AN IMPROVED PAINT OR COMPOSITION FOR PRESERVING IRON SHIPS' BOTTOMS AND OTHER SURFACES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melvillo Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED PAINT OR COMPOSITION FOR PRESERVING IRON SHIPS' BOTTOMS
AND OTHER SURFACES."—A communication from abroad by Charles
Dubois, of Marseilles, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 24th August 1871.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARk, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED PAINT OR COMPOSITION FOR PRESERVING IRON
SHIPS' BOTTOMS AND OTHER SURFACES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new or improved composition or paint
having the property of drying very rapidly, and of which the principal

page_text: constituents are the essences or oils derived from the distillation of coal
tars and the arseniates of mercury, the latter being employed chiefly
when the paint is intended to be applied to the bottoms of iron ships.
The paint, whose composition is described hereafter possesses tho
quality of drying in a few hours, and may be applied in various &
situations, but is more especially fitted for application to iron ships in
the ordinary manner.
"
The paint is composed of the essences or oils obtained from the
distillation of coal tar in which I dissolve a proportion of one or moro
gums or resins, such as gum lac, copal, galipot, beeswax, tallow, or
colophany, by the aid of heat according to the purpose for which it is.
to be used. To this solution is added a quantity of drying oil, or it
may be essence of turpentine, and the liquid thus prepared is mixed and
ground up by any suitable means with the oxides of zinc, lead, iron,
copper, or with any coloring matters desired.
When it is intended to paint the bottoms or hulls of ships, I add
corrosive salts (such as arseniate of mercury) for the purpose of pre--
venting the fouling of the vessel by the adhesion of molluscs and marino
- vegetation. I also reserve the right to add to the composition salts of
antimony or of copper, such as the sulphuret of antimony or carbonate
or sulphuret of coppor.
Besides the advantage of drying quickly the paint of this Invention
may be applied on dry or humid surfaces and consequently in fine or
wet weather, and it ensures the preservation of the iron from all
oxidation. I generally apply the paint containing the arseniate of
mercury for the third coat only, but it may be used for all three if
necessary..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melvillo Clark in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 24th February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lanc, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting. -

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
Her special licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alexander Melville Clark, 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 "AN IMPROVED PAINT OR COMPOSITION FOR PRE-
SERVING IRON SHIPS' BOTTOMS AND OTHER SURFACES," a communication to
me from abroad by Charles Dubois, of Marseilles, France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and.
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
3 the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascortained
in and by the following statement, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a new or improved composition or paint
having the property of drying very rapidly, and of which the principal
constituents are the essences or oils derived from the distillation of coal
Otars and the arseniates of mercury, the latter being employed chiefly
when the paint is intended to be applied to the bottoms of iron ships.
The paint whose composition is described hereafter possesses the
quality of drying in a few hours and may be applied in various
situations, but is more especially adapted for application to iron ships.
5 in the ordinary manner.
The paint is composed of the essences or oils obtained from the
distillation of coal tar, in which is dissolved a proportion of one or moro.

page_text: gums or resins, such as gum lac, copal, galipot, beeswax, tallow, or
colophany, by the aid of heat or otherwise, according to the purpose for
which it is to be used. To this solution is added a quantity of drying
oil, and it may be essence of turpentine, and the liquid thus prepared
is mixed with oxides of zinc, lead, iron, or copper, ochres, greens, blues, &
yellows, or with any coloring matters desired, which are ground up in
the usual manner. These matters may be added either singly or in
combination, according to the color to be given to the composition and
the purpose to which it is to be applied, and I mention them merely
to show that any desired color may be imparted to the improved paint 1
or composition.
:
When it is intended to apply the paint or composition to the bottoms
or hulls of ships, I add corrosive salts, chiefly those having a mercurial
base (such as the arseniates of mercury) for the purpose of preventing
the fouling of the vessel (by the adhesion of molluscs and marine i
vegetation. I also reserve the right to add to the composition salts of
antimony or of copper, such as the sulphurets of antimony or carbonates
or sulphurets of copper, or sulpho-cyanide of copper.
The improved paint or composition of this Invention possesses great
advantages as applied to the hulls of all kinds of vessels in comparison 20
'with those now in use. In the first place the paint dries in a few hours,
so that three layers may be applied in one day. A great saving of time
is thus effected, as vessels usually require docking for at least six days
for the purpose.
'
Besides the advantage of drying quickly, the paint of this Invention 25
may be applied on dry or damp surfaces, and consequently in fine or
wet weather, while it ensures the preservation of the iron from all
oxidation. I generally apply the paint containing the arseniate of
mercury as a third coat only, but it may be used for all three coats
if necessary.
.
30
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention
to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is, the manufacture of a paint or composition having for its base
essences or oils derived from the distillation of coal tars, and which 35
have quick drying properties, whether such paint or composition be

page_text: prepared with or without the addition of corrosive salts (chiefly those
having a mercurial base, such as arseniates of mercury) for the
specified.
purpose
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.