IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND IN THE MEANS OF BALLASTING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Alexander Elliott, of Enniskillin, in the
County of Fermanagh, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND IN THE MEANS OF BALLASTING SHIPS AND
OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 8th December 1863, and dated the 13th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Alexander Elliott
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th June 1863.
I, THOMAS ALEXANDER ELLIOTT, of Enniskillin, in the County of Fermanagh,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND IN THE MEANS OF BALLASTING SHIPS AND
OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows:-
In the ordinary mode of constructing ships, their longitudinal strength
and warping strain depends principally on their sheeting or outer skin..
My Invention consists in the employment of longitudinal ribs, sheeting, and
T-iron braces, in manner shewn in the accompanying Drawings, whereby the
strain is borne conjointly by them. The sheeting forms triangles with the
deck and flooring beams and T-iron braces, as shewn by the triangles a, b, c,
b, d, b, and c, d, c. The harmony of construction being united at the keel by
the flooring beams, any required strength may be attained by an increase in
the number of ribs and T-iron braces, or by increasing the substance. The

page_text: a, a,
When this
accompanying plan shews the number for ordinary mercantile purposes.
are the longitudinal ribs; b, the sheeting; c, T-iron braces.
method of construction is used for a ram, I apply tension straps h to assist in
resisting the force of concussion.
My Invention also consists in an improved means of ballasting with water,
and I effect this by means of two tubes, one on either side of the keel, of any
length to suit the number of compartments to be filled; the supply for
ballasting passes through an aperture in the keel, at the end of a supply tube e.
Each compartment is furnished with a plug 9, which is withdrawn when the
compartment is to be filled, and replaced when the water is to be discharged
through the tube f, and pumped off in the usual way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Alexander Elliott in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ALEXANDER ELLIOTT, of Enniskillin, in the County of Fermanagh, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Alexander Elliott, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Alexander Elliott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Thomas. Alexander Elliott, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND IN THE MEANS OF BALLASTING SHIPS
AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Alexander Elliott, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Alexander Elliott, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
In the ordinary mode of constructing ships, their longitudinal strength and
warping strain depend principally on their sheeting or outer skin. My Inven-
tion consists in the employment of longitudinal ribs, sheeting, and T-iron
braces, in manner shewn in the accompanying Drawings, whereby the strain
is borne conjointly by them.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ship's frame, and Figure 2 is a midship
section. The sheeting forms triangles with the deck and flooring beams d
and longitudinal ribs and T-iron braces, as shewn by the triangles a, b, c,
b, d, b, and c, d, c, the harmony of construction being united at the keel by the
flooring beams. Any required strength may be attained by an increase in the
number of ribs and T-iron braces, or by increasing the substance; the accom-
panying Drawings shew the number for ordinary mercantile purposes. a, a,
are the longitudinal ribs; b, the sheeting; c, T-iron braces. Figure 3 is a
plan of the frame, and Figures 4 and 5 are sections, through the lines A, B,
and C, D, respectively of Figure 1, shewing the curve of the longitudinal ribs.
When this method of construction is used for a ram I apply double sheeting,
crossing at any angle, in order to have a sufficient depth of backing, and to
prevent any warping strain, tension straps h may be applied to assist in
resisting the force of concussion, the longitudinal ribs presenting a great length
of surface to absorb the concussion from shot.
My Invention also consists in an improved means of ballasting with water,
and I effect this by means of two tubes, one on either side of the keel, of any
length to suit the number of compartments to be filled; the supply for bal-
lasting passes through an aperture in the keel at the end of a supply tube e.
Each compartment is furnished with a plug 9, which is withdrawn when the
compartment is to be filled, and replaced when the water is to be discharged
through the tube f, and pumped off in the usual way.
One great item of expense in the ordinary modes of shipbuilding is the
construction and formation of the ribs, arising from the difficulty of obtaining
curved and crooked timber, the quantity wasted by splicing and otherwise,
and the time occupied, and skilled labor employed in giving each rib the
required bevel to receive each plank of the sheeting. According to my Inven-
tion the ribs are made of straight square timber throughout, and are brought
to the required curve and bevel to receive the sheeting by being bolted to the

page_text: T-iron braces; no skilled labor is required, except for the formation and
placing of the T-iron braces. The sheeting may be one-third less than that
used in the old mode of construction, as the strain is borne conjointly by the
longitudinal ribs, sheeting, and T-iron braces, as already described, while by
my improved means of ballasting the expense attending the taking in and
discharge of ballast is obviated. In the construction according to my Inven-
tion of ships for carrying armour plating, if the plates are of sufficient length
to reach from the upper deck to below the water line, the length of joint
exposed is lessened by the length of heading joints in the plating; the plating.
may be bolted to the longitudinal ribs.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, constructing ships and other vessels with longitudinal ribs, sheeting,
and T-iron braces in manner shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the improved means of ballasting ships and other vessels with water,
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Alexander Elliott, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.
THOS. A. ELLIOTT. (L.S.)