IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING THE SIDES OF SHIPS, BATTERIES, FORTS, OR OTHER PLACES WITH ⚫DEFENSIVE ARMOUR PLATES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Pope, of Cornwall Road, Lambeth, in the
-County of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COATING THE SIDES OF SHIPS, BATTERIES, FORTS, OR OTHER PLACES WITH
⚫DEFENSIVE ARMOUR PLATES."
Sealed the 18th April 1868, and dated the 15th October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Pope, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
October 1862.
1:
I, WILLIAM POPE, of Cornwall Road, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COATING THE SIDES OF SHIPS, BATTERIES, FORTS, OR OTHER PLACES WITH
DEFENSIVE ARMOUR PLATES," to be as follows:
The armour or plating for the defence of ships has usually been fitted
to the sides vertically, and as a shield passing from stem to stern (or partially
so) in separate plates attached or connected together and to the ship by various
contrivances, and presenting the broadest part of such armour plates to receive
shot or other missiles.
27.
My Invention has for one of its objects the presentation of the edge of
metal or other material to the missile, and I propose to attach my defensive
armour either longitudinally with the ship's side and following the shape of
the vessel, or vertically with similar provision. It is unnecessary at this stage
to. describe my Invention as applicable to floating batteries, forts, or other

page_text: places, as with some modification it will be used in a similar manner as when
it is applied to ships of war. I propose to take a sheet of metal, say, from half
an inch to an inch in thickness, of any length, and of twelve inches wide or
thereabouts; on this I place a layer of wood or other materal of the same
dimensions or nearly so. I propose to fit these to the side of a ship shelfwise,
the inner edges following the curves of the ship's side, bows, and counter. On
and under I continue placing alternate layers of wood and iron (or other
metal) till I shall have covered the vessel (or any part thereof that it is desired
to render impervious to shot or shell). Suppose the shelf at the water line
to be twelve inches, those above and below may be gradually lessened in width
so as to taper upwards or downwards, or both, and this applies where my
Invention is used in a vertical position. To obtain lightness consistent with
strength, the portion of the sheets of metal and wood nearest the ship's side
may be perforated with holes of any size or number, say, to one half the breadth
of the plate, and these perforations may serve for the insertion of rods or pipes
of metal, such rods or pipes being made to fulfil the duty of attaching the mass
to the ship's side to bind it together, and as regards the pipes to act a ventilators.
The mass presenting a surface of lines in wood and metal alternately, caulking
may be performed previous to sheathing in the usual manner, or felt, caoutchouc,
or other elastic or semi-elastic material may be laid in between the sheets of
metal and wood while the mass is fitting together and it may be sheathed in the
ordinary manner as the edges of the wood will receivo and retain the ordinary
fastenings. It will be observed that the outer face of this defensive armour
presents no bolt heads or other inequalities to the action of shot, the whole
appearing, when sheathed, as a solid and smooth-sided metal ship.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Pope in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
POPE, of Cornwall Road, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and 3
grant unto me, the said William Pope, Her special licence that I, the

page_text: said William Pope, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Pope, 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 and
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 COATING THE SIDES OF SHIPS, BATTERIES, FORTS,
OR OTHER PLACES WITH DEFENSIVE ARMOUR PLATES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Pope, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Pope, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The armour or plating used for the defence of ships has usually been fitted
to the hull in a vertical position, and as a shield passing from stem to stern, (or
sometimes being fitted to portions of the hull only) in separate plates attached
or connected to each other and to the side of the ship by various contrivances,
and presenting their broadest part or superfice for the reception of missiles.
If a shot, shell, or other missile by its impingement on this superfice cracks it,
or by its impingement on the jointings of the plates loosens their attachment
it is obvious that a repetition of the injury is likely (even where no perfora-
tion is made by the missile) to cause the armour plate or a portion thereof
to fall off, leaving the inner casing or side of the ship bare and undefended.
It has also been found that the armour plates of the greatest thickness allowable
to be placed on a war ship have been perforated by missiles projected from
Armstrong, Whitworth, and other guns. The principle of my Invention is the
presentation to the effect of missiles of the edge instead of the superfice of
plates or shelves of metal alone or combined with other material placed
longitudinally or vertically on the bull of a ship, the sides, turret or other
part or face of a floating battery, or the face of a land fort. It is obvious that
as a private person unconnected with Government or ship, building, I can have
made no test or trial of my Invention on a large scale and therefor (although
I give herein-after some details for carrying it into effect) there may be
modifications of my plans for attaching plates or shelves in or on the hull or

page_text: sidės of a ship or battery that I have not described or alluded to, but as my
Invention consists, as aforesaid in an entire departure from the modes at present
adopted for affixing defensive armour to ships, batteries, or forts, and is
confined to the placing or attaching the metal alone or combined with other
substances to the hulls of ships or floating batteries, or to the sides of forts,
longitudinally or vertically (and I will here observe that I much prefer the
former position) as a series of shelves with one edge presented outwards,
I hold that I am entitled to have any mode of so attaching plates or shelves
of metal combined or not with layers or plates of other substance to
ships, forts, or batteries as being effected under and by virtue of the
principle now first laid down by me.
I will now proceed to describe the mode of attaching my armour plates
longitudinally to the hull of a ship, and I will suppose that the entire
hull is to be coated or iron clad. I suppose the hull to be built and completed
as regards the ribs and other framework. I take a sheet of metal (say,
wrought or cast iron) of from half an inch to an inch or more in thickness,
and of any length (the breadth according to the locality of the ship's
hull on which it is to be placed, narrower towards the keel or above the
upper deck, and broader, say, to the extent of twelve inches at the water
line), and fix it to the side of the ship, either passing it over the ribs, corre-
sponding holes being made in the plate or shelf for that purpose, or grooves
being left on each side of the rib to receive tenons to be made in the plate, or
vice versa, the tenon being on the rib and the slot or open part in the shelf or
plate. It does not follow that this plate be solid throughout, as it may be
perforated as herein-after described. Having fitted a series of these plates in
one line the full length of the ship, or, if preferred, all round the ship when
she has a round stern, and following the curves or outline of the hull, I fit
thereon and therewith a plate or shelf of timber of any thickness that may in
practice be found most desirable, taking care that the timber breaks joint with
the metal, and that each layer of metal and timber as superposed breaks joint
with that immediately beneath it, and as much as possible with reference to
the whole casing; the inner portions or edges of the metal and wood may, if
for strength it be found desirable, dovetail with a vertical iron bar or extra rib
of such substance as may be found sufficient to tie the plates well together.
Having now fitted one plate of metal and one of wood I continue placing
alternate layers of wood and iron (or other metal) till the whole of the hull
of the vessel shall be coated or covered, or, if not the whole, any part it may
be desired to render impervious to shot or shell. Suppose the plates of iron
and timber at the water line to be of the breadth of twelve inches, and those

page_text: immediately above and below for some distance upwards and downwards of
the same breadth, 'those descending 'thence towards 'the keel and those
ascending upwards, and finally forming bulwark, may be gradually lessened-in-
breadth or width so as to taper as 'they are attached to the hull of the ship'
upwards or downwards, or both. At the port holes or other openings (if any) in
the hull of the ship this combination of plates (or plates of metal if no other
material 'be used) is brought up to the usual angle, the edges being again
presented angularly as defence instead of solid plating; and at the stém or
bow of the vessel the plates form either to a point or they end in a double
bevil or angle, into which, if desired, a solid diamond (in cross section) shaped
ram may be introduced, or the ram 'may project outwards, its fulcrum and'
stay being formed by the ends of the plates or shelves. If no combination be
used and sheets of metal are superposed over each other (with or without felt,
caoutchouc, or other similar substance between them), it will be necessary to
perforate or leave spaces in the plates, as I consider that otherwise the weight
of metal, if of effective strength, might be too great for the. proportionate dis--
placement in the water by. the hull that could possibly be allowed for defensive
armour; and therefore I prefer to use a combination of metal with a lighter
substance, such as wood. If metal only be used it is scarcely necessary to
observe that the plates should be so arranged 'that in no instance should one-
vacant space be placed over another unless for some purpose of utility, as for
the better support or attachment of the plates to the bull or for ventilating, in
both of which cases the perforations would be of small diameter, and would
scarcely diminish the strength of the armour. Again, I would prefer the
combination of metal and timber, as I consider such combination, although
not so solid as metal only, to be better able to resist the force of a shot, as'
thus, if the casing be layer upón layer of metal plates, and solid (otherwise
than as regards the holes or perforations just mentioned), a shot must either
fall harmless or perforate the armour or splinter it, loosening the plates from
each other to a greater or less extent; if on the contrary my combination is'
used, a shot or shell will either fall harmless, or, failing to perforate (which I.
consider a shot or shell will not do), will, if projected with sufficient force,
flatten or turn over in some degree the edges of the metal on and over the
edges of the timber, welding them as it were together, and a second ball
hitting exactly the same spot will not find the defence in the slightest degree
weakened. The combined mass as now attached to the ship's hull will
present a series of lines of wood and iron alternate; the interstices (if any
appear) may be caulked, or (which I prefer) sheets of felt, caoutchouc, or
other elastic, semi-elastic, or soft substance may be placed between every

page_text: layer of wood and iron. Over all a sheathing of metal may be placed of
sheet iron above the water line, and of copper, Muntz metal, or other
sheathing below the edges of the wood will receive and retain the fastenings
of the sheathing. If a shot should pass through the side of a ship clothed with
my defensive armour under the water line it would, I consider, make a hole
scarcely larger in diameter than that of the missile itself. To remedy this
disaster temporarily, I have an apparatus with head like an umbrella, say,
8 or more bars of metal, wood, or other material fitted to and under a cap
or head with handle in joints or otherwise. Under each of the bars or on the
handle opposite each bar is a strong spring, and under the bars a strong
circular piece of leather or other suitable material; the whole is held closed
by a ring or lanyard, and each joint of the handle is tapped with a screw
thread on the outside as well as the thread of the handle joints. The action
of the apparatus is as follows:-As soon as the shot hole is found, one or two
men push the head of the apparatus through it, sliding off the ring (or
loosening the lanyard); as soon as the head has passed through, the spring will
force it open, and the bars and the leather will be spread out, the water rush
in forcing it back will cause the hole to be entirely covered with the leather
(pressed upon by the bars). The handle is then to be unscrewed at the proper
joint, and if convenient, it is wedged up, and a metal disc is screwed on
to the shank covering the hole (or partially so) inside. If there be nothing
to wedge up with, the disc alone will be sufficient to secure the apparatus in
position. As regards the employment of my Invention in arming the hulls of
ships by placing the plates or shelves vertically, I would observe that each
plate or part of a plate must be cut with its inner edge corresponding to the
shape of that part of the hull on which it is to be fitted, the outer edge
following the mould of the ship also. In applying the plates vertically an
inner line of wood or metal or borizontal bars of either may be provided, and
the inner edges of the shelves made with indentations or projections (as the
case may be) to help to secure them in position; in other respects the directions
given in respect to my Invention when used longitudinally on a ship's hull
may be followed except as regards the port holes and stem of the ship, which
will require for the former solid metal framing, and for the latter metal filling
in at the sides of the plates next to or between the last plate and cutwater or
knee of the head. The application of my Invention to floating batteries
requires no explanation, as it is effected by the same means as its application
to the hulls of ships, except that the plates may be of greater breadth and
thickness. As regards land forts, there is, of course, no limit to the breadth
or thickness of the plates, and as a much firmer support can be given to the

page_text: inner edges on land than at sea, I consider a fort furnished with my Invention
will be impregnable to shot or shell, and the corners and faces of the
embrasures will be less likely to be damaged by missiles than when made of
stone or other material, as they will present edges of metal and wooden plates
for their reception, which, as aforesaid, may be bent in, up, or over (as
regards the metal), but each blow will more firmly weld as it were the mass
together.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and means by
which it is carried into effect, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I
do not confine myself in putting my Invention into use to the precise details
herein given, as such may and indeed must be modified to suit the circum-
stances of particular cases without departing, by such variations in the means
of fixing, fitting, or applying my Invention to the hulls of ships or floating
batteries, or to land forts, from the principle of ✓ mention, which I declare
to be and I claim the exclusive right as secure me by the Letters Patent
herein-before in part recited, of applying to the hulls of ships, floating batteries,
or land forts, plates, sheets, or shelves of metal, or of metal and timber com-
bined, or of metal and any other substance combined, in such wise that one
edge of such plates of metal, or metal and timber, or metal and any other
substance shall be outermost to receive the shock of shot, shell, or other
missile, essentially as herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Pope, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.