IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING CERTAIN PARTS OF SHIPS AND VESSELS, IN ORDER TO ARREST THE PROGRESS OF FIRE, AND FOR REGULATING TEMPERATURE
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR
HOWE HOLDSWORTH, of Brook Hill, in the County of Devon, Gentleman, send
greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the
Eleventh day of June, in the fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her
heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Arthur Howe
Holdsworth, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Arthur Howe Holdsworth, my exors, adñors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Arthur Howe Holdsworth, my exors, adññors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTING CERTAIN PARTS OF SHIPS AND VESSELS, IN ORDER TO ARREST THE
PROGRESS OF FIRE, AND FOR REGULATING TEMPERATURE;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Arthur Howe Holdsworth,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear..
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Arthur Howe Holdsworth, do hereby declare that the nature of my said

page_text: Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to a mode of constructing parts of ships or vessels,
such as bulk-heads or partitions, floors and ceilings, the external parts of
magazines and other chambers or compartments where it is desirable to obtain
greater security against fire, and also where it is desirable to keep any com-
partment or part of a ship or vessel more cool than would otherwise result
from the same state of circumstances were no such provision made as is
offered by my Invention, such mode of construction providing means for
obtaining a flow or circulation of water in double metal partitions or bulk-
heads, floors and ceilings, whereby the water will, in case of fire, carry off the
heat, and prevent the fire extending beyond the bulk-head or other surface
within which the water is contained; and in an engine room or stoke hole of
a steam vessel, by the conducting powers of the water circulating in the metal
bulk-heads, or other such double linings or casings of any part of the engine
room.or stoke hole, the heat of the engine room or stoke hole will not only be
reduced, but the cabins or other parts of the vessel near the engine rooms,
on the other side adjoining to such bulk-heads will not be liable to become
so heated as at present; and, further, in the event of fire surrounding a maga
zine so constructed, the powder and shells or other matters therein will be
secured from injury. I would remark, that the Invention will readily be
understood from what has been above stated, aided by the explanation here-
after given of some examples of the means of applying my Invention, at the
same time the mode of applying the Invention will be varied according to the
particular circumstances of the vessel in which it is used; it is not, therefore,
my intention to attempt to describe every circumstance or position in which my
Invention may be advantageously applied on board a ship or vessel, but shall
confine my further explanation to two of the most important applications; I
will then shortly give such directions as may be desirable in applying the
improvements under other circumstances.

page_text: boxes, as shewn, in which case, as well as in those cases where the doors are
hung in a vertical position, it will be desirable to have strong hinges to hang the
hatches or doors in addition to and in place of trusting only to the hinges formed
by pipes and stuffing boxes; such hatches or doors, whether placed in the roof
or side of such magazines or chambers, may have between each of them and
such magazine or chamber a second hatch or door made of single metal plate
falling when close into a rabbit, for the better protection of such magazine or
chamber.
Figures 5 and 6 shew part of a side view and section of the magazine where
moveable glass or bull's eyes are let in, each having a slide on the inside of
the magazine for security, when the glass is being removed or put in, that a
lamp in a light room may be applied at each of the bull's eyes when it is
desired to give light to the magazine; at other times a metal plug, which will
fill the aperture, will be so secured within each as to prevent fire from passing
through it. a, a, represents a magazine or chamber made of boiler plate, in a
similar manner to boiler making. On the external surfaces of the chamber
a, a, is a metal casing b, b, which is kept apart from the outer surfaces
of the bottom, sides, and roof of the chamber or magazine a, a, by washers or
collars of metal, with bolts through them of sufficient strength when rivitted to
bear the pressure of the water within the casing; and in order to prevent the
bottom of the magazine from pressing down upon the lower. casing, it will be
proper to place between the bottom and the casing, at such intervals as will
not prevent the flow of the water, blocks, thus leaving a space of two or more
inches to contain water, thus causing the chamber or magazine to be sur
rounded on all sides with water. c is the opening into the magazine, covered
with a hollow door d, which, when closed, completes the means of surrounding
the magazine with water. The internal fittings for receiving the cases of
powder or shells will be made to rest on blocks before mentioned, which
internal fittings will also support the roof of the magazine or chamber; the
interior of such magazine or chamber being first lined with thin boards
and felted over to present a proper surface to the powder cases and other
articles. e, e, is a pipe leading from the external or outside of the ship or
vessel to the lower part of the external casing 6 of the magazine, there being a
stopcock or stopcocks to regulate or stop off the water, if desired; the water
will flow in at the pipe e, e, thence into the casing b, and out at the pipe g, g,
again, into the water external or outside of the ship or vessel; on which pipe
there is another stopcock or stopcocks f for the same purpose as the last
above mentioned, the water circulating on all sides of the magazine; and in
case of fire and the casing b becoming heated, the circulation of the water.

page_text: would be very rapid, and thus would the heat be carried off very quickly and
prevent explosion or injury of the powder or other matters in the magazine.
h is a branch pipe, by which water is conveyed into the hatch or door when
placed on the roof of the chamber or magazine, and i is a pipe or hollow
hinge by which the water from within the door is conveyed to the casing b,
and thence away in the direction indicated by the arrows. In this manner
may a magazine or other chamber in a ship or vessel be prevented from
getting highly heated, and fire may be effectually kept out thereof, notwith-
standing a considerable fire might be in the locality, or even acting on the
external surfaces b, b, of such a magazine or other chamber so surrounded
by water. m is a cock to draw off the water from between the casings when
it is required, and' n is a cock to give air to facilitate. that operation.
Figure 7 represents. the same section of a ship. and magazine as, Figure 1,
with a, vertical door hung with hinge stuffing boxes, similar to that shewn
at i in Figure 3.
Figure 8 shews a ground plan of the magazine shewn at Figure 7..
Figure 9 shews part of a longitudinal section of an engine room and stoke
hole of a steam ship or vessel; and Figure 10 shews a transverse section
thereof.. j,j, is a double bulk-head of iron or other metal, so connected
together in all its parts (top; bottom, and ends) as to be capable of being
filled with water, having an induction pipe k and an eduction pipe l; this
bulk-head may represent the one which faces the fires or furnaces of the
boilers, and consequently is liable to become highly heated, as such bulk-
heads are. usually constructed of wood and often faced with metal, the conse-
quence of which is that the engine room or stoke hole so circumstanced-is
liable to become highly heated, the wood behind the metal acting as a bad
conductor of heat, much therefore of the heat thrown on tlie bulk-head is
reflected back into the engine room or stoke hole, whilst the cabin or other
part of the ship or vessel on the other side of the bulk-head becomes much
raised in temperature; and as all the bulk-heads of the engine room and stoke
hole are liable to be highly heated by the boilers and fires, the compartments
or cabins next thereto are liable to have the temperature thereof materially
heightened, but by applying double metal bulk-heads with a convenient
means of keeping up a constant supply and circulation of water to such bulk-
heads, the heat of the engine room as well as the cabins or compartments on
the other sides of the bulk-heads may be materially lessened, and in the event
of fire near thereto, the same would be retarded or stopped in those directions
And it only remains to be stated that in such manner may any other com-
partment or part of the ship or vessel be rendered cooler, care being taken

page_text: to have a double metal bulk-head or casing for water, with induction way or
ways, together with eduction way or ways, and that such as are above the
surface of the water in which the ship is floating be kept filled by a pump
or cistern above such bulk-head, that the water may be changed as the circu-
lation occasioned by the heat may demand. I have not thought it necessary
minutely to shew the means of putting the parts together with rivets, or of
so uniting the ends, tops, and bottoms of double bulk-heads together;
whereby to render them capable of retaining water, nor the means of
keeping the metal surfaces on either side of the water spaces apart, or of
resisting the pressure of the water within them; and although I prefer
the circulation of the water by heat, yet I do not confine myself thereto,
as the circulation may be caused by pumping water, particularly on board
steam vessels, where the pumps for such purpose may be worked by the steam
engines. These will readily be supplied by the workman according to the
circumstances of the particular case and the requirements of the vessel in which
they are used, my Invention not consisting of, or being confined to, any particular
means of adjusting or putting the parts together, and such works may be
performed according to the judgment of the workman. But what I claim is,
the mode of applying water spaces in hollow bulk-heads or partitions, floors,
and ceilings of metal, with means of obtaining circulation of water therein
to various parts of ships or vessels, in order to reduce the temperature, and
also to arrest the progress of fire wherein such means are applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Howe Holdsworth, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.