Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 18th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 6th Sept., 1887.
I, GEORGE BARNLEY, of the Manor House, Wigston Magna, in the County of
Leicester, Wesleyan Minister, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I provide an apparatus for the purpose of readily, & effectually covering over, from
the outside, in whole, or in part, any breach in a ship's side which may have been
caused by collision with another ship, or with any other body: so preventing, or
diminishing, the inflow of water.
This I do by constructing a piece of mechanism, which is ordinarily suspended at
the stem of a ship, where it can be easily detacheds, & afterward adjusted to the place
where it is required. The mechanism consists of metal shoes, made to fit & to run
along the stem, and thence to pass under the keel. The shoes are connected with
each other by a chain or rope; and each shoe is furnished with a sheave through
which a running cord is carried on each side to the deck. The shoes being held in
position firmly, immediately below the breakage, I attach a sheet of canvass, or other
suitable material, to the running cords, and draw it downwards till it covers the
broken part, when all cords, or chains, communicating with the deck are hauled tight,
and so the canvass is held closely & firmly against the vessel's side.
Dated this 11th day of October 1886

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
The Undergirding of Ships after Collision.
I, GEORGE BARNLEY, of the Manor House, Wigston Magna, near Leicester,
Wesleyan Minister, 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 :-
I provide means for arresting the inflow of water, when the side, or bows of a
navigable vessel may have been injured by collision, by overstraining, by shot, by
torpedo explosion, or by any other means; so affording help to prevent ships from
foundering, when, without such a provision there would be danger of destruction to
property, or life.
This I do by constructing an apparatus which inay be kept constantly ready for
use, and of which the following is a description:-
:-
I provide two metal shoes, or slippers, so made that there is, on the upper surface
of each, a groove, into which the keel of the vessel loosely fits. When required for
use the shoes may be readily lowered over the stem, and drawn along, under the keel,
to any part of the ship where the apparatus is required. The shoes are joined together
by a rope or chain of any convenient length. Each shoe is made with loops, or
handles, and ropes, or chains, attached to these, are carried diagonally to the deck,
two of such ropes or chains being on each side of the vessel. These being made fast,
fore and aft, keep the shoes close to the keel, and prevent their moving in any
direction. I further make in each of these shoes a running sheave, through which a
cord is passed, the two ends of which, reaching to the deck, are ready to be there
handled as occasion may require.
I then prepare a sheet, made of canvas, or other suitable material, which is fastened,
at the sides, to the two cords last named, and which sheet may thus be drawn down-
wards until it covers over any breach which may have been made by collision, or any
leaks caused by overstraining, or any hole made by shot, or by torpedoes, or damage
from any other cause. This sheet may be of any dimensions, and it may be furnished
with Indian rubber tubing, or other elastic medium for ensuring a closer adhesion to
the ships side. The sheet, fitting so closely as it does, adds but little to the resistance
offered, as the ship passes through the water.
All ropes, or chains, connecting the shoes with the deck, I carefully mark, so as to
render it easy to determine whether the shoes are in their right position.
I further provide for a similar covering of any breach in, or about, the bows of a
ship, by modifying the arrangement, in the manner following:-I may either use the
two shoes, as above described, with the addition of an extra running sheave attached
to the shoe nearest to the stem, or I may use a single and separate shoe, so furnished,
and this is also held firmly in position by diagonally placed ropes, or chains, carried
up to the deck. The special provision for protecting the bows, or fore part, consists
of a canvass cover, which fits, as a casing, over the whole stem, bows, and fore end of
the keel. This tightly hauled, so as to lay close to the structure of the ship, and,
for the purpose of so hauling it, I use cords fastened to the upper, and after, edges, in
any number, and at any intervals, as may he most suitable,

page_text: The following letters, and figures, refer to the Drawings which shew the nature of
the Invention, and which are deposited herewith :-
Fig. I. A ship's broadside, shewing, generally, the apparatus. That at the stem
being shewn as covering a breach. The breach is indicated by an irregular dark line,
toward the centre of the canvass casing. The apparatus for covering a breach in the
broadside is shewn as in its place, with the canvas sheet partly drawn down over the
broken part.
Fig. II. A view, on a larger scale, of the protection for the bows:-
A. A canvas casing, made so as to fit over both sides, near the bows, & covering
the stem, & a portion of the keel.
B. A single metal shoe, fitting loosely on the keel, & held in position by ropes
passing diagonally to the deck.
C. C. Ropes or chains by which the shoe is placed in its right position, and which
hold it there.
D. A rope fastened to the lower, and after, point of A. & which is carried over a
sheave in B. and thence to the deck.
E. A similar rope fixed to the fore and upper corner of A.
F. A similar rope fixed to the after & upper corner of A.
G. A supposed breach under the bow of the ship.
Fig. III. The apparatus used for protecting the broadside, or the under part, of
a ship:
A. A. Two metal shoes, made to fit loosely on to the keel.
B. A chain, or rope, connecting the two metal shoes, one with the other.
C. C. C. C. Ropes, or chains, by which the metal shoes are worked into position.
These are then fastened on deck, forming diagonal lines from the shoes along the sides
of the ship. There are two of such ropes on each side of the vessel, and each of the
four ropes is so marked as to indicate when the shoes are exactly in the centre of the
keel line.
D. D. D. D. Smaller ropes, which are carried over running sheaves, inserted in
the metal shoes. These are carried, on each side, up to the deck, and, being held
parallel to each other, are ready to have fastened to them a canvas, or other, sheet,
which is then drawn downward until it reaches, and covers over, any breach; so
arresting, or diminishing, the influx of water.
E. The canvas, or other kind of sheet, which is attached to D. D.
F. The breakage, represented as already, in part, covered over by the downward
movement of the sheet.
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
1. The provision of an apparatus, expressly designed for arresting the influx of
water, when a ship has been damaged by collision.
2. The employment of such protection immediately after the injury has been
sustained, so avoiding the perils of delay.
3. The keeping a so damaged ship afloat, without materially increasing resistance
to her passage through the water.
Substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 15th day of Tul, 1007