A METHOD OF PREVENTING OR LESSENING THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS ARISING FROM COLLISIONS AT SEA AND ON OTHER NAVIGABLE WATERS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Blake, of Saint Leonards, in the County of
Sussex, Painter, for the Invention of "A METHOD OF PREVENTING OR
LESSENING THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS ARISING FROM COLLISIONS AT SEA AND ON
OTHER NAVIGABLE WATERS."
Sealed the 3rd April 1855, and dated the 28th October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Blake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th October 1854.
I, CHARLES BLAKE, of Saint Leonards, in the County of Sussex, Painter, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A METHOD OF PREVENTING
OR LESSENING THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS ARISING FROM COLLISIONS AT SEA AND ON
OTHER NAVIGABLE WATERS" to be as follows:-
My method consists in fitting to the fore part of the bow of a ship a false
bow or buffer, fitted to the end of a rod or rods, working through a stuffing
box or stuffing boxes in the bow; the inner end of the rod or rods bears upon,
or is otherwise connected to, springs, which are to be of such strength as to
withstand the shock the vessel is likely to sustain should she come in collision
with another vessel. My false how or buffer is to be so constructed as not to
interfere with the way of the ship, nor with the bowsprit nor rigging.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Blake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BLAKE, of Saint Leonards, in the County of Sussex, Painter, send greeting.
WHEREAS -Her-most. Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the. Twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Blake, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Blake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Blake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
might make, use, exercise, and
term therein expressed, should and lawfully and Ireland, the Channel
vend, within the United Kingdom of
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A METHOD OF PREVENTING OR
LESSENING THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS ARISING FROM COLLISIONS AT SEA AND ON OTHER
NAVIGABLE WATERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Blake, by an instrument in writing under my hand, and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent. 3.
NOW KNOW YE, that 'I, the said Charles Blake, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:
My Invention consists in fitting to the bow of a ship or other vessel a false
bow, buffer, or striking plate, attached to the end of a rod or rods working
through a stuffing box, or stuffing boxes in the bow; the inner end of the rod
or rods bearing upon or being otherwise connected to springs, which are to
be of such strength as to withstand the shock which the ship or vessel is likely
to sustain should: she come in collision with another vessel or other object.
My false bow, buffer, or striking plate is to be so constructed as not to
interfere with the stowage, working, or sailing of the ship or vessel.
Having thus stated in general terms the nature of my Invention, I will now
proceed to describe more particularly the manner in which the same is to be
performed.

page_text: The false bow, buffer, or striking plate is constructed of iron, and extends
downwards to the water line of the ship or vessel to which it is applied. The
rods to which it is fitted are connected to it by means of strong knuckle joints,
and pass through stuffing boxes inserted through the stem post, or on each side
of it, as may be preferred. The inner ends of these rods bear against steel leaf
springs, supported by strong spiral springs, working in boxes which abut against
the beams of the ship or vessel. In some cases vulcanized india-rubber springs,
or springs composed of a composition of india-rubber and cork, may be em-
ployed in place of the springs before mentioned. The arrangement described,
as applied to the bow of a ship or vessel, will also be extended along each side
thereof, a series of buffers or striking plates being employed on each side from
stem to stern, which are connected together by joints or links, so as to be acted
on simultaneously when any one of them receives a blow or shock. These
striking plates are fitted to pistons, which work through stuffing boxes in the
ship's sides, and bear against vulcanised india-rubber, steel leaf, or other
strong springs, enclosed in boxes or cases which rest on the shelf between the
beans, and abut against strong carlings running the whole length of the ship,
and supported by strong iron or wooden knees. By means of these arrange-
ments, the injurious effects arising from collisions will be prevented, and a
vessel not protected in this manner will be less liable to receive injury if struck
by one protected, as described. In the case of steam vessels, a rod may be
employed, projecting beyond the false bow, buffer, or striking plate, and
running under the deck of the vessel into the engine room, and this rod
being in advance of the false bow, on being struck, instantaneously reverses
the engine, to which it is suitably connected before actual collision takes
place.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as my
Invention is, the adaptation to ships and vessels of spring buffers or apparatus
for the purpose of preventing or lessening the injurious effects arising from
collisions at sea and on other navigable waters, in the manner before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Blake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
CHARLES BLAKE. (L.S.)