IMPROVEMENTS IN COATINGS FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE FOULING TO WHICH IRON AND OTHERUCTUREAREDINARILY LIABLE
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Cruickshank, of Edinburgh, in the County
of Mid Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COATINGS FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE FOULING TO WHICH IRON AND OTHER
"
'
Sealed the 1st September 1865, and dated the 6th March 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Cruickshank
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th March 1865.
I, FRANCIS CRUICKSHANK, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN COATINGS FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE FOULING TO WHICH IRON AND
OTHER SHIPS AND STRUCTURES ARE ORDINARILY LIABLE IN SEA WATER," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the prevention of the fouling to which iron and
other ships and structures are ordinarily liable in sea water, and it consists in
employing for that purpose cyanide of mercury made up or incorporated with
a suitable medium to form a coating or paint to be applied to the surface to
be protected.
The medium with which the cyanide of mercury is incorporated may be
varied, provided that it is of a resinous, oleaginous, fatty, or saponaceous
character. As an example, it may be stated that a good inedium may be
formed by combining gutta percha and rosin with gas tar. The proportions of

page_text: the ingredients may be varied, but the quantity of the coating to cover a
square yard of the surface to be protected should contain from one to three
ounces of the cyanide of mercury.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis Cruickshank in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th September 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
CRUICKSHANK, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Francis Cruickshank, Her special licence that I, the said
Francis Cruickshank, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Francis Cruickshank, 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 COATINGS FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE FOULING
TO WHICH IRON AND OTHER SHIPS AND STRUCTURES ARE ORDINARILY LIABLE IN SEA
WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Francis Cruick-
shank, 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 Francis Cruickshank, 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 in writing, that is to say:--
My said Invention relates to the prevention of the fouling to which iron
and other ships and structures are ordinary liable in sea water, and it consists
in employing for that purpose cyanide of mercury made up or incorporated

page_text: with a suitable medium to form a coating or paint to be applied to the
surface to be protected.
The medium with which the cyanide of mercury is incorporated may be
varied, provided that it is of a resinous, bituminous, oleaginous, fatty, or
saponaceous character. As an example I may state that a good medium
may be formed by combining gutta percha and rosin with gas tar. The pro-
portions of the ingredients may be varied, but the quantity of the coating to
cover a square yard of the surface to be protected should contain from one to
three ounces of the cyanide of mercury.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I have to state that what I believe
to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the employing of cyanide of
mercury in making coatings for the prevention of the fouling to which iron
and other ships and structures are ordinarily liable in sea water.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Cruickshank, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
FRANCIS CRUICKSHANK. (L.S.)