IMPROVEMENTS IN PRE- VENTING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TIMBERS OF PIERS, DOCKS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES BY THE ACTION OF SEA WORMS, OR OTHER MARINE ANIMALS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hutton, of West Hartlepool, in the County
of Durham, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRE-
VENTING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TIMBERS OF PIERS, DOCKS, AND OTHER
STRUCTURES BY THE ACTION OF SEA WORMS, OR OTHER MARINE ANIMALS."
Sealed the 1st June 1860, and dated the 5th December 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hutton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th December 1859.
I, WILLIAM HUTTON, of West Hartlepool, in the County of Durham, Gen-
tleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PREVENTING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TIMBERS OF PIERS, DOCKS, AND OTHER
STRUCTURES BY THE ACTION OF SEA WORMS OR OTHER MARINE ANIMALS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object the prevention of the destruction of the
timbers of piers, docks, breakwaters, quays, and other similar constructions
exposed to sea water; and also of ships, boats, barges, and other craft used in
marine navigation by the action of the Limnoria terebrans, the. Teredo navalis,
or other marine animals. It is proposed to prevent this destruction by har-
dening the outer layer or surface of the timber used in the exterior formation
of such structures, so as to prevent the entry or first efforts of the animal.

page_text: This hardening of the exterior layer or surface of the timber is to be effected
by impregnating such exterior layer with certain stony or metallic matters in
solution, so as to petrify, lapidify, or otherwise harden the same by filling up
the pores and cells of the timber with the said stony or metallic matters, and
forming (or not, as may be found necessary) an external coating of such
substances.
To effect this object, the wood must be placed in a closed vessel and ex-
hausted of all moisture and air, and then saturated or impregnated with any
of the following substances, namely:-Firstly, carbonate of lime or limestone,
formed by employing a saturated solution of caustic lime in distilled water, and
then submitting the timber so prepared to the action of carbonic acid gas;
secondly, sulphate of lime or gypsum, formed by the application of sulphuric acid
after the solution of caustic lime, instead of the carbonic acid gas above men-
tioned; thirdly, a hard metallic combination produced by the application of a
saturated solution of iron followed by an alkaline solution, such as soda or
potash; and, fourthly, soluble silex or water glass, produced by the solution of
silex by soda or potash, and the further application of a solution of muriate
of lime (chloride of calcium). It will be understood that either of these appli-
cations may be made by smearing the external surface of the wood with the
materials, or by immersing the wood in the same, or by forcing the same into
the pores of the wood by atmospheric or mechanical pressure, the latter method
being preferable on account of the greater penetration thereby obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Hutton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HUTTON, of West Hartlepool, in the County of Durham, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Hutton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Hutton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Hutton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: 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 PREVENTING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TIMBERS OF PIERS, Docкs,
AND OTHER STRUCTURES BY THE ACTION OF SEA WORMS OR OTHER MARINE ANIMALS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Hutton, 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 William Hutton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the prevention of the damage or destruction
of the timbers of piers, docks, breakwaters, quays, and other similar construc-
tions, whether fixed or floating, exposed to sea water; and also of ships, boats,
barges, and other craft used in marine navigation, by the action of the Limnoria
terebrans, the Teredo navalis, or other marine animals. It is proposed to
prevent this damage or destruction by hardening or coating the outer layer or
surface of the timber used in the exterior formation of such structures, so as
to prevent the entry or first efforts of the animal. This hardening of the
exterior layer or surface of the timber is to be effected by impregnating such
exterior layer with certain stony or metallic matters in solution, so as to petrify,
lapidify, or otherwise harden the same by filling up the pores and cells of the
timber with the said stony or metallic matters, and forming (or not, as may be
found necessary) an external coating of such substances.
To effect this object the wood must be placed in a closed vessel and ex-
hausted of all moisture and air, and then saturated or impregnated with any of
the following substances, namely:-Firstly, carbonate of lime or limestone,
formed by employing a saturated solution of caustic lime in distilled water, and
then submitting the timber so prepared to the action of carbonic acid gas;
secondly, sulphate of lime or gypsum, formed by the application of sulphuric
acid after the solution of caustic lime, instead of the carbonic acid gas
above mentioned; thirdly, a hard metallic combination produced by the
application of a saturated solution of iron or sulphate of iron, usually called
copperas," followed by an alkaline solution, such as carbonate of soda or

page_text: potash; and, fourthly, soluble silex or water glass, produced by the solution of
silex by soda or potash, and the further application of a saturated solution of
chloride of calcium, commonly called muriate of lime. It will be understood
that either of these applications may be made by smearing the external surface
of the wood with the materials, or by immersing the wood in a bath of the
same for such period of time as may be found necessary, or by forcing the
same into the exterior pores of the wood by atmospheric or mechanical pres-
sure, the wood being placed in a receiver and exhausted of all moisture and
air; this latter method being preferable on account of the greater penetration
thereby obtained; or if a more complete saturation and lapidification of the
wood be desired, the solutions may be forced into the wood endwise or longitu-
dinally by means of hydraulic, atmospheric, or mechanical pressure.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Preventing the Destruction of the Timbers of Piers, Docks,
and other Structures by the Action of Sea Worms or other Marine Animals,"
together with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire
it to be distinctly understood that I claim as my Invention coating, impreg-
nating, or saturating timber exposed to sea water with either of the solutions
or combinations of solutions above named, for the purpose of hardening or
lapidifying the same to prevent its deterioration or destruction by the action of
sea worms or other marine animals, as herein-before more particularly set forth
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hutton have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.
WILLIAM HUTTON. (L.S.)