IMPROVEMENTS IN DISCHARGING WATER FROM STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Griffiths, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISCHARGING WATER FROM
STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR
THIS PURPOSE."
Scaled the 6th March 1877, and dated the 9th September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Griffiths at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th September 1876
ROBERT GRIFFITHS, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DISCHARGING WATER FROM STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE"
These improvements relate to the application and arrangement of apparatus
for withdrawing water from out of a ship or vessel when required by the action
of the screw propeller or otherwise, by having a pipe or pipes conducted from the
bilge or other parts within the ship or vessel to the front part of the screw pro-
peller, so that by opening a valve to admit the water into the pipe from the vessel
the action of the screw propeller will draw out the water at a rate due to the speed
of the propeller.
"
"
In some cases a screw, one or more, or any other suitable arrangement of
apparatus for drawing water may be worked in the connecting pipe, which
apparatus can either be actuated from the screw shaft or from any other connection
of the propelling or other engines.
The screw, or screws, or any other suitable arrangement of apparatus for drawing
the water out of the ship may be actuated by the small engine which is generally
used for discharging the cargo, or it may be arranged to be worked by manual
labour, or by the force of the wind, or by other means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Griffiths in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th March
1877.
ROBERT GRIFFITHS, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DISCHARGING WATER FROM STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE."
This Invention relates to the application of the propelling screw or screws of
steam ships for drawing water out of a ship or vessel whenever required, either by
the propelling scrow itself or in connection with one or more screws or pumping
apparatus within (or otherwise) a conducting pipe or pipes from the ship to the
forward side of the propelling screw.
When the propelling screw of a steam ship is in operation there is a strong
suction on the fiont or forward side of it which will suck the water out of the ship
by means of a suitably arranged conducting pipe or pipes from the bilge or any
other part of the vessel that may be required, which will doliver it to and through
the screw propeller with the other water for propelling the vessel, whether the
screw works in open water at the stern of the ship and in front of the rudder or
in a casing or tunnel, as described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me
dated November Twenty-second, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three,
No. 3817 Or the tunnel in which the propelling screw works may be continued
to the bilge or other parts of the ship, having an opening into it underneath the
slip or vessel for supplying the water that it requires for propelling when it does
not get any of its supply from inside of the vessel Or the screw may draw a
portion of its full supply of water from the sea and a portion from inside the
vessel.
The screw may also be used to draw the water from the condensors of the engines
either separately or in conjunction with any other screw, or centrifugal or other
pumps.
And in order to more fully explain my improved method of drawing and dis-
charging water from inside of a ship or vessel by the suction of its propelling screw,
I will proceed to describe by reference to the annexed Drawing the means and
apparatus I employ for carrying my Invention into practice, although other
equivalent arrangements of apparatus may be employed to suit different circum-
stances ns may he required

page_text: wheels E, F, coming into gear; if then the valve G be raised (as shewn) the water
will be drawn out of the ship by the joint action of the screws C and D. A similar
arrangement of apparatus may also be made in which the sliding pipe A is
dispensed with, and the water is then drawn out entirely by the action of the
screw C.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, shew respectively side and end views and plan of the stern
of a ship or vessel with a screw propeller arranged in a tunnel, as described in the
Specification above referred to; pipes A, A, lead from the tunnel into the bilge or
other suitable part of the ship or vessel, and a door B hinged at C which can be
moved by rods E, E, is arranged so that it can regulate the amount of water that
can enter the tunnel from the sea to supply the screw D.
The action of this arrangement of apparatus is as follows -When water is to be
drawn from the ship the door B is pushed down (as shewn in the Drawing) and
the sciew then acts to suck a portion of the water out of the ship through the
pipes A, A, and the other portion for its supply from the sea.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of carrying
the same into practice, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details herein described so long as the novel features of my Invention
are retained; but what I claim 15,-
First. The improved method and apparatus employed for drawing the water
and discharging it from the inside of a screw ship or vessel by means of the suction
caused by the sciew or screws when propelling the vessel, substantially as herein
described and shewn with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9, of the Drawings
hereto annexed
Second. The improved method of combining the suction which is caused by
the propelling screw or screws in conjunction with other screws or any other
description of pumps for discharging the water out of the ship whenever required,
substantially as herein-before described and shewn with reference to Figures 4, 5,
and 6, of the Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Griffiths, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.