat being wound over this combination will be sufficiently stiff when
unwinding to resist any pressure inwards, and when unwound to its extremities,
the half tube falling off being only held by loose cords to prevent loosing, the
flexible roller or say the bottom of the mat will form to any unequality in the shape
of the hull and lie close to the side K is a sufficiently strong metal tube called the
bottom bar extending the whole length of the roller and attached to the same by
a chain at each end fixed on the bottom bar, but encircling the grooves of the roller
ends or spools with a metal collar P in such a manner that the roller will revolve
freely.
The bottom bar is fitted at each end with two short lines Q the ends of each of
which are provided with snap-hooks or loops, and the space between the roller and
bottom bar is such as will allow the mat when wound up to unwind freely as
shown Figure 8.
For unequalities in certain builds of hulls H are circular bars of metal called
the grippers, fitted on collars to the bottom bar near each end and extending
upwards over the roller; which when pulled by a line R from the deck they will
press the bottom of the mat close to any formation of hull; and attached to the
top of these by hooks X or suitable catches, L are a couple of folding and extending

page_text: frames of crossed bar spring steel work which when pulled from the deck will
extend and form a curve and the convexity pressing on the mat when they are
pulled tight, will force it close to the side. The tops of the extending frames are
fitted with an iron frame wedge work S with metal points, and this pulled with a
line from the deck will force the mat close about the bilge keel if necessary.
Figure 6 is a frame L partly extended. Figure 7 shows the same frame extended
to the full length, and both showing the wedge work S at the top.
The operation of fixing the collision mat is as follows, presuming a hole has
been made in the side of a vessel Figures 2 and 3, the apparatus is immediately
brought to the side of the vessel directly over the hole Figure 3, and the line A
surrounding the vessel and shown on one side of Figure 1 is disconnected at the
most convenient snap-hooks near where the mat is to be placed, and the end of
one of the lines (at each end of the bottom bar Q Figures 8 and 9)-is connected,
the one towards the stern with the end of the line A leading to the stern, and at
the end next the stem with the end of the line leading to the stem; the connections
being made with the snap-hooks or loops at end of lines Q. The bottom bar of
the mat now forms as it were a section or part of the line A which is set free of
the guiding arms on this the fractured side as already described, these remaining
in their usual positions 2 and 3ª. The line A on the other side is not set free of
the guiding arms, but disconnected at the first snap-hooks behind the pulleys
towards amidship, and the ends from stem and stern coming from inside the pulley
shields and over the wheels (see a Figures 4 and 5) are taken on board and
connected with the high speed capstans or other appliances for speedy haulage.
The short lines U Figure 1 show where the lines may be taken on board to the
capstans when disconnected behind the pulleys at the first snap-hooks f.
There will now be a continuous line from the capstans fore and aft connected
with the pulleys of the guiding arms as shown at short lines U and a Figure 1
and a Figure 4 passing round both stem and stern to the bottom bar of the mat
on the other side as just described, being the end of each line from the stem and
stern connected with the snap-hooks or loops on the short lines on each end of the
bottom bar. The line now on the fractured side being set free of its catches and
the guiding arms on the other side also set free, when thrown from both stem and
stern it will pass into the water and be suspended from each end of the bottom bar
of the mat to the pulleys of each guiding arm fore and aft Figures 3 and 3^; the
guiding arms having turned on their axis and their pulley ends connected with the
line from the capstans see U and a Figure 1, passed down into the water, and
the other ends passed up into the catches C and got locked, they will now be
perpendicular Figure 3.
The line or lines now swinging underneath the keel, from the mat to the pulleys
of the guiding arms down on the other side, and continued from these up the side
of the vessel and on board to their connections with the capstans; and the wheels
of the pulleys now in line with the pull (see the guiding arm down in Fig. 3^)
the slack can be hauled in with great speed and the mat lowered from what it
appears at Fig. 34 to what it is at Figure 2 over the hole and pulled fast and tight.
In vessels of immense length and breadth such as a battleship cruiser or ocean
liner if necessary more guiding arms could be fixed along the side and worked on
the same principle. The grippers H attached to the bottom bar by their collars,
when pulled from the deck by the lines R will press the roller now flexible into
any unequality and make it lie close to the side as described; and the extending
frames L connected with the top of the grippers when pulled with the lines from
the deck their convexity will press the mat close to the side as also described.
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:-
First. The method of placing the collision mat over a hole or fracture in the

page_text: side of a ship by the use of what I have described as the guiding arms and the
other appliances connected with the same, whereby the greatest speed, stability
and also the safety of the men in performing the operation is assured.
Second: The manner of constructing the roller as described and illustrated,
whereby the mat, when unwound out to its full length, the bottom of the same can
be placed close, and will conform to any unequality in the build of the hull.
Third. A method of placing a collision mat on the side of a ship with the
guiding arms and line as described, suitable for drill practice particularly in Her
Majesty's Navy.