AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ATTACHING SHEATHING TO IRON OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Muntz, of Millbrook, in the County
of Hants, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ATTACHING
SHEATHING TO IRON OR OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 16th June 1863, and dated the 2nd January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Muntz
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd January 1863.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MUNTZ, of Millbrook, in the County of Hants, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF ATTACHING SHEATHING TO IRON OR OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed principally with a view of attaching sheathing
of "yellow metal" or "Muntz's metal" to iron vessels, but it is also capable
of being applied with advantage for attaching such or similar sheathing to
vessels built of other materials.
In applying yellow metal sheathing to iron ships, it has been found in
practice that owing to the contact of the two metals in the salt water a strong
galvanic action has taken place, so as to decompose and ultimately destroy the
metal. In order to obviate this defect, it has been proposed to insulate the
two metals by placing sheets of vulcanized india-rubber between them, and
various methods have been devised for attaching the sheathing without
forming any metallic connection with the iron plates of the vessel, such as
the use of bonite rivets, or drilling holes in the iron plates, plugging them with

page_text: wood, and nailing the metal sheathing thereto, both of which plans are open
to objection on account of the weakening of the iron plates consequent on
drilling so many holes therein.
Now my Invention consists in attaching the sheets of india-rubber or
other insulating material to the vessel's side, and the metal sheathing to the
insulating material by means of marine glue, or such other cement or
adhesive material as will resist the action of sea water, instead of nailing or
rivetting the same as previously practised.
In some instances it may be sufficient to glue the yellow metal on to the
iron plates without the intervention of any insulating material other than the
waterproof glue or cement, which of itself is sufficient to prevent any metallic
contact and consequent galvanic action between the two metals.
I also propose to adopt this latter method for sheathing wooden vessels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Henry Muntz in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAN
HENRY MUNTZ, of Millbrook, in the County of Hants, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of January, 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 William Henry Muntz, Her special licence, that I, the
said William Henry Muntz, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Henry Muntz, 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 METHOD OF ATTACHING SHEATHING TO IRON OR OTHER VESSELS,"
upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said William Henry Muntz,
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

page_text: 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 Henry Muntz, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manuer the same is
5 to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, that is to say:-
This Invention is designed principally with a view of attaching sheathing
of "yellow metal" or "Muntz's metal" to iron sea-going vessels, but it
is also capable of being applied with advantage for attaching such or any other
sheathing to vessels built of other materials.
It has long been well known that the "yellow metal" sheathing is the
most durable and keeps clean longer than any other, but in attaching
such sheathing to iron ships, it has been found in practice that owing
to the contact of the two metals in the salt water a strong galvanic action
has taken place so as to decompose and ultimately destroy the sheathing metal
and the iron.
In order to obviate this defect it has been proposed to insulate the two
metals by placing sheets of vulcanized india-rubber or other material
between them, and various methods have from time to time been devised
for attaching the sheathing without forming any metallic connection between
it and the iron plates of the vessels, such as the use of ebonite rivets, or drilling
holes in the iron plates, plugging them with wood and nailing the metal
sheathing thereto, both of which plans are open to objection on account
of the weakening of the iron plates consequent upon drilling so many holes
therein, also on account of the expence and various other reasons.
Now my Invention consists in attaching the sheets of india-rubber or
other insulating or "anti-galvanic" material to the vessel's side and the metal
sheathing to the insulating material, by means of marine glue or such other
cement or adhesive material as will resist the action of sea water, instead of
nailing or rivetting the same as previously practised or proposed."
I may here observe that in the Provisional Specification filed with
my petition for the above in part recited Letters Patent, I stated that
" in some instances it might be sufficient to glue the yellow metal on to
"the iron plates without the intervention of any insulating material other than
"the waterproof glue or cement, which of itself is sufficient to prevent any
"metallic contact and consequent galvanic action between the two metals,"
and also that I proposed to adopt this latter method for sheathing wooden
vessels; "but, since filing such Provisional Specification, I have been informed
and believe that attempts have previously been made to sheathe iron

page_text: vessels with metallic sheathing by means of waterproof glue or 'cement, and
that the result has been unsuccessful, and therefore such part of my Invention
proving not to be so new or useful as at the time of my so filing such
Provisional Specification I verily believed it to be, I do hereby disclaim
such part of my Invention and lay no claim thereto as regards iron vessels,
but I still propose to use such method for sheathing wooden vessels.
In carrying out my Invention, I either proceed as above described
by employing the waterproof glue or cement both for attaching the
india-rubber or other impervious insulating material to the sheathing and also
for attaching the same to the ship's side, or I attach the india-rubber to the
metal sheathing by heat and pressure only during the process of vulcanization
(as is well understood) and use the waterproof glue or cement only for
attaching the same to the ship's side.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, for "An
Improved Method of Attaching Sheathing to Iron or other Vessels," together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention.
Firstly, attaching metallic sheathing to iron or other vessels by means
of waterproof glue or cement combined with the interposition of sheets
of vulcanized india-rubber between the ship's side and the metal sheathing; or
of such other impervious insulating material as will prevent any galvanic action
taking place.
And, secondly, attaching such sheathing to wooden vessels by means of the
waterproof glue or cement only, without the interposition of any other
material.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Muntz, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.