IMPROVEMENTS IN PUNCHING, RIVETTING, BENDING, AND SHEAR- ING METALS, AND IN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTING SHIPS AND VESSELS
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
SCOTT, of John Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the Thirtieth day of October,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one, in the fifteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Michael Scott, my exors, adñors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Michael Scott, my exors, adñiors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Michael Scott, my exors, admors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney,
Sark, and Man, and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUNCHING, RIVETTING, BENDING, AND SHEAR-
ING METALS, AND IN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTING SHIPS AND VESSELS," in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Michael Scott, shall
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my

page_text: hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Michael Scott, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, are fully described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, first, of improvements in machinery for punching,
rivetting, bending, and shearing metals.
Secondly, my Invention consists of a mode of constructing ships or vessels
of two shells at a distance apart.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of a mode of fixing wood sheathing to iron
vessels.
Fourthly, my Invention consists of a mode of joining plates in building
bonts, ships, and other vessels.
Fifthly, my
and vessels.
"
İnvention consists of a mode of constructing the masts of ships
Sixthly, my Invention consists of improvements in the construction of ships
and vessels intended to carry cargo in bulk, such as coals.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me; in
doing so I would state that I am aware that it has before been proposed to
employ the pressure of water for the purposes of punching, rivetting, bending,
and shearing metals, and the first part of my Invention is therefore confined to
means of obtaining and applying such pressure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the machine on the line C, D,.
Figure 5; Figures 2 and 3 are end views; Figure 4 is a transverse section on
the line A, B, Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view.. The same letters refer to
like parts in all the views.
The machine may be said to be composed of five parts, the body a, the
piston with the punch or cutter attached, the spring c, the die d, and the
apparatus for the admission of water. The machine is in principle a small
hydrostatic press, and as it is essential to the case of application to the pur-
poses intended, namely, punching, shearing, and rivetting on a vessel's side (or
in other situations where it is desirable to save the labour of bringing the plates

page_text: to a stationary machine), that its size and weight should be reduced as far as
practicable, water is to be used under great pressure, say, one thousand lbs.
per square inch. The body a should be made of wrought iron, which may be
forged solid and bored out afterwards. The piston is an ordinary cast-iron
piston, made as light as possible, with ribs r, r, Figure 4, to give it strength,
and it is packed with a leather ring e, as is usual in bydrostatic presses. The
spring c may be of the form shewn in Figures 1 and 2, or any other con-
venient shape, and it must be of such strength that when the stroke is com-
pleted, and the hole punched, it may bring the piston back again to its original
position as the water flows out. The die d is an ordinary die in every respect
except that the face is made in the shape of a cup, for the purpose of causing
the plate which is to be punched to be bent into it, thereby making a recess
on one side of the plate, which will serve as a countersink for the rivet head,
the punch going through the plate as usual. The apparatus for allowing the
water to pass into the cylinder and then to escape, consists, first, of a cylinder
f, which is part of the body of the machine. In this cylinder is a moveable
cylindrical slide g, which has a passage h bored through it, of the same size as
the inlet , into the cylinder. When, therefore, the slide is in the position
shewn, the water has free access to the machine. This slide.g is bored out
hollow, and then a passage o completed, as,shewn, as that when it is moved
forwards until the entrance comes opposite the passage into the main cylinder,
free egress is afforded to the water which has accomplished the punching of a
hole. This waste water may be conveyed away by a pipe attached to the end
of a slide. The slide is made tight by means of leather packing at m and n.
In order to save labor and prevent the risk of shifting the punch, it is neces-
sary to accomplish the moving the slide by means of the water itself, and this
is effected by enlarging the cylinder f, so as to leave an annular space p
between it and the slide, and putting a packing ring 9 round the slide, thereby
forming a piston and a packing leather t round the slide, at the extremity of
the cylinder f. If then the water be allowed to flow into this annular space
first on one side and then on the other side of the piston by means of the two-
way cocks s, which is easily turned by hand, the slide will move backwards
and forwards, so as to allow the water to enter the main cylinder by the inlet
k, and then to escape by the passage o.
The water for moving the slide may be brought from the supply pipe by a
small branch to the cock s, by substituting for the punch and died a cutter
and block or a pair of cups. It is evident the machine may be equally well
applied to cutting plates and rivetting.
The next part of.the apparaus for punching, &c., is the supply pipe, which

page_text: must be strong enough to stand the high pressure requisite for the press, and
also be so flexible as to allow of the machine being moved about from place
to place. The method proposed for forming the tube is to make one of
gutta percha, leather, or other suitable material, of moderate thickness, and
round this to wind a flat or round iron or steel wire, which, while imparting
great strength will not greatly affect the flexibility of the gutta percha tube.
Another coating of gutta percha may then be added outside the wire.
The next part of the apparatus for punching consists in the mode of multi-
plying the pressure of a moderate head of water, so as to give the pressure
required for the machine for punching, rivetting, bending, and shearing metal.
Figure 6 is a hollow column of brickwork, stone, or other material, on the
top of which is placed the tank b; this tank is filled with water, either by a
stream flowing into it or by a steam engine or other machine, as may suit or
be required by the locality. From the tank a pipe with branches conducts
the water simultaneously to two or more cylinders c, c, as may be preferred.
Each of the cylinders has a piston in it, and the piston rods are all attached
to the same crosshead d. This crosshead then transfers the collective pressure
on the piston of the cylinders c, c, to the plunger of the compensation cylin.
der f, which has been previously filled with water, and from which a pipe or
pipes convey the water for the supply of the punching presses.. After the
accomplishment of a stroke, the communication with the tank 6 is cut off,
and then the water allowed to escape from the cylinders c, c, the pistons
brought back to the beginning of the stroke, and the press f refilled with
water by any convenient means, such as opening a communication between
the tank and the end g of the press. Further, the apparatus being as above
described, I propose that water should be puniped continuously into the
smaller or compensation cylinder (f) under the ram, then the action would
be as follows: The punching machines being used at irregular intervals the
water required to work them will vary in quantity in a given time, but the
action of the engine required to furnish this supply would be continuous and
regular; and by the arrangement described, if the engine delivered more
water than the punching machines required for the time being into the press
or compensation cylinder f, then the piston therein would be forced backward
and the water in the large cylinders forced upward into the tank upon the
tower, and the continuous action of the pumping engine would not be inter-
rupted. Again, if the punching machines took more water than the regular
supply from the engine, then the ram or piston in the compensation cylinder
would be forced forward, and thereby afford the supply without permitting
any diminution of pressure, for the water would again descend from the

page_text: elevated tank and force forward the pistons in the large cylinders. Further,
the apparatus being as above described, so far as the cylinders c, c, with their
pistons, piston rods, and crossheads, and the compensation cylinder f with its
piston or ram, is concerned, I propose in place of having an elevated tower
and tank and using water (which may be inconvenient in some cases) to
employ steam, which being admitted into the cylinders c, c, would press upon
the pistons therein, and the collective pressure upon the pistons would be
transferred, as in the case of the water, to plunger or ram, working in the
compensation cylinder by means of the piston rods and crossheads.
Another part of my Invention for bending sheets of metal consists of
machinery, which I will now describe, and it consists of a press for forming
boats of sheet iron and producing corrugations. Figure 7 shows a transverse
section of the press; it consists of two moulds m and n, the upper one being
made to the exact shape intended to be given to the plate, and has therefore
recesses for the corrugations p, p, cast in it. Through this mould it is neces-
sary that there should be bored at short intervals small holes to provide for the
escape of the air. The bottom mould is made to correspond roughly with
the upper mould, but its shape is only important so far as its correspondence
with the other. prevents a waste of water, and causes the thin plate when laid
on it to be partially bent by the weight of the upper die in its descent. The
process of moulding a plate is then as follows:-The upper die being removed
a thin plate, previously cut to the proper shape, is laid on the lower one.
The upper die is lowered and attached to the lower die by means of very
strong bolts b, b; water is pumped in under great pressure by the pipe k,
thereby forcing the plate into the shape of the other die. In order to make a
joint at the edge, which will prevent the water passing round it to the other
side of the thin plate, a strip of: leather q is attached to the under die on all
its sides, and bent round in the manner shewn, so that the pressure of the
water ensures the tightness of the joint; and at the same the thin metal plate
is not prevented from expanding or contracting for saving labour in lifting the
upper die off and on a small cylinder, worked by a vacuum by steam; or water
may be employed, as shewn.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, which consists of a
mode of forming iron vessels of thin plates at a distance apart. The kind of
ribs by which I unite the two layers of plate, is shewn in Figures 10 and 11.
It consists of two plates of wrought iron of a width equal to the distance apart
of the two shells of which the ship is to be made, and bent to the mould of
the ship; one of these plates a, is flat, the other b, has corrugations made in it;
so that when the plates are rivetted together at c, c, there will be spaces or

page_text: passages left by the corrugations for rivets to pass through and attach the
inner and outer plates of the ship to one another, and to the ribs. Figure 10
shows an edge view of one of these ribs, and Figure 11 shows a section of a
vessel (on a smaller scale than Figure 10) constructed according to this part
of my Invention, the red lines shewing the rivets passing from the outer to
the inner plates, and through the compound rib. The corrugations of the
plate b, may be made by passing it between rollers whilst straight, in the
usual manner. The two plates are then to be bent to the mould of the
vessel and rivetted together, as shewn. In order to prevent the oxydation of
so great a surface and consequent destruction of the material, I coat the inside
of the plates which form the vessel with bitumen, and I fill the space between
them with cocoa-nut fibre or other suitable material, saturated with bitumen
or adhesive matter; by these means both air and water will be excluded.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention which consists of a mode
of attaching sheathing to iron vessels, shewn in Figures 12 and 13. a is a tube
which passes through both plates of the vessel, and is rivetted at both ends;
b is another tube outside the former one, which serves to keep the plates at
their proper distance apart, and enable the inner tube to be rivetted; c, are
trenails driven through the timber sheathing into the inner tubular rivets ;
copper.sheathing may then be nailed to the wood. The case of single plated
vessels is provided for, as shewn in Figure 13; a, is a tube with a flange, by
which it is rivetted to the vessel on the inside. Into this tube the trenail may
be driven as before described.
I will now describe the fourth part of my Invention, which consists of
improved modes of forming the joints of plates in building boats, ships, &
other vessels, instead of rivetting, shewn in Figures 14 and 15. Figure 14
shews a pair of shafts, each shaft having a roller at each end. The pair of
rollers a, a, Figure 14, are shaped in the manner shewn, for the purpose of
giving the first bend to the edges of a plate which has had a longitudinal cor-
rugation produced in it previously, and cut to the proper shape for a boat.
The rollers b, b, are adapted to increase the bend of the edge previously given
to a half round, as shewn; Figure 15 shews a pair of rollers d, d, intended to
complete the joining of two plates previously prepared as above; a straight strip
of plate c, has its edges bent by the rollers a, a, b, b, Figure 14; it is then
threaded along the two plates to be joined, and the whole is then passed
between the rollers d, d, to which the form shewn is given.
I will now describe the fifth part of niy Invention, which consists of an
improved mode of construction of iron masts, and which is shewn in Figure
16; a, b, are two concentric tubes formed of thin iron plate, between which

page_text: are placed vertical ribs formed in the same manner as those already described
for ships' ribs, which serve to connect the two tubes in the same way as the
two layers of plates forming the bottom of the vessel. The space between
the rings is to be filled with cocoa-nut fibre or other suitable material,,
combined with adhesive matter, as before described.
I will now describe the sixth part. of my Invention for improvements in.
the internal arrangements of vessels intended to carry their cargo in bulk,
such as coals, as shewn at Figures 16, 17, and 18; and also on a larger scale,
in respect to some details, at Figures 19, 20, and 21. These improvements
are intended chiefly to facilitate the process of delivery, and they mainly
consist in having two wells, one forward, the other aft, and reaching from the
deck to the bottom of the hold. These wells communicate with each other by
means of a tunnel or passage extending between them. In this passage are
laid rails, upon which trucks may run, and at intervals along the roof and sides
of the passage are doors, through which the cargo may be admitted to fall.
into the passage or into the trucks placed therein. On each side of the
passage there is a raised floor, which is united to the bottom of the vessel by.
means of the kind of rib before described, or any other convenient method.
I am aware that it has been before proposed to have shafts or wells in vessels
with a tunnel forming a communication between them, and having in that
tunnel doors, for the purpose of facilitating the unloading of the cargo. The
peculiarity of the present Invention is the arrangement of the floor or false
bottom on either side, and mode of fastening the same to external shell of
vessel, by which two advantages are gained. In the first place, by having the
false bottom outside the tunnel elevated, that portion of the cargo which must
be lifted has a less height to be lifted to the doors in the roof and upper part
of the sides. In the second place, by uniting the false bottom or floor with
the sides of the vessel, in the manner described, great strength is obtained
and the space between the false bottom or floor and the bottom of the vessel
becomes available for water to be used as ballast.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the details as here shewn and described, so long as the peculiar character
of any part of my Invention be retained, but what I claim is,―
First, the improvements in machinery for punching, rivetting, bending, and
shearing herein described.
Secondly, I claim the mode of constructing ships or vessels with two shells,
at a distance herein described.

page_text: MICHAEL (L.S.) SCOTT.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of April, in the
year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid Michael Scott came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
Enrolled the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.