US1312841A - Planoqrapii co - Google Patents

Description

.G'; E. ELIA.

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR SH IPS.

APPLICATION FILED DEc.22. 191s.

1,3 1 2,841. Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

m: COLUMBIA PLANOIIRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, n. c.

vG. E. ELIA.

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED No.22. I916.

1 3 1 2, 84: 1 Patented Aug. 12,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

v 3mm COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON D c GIOVANNI EMANUEL'E ELLA, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRIGTOF COLUMBIA.

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR SI -IIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

Application filed December 22, 1916. Serial No. 138,408.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIOVANNI E. ELIA, a subjectof the King of Italy, residing in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protective Devices for Ships; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will. enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a protective'device for ships, and it is designed for the purpose of protecting the ships against submarine explosions.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a floating protective device which may be arranged to envelop the ship and lie in contact with the sides thereof, is capable of being towed by the ship, when such conditions exist that its use may advantageously be discontinued, and is capable of being towed by a tug-boat, in conjunction with a plurality of similar devices and boats to inclose and protect an area in which transports or similar ships move.

In the drawings, I have shown an embodiment of my invention, in which drawin s:

igure 1 is a plan view of a ship showing the position of the protective device immediately prior to the engagement of the bow of the ship therewith to cause the enveloping of the ship by the device;

Fig, 2 is a similar view showing the position of the device after the ship is enveloped thereby;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a ship with the device applied thereto; 7

Fig. 4: is a plan view of the device illustrating its position with relation to the ship .when it is being towed; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating the posi tions of several of the devices when used to inclose and protect an area in which transports or similar ships move.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings includes a plurality of protective elements 1, which are substantially rectangular in form and are, in actual practice, approximately twenty-one feet in thickness. These elements are secured together by means of cables 2, which extend from one element to the other and secure them, edgeto edge, with su-flicient distance between the same to permit the elements to move individually, both horizontally and vertically, so that the device will accommodate itself to the contours of vessels, and so that the elements may have individual movement, such as may be caused by wave actions. Each of these elements 1 is preferably composed of wood and steel, so arranged that the latter will act as a brace for the former and so that the elementsiwill float in vertical positions. The density of each of the elements is substantially equal to that of the water of flotation, so that when a portion of one of the elements is blown away, the element will float in its original position.

In using the device, it isv placed in the position disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings in substantially the same relation to the ship as disclosed in this figure. When the ship moves forwardly, it will engage the cables between the two intermediate elements, and one section of the protective elements will swing into contact with one side of the ship, while the other section will swing into contact with the other side. This protective device floats in such position that each of the elements will extend at least as low as the bottom of the ship. When the protective device is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the sides of the ship will be protected against submarine explosions, as will be obvious.

When, in rough weather, it is desirable-to remove the. protective device from the sides of the ship, it may be accomplished by merely reversing the direction of the ship until it moves free from the device. After the device has been thus freed from the sides of the ship, it may be attached to thestern thereof, by suitable. towing cables, and towed in the manner illustrated in Fig. f of the drawings. It is sometimes desirable to convoy a ship or a plurality of ships without attaching the device directly to the ship or ships, and when this condition arises, I contemplate using a plurality of tugboats, which have very slight draft, and, consequently, are practically safe from submarine attacks. Secured to and towed by each of these tug-boats is a protective device similar to that described. The tug-boats operate in the relation to each other disclosed in Fig. 5 of the drawings, 'so that the protective devices inclose an area in which the ships move, and are, consequently, safe from submarine attacks. 7

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a protective device which is capable of loosely surrounding a ship and lying in contact with the sides thereof, so that it will protect the ship and which may be towed in conjunction with a plurality of other similar devices to inclose and protect an area in which a plurality of ships move, and which is capable of being towed by a ship when it is not desirable to have the same enveloping the ship. Furthermore, I have so constructed the device that the density of the same is substantially equal to that of the water of flotation, and have employed a plurality of elements which are so secured together that they will be free to move individually under the wave actions.

What I claim is A projective device for ships, comprising an elongated body consisting of a series of buoyant elements of substantial and pro; tective thickness extending at least as low on the water as the bottom of the ship and flexibly connected edge to edge to one another for individual movement both vertically and horizontally; whereby said body, on being engaged by the bow of a moving ship, will be caused, solely by the movement of the ship through the water, to fold upon itself into and to maintain a position in contact with and conforming to the curvature of the ships sides, but will assume a substantially straight-line position when towed through the water by a towing connection attached to one end thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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