Improvements in and connected with Ships' Hatches.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Ships' Hatches.
I, JOHN LEFEUVRE of No. 76 Richards Terrace, Cardiff, in the County of
Glamorgan, Master Mariner, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in and connected with ships' hatches; and
consists, firstly, in improvements in the supporting beams of the hatches;
secondly, in improvements in the cleats and wedges by which the ordinary tarpaulin
is held down upon the hatch covers and to the coamings; thirdly, in a break-water
device by which water is diverted from the coamings; and, fourthly, in an improved
overall tarpaulin for use in rough weather.
In order that the invention and the best means for carrying it into practical
effect, may be thoroughly understood, reference is made to the accompanying
figures which are to be taken as part of this Specification and read therewith.
Figure 1 is a detail sectional elevation through one end of the centre fore and
aft beam of the hatch and the hatch cover.
Figure 2 is a plan of one end of the same beam and, sectionally, of the supporting
stirrup and adjoining portion of the coaming.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same end.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, of a hatch upon which the
ordinary tarpaulin is fixed according to the present invention.
Figure 5 is a plan corresponding with Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a detail transverse section through one side of a hatch.
Figure 7 is a detail side elevation, partly in section, of my improved cleat.
Figure 8 is a perspective view, of one corner of my improved overall tarpaulin
covering for use in rough weather.
a, a are the centre and side fore and aft beams of the hatch and b, b', their
supporting stirrups. The three faces of the beam ends, as far as they fit in, and
come into contact with the inner face of the respective stirrup, are strengthened
against wear and tear by metal plates, or one continuous metal strip c, which are or
is let into the end flush with the sides and bottom of the beam.
Hitherto the
The first part of the invention is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.
bottom ends of the hatch covers d have rested upon the top flange of a longitudinal
angle 'bar running along the inner face of each coaming e near the top edge of it.
According to the present invention, each of the said angle bars is replaced by a
beam triangular in cross section. The top side of it is rolled to the same angle
with the horizontal as the pitch of the hatch cover, and the outer side presents to
the hatchway, a level inclined surface with which it is not possible for anything
such as the hook of a hoisting chain, to catch. The bottom end of each hatch
cover d is or may be strengthened against wear and tear on its under side, by
a strip of metal, g, which is let in flush with the lower side of the said cover.
The second part of the invention is illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. My
improved cleat consists of a square hook bent twice at right angles. It is fixed to
the coaming e by any suitable means. I have illustrated the use of a shouldered
and screwed shank A adapted to be passed through the coaming from the outside and
to be fixed by an internal nut h'. When the cleat is fixed, the bottom portion ³ of
it is horizontal, the front of it h³ vertical and parallel with its coaming, and the
top portion of it returned towards the coaming and standing parallel with the
bottom portion. As many cleats are fixed round the hatchway as may be necessary.
is the ordinary tarpaulin and », are the battens commonly used to hold the

page_text: edges of the tarpaulin i up to the coaming e. are a pair of wedges-one pair
for each cleat. Those of a pair are driven against each other between the front
part h³ of the respective cleat and the opposite batten. Each outer wedge stands
within the cleat under the returned part h', the latter helping to retain the wedge
in working position.
The third part of the invention relates to a device for diverting water from the
coamings for the purpose of preventing it being forced up under the tarpaulin
above described. Looking at Figure 6, experience shews that when a vessel ships
a sea, the water rushes up the coaming, with sufficient force to make its way under
the tarpaulin and to, perhaps, rip it up. To prevent its so getting under the
tarpaulin, I fix a beam k round the hatch immediately under the cleats. This beam
is in section a right angled triangle, and is fixed with its back to the coamings and
its top close up to the under side of the cleats. This position leaves its inclined
side sloping upwards and away from the coamings, the outer edge of the side k
being in the same plane as the outer faces of the front parts of the cleats, so
that when water, rushing up against the coaming, is by it turned upwards, the said
inclined side will receive the water before it can reach the edge of the tarpaulin
and turn it away from the coaming on to the deck.
The fourth part of my invention relates to an improved overall tarpaulin to be
used in rough weather to protect a hatch already battened down. It is illustrated
in Figure 8. This overall tarpaulin is large enough to cover the hatch nearly
down to the level of the deck. Each coruer is slashed diagonally as illustrated in
the figure last mentioned, and the edges of the slash are eyeletted. Through the
eyelets, a lace is threaded. m, m are eyelets along the sides and ends of the
tarpaulin, and m³, m² are rings fixed to the coaming at a short distance above
the deck, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 6. m³ is a line by which the edges of
the overall tarpaulin are held down by being threaded through the eyelets
their respective rings m. The corners are laced up by their laces and the
overall further secured by additional ropes as may be considered necessary.
m and
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is -
1. In combination with the coamings and cover of a batch, beams adapted to
support the hatch cover and presenting a level inclined face to the hatchway, as
set forth.
2. The hereinbefore described cleat adapted to receive batten and double wedge,
as set forth.
3. In combination with the coaming of a hatch, the breakwater device herein-
before described, adapted by presenting an upwardly and outwardly inclined face
to water rushing up the coaming, to divert the same therefrom.
4. The combination of coaming, cleat, batten and double wedge, as and for the
purpose set forth.
5. The combination with coaming, batch cover, tarpaulin batten and devices for
holding the said tarpaulin battened down over the hatch, of an overall tarpaulin
and devices for holding it down upon and over the battened hatch, as illustrated.
Dated this 10th day of July 1894.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.