Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 24th June, 1887.
I WILLIAM MACKIE of 43 Balmellie Street, Turriff in the County of Aberdeen,
Ironmonger, 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 :-
A strong sheet of any waterproof material, supported by a frame with folding Legs,
is secured over the fracture.
The Frame may be any size or material, say Steel Tube 1 inch in diameter the
Ribs 8 feet, and the Legs 3 feet long. The Legs are hinged and fold up to the Ribs.
Each Leg has two Stays or Braces pivoted to them at the top, and fastened to the Leg
on either side by being pushed into slits, where they are held by keepers on the ond
of springs. The top and bottom Legs have but one Brace each.
The Ribs have also a Brace on each side, which fastens to the Legs in the same way
as the Leg Braces and keep the Legs at about right angles to the Ribs.
The Rib at the bottom end of the Sheet has no Brace to allow the edge of the end of
the Sheet that joins the two side parts to adjust itself to the bend of the Vessel.
The tightening of the side ropes keep the Legs in an upright position.
The sheet has a rope (as a hem) on each edge, which runs along the points of the
Legs. A stripe of Rubber runs the whole length of the sheet, so that it lies between
the Ropes and the side of the Vessel, rendering it watertight. The sheet is further
strengthened by a Band running along both sides, at the ends of the Ribs, while
other Bands cross it diagonally between them. When not in use, the whole is kept
in a roll, and when required, it is set up as it is unrolled, being lowered into the sea as
far from the side of the vessel as pass the broken protruding splinters. After it is
properly over the fracture it is made fast to the vessel. The Ropes from the lowest
end of the sheet, pass under the vessel, and are secured on the side opposite the
fracture. After the sheet is securely fastened, the broken splinters can be cut off,
and the fracture repaired and strengthened in a temporary manner until a place of
safety is reached. A simpler method of strengthening the Legs is shown on Figure 5,
one Brace only being required for each Leg, to which it is pivotted at the middle. A

page_text: hole on the other end of the Brace passes over an oblong nut on a bolt, a quarter
turn of which fastens the Brace to the Leg. The Rib Braces are pushed into slits,
and fastened by keepers on the end of springs.
In order to explain the invention fully, it is described by a reference to the
drawings, which accompany this Specification. Figures 1, to 5, and figure 8, are
detached views of parts of the appliance. Figure 7, is the skeleton of the apparatus,
or the frame without the sheet; showing the relative position of the different parts to
cach other. Figure 6, is the completed apparatus. A sheet supported by a frame,
constructed according to this invention, as if fixed up, and secured to the side of a
vessel.
Similar letters on all the Figures refer to similar parts.
The appliance is constructed of a Frame Figure 7, composed of Ribs R. Legs L.
Rib Braces B. and horizontal Leg Braces B2, covered over with a waterproof sheet H
and H Figure 6, which keeps the whole together. It is so made, that when fixed up
and secured over a fracture, by the Ropes Re, and Roi, Figure 6, it stands out from the
side of the vessel like an inverted box with one of its. ends out, which gives access_to
the fracture, so that it may be repaired and strengthened in a temporary manner, till a
place is reached where it can be done thoroughly. When it is taken off the side of
the vessel, the Braces B, and B2, and Legs L fold up with part of the sheet H' to the
Ribs R. It can then be rolled up and conveniently stowed.
It can be fitted up or taken down in a few minutes.
The Frame of the appliance, may be made any size, or of any material suitable for
the purpose.
The Ribs R. made of say steel tube 13 in diameter and 8 feet long. The Legs L.
to be of the same material, and about 3 feet long. The Ribs R, have two stays or
Braces B. pivotted to them (one on each side) made of flattened, or rather eliptic tube,
which keep the Legs L, at about right angles to the Ribs R. Their form or position
when covered with the sheet, and set or fixed up, see Figure 2.
When the sheet H. H and H2 is rolled up, the Legs L. the Rib Braces B, and Leg
Braces B, are folded up to the Ribs R. as shown Figure 1.
The Rib R. at the lowest end of the sheet H2, has no Rib Braces B. to allow the
edge X. of the sheet H2 to adjust itself to the bend of the vessel.
The Rib Braces B. have a tenon on their free ends which have a hole or mortice at
the centre. The tenons are pushed into the slits S. L. in the Legs L. Keepers K. K
on the ends of springs S. S. (which are rivetted to the Legs L) enter the mortices or
holes on the tenons, thus fastening Braces B, and Legs L. together. Folding rings r.
on the ends of the springs S. are for the purpose of pulling the springs S, away from
the Legs L; thus allowing the Braces B, to be taken from the Slits SL, shown
Figure 4.
Figure 3. shows part of Ribs R. hinged to the Leg L, also curve c. occupied by the
strengthening Band F, when it is covered with the sheet. Cross section of Rope R°,
and Rubber I R, is shown at the point of the Legs L, in Figures 1. 2. and 3.
Horizontal Leg Braces B, are used for keeping the Legs L. at the required distance
from each other. The holders D. D. are secured at the middle of the Legs L, by the
bolts m, and n. The Brace B swings upon the bolt n. A hole on the other end of
the Brace, passes over an oblong nut on the bolt, n, a quarter turn of which fastens
the Brace B and Leg L, together: see Figure 5. Diagonal Leg Braces B', are shown
Figures 3. 6. 7. and 8. but as they would prevent the Frame Figure 7. from bending
to the extent required, they are not used.
The Rib Braces B. keep the Legs, L, at about right angles to the side of the vessel
sideways Ropes Ro keep them in the same position lengthways.
The side part of the sheet H¹ that covers the Legs L. has a Rope Ro, (as a hem)
which runs along the points of the Legs L. A stripe of Rubber I R., runs along the
whole length of the sheet H' and the end H2, so that it lies between the Rope Ro, the
edge X. of the end of the sheet H2 and the side of the vessel rendering it water-
tight.
The part of the sheet H. that covers the Ribs R. is strengthened by bands F. F.

page_text: running along both sides of it, at the ends of the Ribs R. which are curved for thei
reception. (Figure 3. C) other bands G, G, cross the sheet H. diagonally between
them, as shown by dotted lines, Figure 6.
.
The Ribs R. Legs L. and Braces B, and B2, and strengthening bands F. F. and G. G.
are inside the sheet, their relative position only being shown Figure 6.
The sheet H, and H', is secured to the Ribs R, and Legs L. by strips of the same
material as the sheet H, being sewed or rivetted together so that the sheet H, and H¹
and strips enclose the Ribs R, and Legs L. between them.
The Ropes Ro, Rº¹, from the lowest end of the sheet H pass under the vessel and
are secured on the side opposite the fracture. They can be sunk in the water at the
stem or stern of the vessel, and the ends carried along the sides of the vessel to the
part required, where they are attached by steel spring hooks to the sheet or bands F. F.
and Ropes R.
The Ropes Ro are continuations of the bands F. F. and are of an equal length to
the Ropes R, both being kept together by loops fixed on the Ropes Ro, but allowing
either to slide backwards or forwards independent of the other.
Figures.6. and 7. being perspective views, the scale in connection with them only
gives an approximate size.
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 I do not limit the
Frame to be made of any special material, or to the sizes given for the purpose of
explaining its construction, but what I claim is.
1. A Waterproof sheet supported by a Frame, substantially in the form as herein-
before described, with or without Leg Braces, and designed to be used for excluding
the water from ships of every kind, damaged by collision.
Dated this 31st day of January 1887.
WILLIAM MACKIE,
Applicant.