IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE BRAKES FOR VESSELS
Year: 1885

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by John McAdams, William Albert McAdams, George
Francis McAdams, Arthur Gay McAdams, and Edwin Alvin McAdams,
I composing the Firm of John McAdams & Sons, of No. 528, Kent Avenue,
Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America, Engineers.]
I, PHILIP ARTHUR NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE BRAKES FOR VESSELS,
to be as follows:-
In British Letters Patent N° 356 granted January 24th 1882 to John M°Adams
is shown and described a marine brake consisting of fins or blades each hinged at
its rear edge to the side of a vessel so as to close against the side of the vessel in
front of its hinges, and to permit of its swinging outward and backward into a
position at right angles with the vessel so as to oppose a resistance to the forward
movement thereof.
In that patent are shown and described braces or stays which consist of sections
hinged together and pivotted to the outer or free edges of the fins or blades and to
the sides of the vessel forward of the fins or blades. These sectional stays or
braces serve to hold the blades when swung outwards into a position transverse
to the length of the vessel and fold inwards between the sides of the vessel and
the fins or blades, when said fins or blades are swung inward so as to lie closely
against the sides of the vessel. In said patent a single chain or flexible connection
is attached to the free edge of each fin or blade, and passes inward through a hole
or opening in the side of the vessel and to a windlass whereby the chain and fins
or blades may be drawn inwards to close them against the sides of the vessel.
It has now been discovered that these folding stays or braces may be dispensed
with, and that chains or flexible connections passed around the windlass may be
employed both for drawing inwards or closing the fins or blades, and for sustaining
them when swung outwards in their operative position.
This invention, therefore, consists in the combination with a vessel and fins or
blades hinged at their rear edges to the sides of a vessel so as to close against the
sides of the vessel in front of their hinges, of chains or flexible connections
attached to the free edge of each fin or blade at different points in its height, and

page_text: passing through holes in the side of the vessel, and a windlass around which the
chains or flexible connections are passed, and which may be turned to draw
inward the chains or connections and so close the fin or blade against the side of
the vessel or to pay out the chains or connections to permit the fin or blade to
swing outward; the chains or flexible connections serving to both draw inwards
the fin or blade, and to sustain it in its outward or operative position when it is
transverse to the length of the vessel. This combination reduces the number of
parts necessary, and simplifies the construction, as the chains or flexible con-
nections serve to both draw in the fins or blades, and to sustain them when swung
outward into their operative position; and no hinged or folding stays or braces are
necessary to connect the fins or blades with the vessel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide means which will oppose a
yielding resistance to the outward movement of the fins or blades and sustain
them in their operative position by yielding force, as distinguished from a rigid
stop for arresting such outward movement of the fins or blades. To this end the
invention also consists in the combination with a vessel and fins or blades hinged
thereto at their rear edges so as to close against the sides of the vessel in front of
their hinges and capable of swinging outwards into an operative position in which
they will stand transversely to the length of the vessel, of chains or flexible
connections attached to the free edge of each fin or blade at different points in its
height and passing inward through holes in the side of the vessel, a windlass for
drawing inward or paying out the chains or flexible connections as described, and
a spring cushion or elastic buffer to which the chains or flexible connections are
attached, and which offers a yielding resistance to the outward or opening
movement of the fin or blade. When each fin or blade is connected with a spring
cushion or elastic buffer, as described, such cushions or buffers serve to gradually
and easily check the movement of the blades as they swing into their operative
position, and hold or sustain them in said operative position by a yielding force.

page_text: DI DUIFICATION.
Improvements in Marine Brakes for Vessels.
I PHILIP ARTHUR NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent 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 marine brakes which consist of fins or blades, each
hinged at its rear edge to the side of the vessel, so as to close against the side of
the vessel in front of its hinges, and to permit of its swinging outward and
backward into a position at right angles to the vessel, so as to oppose a resistance
to the forward movement of the vessel.
The invention consists in a novel combination of devices for closing the fins or
blades, or swinging them inward against the sides of the vessel, and for sustaining
them when swung outward into an operative position at about right angles to the
centre line of the vessel.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one side portion of a vessel, and a fin or blade
swung outward into operative position; and
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the stern portion of a vessel, showing chains
or flexible connections and mechanism for operating and controlling the fins or
blades, the parts being shown in the position which they occupy when the fins or
blades are held inward and close against the sides of the vessel.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in both Figures.
A designates the stern portion of the hull of a vessel, and B the deck thereof.
On each side of the vessel is a fin or blade C, which is attached by hinges a to
the side of the vessel at or near the stern post. Each fin or blade C is of metal,
and may be swung outward into the position shown in Fig. 1, or may be swung
inward close against the side of the vessel, forward of its hinges a.
Chains are attached to the forward or free edge of each fin or blade at
different points in its height, and are then passed inwards through holes c arranged
one above another in the side of the hull.
Within the hull is a water box or compartment A', which is closed to a point
above the water line, which is represented by the dotted line in Fig. 2.-The
several chains (here represented as four in number) are connected together at
different points within the hull, and are finally merged into a single chain b¹,
which passes over a pulley d, and is connected with a spring cushion device D,
here shown as arranged below the deck.-This spring cushion device consists of an
outer casing or tube e, a spring e¹ arranged therein, and a rod e³, with one end of
which is connected the chain b¹, and which has at the other end a follower
Supported by the spring. A pull upon the chain b¹ will draw forward the rod es
and compress the spring, and bence this spring will offer a yielding resistance to
the paying out of the chain.
In this spring buffer a single spiral spring may be employed, or any number of
spiral or volute springs, or india rubber blocks or buffers arranged to produce a
like result may be used..

page_text: From the chain b another chain 62 extends to, and is passed around the
windlass E, which is operated by a crank f geared thereto, and which may be held
against turning by a pawl G, here shown as consisting of two sections hinged
together at gand pivotted at gl. To the pawl G is connected a chain g² and
handle g, and by pulling the handle and chain, the pawl will be lifted into
the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and will thereby be freed from the
teeth of the windlass.
The same arrangement of chains, spring cushion, and windlass, is to be provided
for each of the fins or blades C.
Ordinarily the fins or blades C are swung inwards so as to lie close against the
sides of the vessel, and are there held by the chain 62 and the windlass and
pawl E G shown in Fig. 2.
When it is desired to stop a vessel, the handle and chain g³ g* are pulled up
instantly, to free the windlass, and the water catching under the free edges of the
fins or blades, as the vessel moves forward, will swing them outward at once into
the position shown in Fig. 1. Before the fins or blades reach the position in
Fig. 1, the chain b¹ will become taut, and the spring cushions then form a
yielding resistance to stop the outward movement of the tins or blades, and to hold
the fins or blades in their operative position as shown in Fig. 1.
The spring cushions are very desirable because they stop the outward movement
of the fins or blades without shock, and hold them by a yielding force against
rearward movement past their operative position, without danger of the breakage
of parts.
The chains b attached to the free edges of the fins or blades, at different points
in their height, serve both to pull inwards or close the fins or blades, and to sustain
them in their operative position when swung outwards.-The opening movement
of the fins or blades may be facilitated by a spring h, which will be deflected or
held under tension when the fins or blades are closed, and will suffice to throw the
fins or blades slightly outwards when the pawl G releases the windlass E.
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
1. The combination with the fius or blades C, of chains attached to the free
edge of each fin or blade at different points in its height, and passing through
holes in the sides of the vessel, and a windlass for operating the chains, the chains
serving to both draw inward the fins or blades, and to sustain them in outward or
operative position, substantially as herein described.
2. The combination with the fins or blades C, hinged to a vessel as described,
and chains of flexible connections, and a windlass, the chains serving both to draw
inward the fins or blades and to sustain them when swung outward into operative
position, and spring cushions to which the chains are attached, and which offer a
yielding resistance to the outward or opening movement of the fins or blades,
substantially as herein described.
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