Openings made by Collisions or otherwise in Ships' Sides or Bottoms.
Year: 1886

page_text: Openings made by Collisions or otherwise in Ships' Sides
or Bottoms.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 means for covering an opening in the side of a vessel
resulting from a collision, and has for its object to provide a device which is
readily accessible easily handled, and can be quickly and firmly placed over a
breach in a vessel.
The invention consists of a flexible shield of any suitable material, secured to,
and wound upon, a heavy roller, located in any convenient and accessible part of
the vessel, and provided with means whereby it may be attached at any point
along the side of the vessel over the breach, and with means whereby it may be
held in place, and drawn up again when not required.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shows the device attached to the rail of the vessel above the breach and
covering the hole, with slackened securing ropes in dotted lines.
Figure 2 shows the device rolled up.
Figure 3 is a view showing the means for securing the tightening lines along
the side of the vessel.
A indicates a flexible shield of stout canvas or other heavy fabric or material,
having one edge fastened to a heavy roller B, of iron or other suitable material,
and the other provided with a heavy bar having holes for fastening ropes C or
other suitable devices, by which it may be secured to the rail of the vessel, or
other convenient point of attachment on the side. The roller B is provided with
grooved ends or spools around which hoisting lines D of wire or other suitable
material are wound as the sheet is unwound. When not in use the shield is
wound upon the roller and placed in any accessible part of the vessel.
Along the outside of, and below, the rail of the vessel extend two or more wire
ropes F, held in place by spring or other suitable catches G, and passing around
the bow to a point on the other side of the vessel about amidship. At the ends of
each of these ropes is a snap-hook H, which, when two of the ropes F are released,
is attached to each one of the lines D, and is free to move thereon. The ropes F
lie snugly along the upper part of the side of the vessel and may be painted so as
to represent a streak. Similar ropes may in like manner extend about the stern.

page_text: Several of the ropes F, may be employed to compensate for loss should one be
dropped accidentally in removing it from its fastenings.
The operation of the device is as follows;-A collision having taken place the
flexible shield wound upon its roller is taken to that part of the ship's side where
the hole or breach is, and its edge fastened thereto by the ropes C, as shown. The
roller which must be heavy enough to rapidly sink, unwind the shield and hold it
down, is dropped overboard and in so doing winds up the lines D on the roller,
ready for hoisting the roller, when the shield is no longer needed, and the ropes F
have been slackened. Meanwhile two of ropes Fare released from their fastenings G,
and when slack enough, the snap-book H. of each is brought forward and attached
to the line D. The weight of the hook H and the line D causes them to drop, the
hook sliding down the line D till it rests upon the roller, and the line D swinging
underneath the vessel as in Figure 1, when the slack is taken up on the opposite
side and the shield drawn taut over the hole. In this way the shield is quickly
placed over the hole and held thereto against any action of the water tending to
swing the roller and lower edge of the sheet away from the bottom and side.
When the vessel is in a position to be repaired, or the hole no longer required to
be temporarily covered, the ropes F are slackened and the shield is drawn up by
hauling upon the lines D, which, being wound upon the roller, cause the sheet to
be wound upon the latter as it is raised. The shield may be made water-proof in
any suitable way, and the metallic parts protected against the action of sea water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
First A device for stopping leaks in vessels, consisting of a flexible shield
having one edge secured to the side of a vessel, and the other fastened to a heavy
roller upon which the shield winds and unwinds, means for winding up the same,
and means for drawing the lower edge and roller against the hull of the vessel,
substantially as described.
Second As means for stopping leaks in vessels, a flexible shield secured at one
edge to the side of a vessel and having a heavy roller fastened at its other edge,
hoisting lines, and securing lines having adjustable hooks at one end sliding upon
the hoisting lines, substantially as described.
Third The combination with a flexible shield suspended over the side of a
vessel and having a heavy roller, of securing lines detachably fastened to the side
of a vessel, substantially as described.
Fourth-The combination with a weighted flexible shield suspended over the
side of a vessel, of securing lines detachably fastened to the sides of the vessel, and
extending around the bow, substantially as described.
Fifth The combination with a weighted flexible shield suspended over the side
of a vessel, securing and tightening lines detachably secured along the vessel's
streak and extending around the bow and stern, substantially as described.
Sixth A means for stopping leaks in vessels, consisting of a flexible shield
fastened at one edge to the side of a vessel and having a heavy roller at its other
edge upon which it is wound, hoisting cords wound upon the roller when the
shield is unrolled, and securing lines detachably fastened to the sides of the vessel
and extending around the bow and having a sliding connection at one end with
the hoisting lines, substantially as described.
Dthin All
T
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.