IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SHIPS' HULLS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark of
53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SHIPS' HULLS to be as follows:
"
"
The object of this Invention is to provide a new and improved device for
cleaning ships hulls either in port or at sea.
The Invention consists in a cylindrical scarifier journalled in a frame pivoted in
another frame held on the ship's side or bottom which scarifier can be revolved by
suitable devices and can be pressed against the ship's side or bottom with more or
less force to scrape off the barnacles rust etc.
The outer frame is made of wood very strong and as light as possible. Two
parallel convex rollers journalled in the frame keep the latter about an inch from
the ship's side or bottom.
The frame is raised and lowered by means of guide ropes which pass between
pairs of friction rollers that are journalled in standards or arms projecting from
the frame and may be drawn taut and suitably fastened. The frame is provided
with two journals for receiving pivots which project from the sides of the inner
frame in which latter frame the scarifier is rigidly mounted on a transverse shaft
the ends of which project over the outer frame. The scarifier is provided with
bristles of steel wire about six inches in length. The wire must not be too stiff
nor too clastic as in the first case it would not sharpen itself and in the second
case it would not clean the vessel properly. The scarifier is worked by means of
two ropes which are coiled reversely on, the shaft of the scarifier so that if tho
scarifier is revolved in one direction by pulling on one rope the other rope will be
wound on the shaft and so on alternately the scarifier being revolved in opposite
directions.
A stay rope is secured to the lower end of the outer frame and runs up to or
over the gunwale of the ship and bears most, of the weight of the machine when
at work.

page_text: A lifting rope is secured to the end of the inner frame and passes over a pulley
in a bridge on the outer frame and then extends to the deck. or to a boat at the
side of the vessel or to a dock etc. so that by pulling on this rope the lower end of
the inner frame will be lifted from the side or bottom of the vessel and the
scarifier will be pressed, against the vessel and the degree of pressure can be
regulated at will,"
The machine is rigged for work by extending a cable or rope from back stay to
back stay or between two other suitable supports and on the said rope a pulley.
travels from which the guide ropes hang. These ropes unite under the ship and
are extended over the gunwale on the other side,
If desired caps or end pieces can be secured on the ends of the shaft to prevent
the ropes from running off.

page_text: J, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SHIPS' HULLS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved device for cleaning
ships' hulls either in port or at sea.
The invention consists in a cylindrical scarifier journalled in a frame pivoted in
another frame held on the ships' side, or bottom, which scarifier can be revolved by
suitable devices and can he pressed against the ship's side or bottom with more
or less force to scrape off the barnacles, rust, etc.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
both the figures.
Figure 1 is a cross sectional elevation of the improved ship cleaner.
Figure 2 is a front view of the same.
A is a wooden frame which is very strong, and as light as possible. Two
parallel convex rollers B are journalled in the frame, which rollers keep the frame
about an inch from the ship's side or bottom. Four standards or arms C project
from the frame A, and in the end of each, two rollers, D, are journalled, between
which the guide ropes E pass, which are drawn taut and suitably fastened, and on
which ropes the frame can be raised or lowered. The frame A is provided with
two journals F, for receiving pivots G projecting from the sides of a frame H
fitting within the frame A, and in which frame H a transverse scarifier J is rigidly
mounted on a transverse shaft K the ends of which project over the frame A
The cylindrical scarifier J is provided with bristles of steel wire about six inches
in length. The wire must not be too stiff nor too elastic as in the first case it
would not sharpen itself, and in the second case it would not clean the vessel
properly. The scarifier is worked by means of two ropes L, which are coiled
reversely on the shaft K. of the scarifier so that the scarifier is. revolved in one
direction by pulling on one rope L the other rope will be wound on shaft K and so
on, alternately, the scarifier being revolved in opposite directions.
The stay rope MJ, is secured to the lower end of the frame A and runs up to or
over,
the gunwale of the ship and bears most of the weight of the machine when
at work.
The lifting rope N is secured to the end of the frame H, passes over a pulley O
in a bridge P on the frame A, and then extends to the deck or to a boat at the side
of the vessel, or to a dock etc. so that by pulling on the rope N, the lower end of
the frame H will be lifted from the side or bottom of the vessel and the scarifier
will be pressed against the side or bottom of the vessel and the degree of pressure
can be regulated at will.
Barnacles, rust, paint, etc., can be removed from the ship's side or bottom in a
very short time. The machine is rigged for work by extending a cable or rope
from back-stay to back-stay or between two other suitable supports and on the
said rope a pulley travels from which the ropes E hang. These ropes E unite
under the ship and are extended over the gunwale on the other side. Three or
four men can easily work the machine whether the ship is at sea or in port.
If desired caps R, or end pieces, can be secured on the ends of the shaft K to
prevent the ropes E from running off the end of the said shaft.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st In a ship cleaner the combination with a frame of an additional frame
pivoted in the same, a cylindrical scarifier journalled in the pivoted frame and
means for revolving the scarifier, substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd In a ship cleaner, the combination with a frame having convex rollers, of an
additional frame pivoted in the above frame, a cylindrical scarifier journalled in the
pivoted frame, and means for revolving the scarifier, substantially as herein shown
and described.
3rd In a ship cleaner, the combination with the frame A, of the convex rollers B,
the frame H pivoted in the frame A, the cylindrical scarifier J journalled in the
frame H, and the ropes L wound in inverse directions on the ends of the scarifier
shaft, substantially as herein shown and described.
4th In a ship cleaner, the combination with the frame A, of the frame H pivoted
therein, the cylindrical scarifier J journalled in the frame H, means for revolving
the scarifier and means for pressing it against the ship, substantially as herein
shown and described,
5th In a ship cleaner, the combination with the frame A of the frame H pivoted
thereon, the cylindrical scarifier J journaled in the frame H, means for revolving
the scarifier, the rope N, the bridge P, and the pulley O, substantially as herein
shown and described.
6th In a ship cleaner, the combination with the frame A of the standards C, the
rollers D, the ropes E, the frame H journalled in the frame A, a cylindrical scarifier
journalled in the frame H, and means for revolving the scarifier, substantially as.
herein shown and described.