IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF ARMOURED AND OTHER VESSELS, AND ARMOUR PLATES OR BARS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Ridley Oswald, of New Place House, Southampton,
in the County of Hants, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF ARMOURED AND OTHER VESSELS, AND ARMOUR PLATES OR
BARS."
Sealed the 15th September 1877, and dated the 26th July 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Thomas Ridley Oswald at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th July 1877.
«
THOMAS RIDLEY OSWALD, of New Place House, Southampton, in the County of
Hants. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARMOURED AND OTHER VESSELS,
AND ARMOUR PLATES OR BARS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of armoured
and other vessels, and armour plates or bars of iron or steel of any dimensions and
Scantlings.
I construct armour plates or bars of a trough-like form, with flanges sufficiently
near together to jam the shot or shell before it can strike the back of the trough,
and to give by the flanges when brought together a shearing tendency on any shot
or shell striking them, and so break them up before they could penetrate. These
flanges also serve to receive the rivets by which the plates or bars are attached the
one to the other, and to lighten and simplify the construction.
In constructing ships with such plates or bars I arrange the plates or bars to run
across the vessel, bending them to the form of the ship's section, and placing them in
contact the one with the other in such manner that when rivetted up they form a
complete ship. The flanges may be external or internal; when on the outside, I
prefer to fill in between them with timber to give a smooth or flush surface, on to
which I then fix a wooden planking; the ship may also be copper over this.
I construct merchant ships also with flanged plates, but of a different section, with
more distance between the flanges, and very much lighter. The length of the plates
D

page_text: the plate in the fore-and-aft direction.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a midship section of an armoured ship built according to my
Invention.
Figures 2, 3, and 4 are transverse sections of the plates or .bars employed in
the construction of the said ship; Figure 2 is the section in the portion of the side
marked A; Figure 3 is the section in the portion marked B, and Figure 4 is the
section in the portion marked C; between A and B the section is tapered, and the
same is the case between B and C.
Figure 5 shows a section at A through several of the plates or bars, and in this
Figure the rivets by which they are secured the one to the other are indicated.
Figure 6 again shows to a larger scale a section at A, and this Figure also
indicates the method in which I prefer to fill in between the flanges of the plates or
bars with wood, and to apply over the flush surface thus produced a sheathing or
planking of timber.
Figure 7 is similar to Figure 6.; it represents to a smaller scale the section at C;
the filling between the ribs consists of two side strips fashioned to the form of the
interior space between the flanges, and grooved to receive the rivet heads; the
pieces are dipped into melted marine glue, and are at once put into their places and
secured by driving between them a middle piece which is cut to fit accurately, and
is very slightly tapered. The planking is fastened to the filling timber by means
of wood screws, spikes, or treenails. It is not requisite that the plates or bars
should be continuous throughout the two sides and the bottom of the ship, but it is
desirable that they should be in as long lengths as is practicable, and that the breaks
in adjacent frames should be far apart.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 represent sections of the plates or bars employed in the
upper works of the ship, the sections are taken at the points marked D, E, and F,
respectively.
Although I prefer in armoured ships to place the flanges of the plates or bars
on the exterior of the ship they may also be placed on the inner side, and by so
doing a flush surface is obtained without the employment of a timber planking or
sheathing.
Figure 11 shows a midship section of a merchant ship or vessel constructed
according to my Invention; the flanges of the plates are here shown on the interior
of the vessel, but when it is intended to apply a timber sheathing they may be
on the exterior; Figure 12 is an horizontal section taken on the line 1, 1, in
Figure 11; Figure 13 is a similar section taken on the line 2, 2, in Figure 11,
and Figure 14 is an elevation of a portion of the ship's side viewed from within.
It should be observed that in ships constructed according to my Invention the
flanges of the plates or bars run in a direction across the vessel, passing down one
side of the ship beneath the bottom and up the other side, whilst the width.or
smaller dimension of the plates or bars is in the fore-and-aft direction; this is an
essential feature in my system of construction, and there would be great practical
difficulty in any other arrangement.
Flanged armour plates such as I have described may also be used in the structure
of forts and in other constructions.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
perforining the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of armoured and other vessels with flanged plates or
bars placed side by side, and secured the one to the other, substantially as described.
Second. The method of applying a timber sheathing when the flanges of the

page_text: plates or bars are on the exterior of the vessel by filling between them, so as to
produce a flush surface, and fastening the timber sheathing to the filling, substantially
as described.
Third. The construction of armour plates or bars, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Ridley Oswald, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
T. R. OSWALD. (L.S.)