Im- PROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' SIDE LIGHTS SCUTTLES OR PORTS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph and Alfred Ridsdale, of the Minories,
in the City of London, Engineers, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' SIDE LIGHTS SCUTTLES OR PORTS"
Sealed the 19th July 1853, and dated the 15th February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph and Alfred
Ridsdale at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 15th February 1853.
We, JOSEPH and ALFRED RIDSDALE, of the Minories, in the City
of London, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' SIDE LIGHTS, SCUTTLES, OR PORTS"
to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in so forming or constructing ships' side
lights, scuttles, or ports, that when partially opened for ventilation
or otherwise, the air will enter at the upper part only in an upward
current, while the risk of water entering is greatly lessened.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Joseph and Alfred Ridsdale in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOSEPH and ALFRED RIDSDALE, of the Minories, in the City of
London, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Joseph and Alfred
Ridsdale, Her special licence that we, the said Joseph and Alfred
Ridsdale, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Joseph and Alfred Ridsdale, 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 SHIPS' SIDE LIGHTS, .SCUTTLES, OR PORTS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph and Alfred
Ridsdale, or one of us, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 we, the said Joseph Ridsdale and Alfred
Ridsdale, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained. in .and by this present Specification or
instrument in writing, reference being had to the accompanying

page_text: illustrative Drawing hereunto belonging, and forming part thereof
(that is to say):
Our Invention consists in so forming or constructing ships' side
lights, scuttles, or ports, which open out or back (when opening
inwards), that when partially opened for ventilation or otherwise,
the air will enter at the upper part only in an upward current when
opened inwards, while the admission of water is greatly lessened by
means of cheeks, guards, or boxings upon and projecting out from
the framing to which the window or door is hinged, or upon and
projecting out from the window or door itself, or upon and pro-
jecting out from both the framing and the window or door.
The manner in which we consider our Invention is best to be
performed is as follows:-We construct our improved side lights or
scuttles with cheeks, guards, or boxings upon and projecting out
from the framing to which the window or door is hinged, and we
furnish the edges of the said window or door with cork or other
suitable packing. And, when necessary, we also furnish the hinge
joints with cork or other suitable packing.
In illustration, we will now proceed to describe the accompanying
Drawing, which represents the manner in which we carry out our
Invention, and which we have found to answer extremely well.
Figure 1, is a front elevation (on the inner surface or front side) of a
rectangular scuttle, constructed so as to open inwards into the
saloon or cabin of a vessel; Figure 2, is a transverse section of the
same through the line Z, Z, in Figure 1; Figure 3, is a plan view
of the same; Figure 4, a horizontal section through the line Y, Y, in
Figure 1, shewing more distinctly the packing against the checks or
guards. The foregoing Figures represent the scuttle in a closed
position. Figure 5, is a side elevation, representing it open for venti-
lation; Figure 6, a detached front view of the forked lug or cup i,
hereafter mentioned. is the framing, which is cast with a lip or
rim a*, against which the door or window b, (which is hinged to
the said framing), shuts closely, the face of the cork packing c, upon
the door pressing against the said lip or rim, as shewn most dis-
tinctly in the Figure 2. d,-d, are our improved cheeks, guards, or
a,

page_text: boxings, likewise cast upon the framing a, and projecting out
therefrom; and the edges of cork packing c, both upon the right
hand side or edge, and upon the left hand side or edge of the door,
press against the inner faces of these two cheeks respectively, as
shewn most distinctly in the case of the right hand side or edge in
the Figure 4. e, is the hinge working against a cork seating f, fitted
in a box or channel adapted to receive it. g, is a screw jointed by
a pin to a forked lug upon the framing, so as to allow it a little
play; h, is a handle or nut, which works on the said screw; i, is a
forked lug or cup cast or fixed upon the door, and made so as to
clip the nut or handle, while it allows it to turn round in it. Con-
sequently, the turning of the said handle will effect a partial opening
or closing imovement of the door; and, when not moved, the handle
will maintain the door steady in any required position within the
limits of range of the screw; and when it is desired to open the door
completely, as represented by the strong dotted lines in Figure 5,
the screw, with the handle or nut upon it, must be lifted upwards out
of the clip of the forked lug, which will allow the door to be opened
wide as desired. In order to close it again, it must be raised and
placed so that the parts h, i, may clip together, when the turning
of the screw will complete the closing. Figures 7, 8, 9, represent
views corresponding with Figures 1, 2, and 3, of a circular scuttle
constructed to open inwards. Figure 10, is a horizontal section
through the line X, X, in Figure 7; the parts corresponding with
the former Figures are marked with similar letters of reference; the
only particular point of difference is, that the cheeks or guards d, d,
are in this case made curved to suit the circular form of the edge of
the door. The movement of the door is precisely the same as in
the former case. Figure 11, is a transverse vertical section of a
rectangular scuttle constructed to open outwards or away from the
saloon or cabin of a vessel. In this case, the cheeks or guards form
the sides of a complete boxing all the way round, projecting out ex-
ternally from the frame to which the door is hinged; and in order
that the door may be completely opened, the lug or clip i, is made to
present its fork sideways instead of upwards, so that the handle

page_text: and screw may be moved out of it, and move with the door through
the framing, the end of the screw being so jointed or connected to
the framing, as to allow this to take place. In all the above cases,
it is to be observed, that the risk of water entering at the sides, when
the door is partially open, is prevented, or at any rate very much
lessened, by the packing on the edges of the doors working tightly
against the inner faces of the guards or cheeks fixed to or cast upon
the framing. But we desire it to be understood that although we
prefer this mode of construction, the guards or cheeks may be made
upon or fixed to the door itself, and packings (if requisite) may be
placed upon the edges of the framing, against which such guards or
cheeks will then work. Or, again, if it should be so desired, double
guards or cheeks may be employed; that is to say, both upon the
framing and the door, with packings or without packings, as may
be preferred. And, lastly, we desire it to be understood that our
improved scuttles may be made to open sideways (or upon an
upright hinge) by providing guards at the bottom and upon the
side opposite to the hinge, leaving the top, or part of the top, open
for ventilation. The inner face of the side guard is in this case to
be made curved to the required radius. The guards may be fixed
either to the framing or to the door; and double guards may be
used, and packings may be employed or not, as desired; but we
prefer to use them, and also to pack the upright hinge in the manner
shewn in the case of the horizontal hinge represented in Figure 2.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Ridsdale, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JOSEPH RIDSDALE. (L.S.)