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September, 1914 New Cantilever Self-Stowing Hatch Support Since the introduction of the slid- ing steel telescope hatch cover, now almost universally used on the modern freighters of the Great Lakes, much im- provement has been made tending to simplification in the methods of operat- ing the covers in opening, closing, hold- ing down and making watertight, until the hatches as now constructed are almost considered standard and_ very little difference exists in the details of those produced by the various ship builders. THE MARINE REVIEW method has the decided objection of the supports being very much in evidence when the hatches are closed .and_bat- tened down. As a rule no 'adequate provision can be arranged for their stowage and the result is that they are usually left lying loosely on deck, or even if secured in some makeshift man- ner to prevent. their being lost over- board, are a menace to anybody on board who attempts to walk along deck, especially after dark. With a view to an improvement in this regard to device here illustrated has been produced and an application for a patent has been filed by A. P. 355 ered with the tarpaulin and will not interfere with the hatch batten and is fitted with a small shackle by means of which it is withdrawn to the sup- porting position, while the inboard end has a stop pin and notch which pre- vents it being drawn too far out and locks automatically in the full out posi- tion. A slight upward lift on the out- board end of the bar releases the notch and a push inboard sends the bar to its housed position inside the hatch, where it in no way interferes with the bat- tening down. It will be noticed then when in the supporting position, no part of the bars OREO Pram SHoOwInNG Bar WITHDRAWN Covers Pemoveo SecrTrion CF HaTcr Covees aro HarcH Cover SvPPoeeT SDTowsro..- DRAWING OF NEW CANTILEVER SELF-STOWING HATCH SUPPORT Pe See eS SS SS SS SS Se SS SSS SS SS Se Secriom SHOWING HaTctr OPE 2 PATENT APPLIED FOR. Care Aree ae f . . In one particular, however, the Rankin, assistant hatches do not seem to have received the careful attention deserved, and that is in the means for supporting the hatch sections or covers when in an Open position. As generally constructed up to this time the hatch support con- sists of two round bars at the outboard end of each hatch bent to approximately a right angle; the inboard ends pivoted loosely through a hole in the hatch Coaming angle while the outboard ends, Slightly enlarged in diameter to ensure Some degree of steadiness, rest upon the deck plating. In addition to. the Unstable support thus offered, -- this manager of the Manitowoc Ship Building & Dry Dock Co., of Manitowoc, Wis. The arrangement, which will be clearly understood from the illustrations, is extremely simple and is termed a cantilever, self-stow- ing hatch support. It consists of a rectangular steel bar, of sufficient stiff- ness, fitted inside and near the corner of each hatch, the outboard end being guided in a hole cut through the hatch coaming directly under the angle and the inboard in a suitable guide, prefer- ably of angle iron. The outboard end of the bar is shaped so that in the closed position it will be entirely cov- ------ 5 Secriow A-A a? project over the hold proper and thus no interference is offered to the unload- ing machines. ve During the past spring these supports were fitted throughout to the hatches of the steamer Indus of the Interlake Steamship Co.'s fleet, in connection with a re-construction of the vessel carried out by the Manitowoc Ship Building & Dry Dock Co, and the unanimous ver- dict was that the new device was a great advance, and offered many ad- vantages over the older method of sup- porting the hatch sections. To test the stiffness of the supporting bars fifteen men stood on the outboard