IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMOUR AND OTHER PLATING AND SHEATHING FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Henson Henson, of No. 13, Parliament Street,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMOUR AND OTHER PLATING AND SHEATHING FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Henson Henson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th May 1864.
I, HENRY HENSON HENSON, of No. 13, Parliament Street, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMOUR AND OTHER PLATING AND
SHEATHING FOR SHIPS OR VESSELS, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES,"
to be as follows:-
One of my improvements in armour plates consists in forming the pile for
the same of several plates placed upon each other; and having milled orridge
and furrow surfaces, so that on being welded or rolled together (suitable fluxes
being used in order to insure clean welded surfaces) the ridges of one plate
fit into the furrows of the plates above and below it, and the whole of the
plates thereby become more firmly united together than where the pile is
formed of plates having flat surfaces. The top and bottom plates should
be flat on the outer side so as to present the usual flat surface.
Another part of my Invention consists in forming on the outside of armour
and other plates for ship-building purposes; a milled or small ridge and
[Price 8d1

page_text: furrow or corrugated surface, and in filling the furrows up flush with suit-
able bituminous or other compounds, such as liquid asphalte, Hays' o
marine glue, or solutions of india-rubber, gutta percha, and similar materials
Such coating is made to cover the ridges formed on the plates so as to
protect the same from the action of the sea water, or in cases where copper
or yellow metal sheathing is employed to prevent or lessen the danger of
galvanic action taking place.
Another part of my Invention consists in covering the armour or other
plates, or metal sheathing plates of vessels, with one or more layers of thin
wood veneer (which may be creosoted or waterproofed) cemented to the surface
of the vessel by means of marine or Hays'glue, or other suitable cementitious
substance. In order to insure the perfect adhesion of such thin wood sheath-
ing to the surface of the vessel, either the former or the latter, or both, may
have previously cemented to them a thin canvas called " scrim" or asphalted
or tarred paper or papier maché, felt, or other similar materials of a fibrous
nature, and the outer surface of such thin wood sheathing may be coated with
the compound of india-rubber and sulphur, called vulcanite or ebonite, whether
made separate and cemented on or made on the wood itself by spreading the
combined elements thereof before being heated on the wood,and then heating
the wood so coated to the required degree, say from 250° to 300° Fahrenheit.
Such thin wood sheathing may also be coated with gutta percha, leather, or
kamtulicon,and in some cases instead of such thin wood sheathing I make use
of kamptulicon (by preference containing balata, a gum having similar proper-
ties to india-rubber) or sheet cork or leather for that purpose to the back
surface of which scrim is cemented, or I employ common felt or asphalted
paper on the outer surface of which a thin layer of kamptulicon is cemented.
Another part of my Invention consists in the manufacture of an improved
ebonite or vulcanite sheathing, by employing for that purpose ebonite contain-
ing, in addition to the usual ingredients, an optional proportion of balata,
whereby the ebonite sheathing is rendered much tougher than heretofore.
In order to cause such improved ebonite, or the ordinary ebonite sheathing
to adhere more perfectly to the surface to which it is to be cemented, I
roughen or indent its back surface. I also combine with such ebonite
sheathing a layer of gutta percha, prepared scrim, kamptulicon, sheet cork,
leather, or felt, cemented to the back surface of the same; or I insert a layer of
any of the before-mentioned materials between two layers of ebonite; and in
some cases I cement a sheet of ebonite to a sheet of vulcanized india-rubber,
with or without a layer of fibrous materials intervening, thus producing a
fabric the surfaces of which are of different degrees of hardness. 1 further-

page_text: more coat sheathing plates, whether of Muniz's metal, copper, iron, or other
metal, as also armour or ships' plates with a layer of ebonite, for which purpose
I by preference first roughen or mill the surface of the metal plates, and in
some cases I also perforate them, and I then spread the combined elements
for forning the ebonite on such roughened or smooth surface, and heat the
same to the required degree for forming the ebonite, say, from 230° to 300°
Fahrenheit, when it will be found that the ebonite will adhere firmly to the
metal plates. Such metal plates, so coated with ebonite on one or both sides
may also be employed with advantage as coverings for roofs of houses and
railway waggons, as also for steam boilers and other purposes where a pro-
tected metal surface is required.
Another part of my Invention consists of an improved method of fixing
wood sheathing to the surfaces of armour plating without its being requisite
to make holes in the armour plates for securing the same.
For this purpose
I form the heads of the bolts that secure the armour plates either hollow with
a female screw cut in them, or I form a projecting screw upon the heads, and
I then secure wood battens (by preference previously creosoted or treated with
marine or Hays' glue) to the armour plates by means of bolts screwed into
the hollow heads of the armour plate bolts, or by means of nuts screwed on to
the projecting screws which pass through the battens. The spaces between
the battens I then by preference fill up flush with wood sheathing, or with a
mixture of cementitious, bituminous, and fibrous materials, and I then secure
to the battens the wood sheathing, which may or may not again be covered
with metal or other sheathing, such as before mentioned, and in some cases I
attach such metal, vulcanite, or other sheathing to the battens without the
intervention of the wood sheathing, taking care in cases where metal sheath-
ing is used, that the spaces between the battens are filled in with insulating
materials so as to prevent galvanic action from taking place; or in place of the
before-mentioned battens I fix larger cills or string courses of timber, either
in a horizontal or vertical direction to the armour plates in the before described
such pieces of timber being by preference made with bevilled or
sloping edges for the purpose of fixing thereto other transverse short pieces of
timber having splayed ends fitted on to the bevilled sides of the first-named
pieces. Cellular recesses are thus formed over the surface of the armour
plating, which recesses I fill in flush with a mixture of cementitous and
fibrous materials, such as layers of asphalted cocoa-nut matting, felt, cork,
kamtulicon, and similar materials which would greatly weaken the pene-
trating power of projectiles, before these could come in contact with the
armour plates themselves, and would greatly lessen the punch-like action
manner,

page_text: of flat-headed projectiles when striking the exposed armour plates: The
cellular wood structure and the filling in are closed in with wood or other
sheathing, or: in place of filling the spaces in with the materials. before
mentioned, I.fill them in flush with wood.fixed to the sloping sides of the
cells, and if necessary cemented to the metal, plates: The woods surface
may then be covered with any metal or other sheathing; or the armour
plates or 'entire surface of the ship may be coated with thick slabs of gutta
percha.cemented or bolted to the same, all the joints: of which may be
cemented together so as to form one entire skin or casing to the vessel
which would.both increase the defensive powers of the ship and render the
structure waterproof.
Another part of my Invention consists in the employment of plates. of
earthenware; pottery; tiles: or other similar materials, the surface of which
becomes vitrified by the action of heat as a sheathing for ships: For this
purpose I roughentorindent the one surface of such plates or slabs, and cement
to the same scrim, canvass, or other suitable fibrous materials: by means of
marine or. Hays"glue in order to increase their powers of adhesion, and to
protect them to a certain extent from fracture, and 1 then cement' the same.
to the surface of the ship or to the wood sheathing herein-before described;
which may also previously have some fibrous material cemented: to it ;; or in
some cases. I make perforations in such plates or slabs; and fix them to the
wood sheathing by means of nails, screws, or plugs.
Another part of my. Invention consists in forming spaces or grooves in the
surface of the armour plates for the reception of small iron troughs into which
are fixed strips of wood, by preference previously inilurated and compressed,
to which the wood, metal; or other sheathing may be fixed; or I introduce iron
troughs of larger dimensions between the joints of the armour plates, the
bottom of the troughs.being fixed against the framing or skin of the ship; and'
I fix inside such troughs pieces of timber by preference previously indurated'
and compressed; as a means of fixing either wood, metal, or other sheathing,
slabs of gutta percha, or a cellular covering of the description before men-
tioned for lessening the penetrating powers of projectiles. Such pieces of
timber inserted between the armour plates will also afford an elastic medium
for easing the working of the ship.
Another part of my Invention consists in making the outer surface of the
armour plates of a ridge and furrow or grooved form, and in filling the furrows
or grooves in with pieces of timber or other suitable materials either cemented
or otherwise fixed to the armour plates; thus forming a flush or even surface
and protecting the armour plates from the action of the sea water, and to a

page_text: certain extentimpeding the action of the projectiles. If required such surface
may be further covered with any description of sheathing, the pieces of wood
or other materials affording a convenient means for fixing the same.
Another part of my Invention consists in providing yellow metal, copper,
iron, and other metallic sheathing, with an insulating covering on one or both.
sides by first roughening or milling one or both, sides of the metal plates
to increase their powers of adhesion, and then; cementing to the same.
any suitable insulating materials, such as ebonite, vulcanized india-rubber,
sheets of gutta percha, wood, cork, kamptulicon, prepared, felt, paper,
papier machè, or other similar materials having insulating, properties.
Such metal plates, so: coated on, one or both sides, may be employed.
for other purposes, such as for coverings for roofs of houses, or of railway,
waggons: In some cases I first cement strips of wood or cane, to, the edges,
of or across the surface of the plates, and fill the spaces between the strips
in flush with suitable insulating cementitious materials or compounds, such as
Hays' or marine glue, or prepared asphalte with or without fibrous materials;
or. I cement to the surface of the plates pieces of cane seating and. fill in the
interstices of the same with the, before-mentioned cementitious insulating
materials. Furthermore in order to cause such insulating materials that are
put on to the plates in a plastic form to adhere firmly to the same, I sometimes
form perforations, holes, or slits in the plates through. which the insulating
materials when in a plastic state are pressed, thus uniting the two.coatings
of insulating material on either side of the plate, or when only, one side of
the plate is coated with such insulating materials I countersink or enlarge
the perforations; holes, or slits. on the other side of the plate. so that the
insulating material is as it were dovetailed into such. holes:,.
Another part of my Invention consists in fixing the wood, metal, or other
sheathing on to the armour or ship's plates, by means of nails, plugs, or, screws
driven into plugs of wood, or other suitable insulating material, inserted into
the heads of the bolts that fix the armour or other plates, the heads of which
bolts are made hollow in order to receive such plugs of wood or other suitable
insulating material. Around the slightly, projecting ends of such plugs of
wood, or other material, I secure pieces of sheet cork, kamptulicon, ebonite, or
other suitable insulating material in the shape of a washer to act as a cushion
for the metal sheathing plates so as to prevent all contact between them and the
armour or ship's plates; and in order the more surely to effect this I prefer
to coat such armour or ship's plates with Hays' or marine glue to a thickness
equal to that of the pieces of sheet cork or other material, and in some cases
also cover the surface, of the armour or ship's plates, as also the sheathing

page_text: plates with scrim or other similar open fabric, in order to cause the sheathing
to adhere more firmly to the armour or ship's plates. The edges of the
sheathing plates may also be bent back so as to form flanges, and made to
fit into grooves formed in strips of wood that are cemented or otherwise
secured to the armour or ship's plates; when the strips of wood are secured
to the armour plates by means of nails or screws of iron care must be taken
that such nails or screws do not come in contact with the sheathing plates.
Another part of my Invention relates to the description of sheathing
known as "enamelled" or "vitreous sheathing," consisting of thin sheets of
iron or steel coated on one side with an enamel or vitreous composition. In
order to cause such enamel or vitreous composition to adhere more firmly to
the metal surface than heretofore, I previously roughen, mill, indent, or
perforate the said sheets of iron or steel so that when the enamel or
vitreous composition is laid on it penetrates into the indentations or perfora-
tions, and consequently is more securely held by the plates than when laid
upon a smooth surface. I also in some cases heat such vitreous sheathing
to such a degree as to render the metal and the enamel or vitreous coating
nearly homogeneous, and in some cases I add a small quantity of the purest
asphalte or bituminous compounds to the siliceous materials, and in order to
obtain a more highly finished enamel upon the metal plates the vitreous com-
pounds are added in a secondary operation. Furthermore, in order to insure
the more perfect adhesion of such vitreous sheathing to the surface of the
armour or ship's plates I cement to the unenamelled surface of the same
scrim, canvas, sheet cork, kamptulicon, felt, or other similar suitable
materials by means of Hays' or waterproof glue, or other suitable cementitious
substances, and if requisite I also cement such scrim or other materials to
the surface of the armour or ship's plates. Furthermore, as the edges of
the plates will not take the enamel, and are consequently as at present
employed liable to oxydation, I bend down the edges of the plates or curve
the whole plate in such a manner that the edges are not exposed when the
plates are fixed against the vessel, and as the plates are thereby rendered
somewhat hollow on their back surface I fill them in flush with cementitious
and fibrous materials. Or where it is required that the plates shall overlap I
set back the edges of each plate to the extent to which it is overlapped, so
that the outer surface of all the plates shall be flush without any edges pro-
jecting. In some cases also I form the edges of the plates with projections
and corresponding recesses so that they may interlock or dovetail into each
other and thus be held more securely to the side of the ship.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Henson Henson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
› HENSON HENSON, of No. 13, Parliament Street, Westminster, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patcut, bearing date the Fifih day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Henson Henson, Her special licence that I, the said
Henry Henson Henson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Henry Henson Henson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
aud lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMOUR AND OTHER PLATING AND
SHEATHING FOR SHIPS OR VESSELS, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, thesaid Henry Henson Heuson, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Henson Hensoa, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
One of my improvements in armour plates consists in forming the pile
or faggot of the same of several plates placed upon each other, and having
milled or ridge and furrow surfaces, so that on being welded or rolled
together, (suitable fluxes being used in order to secure clean welded surfaces),
the ridges of one plate fit into the furrows of the plates above and below it,
and the whole of the plates thereby become more firmly united together
than where the pile is formed of plates having flat surfaces, or is otherwise

page_text: fagotted, and consequently less sound. The top and bottom plates should
be flat on the outer side, so as to present the usual flat surfaces.
Another part of my Invention consists in forming on the outside of
armour and other plates for ship-building or other purposes a milled or
small ridge and furrow, or corrugated surface, and in filling the furrows up
flush, and in some cases over the ridge with suitable bituminous, resinous,
or other compounds, such as liquid asphalte, Hays' or marine glue, or
solutions of india-rubber, gutta percha, and similar materials. Such coat-
ing is made to cover the ridges formed on the plates so as to protect the
entire surface of the iron plates from the action of the sea water, or in
cases where copper or yellow metal sheathing is employed to prevent or
lessen the danger of galvanic action taking place.
Another part of my Invention consists in covering the armour or other
plates or metal sheathing plates of vessels with one or more layers of thin
wood, veneer, or scaleboard, (which may be creosoted or waterproofed)
cemented to the surface of the vessel by means of marine or Hays' glue or
other suitable cementitious substance. In order to insure the more perfect
adhesion of such thin wood sheathing to the surface of the vessel, either
the former, or the latter, or both, may have previously cemented to them a
thin canvas called "scrim," or asphalted.or tarred paper, papier maché, felt,
or other similar materials of a fibrous nature; and the outer surface of such
thin wood sheathing may be coated with the hard compound of india-rubber
and sulphur called vulcanite or ebonite, whether made separately and
cemented on, or made on the wood itself, by spreading the combined elements
thereof (the composition of which is well known) before being heated on the
wood or on the scrim to be cemented thereto, and then heating the wood or
scrim so coated to the required degree, say from 230° to 300° Fahrenheit. I
am well aware that it is not new to cover iron'ships with wood sheathing, but
this has always been employed of such a thickness as could not be made to
adhere to the carved surface of the ship by cementing only, whereas my
Invention consists in employing for the purpose very thin wood, such as is
known as "scaleboard” or “veneer," that will readily conform to the curved
surface of the ship, and adhere to the same by cementing only. Such thin
wood sheathing may also be coated with gutta percha, leather, or kamp-
tulicon, and in some cases, instead of such thin wood sheathing, I make use
of kamptulicon (by preference containing balata, a gum having similar
properties to india-rubber) or sheet cork or leather for that purpose, to the
back surface of which scrim is cemented; or I employ common felt or
asphalted paper, or the like, on the outer surface of which a thin layer of

page_text: kamptulicon is cemented; or scrim coated with ebonite may be employed,
whether cemented on or whether the elements of the ebonite are spread upon
the prepared scrim while in a plastic state, and then subjected to the
necessary heat in a manner well known.
Another part of my Invention consists in the manufacture and employment
of an improved ebonite or vulcanite sheathing for ships by employing for that
purpose ebonite containing in addition to the usual ingredients, an optional
proportion of balata, whereby the ebonite sheathing is made cheaper and
tougher than heretofore. In order to cause such improved ebonite, or the
ordinary ebonite sheathing to adhere more perfectly to the surface to which it
is to be cemented, I roughen or indent its back surface to form a "key" or
means of securing. I also combine with such ebonite sheathing a layer or
surface of gutta percha, prepared scrim, kamptulicon, sheet cork, leather, or
felt, Clark's felt or asphalted felt, cemented to the back surface of the same;
or I insert a layer of any of the before-mentioned materials between two
layers of ebonite, and in some cases I cement or otherwise combine a sheet of
ebonite to a sheet of vulcanized india -rubber, with or without a layer of fibrous
materials intervening, thus producing a fabric the surfaces of which are of
different degrees of hardness..
Another part of my Invention consists in coating sheathing plates whether
of Muntz metal, copper, iron, or other metal, as also armour or ship's plates
in any stage of or after their manufacture with a layer of ebonite or its
equivalents, for which purpose I by preference first roughen or mill the
surface of the metal plates, and in some cases I also suitably perforate them,
and I then spread the combined elements for forming the ebonite (which are
well known) on such roughened, smooth, or perforated surface, and heat the
same to the required degree for forming the ebonite or hard surface, say, from
230° to 300° Fahrenheit, in a manner well known, when it will be found
that the ebonite will adhere firmly to the metal plates. Such metal plates so
coated with ebonite or its equivalents on one or both sides may also be
employed with advantage as coverings for roofs of houses and railway waggons,
as also for steam boilers and other purposes where a protected metal surface
is required. I am well aware that it has been proposed to attach a layer of
any insulating material to the surface of sheathing plates and to the ship's
plates by cementing, or by heat and pressure, and I do not claim this generally,
but my Invention.consists in coating such plates with ebonite by spreading
the required combined elements for forming the same on to the plates, and
then heating them to the required degree.
Another part of my Invention consists of an improved method of fixing

page_text: wood sheathing to the surfaces of armour plating without its being requisite
to make holes in the armour plates for securing the same.
For this purpose
I form the heads of the bolts that secure the armour plates either hollow with
a female screw cut in them, or I form a projecting screw on the heads, and
I then secure wood battens (by preference previously creosoted or treated
with marine or Hays' glue) to the armour plates by means of bolts screwed
into the hollow heads of the armour plate bolts, or by means of nuts screwed
on to the projecting screws which pass through the battens. The spaces
between the battens I then by preference fill up flush with wood sheathing, or
with a mixture of cementitious, bituminous, and fibrous materials, and I
then secure to the battens the wood sheathing, which may or may not be
covered with metal or other sheathing such as before mentioned, and in
some cases I attach such metal, vulcanite, or other sheathing to the
battens without the intervention of wood sheathing, taking care, in cases
where metal sheathing is used, that the spaces between the battens are
filled in with insulating materials so as to prevent galvanic action from
taking place.
Figures 1 and 2 on the accompanying Drawing shew respectively a part
sectional front elevation and a vertical section of part of a ship's side with the
above described mode of sheathing applied thereto.
A, A', are the armour plates; B, B', are the bolts for fixing the same.
The bolt B has a female screw formed in its head, into which is screwed the
small screw bolt C for fixing the batten D as shewn. These battens are
fixed at distances apart corresponding with the distance between the bolts of
the armour plates, and the intervening space is filled in flush with wood
sheathing E notched into and secured to the battens D, or cemented to the
armour plates, or both, and upon this is fixed the metal sheathing F, taking
care that the heads of the screw bolts Care sunk somewhat below the
-surface of the battens, and are covered with wood or other non-conducting
materials. The bolt B' has a projecting screw C¹ formed or fixed to its head,
provided with a nut c for fixing the batten D'. The spaces between the
battens are filled in with a mixture of cementitious, bituminous, and fibrous
materials G, by preference rendered not easily inflammable, and this is covered
by wood sheathing E¹ to which, if required, metal sheathing is attached. Or
in place of the before-mentioned battens, I fix larger cills or string courses of
timber in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal direction to the armour plates in
the before-described manner, such pieces of timber being made with bevilled
or sloping edges for the purpose of fixing thereto other transverse short pieces
of timber, having splayed ends fitted into the bevilled sides of the first-named

page_text: pieces. Cellular recesses are thus formed over the surface of the armour
plating, which recesses.I either leave hollow, and render as nearly air-tight
as possible, or I fill them in flush with a mixture of cementitious and fibrous
materials, by preference rendered not easily inflammable, such as layers of
asphalted cocoa-nut matting, felt, cork, kamptulicon, and similar materials,
which would greatly weaken the penetrating power of projectiles before these
could come in contact with the armour plates themselves, and would greatly
lessen the punch-like action of flat-headed projectiles when striking the
exposed armour plates. The cellular wood structure, and the filling in, are
closed in or covered with wood or other sheathing. Or in place of filling
the spaces in with the materials before mentioned, I fill them in flush with
wood, by preference rendered more or less uninflammable by any known
process fixed to the sloping sides of the cells, and, if necessary, cemented
to the metal plates. The wood surface may then be covered with any metal
or other sheathing.
Figure 3 shews a part sectional front elevation, and Figure 4 shews a
vertical section of part of the side of a ship covered in the above described
manner.
A, A, are the armour plates; D, D, are the wood cills with bevilled sides
fixed to the bolts B, B, of the armour plates, in the manner described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2; E, E, are the transverse pieces of timber
fixed to the cills D, D; F is the filling in, consisting of layers of asphalted
cocoa-nut matting, by preference rendered not easily inflammable; C is
the wood sheathing, which, if requisite, may be again covered with metal,
vulcanite, or other sheathing.
Another part of my Invention consists in forming spaces or grooves in the
surface of the armour plates for the reception of small iron troughs, into
which are fixed strips of wood, by preference previously indurated and com-
pressed, to which the wood, metal, or other sheathing may be fixed. Figure 5
shews a section of an armour plate A, having a groove a formed in its
surface, into which, whilst the plate is hot, the trough iron B is introduced,
fitting tightly in the same, so that when the plate cools it nips the trough
iron to such an extent as to hold it firmly; or the groove may be slightly
undercut as at a¹, and the bottom of the trough iron B¹ formed dovetailed in a
corresponding manner. In the trough irons B, B¹, are fixed the pieces of
wood C,C, either by cementing or by screws or nails passing through holes in
the trough iron, and upon these pieces of wood is fixed the wood sheathing D,
which, if requisite, is again covered with metal, vulcanite, or other sheathing.
Or the spaces between the trough irons are filled in flush with wood or suit-

page_text: able cementitious and fibrous materials which are covered with metal or
other sheathing fixed to the wood strips in the trough iron.
Another part of my Invention consists in making the outer surface of the
armour plates of a ridge and furrow or grooved form, and in filling the
furrows or grooves in with pieces of timber, or other suitable materials such
as before mentioned, either cemented or otherwise fixed to the armour plates,
thus forming a flush or even surface upon the iron, and thereby protecting
the armour plates from the action of the sea water, and to a certain extent
impeding the action of projectiles. If required such surface may be further
covered with any description of sheathing, the pieces of wood or other suit-
able materials affording a convenient means for fixing the same. Figure 6
shews a section of an armour plate A formed with a ridge and furrow, or
grooved surface, the furrows or grooves being filled in with pieces of wood
B, B, fixed to the surface of the metal, either by cementitious substances, or
by screws tapped to a slight depth into the sloping surface of the armourplates.
To increase the security of the wood covering the pieces may be made to
overlap, and be fixed to each other, as at B, B, or grooves as at a, or projec-
tious as at a¹ may be formed on the surface of the plates A and corresponding
projections or grooves formed in the wood B¹, B¹, to fit into or upon the
former; or the furrows or grooves in the armour plate may be formed with
a horizontal surface as at A', upon which the pieces of wood B', B2, rest.
The wood covering projects in all cases beyond the ridges of the plates so as
to prevent any contact between the latter and the metal sheathing C, fixed
the wood.
upon
of
Another part of my Invention consists in providing yellow metal, copper,
iron, and other metallic sheathing with an insulating covering on one or both
sides, by first roughening or milling the metal plates to increase their powers
of adhesion, and then covering with or cementing to the same sheets or plates
any suitable insulating materials in a plastic or other state, such as ebonite
or vulcanized india-rubber in any stage of their manufacture, sheets of gutta-
percha, wood, cork, kamptulicon, prepared felt, leather, paper, papier maché,
or, other similar materials having insulating properties. In some cases I first
fix or cement flat strips of wood, cane, or other similar material to the edges
of or across the surface of the plates, and fill the spaces between the strips in
flush with suitable insulating cementitious materials or compounds, such as
Hays' or marine glue, or prepared asphalte, with or without fibrous materials;
or I cement or fix to the surface of the plates pieces of cane seating, and fill
in the interstices of the same with the before-mentioned cementitious insula-
ting materials. Furthermore, in order to cause such insulating materials that

page_text: are put on to the plates in a plastic state to adhere firmly to the same after
the application of the proper heat, I sometimes form perforations, holes, or
slits in the plates, through which the insulating materials when in a plastic
state are pressed,thus uniting the two coatings of insulating material on either
side of the plate; or when only one side of the plate is to be so coated with
such insulating materials, I countersink or enlarge the perforations, holes, or
slits on the other side of the plate,so that the insulating material is,as it were,
dovetailed into such holes. Metal plates coated by either of the above described
processes on one or both sides may also be employed for other purposes, such
as for coverings for buildings or of railway vehicles, I am well aware that it
has before been proposed to attach vulcanized india-rubber and other,
insulating materials to sheathing plates by cementing, or by heat and pressure,
and I wish it to be understood that I only claim such process with respect
to sheathing plates, when these have been previously milled, roughened, or
perforated as above described.
Another part of my Invention consists in fixing the wood, metal, or other
sheathing on to the armour or ship's plates by means of nails, plugs, or screws,
driven into plugs of wood,cane, or other suitable insulating materials inserted
into the heads of the bolts that fix the armour or other plates, the heads of
which bolts are made hollow in order to receive such plugs of wood, cane, or
other suitable insulating material. Around the slightly projecting ends of
such plugs of wood, cane, or other material, I secure pieces of sheet cork,
kamptulicon, ebonite, or other suitable insulating material, in the shape of
a washer to act as a surface cushion for the metal sheathing plates, so as to
prevent all contact between them and the armour or ship's plates, and in
order the more surely to effect this, I prefer to coat such armour or ship's
plates with Hays or marine glue to a thickness equal to that of the pieces of
sheet cork or other material, and in some cases I also cover the surface of the
armour, ship or other plates, as also the sheathing plates, with scrim or other
similar open
fabric in order to cause the sheathing to adhere more firmly to
the armour, ship, or other plates.
Figure 7 shews a section of an armour plate A covered with sheathing
according to this part of my Invention. The heads of the bolts B, B, are
formed with recesses in which are secured the wood or other plugs C, C, to
which the metal sheathing D is fixed; E, E, are the washers of cork, kamp-
tulicon, or other suitable material, and F is the coating of cementitious
insulating material interposed between the metal sheathing D and the
surface of the armour plate A.
In another arrangement the edges of the sheathing plate are bent back

page_text: so as to form flanges, and made to fit into grooves formed in strips of wood
that are cemented or secured to the, armour or ship's plates by any of the
means before mentioned. When the strips of wood are secured to the armour
or ship's plates by means of nails or screws of iron, care must be taken that
such nails or screws do not come in contact with the sheating plates.
Figure 8 shews a section of an armour or ship's plate A, sheathed according
to this part of my Invention. B, B, are battens or strips of wood, cemented
or otherwise secured to the armour or ship's plates; C, C, are the sheathing
plates, the edges of which are bent round so as to form flanges as shewn,
which are cemented into grooves formed in the battens B, B. The spaces
between the battens are filled in flush with cementitious and fibrous insulat
ing materials.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Henson Henson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
HENRY H. HENSON. (L.S.)