An Improved Apparatus for Caulking Ships' Decks.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date o Application, 15th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Caulking Ships' Decks.
HENRY BUFF Marine Engineer 16 Nelson Terrace Wellington Lane Beverley
Road Hull Co. York do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for caulking ships' decks by means of the
following arrangements. Instead of caulking the seams between the planks of a
ship's deck with hand tools as at present used I fix in a suitable manner in an iron
or steel frame rollers with their axes parallel to one another and preferably three
in number. These rollers revolve when the apparatus is pushed or drawn along
the deck and are made with suitable projections to run along the seams between
the planks. The first roller opens out the seam the second roller places the
caulking material in the seam and the third roller compresses and finishes the
seam. The periphery of these projections on the rollers may be angular flat
The frame of the
convex or concave to suit the placing of oakum in the seam.
apparatus which holds the rollers is preferably rectangular in shape and has a
handle or gear wheels attached to it so that it may be drawn or pushed along the
deck. A reel is placed on the frame in any suitable position to hold oakum
for supplying the middle roller which places the caulking material in the seam.
One or more rollers may be used for placing the oakum in the seam.
frame may also have fitted to it irons of any suitable shape for taking out old
oakum and for compressing new oakum in the seam operated upon. Weights are
placed upon the frame when required to obtain the necessary pressure for compressing
the oakum or caulking material in the seam.
Dated this 19th dow of Tuna 1891.
The
HENRY BUFF.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Caulking Ships' Decks.
I, HENRY BUFF of 16 Nelson Terrace, Wellington Lane, Beverley Road, Hull
in the County of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to apparatus for caulking ships decks by means of the
following arrangements :-Instead of caulking the seams between the planks of ships
decks with hand tools, as at present used, I fix in a suitable manner in an iron or
steel frame rollers, preferably three in number, with their axes parallel to one
another. These rollers revolve when the apparatus is pushed or drawn along the
decks and are made with, or carry upon their axles, suitable projecting discs which
revolve with them to run along the seams between the planks. The first roller disc
opens out the seam and prepares it for the caulking material. The second roller
disc places the oakum in the seam and the third roller disc compresses and finishes
it. The peripheries of these projecting discs may be angular, flat, convex or
The frame of the apparatus
concave to suit the placing of the oakum in the seam.
which holds the rollers is preferably rectangular in shape and has a handle attached
to it so that it may be drawn, or pushed along the deck, a reel is placed on the
frame in any suitable position to hold oakum for supplying the middle roller which
places the caulking material in the seam and one or more rollers and discs may be
used for placing the oakum in the seam. The frame may also have fitted to it irons

page_text: pw
oakum. Weights are placed upon the frame when required to obtain the necessary
pressure for compressing the oakum in the seam.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings my invention is shewn in one form in
which it may be practically applied.
Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is (on left hand) a transverse half section through the line a-b and (on
right hand) a half section on line c-d on Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus looking on front of Fig. 1 in the direction
of the
Fig. 4 is an end view of the apparatus looking on back of Fig. 1 in the direction
of the
A is the main body of the apparatus forming a solid casting with "cods" B to
receive the roller axles C¹ C³ & C³ cast upon it. The axle C'carries the roller D¹
also upon its outer ends the two discs E: the axle C carries the roller D and
upon its outer ends the two discs E' and the axle C³ carries the roller D³ also
upon its outer ends the two discs E³. The plough irons F, to clean out old caulking
from the seams, are carried in brackets upon the front ends of the apparatus
and are adjustable by set bolts so as to be inserted or withdrawn as may be
required. The smaller discs E on the back end of the machine are for the
purpose of finally compressing the oakum in the seams after the discs E' and E³
have laid and partially compressed it, and these discs are shewn, as is preferred,
fitted with springs G by which pressure can be adjusted on the discs or either of
them can be raised. All the discs E E E³ will be adjustable transversely upon
their axles so as to suit the varying distances between the seams and the spring
discs E with the ploughs F will also be preferably adjustable with the same object.
In front of the discs E' are pipes H with funnel shaped mouth which feed the
oakum J into the seam. The oakum may be laid in long lengths alongside the
seam as shewn passing through the funnel mouth of the pipe H to the disc E² or
it may be fed from a ball running loosely upon a pin fixed to the body of the
apparatus as indicated by the dotted lines. When greater pressure is required to
effect the caulking loose blocks of cast iron K may be placed upon the main body
as indicated.
The operation of the machine-is as follows, assuming that a new deck is to
be caulked. The apparatus is placed in position at one end of the line of deck
seams the two dises E' sinking into and resting in alternate seams and the oakum
passing down the pipes H is delivered in front of the laying discs E*. The
apparatus being now pushed or pulled the discs E', by its weight, penetrate and
open the seams by their chisel shaped peripheries and the oakum is laid in the
groove by the disc E' as shewn by Figs. 1 and 2 the disc E3 which is slightly
larger in diameter than E' follows and forces the oakum further down in the seam
and the disc. E may if required follow. The first layer of oakum having been
inserted and compressed throughout the entire length the apparatus commences
again at the first starting point the discs E¹ heing now removed altogether or
replaced by discs of more suitable shape of periphery to travel over the layer
already inserted and a second layer of oakum is laid over the first and the operation
is repeated the caulking being now completed ready for pitching unless in very
exceptional cases where a third layer may be necessary. The objects of the discs E
being fitted with springs is to enable them in following and completing the work of
the others to yield in passing over uneven parts of the deck. Two seams may be
caulked at once in soft wood decks but in hardwood decks it may be found prefer-
able to operate on one seam only at a time. In recaulking old decks the ploughs
are applied as shewn on Fig. 3 to clear out the old caulking the other operations
being the same as with new decks above described.

page_text: Although the apparatus is specially designed for caulking the decks of ships it
is applicable for other purposes such as caulking bridge decks or other structures
having wood decking as also the floors of houses and other buildings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed' I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. For the purpose of caulking the seams of ships decks, the use of an apparatus
which in travelling along the seams will by its dead weight acting on revolving discs
form the groove to receive the oakum, lay the oakum into the groove and compress
it, ready to receive one or more following layers which will be laid and compressed
by the same succeeding operation or operations until the caulking is completed the
apparatus being provided with plough irons to remove the old oakum in case of
recaulking substantially as described and shewn.
2nd. To effect the operations above described the apparatus shewn by the
drawings comprising the main body A mounted on rollers D D D³ carrying on
their axles the revolving discs E¹ E E³ with suitably shaped peripheries, pipes H
for feeding the oakum into the seam, discs E, provision for additionally loading the
apparatus with weights and means for applying plough irons to remove the old
caulking the whole constructed and operating substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 11th day of February 1892.
T. J. DANSON, F. Inst. P.A.,
Chartered Patent Agent, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Agent for Applicant.