US834399A

US834399A - Apparatus for cleaning hulls of ships.

Info

Publication number: US834399A
Application number: US28848005A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter D Mclellan; Joseph F Mckinnon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1905-11-21
Filing date: 1905-11-21
Publication date: 1906-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1923-10-30

Description

PATENTED 0GT.'30,' 1906.

. P. D. MoLELLAN & J. F. MoKINNO'N. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING HULLS OF SHIPS.

unxouio'n rmm NOV.21, 1905.

cm... Emm

Witnuyeo 1n: nomus PETERS co., wasnmorou, n. c.

UNITED "s TEs PATENT OFFICE.

' PETER D. MoLELL AN AND JOSEPH F. MoKINNON, OF DORGHESTER,

' MASSACHUSETTS- APPARATUS FOR CLEANING HULLS OF SHIPS.

Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

of Ships; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cleaning the hulls of ships, and more particularly to a buoyant rubber and means for moving the same in contact with the hull to be cleaned. I

The object in. view is the provision of a cleaning device which may be passed in contact with the hull of a vessel without removing the vessel from the water, such cleaning device being constructed to readily conform to the contour of the part of the hull to which the same is contacting.

With this and other objects in. view the invvention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vessel with the present improved apparatus applied thereto.

ig. 2 represents a top plan view of one of the brushes, and Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal vertical central section thereof.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates generically a cleansing apparatus. (Seen in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 and in o erative position in Fig. 1.) As many brus es 1 may be employed as desired, and the said brushes are preferably connected by suitable cable 2, passed beneath the keel of the vessel to be cleaned; Cables 3 3 engage the free ends of the brushes 1 and extend upwardly about the sides of the vessel in position to be grasped by the operator.

As seen in F1gs. 2 and 3, 'each of the brushes 1 consists of a back 4, made up .of a

series of sections hinged together, as at 5 5,

and each of said sections are provided with bristles 6 6 and scraping-plates 6 6 or other scraping and cleaning devices. It is to be noted here that of course any form of scraper may be employed in connection with the sections 4 regardless of whether such scraper assumes the form of a bristle or a knife or other means for removing foreign substances from the hull of a vessel. To the rear of the sections 4 is secured an air-container 7, made of suitable flexible material, and a valve 8 communicates with the container 7 for controlling the admission or discharge of air to and from the said container. A suitable bail 9 may be connected with each of the end sections 4 for being engaged by the cables 2 and 3.

In operation as many of the brushes 1 may be connected up to the cables 2 and 3 as may be desired and the chambers 7 inflated. In the inflated condition the chamber 7 of each of the brushes is flexible and permits of flexible movement of the sections 4 with respect to each other, so that the rubbing or scraping device carried by said sections 4 ma readily follow the contour of the hull of t e vessel being cleaned. One of the cables 3 is drawn longitudinally, and the several cleaning a paratus 1 are thereby caused to engage t e under face of the hull of the vessel by reason of the weight of the water tending to lift the buoyant brushes. Continued movement of one of the cables 3 in one direction will cause one of the brushes 1 to move downwardly to the keel of the vessel being cleaned, the said apparatus, owing to the flexibility of the bristle or other scraper supportto wit, the sections 4-following closely the several curves of the hull. The apparatus is further operated by drawing the other cable 3 longitudinally for bringing the brush, which has just descended to the keel, up toward the surface of the water, and by continued reci rocations of the brush the hull may e cleaned while the vessel remains intact and without dry-docking.

What we claim is 1. A device of the character described, comprising a plurality of hinged sections, each section provided with a rigid scraper -and a flexible brushing-surface, a flexible container secured to and covering the back or outer face of all of said sections, and a valve carried by said container.

2. device of the character described,

comprising a plurality of parallel, hinged sec- 5 In testimony whereof We aflix our signations,fa brushing-surface formed upon one tures in presence of two Witnesses.

side 0 each section a rigid scraper secured to and extending longitudinally of each section, PETER MOLELLAN' 5 bails secured to some of said sections, and a JOSEPH MOKINNON flexible container covering all of said sections Witnesses: and fixedly secured thereto, and a valve car- JAMES C. HEFFRON,

ried by said container. SAM EATON HoLT.