Improvements in the Protection of Ships.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Protection of Ships.
I, WALTER AUGUSTUS FEURTADO, residing at Cottage Grove in the Parish
of Kingston in the Island of Jamaica, Gentleman, 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:-
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part:-
Fig. 1 is a side view of a vessel provided with my improvement and showing a
reef, and
Fig. 2 a side view of the improvement.
In the drawing forming part of this Specification I have shown at 5, a vessel
provided with my improvement, and at 6, a sunken reef, and in the practice of my
invention I provide a guard for said vessel which is designed to prevent the same
from striking said reef or any headland or sunken object when in motion.
My improvement consists of the guard which is adapted to be secured to the bow
of the vessel and which comprises a shaft 7, having an upwardly directed arm 8,
and a rearwardly directed extension 9, and in practice the rearwardly directed
extension 9 is secured to the keel of the vessel and the arm 8, to the bow thereof
in such manner that the shaft 7, projects in front of the vessel.
The connection of the guard with the vessel may be made in any desired manner
and in practice the shaft 7, the arm 8, and the rearwardly directed extension 9,
may all be composed of separate parts if desired and be securely connected at the
point 10.
The shaft 7, may be of any desired length, and said guard may be applied or
secured to the bow of the vessel and the keel thereof in any desired manner, the
only object in this.connection being to make the attachment firm and secure, and
said guard may also be made of any desired strength, and in practice I prefer to
make the same from 6 to 8 inches thick at the point 10, and the shaft 7, will be
tapered to the point as shown in Fig. 2, but as will be understood the dimensions
would depend upon the tonnage of the vessel.
The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description when
taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. When a vessel, provided
with my improved guard, is approaching a reef or other obstruction, the guard
will strike said reef or obstruction and prevent the vessel coming in contact
therewith.
It is evident that changes in and modifications of the construction herein
described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or
sacrificing its advantages, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations
therein and modifications thereof as fairly come within the scope of the invention.
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 :-
1st. A guard for vessels, consisting of a shaft which is provided with a rear-
wardly directed extension adapted to be secured to the bottom or keel of the vessel
and with an upwardly directed arm which is adapted to be secured to the bow,
said shaft being projected forward of the vessel substantially as shown and
described.

page_text: 2nd. The combination with a vessel of a guard or protector which is secured to
the bow, and which projects in front thereof, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated the 12th day of October 1896.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.