IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING BODIES
Year: 1863

page_text: :
C...
LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Needham Tayler of Brixton, in the County,
of Surrey, Retired Admiral, and William Austin, late of Holywell Street,
in the City of Westminster, and now of Milford, South Wales, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING BODIES."
=
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Needham Tayler
and William Austin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 16th July 1863.
"We, JOSEPH NEEDHAM TAYLER, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Retired
Admiral, and WILLIAM AUSTIN, late of Holywell Street, in the City of West-
minster, and now of Milford, South Wales, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING BODIES," to be as follows:-
The objects of our Invention are to facilitate the steering and rapid turning
or revolving of ships and other floating bodies to prevent them from violent
rolling or lurching, to protect the propellers, sides, decks, machinery, and
[Price 8d.]

page_text: other parts thereof from the effects of shot and otherwise, and to increase the
strength of such structures.
Our Invention consists, first, in constructing ships and other floating bodies
with one, two, or more (by preference, two) waterways or channels, running
from stem to stern, at or under the bottom of the ship or other body, in which
waterways or channels we fit screw or other propellers.
Second, in the employment of two pairs of propellers at or under the bottom
of ships and other floating bodies, one pair forward and the other pair aft, and
arranged so that each propeller may be worked separately or in conjunction
with all or any of the other propellers, and in either direction.
Third, in the employment of two paddle wheels placed amidship, or at or
near the fore or aft part of the vessel, under the main deck."
Fourth, in propelling vessels by means of a series of discs or plates fastened
to an endless chain, rope, or band, the discs or plates being driven or drawn
in a vertical or inclined position through the waterways or channels before
described.
Fifth, in constructing vessels with a flat bottom, or somewhat concave, from
stem to stern.
Sixth, in attaching to the stem or stern post of ships a dovetailed
vertical supporting grooved bar of iron, into which a sliding dovetailed iron
'gudgeon piece is fitted, to which the rudder gudgeons are fixed to receive
the pintles upon the rudder; and in constructing rudders with dovetailed or
rebated pieces sliding vertically into each other and fastened by bolts or
otherwise.
Seventh, in attaching fans or fins (by preference, four) to the sides of the
vessel to assist in turning the same, such fans or fins, when not in use, being
made to lie flush with the sides of the vessel, and when required to assist in
turning to open by means of screw, springs, or otherwise.
Eighth, in forming ships and other vessels with peaks or triangular ends.
Ninth, in placing vertical iron ribs over the gun deck, about 6 inches thick,
3 inches broad, and 4 inches apart, more or less, well rammed in with sand,
resting on 1 or 2-inch iron plates and deck beams, the ribs being round
like a bridge and sloping off to the gunwale, so as to throw a shell or shot
overboard.
Tenth, in the employment of port guards, made to close, when required, like
a dock gate, and presenting, when closed, a sharp angle outside; the upper and
lower parts may be opened when required for free circulation of air through
the bomb-proof deck; the running out of a gun opens the port guard to an

page_text: extent equal to the thickness of the gun only, and the recoil of the gun again
closes the guard.
Eleventh, in constructing vessels with sides and ends projecting outwards in
an angular form, and covering them with an increased thickness of plating at
that part, such plating being backed with sand or iron, or other resistant
material.
"
Twelfth, in building all the timber frames of ships' carcasses close up, and
bolting through the timbers with phosphorized copper bolts; ships constructed
in this manner will hold together much longer, and would not easily break up
if wrecked.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Needham Tayler and William Austin in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 16th January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
NEEDHAM TAYLER, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Retired Admiral, and
WILLIAM AUSTIN, late of Holywell Street, in the City of Westminster, and
now of Milford, South Wales, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Joseph Needham Tayler and William Austin, Her special licence that
we, the said Joseph Needham Tayler and William Austin, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Needham
Tayler and William Austin, our 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 SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING BODIES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Needham
Tayler and William Austin, or one of us, our executors, or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our, or one of our 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

page_text: 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 we, the said Joseph Needham Tayler and William
Austin do hereby declare the nature of our 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:―
The objects of our Invention are to facilitate the easy steering and rapid
turning or revolving of ships and other floating bodies to prevent them from
violent rolling or lurching, to protect the sides, decks, propellers, machinery,
and other parts thereof from the effects of shot and otherwise, and to increase
the strength of such structures.
:
Our Invention consists, first, in constructing ships and other floating bodies.
with one, two, or more (by preference, two) waterways or channels, running
from stem to stern, at or under the bottom of the ship, vessel, or other floating
body, in which waterways or channels we fit screw or other propellers.
Second, in the employment of two pairs of propellers at or under the bottom
of ships and other floating bodies, one pair forward and the other pair aft, and
arranged so that each propeller may be worked separately or in conjunction
with all or any of the other propellers, and in either direction. The propellers'
are fitted in such manner that they may be taken out when required for repairs
or otherwise.
Third, in constructing ships or vessels with a flat bottom, or somewhat
concaved transversely from stem to stern.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a transverse section of a ship
constructed according to our Invention, in which A, A, are the channels, and
E, E, are archimedean screws fitted and working in the channels; Figure 3 is
a plan of the after end, and Figure 4 of the fore end, of a ship shewing the
position in which the screw propellers A¹, B, C, D, are placed. These pro-
pellers may be placed more amidships if required; they are intended to be
driven collectively for forward and backward motion; but if the vessel is to be
turned round, then opposite propellers, as A' and D, or B and C, are driven in
opposite directions. Figure 2 is an end elevation or stern view, and Figure 5
is a front elevation or bow view. F, F, is the rudder, which can be turned
sufficiently to close the end of one of the channels A, A; G, G, represents the
armour plating, which is carried below the water line, as shown at Figure 1.
From G to H on each side the ship is covered with copper sheathing, and the
bottom of the ship is slightly concave, as shewn, from H to H, The top or

page_text: upper deck of the ship is represented at Figure 1 fitted with standard posts for
supporting awnings for protection against wet and sun, but this forms no part
of our Invention.
Fourth, our Invention consists in attaching to the stem or stern post of
ships a dovetailed vertical supporting grooved chamber or casing of iron,
No. 6, Sheet 2, into which a sliding dovetailed gudgeon piece is vtted, to which
iron eyes or gudgeons are fixed to receive the hook, pintles, or iron gudgeons
geared upon the rudder, and in constructing rudders with grooved and
tongued or side rebated pieces sliding or fitting into each other and fastened
by bolts of iron horizontally or crossways. These arrangements are shewn at
Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet -2. Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a ship's
stern post with the iron casing, gudgeon pintles, connecting bolt, and rudder:
Figure is a side elevation of the rudder in separate parts; and Figure 3, a
side elevation shewing it bolted together and in its position on a ship. The
rudder is composed of separate pieces, 1, 2, 3, and 4. The piece 4 is provided
with metal eyes a, a; b, b, are bolts whereby the parts of the rudder are con-
nected and held together; 6. is the iron chamber or case, made to embrace
and extend beyond the stern post 7; 8 is a sliding gudgeon post fitted into the
iron chamber 6 and carrying eyes c, c; 5 is the iron bolt passed alternately
through the eyes on the rudder piece 4 and those on the post 8, whereby the
rudder is connected to the ship.
Fifth, our Invention consists in forming ships and other floating bodies or
vessels with curved or arched peaks, as shown at Figure 4, Sheet 1, or trian-
gular ends, as rams, as shewn at Figures 3 and 5, Sheet 1, and protecting
the same internally with iron casing plates and externally with iron armour
plates.
Sixth, in placing vertical and longitudinal iron ribs or plates over the gun
deck, about 6 inches thick, 3 inches broad, and 4 inches apart, more or less,
with flanges, well rammed or filled in with sand or end-grain wood panels or
suitable materials, resting on 1 or 2-inch iron plate and deck beams, the ribs
or plates being rounded or curved in their lengths like a bridge, and sloping
off at ends to the gunwales, so as to throw a shell or shot overboard.
Seventh, our Invention consists in the employment of port guards, of iron
or steel, made to close, when required, like a dock gate, and presenting, when
closed, an angle outside, and being open above and below with iron gratings
or bars for free circulation of air; the running out of a gun opens the port
guards to any extent required, and the recoil of the gun again closes the
guards to the angle of protection whilst loading gun, as shewn in the plan of a

page_text: gangway, Figure 4, Sheet 2, where 10, 10, are iron armour backing plates
forming recesses. Shutters 12 fall back into spaces 11 while the gun is being
discharged. The position of the shutters when closed is indicated by dotted
lines; 14 are gratings at top and bottom, over and below the shutters, for
admitting air and for keeping shot from entering.
Eighth, our Invention consists in constructing vessels with sides and ends
projecting outwards in an angular or curved form, and covering the sides and
ends of ships, vessels, or floating bodies with an increased thickness of iron
armour plating, such plating being backed with end-grain timber, or with
sand or pig iron, or any other resistant material.
Ninth, in building all the timber frames of ships' carcases and decks close
up together with tight packed jointings, and bolting through the timbers with
phosphorized copper bolts; ships constructed in this manner will hold together
much longer, and would not easily break up if wrecked.
In Sheet 3, L, L, and M, M, represent the face view or elevation of iron
armour plates when fixed in place on the sides or ends of ships; M shews the
full-sized plates, and L the portions of other full-sized plates above and below
breaking bond; N, N, represents a rebated or side-grooved channelway
worked out or rolled in the longitudinal sides or edges of iron armour plates,
and which sunk edges overlap each other alternately; 0, 0, shews a streak of
teak or oak timber filling to the sunk channels N, N; these streaks are bored
through at regulated distances and notched down to receive the heads of iron
bolts at P; the bolts pass on and through the rebated iron edges of armour
plates at Q, securing them from shifting; R, R, shews the relative thicknesses
of plates, which are laid in courses; they vary from six inches to eight inches,
but they can be made more or less; the alternated rebated edges or over-
lapping tongues at Q, Q, can be reversed or changed, if desirable, for overlaps;
the heading joints of plates R abut on each other in plain edges, as shewn at
X, X; S, S, represents a filling or backing inwards behind the iron-face
armour plates, which backing can be composed of sand mattrasses, tightly
compressed and secured, to act as a nonconducter of shock or strain; other
kinds of filling, such as end-grain timber, or pig-iron or plate iron, can be
applied, wholly or in part, where necessary, for passages and support to iron
bolts; T, T, represents a front stringing of iron rebated to receive iron plates
R, R, horizontally; these stringers are slotted and secured to ships' frames
and timbers by diminishing or inward tapering bolts of iron, screwed and
nutted at ends, see W, W, or parallel bolts of equal diameter, as V, V, may
be used if preferred; Y, Y, shows the wood framing of ships' timbers and

page_text: planking, Y, Y, being the planking, Z being the main ribs or standard timbers,
all of the latter being close-jointed and bolted through horizontally with
phosphorized copper boltings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Austin, for myself and on behalf
of the said Joseph Needham Tayler, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirteenth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four.
WILLIAM AUSTIN. (L.s.)