US1306938A - Tomokichi achiha - Google Patents

Description

T. ACHIHA.

MAT FOR STOPPING 'LEAKS lN-VESSELS.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 3. 1 911.

Patented June 17, 1919.

Z SHEETS-SHEET I T. ACHIHA.

MAT FOR STOPPING LEAKS. IN VESSELS.

APPLICATION HLED APR- 3. 19 17- Patented; J 1111617, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wi l

TOMOKICHI ACI-IIHA, OF TOKYO, JAPAN.

MAT FOR STOPPING LEAKS IN VESSELS.

Application filed April 3, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ToMoKrcHr AoHIHA,

, a subject of the Emperor of Japan residing at No. 37 Miyanaga-cho, Nezu, Hongo-Ku, city of Tokyo, Empire of Japan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mats for Stopping Leaks in Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mats for stopping leaks in vessels. It is the object of the invention to provide a mat of the character described which may be tightly fitted over the leaks in a vessel for preventing the sea water from rushing into the interior or hold of the vessel, and which may be used with the same advantage with leaks having different contours.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for ascertaining the actual condition of the air with which the hollow space of the mat is filled so as to maintain an unchanging and absolutely efiicient pressure exerted upon the body of the vessel continuously during the operation of stopping the leak.

Heretofore, no matter how rigidly the mat was applied, frequently the water rushed through the space between the mat proper and the body of the vessel, especially when the surface to be protected happened to have an irregular contour. To overcome this difficulty, flexible packings have been proposed at the marginal edges of the mat. This method however is not satisfactory as it does not permit of making use of the mat to its full extent or capacity.

With the object of overcoming the above difiiculties and to obtain the full result from all the available surface of the mat for covering the entire surface to be protected, I form the mat with an inner hollow space adapted to be filled or to contain air under pressure, so that the mat may be expanded after having been placed in its contracted. form over the desired area of a vessels hull, means being provided to ascertain the amount of pressure prevailing in the mat so as to supply the supplementary quantity of air necessary for producing the desired effect.

In cases where the application of the mat to the outside of a vessel is impossible or impracticable, as for instance in cases where the damaged place of the hull is resting against a rock, or in any other case which precludes the use of the mat on the outside Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 17, 1919..

Serial No. 159,500.

of the ships hull, the same etlicient stoppage of the leaks may be effected by applymg the mat to the inside of a vessel. In such a case, instead of forcing air into the mat, the same is filled with water by conveniently converting the air pump into a water pump.

f used as a life buoy my improved mat answers admirably well the purpose, as it can readily be thrown overboard after havmg been filled with the desired and necessary'quantity of air under pressure, and if a plurality of such mats are fastened together, a temporary raft will be constructed which is capable of carrying a good number of persons thereon.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mat according to the present invention illustrating the application of the same to the side of a ships hull.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mat.

Fig. 4 is a'sectional side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a plan, illustrating a modified form of the mat according to the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation thereof.

Fig. 7 is another modification shown in sectional elevation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference designate similar parts, in each of the fig-' ures, the numeral 1 designates a mat having marginal air spaces 2 formed along the edges thereof as shown in Figs. 3 and t. In the alternate form of arrangement these air spaces may occupy the entire body of the mat as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

In either case, the air space may be formed by attaching either marginally or across the entire body of the mat upon one side of the same a suitable lining made of ordinary canvas or other suitable waterproof material so that the air may be admitted between the said lining and the mat proper after the same has been placed over so that the air admitted thereto will be distributed evenly in each compartment so as to cause the mat to assume normally aneven shapeinstead of being inflated too bulkily near the middle portion of the mat'body.

At 4 is represented an air duct Which opens at one end into the air chamber 2 and communicates at its other end with a suit able air pump 9, by means of Which the air is tobe forced into the said air chamber 2.

From the air chamber 2 also extends a pressure tube 5 which is provided at its other end .With a suitable pressure gage 6, so that, when the pressure drops below a certain predetermined degree; the necessary amount of supplementary air can be sup-- plied instantl The mats are to be applied to any damaged portion of a ships hull in the usual Way byineans of ropes of suitable length and strength-Which are fastened to eyes provided for this purpose and which are attached to the Wire ropes 8, 8' connected to the mats; After securing the mat in position over the damaged part, it is inflated by pumping air into one or the other of the air spaces or chambers or into the entire body according to requirement and occasion by means of the air pump With Which each set of mats is supplied. Any damage to the ship, large or small will thus quickly be repaired regardless -t0 the contour of the leak in the ships side, making the same perfectly Water tight Without much trouble and difliculty,as the hydraulic pressure forces the mat against the hull of a damaged vessel With great force.

What I claim is:

A device of the character described for stopping leaks invessels, comprising in combination, a mat a lining secured to said mat, air air pump for supplying the space between said lining and said mat with air under pressure, a plurality of dividing strips having openings of communication interposed in said mat, means for ascertaining the air pressure prevailing in the mat, and ropes, eyes and cables for attaching the mat to any desired part of a ships-hull, substantially asdescribed. 7

In'testi'mony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of twowvitnesses.

TOMOKICHIi ACHIHA. lVitnesses H.- F. HAWLEY, HARUTADA YASUM'URA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eachg-b y addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,1). 0.

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